Jeffry Abt Posted January 27, 2015 Share #1 Â Posted January 27, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Do y'all have any experience with the Leica Macro Adapter M and the 50mm APO. If you do; would post a few examples? I'm thinking of buying the Macro Adapter. But only if it pairs well with my beloved 50 APO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 Hi Jeffry Abt, Take a look here Leica Macro Adapter M & the 50mm APO. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
01af Posted January 27, 2015 Share #2 Â Posted January 27, 2015 ... only if it pairs well with my beloved Apo 50 mm. It doesn't. Â You'd get a huge gap between the largest magnification without and the lowest magnification with the adapter. And poor image quality. Â Better get an achromatic close-up lens, strength between +1.5 dpt and +2 dpt. Cheaper, easier handling, more versatile use, and better image quality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share #3  Posted January 27, 2015 Is Leica stretching the truth when it says, about the Macro Adapter  "With Leica lenses from 50mm and longer, it enables macro photography up to a reproduction ratio of 1:2 and, with wide-angle lenses, even larger ratios." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted January 27, 2015 Share #4 Â Posted January 27, 2015 Is Leica stretching the truth ...? No. But they aren't telling you the whole truth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted January 27, 2015 Share #5 Â Posted January 27, 2015 It works with the APO50, but my examples were not worth posting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share #6 Â Posted January 27, 2015 I do not pretend to understand the science of the optics. Why does it not work well with the APO 50mm? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 28, 2015 Share #7  Posted January 28, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) The 50/2 apo seems to work normally, although upside down, with the previous macro adapter (pic). Is there a problem with the current version? Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/240356-leica-macro-adapter-m-the-50mm-apo/?do=findComment&comment=2754202'>More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share #8 Â Posted January 28, 2015 The 50/2 apo seems to work normally, although upside down, with the previous macro adapter (pic). Is there a problem with the current version? Good question! I would love to see photos from the current version! Clearly the old version worked. What are the physical differences between them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 28, 2015 Share #9  Posted January 28, 2015 [...] What are the physical differences between them? The macro adapter v1 (14409 - pics) has goggles and no helicoid but the current one (14652) has no optics either so i don't see why it would not work with 50mm lenses like the 50/2 apo. I have no experience with the 14652 though. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/240356-leica-macro-adapter-m-the-50mm-apo/?do=findComment&comment=2754389'>More sharing options...
Exodies Posted January 28, 2015 Share #10 Â Posted January 28, 2015 No. But they aren't telling you the whole truth. Â (It's like getting blood out of a stone) What is the whole truth? Wait. Let me rephrase that; what aren't Leica telling us about the macro adapter M and the 50mm APO? (In case this gets anyone's sarcasm hackles up let me add that I'm always happy to see Mr Zero One Af's messages; gnomic but packing a punch) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted January 28, 2015 Share #11 Â Posted January 28, 2015 The problem is with the lens, not with the adapter. Â The focusing mount of an ordinary 50mm Leica lens such as the non-APO Summicron has to extend about 4.2mm to focus from infinity to its closest distance of 700mm. The APO's mount moves about the same distance, but it also adjusts the position of the lens's floating elements to keep its optical performance at the highest possible level regardless of focusing distance. (By contrast an ordinary lens is designed to give best performance at one particular distance, often infinity, so focusing close results in diminshed performance.) Â Now turn the lens back to infinity focus and insert the Macro Adapter M between the 50mm lens and the body. The minimum thickness of the adapter is about 18mm, so it's like winding out the lens's own focusing helical more than four times its normal travel from infinity to 700mm. In fact it's enough extension to focus the lens on an object about 200mm from the sensor. But the lens's own mount is still set to infinity, and therefore the floating elements are positioned to give best performance at infinity - so performance at 200mm will be mediocre. Â Wind the lens out to its closest focus, and the floating elements will be positioned to give best performance at 700mm - but the combination will now be focused on about 180mm, so things are scarcely better. Wind the Adapter out to its maximum length of about 30mm and the focus distance comes down to about 135mm - and the subject is very close to the front element of the lens. Â In short, putting the APO Summicron on the macro adapter means you're using at as a macro lens, way outside its design parameters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAD Posted January 28, 2015 Share #12  Posted January 28, 2015 I don not have the 50 APO, but I just received the new Macro adapter, and have used it with 90mm Summarit an 50mm Summilux. For my intentions, which are to use as a back up for scanning" negatives (135 film), and some macro pictures, it seems to work very well indeed. Couple of pictures. Just test shots, and the on of a M3 is hanheld with 1/15 shutter speed, so... The other is from a 135 negative photographed with 50mm Lux, and edited in LR. