Focusing Scale

[radiochris]

Whatever happened to the focusing scale/f-stops on the barrel of most lens?

It seem to be that at some point in the last 5-10 years camera makers decided we no longer needed such information. So made the window and decals smaller missing off all but f16. Then they removed the scale altogether. Having been brought up on using a "steam powered" Praktica I prefer the focusing scale. I was looking at some used lenses on a UK dealers website earlier today and am finding it increasingly hard to find such lens, I could only find one with the scale of a reasonable size and number of f-stops displayed.

Chris

[David Kilpatrick]

You can't really have a depth of field scale with a zoom - especially with today's twin ring zooms. Remember those curved lines on the barrels of push pull zooms? Tamron lenses have excellent focusing scales. They are unusual for having a big scale separation at long distances, making it possible to set (or see) distances like 30ft and 50ft with plenty of accuracy between them.

David

[radiochris]

Hi David,
Thanks for the reply. So its back to Prime lenses then!!!
Cheers
Chris

[Omega892]

[quote="radiochris"]Whatever happened to the focusing scale/f-stops on the barrel of most lens?

I have been pondering that lately and appreciated David's answer before it arrived.

However I have also been wondering about infra red, that little red line on most lens barrels years ago. That is one question for film but for digital is ther an infra red mode on some cameras? I haven't looked into it much but I am sure somebody not far from here will know.

[David Kilpatrick]

You can 'force' infra-red from the KM 7D and 5D by extending exposure through a near-opaque IR filter. The Minolta Dimage 7 produces very good infra-red as no IR cut filter was included in the design. From the 7Hi onwards, they put an IR-cut filter in, and that facility was lost. The A100 and A700 can both be used but results are not wonderful. The best IR camera is the Sigma - SD9, 10 or 14. Just remove the IR-cut filter from behind the lens (on the SD14, it bayonets out) and you have a highly IR sensitive camera. Fit an IR or deep red for shooting, process to monochrome, and nothing beats it for resembling IR film. Even though there are no lens marks, you still need to refocus the lens slightly in front of the visual (green) focus point.

David