Low Light Focusing / Blurry RF Patch

[jpmccormac]

While shooting in low light at a party I had a lot of difficulty seeing the focusing patch on my Canonet QL III 17 (it's appears as a very light yellow blur in all but the best light.) Have others experienced this? I think it's due mainly to the age of the camera. Fortunately, all the images turned out very sharp, but I'm wondering if there are any tips or tricks for faster focusing in these conditions. I've cleaned the mirror and VF, but it didn't help much.

Maybe it's time for a Bessa.

Thanks.

[Brian Sweeney]

Have you tried cleaning the viewfinder/RF. All of the Canonets and 70's RF's that I opened up and cleaned the finder were a world better afterwards.

Look at this folder for photo's and notes on cleaning the finder of the Canonet QL17.

My DIY Canonet Finder Folder.

[doubs43]

Originally posted by jpmccormac I'm wondering if there are any tips or tricks for faster focusing in these conditions.

For people, if I can see their eyes, there's generally a reflection of light ( called a "catch light") that can be focused on. Otherwise, the outline of their nose or other sharply defined feature. For objects I try to find a point of reflected light or feature that stands out in relief.

There are times when you don't have a good focusing point for your main subject so I look for an object in the same plane on which to focus.

But, if your rangefinder image is terribly weak then you already have the best answer of all; buy a Bessa!

Walker

[jpmccormac]

Originally posted by Brian Sweeney
Have you tried cleaning the viewfinder/RF. All of the Canonets and 70's RF's that I opened up and cleaned the finder were a world better afterwards.

Look at this folder for photo's and notes on cleaning the finder of the Canonet QL17.

My DIY Canonet Finder Folder.

Yes, I tried cleaning the VF/RF, but may not have covered all the bases noted in your DIY folder. Thanks for posting that link - very helpful.

[CleverName]

I often use my canonet in really, really low light conditions.
(3200 iso, 1/30th, wide open just barely works.)
When it's that dark, I don't even try to focus, I just guess the distance and use the viewfinder to compose the shot. The shallow DOF at f1.7, combined with bad guessing, means that many of my shots are slightly out of focus. (or way out of focus, depending on how many pints I've had) I'm usually trying to get an interesting image rather than a "good photograph", so focus isn't terribly important.
If you're using a flash and a smaller aperture, you might be able to get away with guessing the distance.

[l.mar]

Very cool low light picture!

Oddly enough, my Yashica Lynx 14e (the one with the outsize-mutant f1.4 45 mm Yashinon) has a very dim viewfinder (even after a good CLA) in daylight, but really shines (pun intended) in low light -- the dim light makes that yellow r/f spot brighter.

[CleverName]

OK, L.mar, I promise I'll get my Yashica 14e fixed It'll have to wait 'til the new year though. I still haven't broken in the Yashica J you so graciously gave me yet, and I have a Yashica YL on it's way to me from across the pond.
I really didn't intend to become a Yashica collector, it just sort of happened.

[l.mar]

Woooh -- a "YL" -- cool! I presume you've already gone to the "Yashica Guy's" website. Pretty darned comprehensive. As for Yashica RF addictions, yes, it's pretty serious! The big, fast Yashinon on my Lynx 14e is as sharp as my Canon 50 mm f.1.4 (and about 1/4 of the price!). And while there are some folks who complain about the weight and size of the Lynx, it also comes in handy as a self-defense weapon for those times that shooting available light pics in clubs and bars becomes too lively.