Leitz 560/6.8, Novoflex Slow Focusing Tube

[k-hawinkler]

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The Leitz Telyt 560/6.8 comes in no less than three focusing mounts, namely in

 

• Leitz Trombone-Like Focusing,

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-r-leica-flex/280662-about-560-f6-8-a.html

• Novoflex Pigriff-C Rifle Grip,

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2345727-post14.html,

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/190378-oh-boy-real-visa.html,

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/186085-pigriff-c-meantime.html

• Novoflex Slow Focusing Tube,

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2341450-post1.html

 

I never felt the trombone-like focusing gave me the fine control I needed.

So I added a Bellows II - but then one can't focus to infinity anymore.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-collectors-historica/254586-telyt-400-560-mm-f-6-a.html

 

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The Novoflex Pigriff-C Rifle Grip definitely seems to be an improvement - but it's not exactly what I was looking for.

So, here is the Novoflex Slow Focusing Tube.

 

 

It's similar in function to the focusing knob of the Televit of the 400 and 560/5.6 Telyts.

 

The Telyts shown above have the same optical components that in fact can be unscrewed at the front.

The spacer rings seem to have a different hight in my two Telyts.

So my question is, if one swaps the glass elements do the spacer rings stay or go with the glass elements?

 

The Telyt in the second image above has several sections - from left to right -

camera, adapters, focusing tube, aperture ring, and finally the lens head with the optical element up front.

The focusing tube has an outer part that separates in the middle and an inner tube.

So I unscrewed the outer tube in the middle by about a 1/3 turn and lined up the camera and focusing wheel with the tripod plate in the front.

Then I wrapped an electrician's tape around the middle of the focusing tube so that the 1/3 turn alignment is fixed for good.

An adapter permits the camera to be mounted horizontally or vertically.

 

At the moment I have the NIKA adapter. Novoflex NOAN35MM| B&H Photo Video

I am waiting for the LEA R adapter. Novoflex NOALRLF| B&H Photo Video

 

However, I have adapters that allow me to go from Nikon F to Leica M, and then from there to Sony E or to m4/3 lens mount.

Edited May 29, 2013 by k-hawinkler

[k-hawinkler]

Now how does this lens perform?

 

Here is a shot of the top of a communications tower, close to a mile distance, taken with Sony NEX-7.

 

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[k-hawinkler]

Now, a scene, close to 10 miles away.

 

First, a crop from a larger image.

 

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and then a 100% crop

 

[k-hawinkler]

Another scene, also about ten miles away.

 

First the overview.

 

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Then a 100% crop.

 

[k-hawinkler]

And finally a 20 mile view.

 

First an overview.

 

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A 100% crop showing communication towers.

 

 

A 100% crop showing ski lifts

 

[luigi bertolotti]

Thanks for the pictures.... they confirm the feeling about those Telyts at large distances : there is a certain loss of detail (notably, in the trees) but the quality of the image remains rather good.

[k-hawinkler]

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Thanks for the pictures.... they confirm the feeling about those Telyts at large distances : there is a certain loss of detail (notably, in the trees) but the quality of the image remains rather good.

 

 

Hi Luigi,

 

Thanks. Well, these old lenses are not APO lenses and perform not as well.

Nevertheless, coupled with a 24 MP camera they show amazing detail, I find.

I shot these images right before sunset to avoid turbulent air as much as possible.

 

Of course, as Doug Herr points out http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2341486-post2.html

these lenses also suffer from spherochromatic aberration.

 

Here is an example shot with the OM-D E-M5 that clearly shows that undesirable feature in the OOF areas.

 

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BTW, this image is not cropped, just reduced in size.

I added quite a few extension rings so that I could focus at about less than half of the regular close focus distance of 6.6 m or 21.65 feet.

So this was shot from about 9 feet, camera to subject.

ISO=1600, f/6.8, 1/10 s, it was already getting pretty dark.

Camera remotely controlled via Wi-Fi.

Edited May 29, 2013 by k-hawinkler

[k-hawinkler]

So, it turned out the Leitz 560/6.8 with Novoflex Slow Focusing Tube, as shown in the second image above,

tended to vibrate as soon as one touched the focusing knob/wheel. But that's easily fixed by adding a rail and a second collar.

 

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Now I can support the Telyt below its center of gravity and it handles very well.

No more vibrations to speak of, easy to focus.

 

The following image was taken with this setup and the NEX-7.

 

This looks like a young bird to me.

[k-hawinkler]

For a discussion of spherochromatic aberration of this lens please see here.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/294244-truchas-peak-nm-july-2013-a.html

[k-hawinkler]

Another 560/6.8. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-collectors-historica/295456-novoflex-telyt-560-6-8-a.html