VariZoom Focus/Iris won't focus to infinity!

J

joshdstanton

Member
I've purchased the VariZoom VZPFI Focus/Iris Controller for my af100. I use it with my lumix 14-140mm and oly 14-35mm. It's smooth on the lumix (the oly makes a lot of noise, but looks mostly smooth).

Problem is that I can't focus to infinity if I'm wide on the lumix. It stops at like approx 40'. And can't focus to infinity on the oly at any focal length, plus the maximum aperture changes to 2.2 (instead of a straight 2). I'm assuming this has something to do with the complicated ways these lenses achieve focus/aperture at different focal lengths...

Is anyone else having this problem? (tried searching the forums, but didn't see anything.) Is there any way to calibrate the varizoom?
 
Definitely try to find a way to calibrate it. I had this same problem with my FoXi and someone pointed out that there were some adjustable potentiometers inside, which, when properly adjusted, totally fixed the issue.
 
I don't know if it is the same issue, but apparently there was a similar problem with the Bebob Foxi controller. It turned out to be some kind of calibration issue:
http://101crew.co.uk/2011/02/bebob-foxi-calibration-for-14-140mm-lumix-lens-on-an-af101/

I bought the Varizoom after I had read about the issue with Bebob.. But apparently there is a similar issue with the Varizoom. I am expecting to receive the Lumix 14-140 in a few days... so I guess I am likely to have that problem anyway.
If you do manage to solve the problem, please post the solution here.
 
Does anyone know where to find instructions on how to calibrate the Varizoom?

Thanks,
Maukka
 
I wrote to Varizoom support, and got this response:

"There is really no way to calibrate the lens controller outside of preventing zoom creep issues. The AF101/101 are unique in that they don't even utilize zoom through remote systems, and thus calibration wouldn't do much. The focus range and what is allows is based on the lens and how the camera lets the system connect with the lens. We sadly have little control over that and it can vary from lens to lens."
 
Maukka said:
"There is really no way to calibrate the lens controller outside of preventing zoom creep issues. The AF101/101 are unique in that they don't even utilize zoom through remote systems, and thus calibration wouldn't do much. The focus range and what is allows is based on the lens and how the camera lets the system connect with the lens. We sadly have little control over that and it can vary from lens to lens."
Click to expand...

This is pretty sad news. I get that these still lenses a pretty complex in how they adjust focus/aperture at given focal lengths, but if the camera can understand it, why can't the remote?

Question: Has anybody used a remote focus with Oly's 12-60mm? Just got this lens, and the remote can control the aperture, but not focus control. Strange...
 
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