DZOFILM Pictor lens shims

[Lars Wikstrom]

Seems like this is a good place to ask since a lot of people have the Pictor Zoom lenses. Just got the white ones and I am swapping from PL to EF. If other people have done this for their Komodo's, have you needed to add any shims, if so, how many? Thanks!

[Roy Rossovich]

Also interested in this! My Pictors have arrived but still waiting on Komodo. Would be fine keeping the PL but the variable ND in the canon mount seems very useful.

[Bastian Meier]

I haven't done it myself, but I am pretty sure that you will need to add shims.
The amount of shims is probably gonna be different from lens to lens.

[Phil Holland]

Seems like this is a good place to ask since a lot of people have the Pictor Zoom lenses. Just got the white ones and I am swapping from PL to EF. If other people have done this for their Komodo's, have you needed to add any shims, if so, how many? Thanks!

There won't be one answer to how many shims as it's going to depend on variables in the lens itself. That's kinda the whole point really.

[Lars Wikstrom]

There won't be one answer to how many shims as it's going to depend on variables in the lens itself. That's kinda the whole point really.

So are you saying if I have 2 Komodo cameras and 1 Pictor lens, that the Pictor lens might need 2 different shim set ups for each Komodo camera?

[Cole Sprague]

So are you saying if I have 2 Komodo cameras and 1 Pictor lens, that the Pictor lens might need 2 different shim set ups for each Komodo camera?

If you want it perfect, then yes. It depends how tight the tolerances are on your lens mounts, if they're close to perfect then you probably won't notice the difference between cameras. The shims exist due to manufacturing tolerances so you'll always need some amount of shimming in any lens to get the flange distance perfect. Shimming isn't a simple equation, every time you take the mount off you'll likely need a different combination of shims to get it perfect.

[Phil Holland]

So are you saying if I have 2 Komodo cameras and 1 Pictor lens, that the Pictor lens might need 2 different shim set ups for each Komodo camera?

Typically the camera spec should be pretty tight. What I'm saying is the variation between lenses, meaning if you buy 15X of the 20-55 T2.8, is that it's possible each will need slightly different shims.

So far Komodo has been that consistent, which is new for the RED world. Previously we adjust backfocus in DSMC2 on a per camera basis. And it appears many RF2PL adapters allow for shimming or backfocus when needed as well.

[Aaron Lochert]

So are you saying if I have 2 Komodo cameras and 1 Pictor lens, that the Pictor lens might need 2 different shim set ups for each Komodo camera?

Outside of just getting all your witness marks to match up, the purpose of shimming is to put the lens to a known standard so that it can be put on any other camera's mount and keep proper focus. And if you ever get a lens serviced, it's going to be calibrated to that same standard.

So this also assumes that your camera's flange focal distance is also properly shimmed/calibrated to that same specification. DSMC2 cameras have the ability to set back focus, but Komodo doesn't have that luxury. However, since you'll be using a lens mount adapter from RF to PL (or RF to EF), you can get an adapter that is shimmable. And once you've got your adapter shimmed properly you'd ideally marry that adapter to that specific camera.

While you can theoretically just shim the DZO until it works for your specific Komodo + lens adapter combo, I would advise just getting everything set properly by a tech and avoid all the headaches that can come from using out-of-spec lenses on an equally out-of-spec camera that just so happen to work together.

My $0.02

[Lars Wikstrom]

Outside of just getting all your witness marks to match up, the purpose of shimming is to put the lens to a known standard so that it can be put on any other camera's mount and keep proper focus. And if you ever get a lens serviced, it's going to be calibrated to that same standard.

So this also assumes that your camera's flange focal distance is also properly shimmed/calibrated to that same specification. DSMC2 cameras have the ability to set back focus, but Komodo doesn't have that luxury. However, since you'll be using a lens mount adapter from RF to PL (or RF to EF), you can get an adapter that is shimmable. And once you've got your adapter shimmed properly you'd ideally marry that adapter to that specific camera.

While you can theoretically just shim the DZO until it works for your specific Komodo + lens adapter combo, I would advise just getting everything set properly by a tech and avoid all the headaches that can come from using out-of-spec lenses on an equally out-of-spec camera that just so happen to work together.

My $0.02

True. I have no interest in buying the charts and stuff needed to back focus and shim it correctly. I bought them at Duclos and drove over to pick them up. They come with a 2 year service warranty and I think this stuff is covered. I ordered the DZOFILM PL mount in white so when that finally comes in I will probebly just drop off everything and have them shim, if needed? I have no clue, that is why I asked the original question. Thanks everyone!