Does anyone Remember the Sigma Lenses with double focusing rings?

Mothballs · 12-31-2015, 08:56 PM

It was Called Fine Focus or something like that, and the lenses had two rings for focusing. I had a 200mm a while back, and I'm trying to find another, but I can't recall the name of the lens series...

vonBaloney · 12-31-2015, 09:24 PM - **1 Like**

"Scalematic" I think is what you are talking about, or maybe "system focusing", or both. Not sure if those two things are actually different or not...

Mothballs · 12-31-2015, 10:29 PM

Ahah, That was it! Much thanks.

Fond Memories, they seem to have jumped in price again though...

aremmes · 12-31-2015, 10:43 PM

I imagine that this would come in handy for macro photography, when the depth of field becomes paper thin and moving the focal plane just a millimeter or so translates into a drastic scene change. Microscopes have an analog to this, and it makes sense that at least some camera lenses would have this feature too.

**i_trax** · 12-31-2015, 11:08 PM

https://www.flickr.com/photos/itrax/albums/72157650048968667
I have Upsilon single focus ring version of it, some more info
http://www7.xitek.com/forum/200605/1/179/179_1146985191.jpg

**yucatanPentax** · 01-02-2016, 01:02 AM

There's a bit here:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/18937-older...-question.html

and here:

http://www.thecuckoofarm.com/cuckoo/photo/lens/ys/sigys200/sigys200.php

**K-Three** · 01-02-2016, 12:36 PM

I've got a 200mm ƒ3.5 that I purchased new about 1979, plain K-mount, used it on my film bodies, never mounted it on my digitals,
Has a forward ring that turns about 300-degrees to go from infinity to just under 2-meters
Rear ring turns about 90-degrees to go from infinity to just under 1-meter, combined I think they get you to about 0.5-meter.
58mm filter size on it.
I don't have any strong memories of using it one way or the other, but a bit fiddly to use with the two focus rings, for most use, had to make sure you had the front one at infinity, or you could not focus at distance.

Seems like a solid piece of workmanship, screw-in metal hood seems a bit short for it though, and the aperture lever on the rear has always looked odd to me, no fixed guard on it like a Pentax lens would have, and the lever looks long, bit afraid it would stick too far into a body, never saw any sign of trouble from it though.

Last edited by K-Three; 03-11-2017 at 12:39 PM.

12-31-2015, 08:56 PM	#1
Mothballs Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 275	Does anyone Remember the Sigma Lenses with double focusing rings? It was Called Fine Focus or something like that, and the lenses had two rings for focusing. I had a 200mm a while back, and I'm trying to find another, but I can't recall the name of the lens series...

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12-31-2015, 09:24 PM - 1 Like	#2
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	"Scalematic" I think is what you are talking about, or maybe "system focusing", or both. Not sure if those two things are actually different or not...

12-31-2015, 10:29 PM	#3
Mothballs Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 275 Original Poster	Ahah, That was it! Much thanks. Fond Memories, they seem to have jumped in price again though...

12-31-2015, 10:43 PM	#4
aremmes Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Philadelphia Photos: Albums Posts: 217	I imagine that this would come in handy for macro photography, when the depth of field becomes paper thin and moving the focal plane just a millimeter or so translates into a drastic scene change. Microscopes have an analog to this, and it makes sense that at least some camera lenses would have this feature too.

12-31-2015, 11:08 PM	#5
i_trax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,621	https://www.flickr.com/photos/itrax/albums/72157650048968667 I have Upsilon single focus ring version of it, some more info http://www7.xitek.com/forum/200605/1/179/179_1146985191.jpg

01-02-2016, 01:02 AM	#6
yucatanPentax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Dallas / Yucatan Posts: 1,840	There's a bit here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/18937-older...-question.html and here: http://www.thecuckoofarm.com/cuckoo/photo/lens/ys/sigys200/sigys200.php

01-02-2016, 12:36 PM	#7
K-Three Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Pugetopolis, WA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	I've got a 200mm ƒ3.5 that I purchased new about 1979, plain K-mount, used it on my film bodies, never mounted it on my digitals, Has a forward ring that turns about 300-degrees to go from infinity to just under 2-meters Rear ring turns about 90-degrees to go from infinity to just under 1-meter, combined I think they get you to about 0.5-meter. 58mm filter size on it. I don't have any strong memories of using it one way or the other, but a bit fiddly to use with the two focus rings, for most use, had to make sure you had the front one at infinity, or you could not focus at distance. Seems like a solid piece of workmanship, screw-in metal hood seems a bit short for it though, and the aperture lever on the rear has always looked odd to me, no fixed guard on it like a Pentax lens would have, and the lever looks long, bit afraid it would stick too far into a body, never saw any sign of trouble from it though. Last edited by K-Three; 03-11-2017 at 12:39 PM.