Panon Widelux: changing focus setting.

[Marco Gilardetti]

I've read on the internet that, although these cameras have fixed focus, the distance to which the lens' focus is set can be changed (of course provided that the lens is removed from the rotary turret).

Although the old guidelines reported on Jeff Bridges' website say that infinity will be surely in focus if the aperture is set at 5.6 or below, I seem unhappy with details at infinity on my pictures, so I wonder if it may be the case to have the focus set to infinity.

Did any of you actually modify the focus and set it to infinity? Did you see any improvement? Did you eventually regret the change, and why?

 

[jvan01]

I have never modified the focus of my lens, so cannot report any experience into this.

Technically, infinity is not in focus until f8, according to the Widelux DOF charts. I almost always shoot at f8 or f11 and at least 1/125 sec (better would be 1/250 sec.) in order to maximise depth of field and ensure a sharp picture. You may need to switch to a higher speed film to compensate for shooting at smaller apertures and higher speeds.

I haven't heard of people reporting problems with infinity in focus; usually modifications are made to have the lens focus closer than 8 feet by shimming the film rails so the film lies a few mm further back from the lens.

This page discusses readjusting the focus of the lens if you really want to try:

http://jumboprawn.net/jesse/cams/widelux_ro.html

 

[europanorama]

which widelux?
if you need more informations about fixed-focus-(changing focus) in horizons go to my forum at:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/pancams/start

 

[illumiquest]

I just used the jumboprawn to adjust the focus on mine so it will focus closer. Actually pretty easy, about two hours but half of that was sitting there wondering whether I should really do it.