Tripod-collar for 100 Apo-Macro, 180 Apo and 80-200/4

[macusque]

I just received the Burzynski tripod collar for Leica 100 Apo-Macro.

I'm impressed by its quality.
Wonderfully made, very solid, much more than the discontinued STA-1 plastic tripod collar from Leica.
Smooth rotating and tight lock.
The baseplate seems Arca-style, although I don't have my B1 to check as I sent it for repair, so maybe there's no need for an additional quick release plate.
It has also a low profile which helps in making the system rock solid.
The only "drawback" is that the collar hides the dof scale, which I never use anyway...

Burzynski make it for many lenses (also Canon and Nikon) including the 180 Apo-Elmarit and 80-200 Vario-Elmar.
They don't seem to share the same model though.
The tripod mount is made of two pieces.
An external one, metal, which includes the baseplate and locking mechanism; and an "internal" one, a plastic collar which you need to lock on the lens tightening a little screw.
The metal ring then will slide on the plastic collar and you can easily remove it.

Maybe lenses that have a similar barrel's diameter where it attaches (like the 180 Apo), could share the same tripod-collar and it would be sufficient to buy only the correct plastic ring.
I'll ask them.

The tripod collar makes the aperture ring a bit more difficult to access, but overall it's not bad. I guess it would be better on the 180 Apo, because the lens has a smaller barrel just ahead of the aperture ring.

Anyway at 150 € including German VAT it is not utterly expensive, at least for Leica standards.
You can find it at Isarfoto Bothe GmbH, from what I understand the only distributor for Burzynski products: https://www.isarfoto.com/cms.php/_pi...0/Produkt.html

Highly recommended

[johnkuo]

Very nice. I have the 100 and 180APO, and can use this. But the shipping cost to USA is 119EUR if I didn't misread it.

[macusque]

Ouch!

You are right John, US shipping is 119 €... maybe you could ask them for a cheaper solution, like UPS standard.

Btw, how do you like your 180 Apo-Elmarit ?

I have the 180 Apo-Telyt, but I'm thinking to "upgrade" to the latest Apo-Elmarit, which accepts the 1.4x, making for a nice portable combo when I don't want to carry the 280/4 Apo. It focusses also closer than the Telyt.

[johnkuo]

I am very impressed with the 180/2.8APO. The internal focus is extremely smooth, and the image quality is fabulous. I read that the optimal aperture for this lens is at wide open. It's also very usable handheld. I think mine is the older one that does not accept the 1.4x. I don't have experience with the 180 apo-telyt, but if you like your 280/4, then you will love this 180.

[wparsonsgisnet]

Look how small the R9 ends up looking!

[robsteve]

Marco:

I just posted some 180mm APO comparisons in another thread. The STA-1 collar will fit the 180mm APO-Elmarit. I think the STA-1 got discontinued becase the grip on the R8 or R9 would hit it and lot allow it to spin 360 degrees.

[carstenw]

Neat collar, but perhaps overkill for the 100. I love how that lens extends forever and two turns

[macusque]

John,

thanks for your feedback, do you find it balances well when handholding ?


Rob,

I read your thread about the Elmarit vs Telyt. Thanks a lot !


Carsten,

the 100 Apo balances very well on the DMR and the tripod collar is indeed overkill if maximum stability is what you are after.
But I bought it mainly to allow the rotation of the framing without touching the ball-head.
This is very convenient at close distances where changing orientation often shifts quite a bit the framing and you almost always need to compensate changing the tripod position.