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/240356-leica-macro-adapter-m-the-50mm-apo/?do=findComment&comment=2754661'>More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share #13 Â Posted January 28, 2015 John, Would what you say apply, to the 50mm Lux as well... it has a floating element also? If what you are saying about 'lens design parameters" is true, Leica should provide a list of lenses that the Macro Adapter can be used with and still get desirable results ...vs "mediocre" results. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted January 28, 2015 Share #14 Â Posted January 28, 2015 The current version works with the APO50. You must be 6-8 cm from the subject with the 50 at 1M and the extension out all the way if I remember correctly. It took me about 5 minutes to dial it into focus the first time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 28, 2015 Share #15 Â Posted January 28, 2015 Couple of snaps with 50/2 apo and macro adapter v1, out of curiosity. Focus on the star, 0.27m, 15 MB files. - f/2: http://lctphot.smugmug.com/photos/3848010715_TbbD5Pr-D.jpg - f/5.6: http://lctphot.smugmug.com/photos/3848022588_BKj2Fvv-D.jpg - f/11: http://lctphot.smugmug.com/photos/3848035486_ftM8j73-D.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted January 29, 2015 Share #16 Â Posted January 29, 2015 John, Would what you say apply, to the 50mm Lux as well... it has a floating element also? If what you are saying about 'lens design parameters" is true, Leica should provide a list of lenses that the Macro Adapter can be used with and still get desirable results ...vs "mediocre" results. Â 1) Yes. Â 2) I don't think this is practical because it all depends on what you consider "desirable results", while Leica prefer never to admit to anything but the best. It's pretty safe to say that a lens that is extremely highly optimised for performance in the range from infinity to 1m or 700mm - i.e. most current Leica lenses, especially the ones with floating elements - won't be at its best when used as a macro lens (the obvious exception is the 90mm Macro Elmar M. But a superb lens "not at its best" may still be good enough, especially if you don't have a high quality macro lens to hand. Other factors in macrophotography - such as the very limited depth of field - often mean that the very highest lens quality is not actually required. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 29, 2015 Share #17 Â Posted January 29, 2015 A second hand Macro-Elmarit-R 60/2.8 (11253, 11212, 11347) plus Macro-Adapter-R (14198, 14256) would not cost much more than the current Macro-Adapter-M and would be more suitable for serious macro works of course but the latter's versatility seems hard to beat for M240 users. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted January 30, 2015 Share #18  Posted January 30, 2015 1) Yes. 2) I don't think this is practical because it all depends on what you consider "desirable results", while Leica prefer never to admit to anything but the best. It's pretty safe to say that a lens that is extremely highly optimised for performance in the range from infinity to 1m or 700mm - i.e. most current Leica lenses, especially the ones with floating elements - won't be at its best when used as a macro lens (the obvious exception is the 90mm Macro Elmar M. But a superb lens "not at its best" may still be good enough, especially if you don't have a high quality macro lens to hand. Other factors in macrophotography - such as the very limited depth of field - often mean that the very highest lens quality is not actually required.  I agree, and Lct examples are a good proof imho... Cron 50 APO can be used in Macro environment, with results that are not too different from any other modern 50 used in that way... if one thinks to get something "expecial" being this an expecial lens.. well, it is not the field the lens was designed for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted January 30, 2015 Share #19 Â Posted January 30, 2015 (It's like getting blood out of a stone)What is the whole truth? Wait. Let me rephrase that; what aren't Leica telling us about the Macro-Adapter-M and the Apo-Summicron-M 50 mm Asph? (It's like putting wisdom into a stone) See post #2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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