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Leica M + 135mm Question

bephoto

By bephoto
in Leica M (Type 240 / 262)

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AlanJW

AlanJW

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The 135 APO is reasonably easy to focus w/ RF; even easier with EVF. It is an excellent performer. My personal preference -- for framing -- is to use the EVF, but that may also be because my eyes do not work so well any more.

 

BTW, I have also tried this lens with good results on Sony A7r. For a planned trip to Yosemite in May I am planning on the 135 on the Sony and normals/wides on my M(240)

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luigi bertolotti

luigi bertolotti

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75 Lux, 90 Apo... you have a good pair in the high rank... :cool: ... so, if money isn't an issue, ADD the ApoTelyt and you'll enjoy a top trio, any of which has a character of its own and a distinct field of usage : to be honest, having prestige lenses with a bit of redundancy is not a mortal sin... and ,if one is a good photographer too, can always find a situation in which can intimately (and 90% honestly) say "THIS ONE wouldn't be SO fine had I used the 90 at f2 instead of the 75 at 1,4"

But, if money has a certain role and you WANT a 135... don't sell the 90 APO (a PITY to sell such a lens, and 90 is "too classic" :cool:) and buy the Tele Elmar f4, great lens with a marginal plus over the Apo Telyt (the removable head for Macro/Bellows etc...)

My similar "user trio" (collectibles are another breed... ;)) is "2nd class" (Summarit 75, Elmarit-M 90, Tele Elmar 135) but enjoy any of them (to be honest, 75 was mainly a M8 lens, and given that M is a rather recent acquisition, am not yet so sure it will have a definite role with FF... but don't plan to sell anyway...)

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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MRJohn

MRJohn

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Has anyone tried 135 apo on M, how hard is it to focus using rangefinder? going to use it for portraits and fashion.

I'm thinking of selling my 90mm apo and getting a 135mm apo. I stopped using 90apo since I got 75lux.

 

Thanx

 

Focusing the 135 apo with EVF (5x or 10x) is most accurate for me. However, this requires that the target does not move too much and a tripod does not hurt either. The RF is okay depending on skill and aperture. - Trading a 90 apo which you do not use for a 135 apo which you will use seems reasonable to me, why stick with stuff which you do not use? You can always buy it back... Personally, I would never sell my 90 apo

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jbl

jbl

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For the 135mm, I feel the EVF or the 1.4x magnifier is a must. At least for me. My vision is good (I don't wear glasses), but 135mm is getting up there for my desire for sharpness. It's an outdoor lens, high ISO, fast shutter speed and hope for the best :-).

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bocaburger

bocaburger

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Btw I did have the APO-Telyt at one time but sold it because it was a lot of cash in a lens I barely ever used. I have a T-E (e39 version) which I found as someone else mentioned, for me indistinguishable from the APO at the time (still shooting film then, maybe there is a more pronounced difference on digital, Idk). I also have an Elmar, which is really close to the T-E in performance. Interestingly, I had to do some machining to get my T-E to focus dead-on with the M9 but the Elmar was perfect as-is...luck perhaps.

 

Honestly, most of the time when I travel I consider taking a 135 but end up just with the tiny, feather weight "thin" 90 T-E. The M9 (and of course M240) files stand cropping to 135 size very well, especially with the 90 stopped down to f/4, plus it lends itself to hand-holding (for me) with less camera shake than the 135.

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msshea

msshea

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I'm also thinking of buying a 135. From all the useful info people have provided, I'll probably look for a used Tele-Elmar or an Elmarit. Besides the size/weight, goggles, aperture differences, are there any significant image quality differences between the two? Also, are there any red flags I should be on the lookout for?

 

Thanks for any input!

 

Merrill

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jdsheepdog

jdsheepdog

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Also, are there any red flags I should be on the lookout for?

 

Thanks for any input!

 

Merrill

 

The goggles can be out of alignment, affecting focus. It is most obvious at infinity, when the rangefinder images do not quite come together as they should. It is adjustable, you can even do it yourself, if you are brave enough, instructions can be googled. Also, try setting an exact distance by the barrel scale, then put the camera on a tripod at the same distance, measured from anything convenient. Now see if the finder images are coincident.

 

If you find a lens that is exactly correct all distances, you are either very lucky, or it has just been to Solms. Frankly, I know how much mine is off (very little) and I compensate accordingly.

 

Remember, it is almost invariably the goggles that are wrong, not the lens. Trust me, you will love having f2.8 at 135mm, something the other 135's cannot offer, and the lens is a bargain by comparison. :)

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