How to set proper focus 4008ZMII?

[DonFito]

I recently bought a 4008ZMII and, as a new and excited user, have many questions. The seller told me the camera has been serviced. It came in it's original box.

I wanted to properly set the eyepiece for my sight (I use glasses). So I put the lens in Macro, put in place the ground glass and focused the eyepiece ring till I saw the nice grain on the ground glass. Tighten the tiny knob on the eyepiece and done.

Things look great now when I look through the eyepiece. If I disengage the ground glass everything looks blurry (but I'm nearsighted). I do need to disengage it since at f22 all I can see is the ground glass, but if I'm properly focused that's not an issue.

Last question for today: I'd like to shoot 7212 200T. The built in light meter works but should I use an external one?

Many Thanks and cheers,

Rafael Rivera
http://www.donfito.com

[steve hyde]

...fun camera. I use one. Sounds like you have it figured out and are no stranger to shooting film. With 7217 200T you have a very flexible stock so I wouldn't worry about anything but underexposing it. I never close down past F11 with mine

Main thing is to learn the different shutter speeds that are possible and frame rates. You can adjust the frame rate while the camera is running for effects.

have fun.



Steve

[steve hyde]

....for focus, I generally zoom in on the subject to focus and then zoom out to compose the shot. It is certainly a good idea to project focus charts through your lens to see if it holds focus through the range...


Steve

[Scotness]

I recently bought a 4008ZMII and, as a new and excited user, have many questions. The seller told me the camera has been serviced. It came in it's original box.

I wanted to properly set the eyepiece for my sight (I use glasses). So I put the lens in Macro, put in place the ground glass and focused the eyepiece ring till I saw the nice grain on the ground glass. Tighten the tiny knob on the eyepiece and done.

Things look great now when I look through the eyepiece. If I disengage the ground glass everything looks blurry (but I'm nearsighted). I do need to disengage it since at f22 all I can see is the ground glass, but if I'm properly focused that's not an issue.

Last question for today: I'd like to shoot 7212 200T. The built in light meter works but should I use an external one?

Many Thanks and cheers,

Rafael Rivera
http://www.donfito.com

To set the eye piece aren't you meant to put the apperture fully open, the camera on the widest possible focal length, and the foucs on infinity and then look at something a long way away and then set the diopter on the eyepiece? I think it says something like that in the manual.

About focussing to film - set your apperture, zoom in on the subject, focus and then zoom out. This will always work (if you don't change the apperture) because as you zoom out you are increasing the depth of field around your subject, so it will always be in focus (if focussed correctly to begin with - and if the subject doens't move out!) .

Scot

[DonFito]

Thanks Steve and Scott.

Scott, you're right about the manual for setting the eyepiece. Will try this method.

By the way, what's the filter thread size? The camera came with the Schneider 6-66 lens.

[Jim Carlile]

To set the eyepiece, zoom all the way in to telephoto. Then set focus at infinity. Here you have a fixed point that you know. Then, aim the camera at a faraway diagonal of some sort, or some kind of focusing point that you know will be correctly in focus at that set focal length and infinity. That means a telephone pole or something else similar that is 300 feet away, say.

Now, adjust the eypiece until the object is in focus. There you have it. You've set the eyepiece correctly to a focal point and distance that you know is accurate already.

An alternate method is to use a tape measure to determine distance, match it to the lens markings, and then set the eyepiece so the object is in focus on the ground glass. But this method is trickier.

[steve hyde]

Thanks Steve and Scott.

Scott, you're right about the manual for setting the eyepiece. Will try this method.

By the way, what's the filter thread size? The camera came with the Schneider 6-66 lens.

it's a 67mm

[Bjorn Andersson]

Filter tread is 62mm. In metal lenshood a Serie 8/9 (8,5) should be used.

[steve hyde]

...take Bjorn's advice....not mine.. I forgot I had to stack a 67mm filter on top of a 62mm spacer since the threads on mine are damaged slightly.




Steve