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What is an "infinity lock"? |
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06-19-2008
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#1
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Skeptic
Jamie Pillers is offline
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Oakland, California
Posts: 2,866
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What is an "infinity lock"?
I often see discussions of older RF lenses include the term "infinity lock". What is that?
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06-19-2008
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#2
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Registered User
gdi is offline
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: West-Central Connecticut
Posts: 2,315
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It locks focus at infinity, to unlock it you have to push a button when focusing closer.
Under the thumb in this photo...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/...ca00bb.jpg?v=0 |
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06-19-2008
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#3
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Registered User
Andrew Sowerby is offline
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: HFX, NS
Posts: 1,060
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Does just like it says on the tin ... but why? What's the point?
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06-19-2008
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#4
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Registered User
Brian Sweeney is offline
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 15,160
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It helps unscrew the lens on a Leica and dismount them on a Contax/Nikon, otherwise undo force is placed on the helical. On the Nikon and Contax, the infinity lock is built into the camera.
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06-19-2008
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#5
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Skeptic
Jamie Pillers is offline
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Oakland, California
Posts: 2,866
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Thanks everyone... I get it now.
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06-20-2008
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#6
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Rangefinder General
BillP is offline
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Posts: 874
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Sweeney
It helps unscrew the lens on a Leica and dismount them on a Contax/Nikon, otherwise undo force is placed on the helical. On the Nikon and Contax, the infinity lock is built into the camera.
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In use, it has a couple of other benefits. The lock becomes a focussing tab - useful on the smaller lenses. The tab also enables you to work out where the lens is focussed by feel - not as silly as it sounds. I can prefocus my IID and 5cm Elmar by feel before raising the camera to my eye as a result.
Regards,
Bill |
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06-20-2008
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#7
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Registered User
Andrew Sowerby is offline
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: HFX, NS
Posts: 1,060
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Thanks, Brian. I've always wondered about that.
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06-20-2008
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#8
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Registered User
pfoto is offline
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 413
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The first version Summicron 35mm/f2 lenses built in Germany also had an infinity lock that is cleverly hidden in the focusing tab.
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06-20-2008
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#9
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Registered User
ferider is offline
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 10,303
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As Bill and Brian said.
Nice new avatar, Jamie 
PS: an example on one of my favorite lenses; the handle a little right of the center of the pic.
Last edited by ferider : 06-20-2008 at 08:23.
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06-20-2008
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#10
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5000 & call it a day!
Pherdinand is offline
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: er gaat niets boven groningen.
Age: 36
Posts: 7,073
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An infinity lock?
An infinity lock is just another failure of industrial design.
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