400mm f6.8 Telyt R lens on M9?

[k-hawinkler]

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I have an M9 and Visoflex III that work well with a Leitz Telyt 1:4/200 lens and an 16466 M adapter.

Somebody is selling a Leica f/6.8 Telyt R lens and an 14127 F adapter for Visoflex M system.

My understanding is that the 14127 F adapter allows the use of an Leica M lens on Leica R.

 

Here are my questions:

 

Will the Leica f/6.8 Telyt R lens work on the M9 and Visoflex III?

Will it focus to infinity?

I sometimes see also a reference to an f/6.8 Telyt lens. Question:

 

Are f/6.8 Telyt and f/6.8 Telyt R the same. If not, how do they differ?

Thanks for your help. Best Regards, K-H

[jaapv]

The Telyt R and Telyt V rapid focus lenses (400 and 560) share the same lens head. However, the focussing barrel is different, as the R has a shorter register than the Visoflex. Thus the R lens is too long to reach infinity on the Visoflex. Theoretically you could have a technician shorten the mount, but it is more practical to look for a Telyt-V as these lenses are not rare. I might add that the results of these lenses on the M8/M9 Visoflex combo are spectacularly good. It is worth it to try and find the equivalent Novoflex lenses. The optical cell is built by Leica as well, but instead of a doublet these are a triplet, resulting in an even better quality and half a stop extra speed. Again, if you find another version than the Visoflex one, it needs to be adapted, but on the Novoflex that is fairly straightforward, it needs shortening by 25 mm, and the VISA mount adapter is still available from Novoflex ( or was last year anyway)

[k-hawinkler]

Jaap, Many thanks, K-H.

[Delfi_r]

I have seen a Novoflex unit for K Mount, it's convertible too?

[zeitz]

Jaap is a little incomplete on the Novoflex system. There are four follow focus systems: the orginal, B, C, and D. For Viso II/III, the original uses VISTUB-B or VISLIE-P adapters; B uses VISBA; C and D uses VISA. VISA is still made I think; the others are getting increasingly difficult (and expensive) to find. C requires modification; original and B do not. I have never had a D (which are super expensive), so I don't know if it can be modified.

 

Only the 400mm was made with three elements. The earlier 400 and the 600 and the 640 are two elements. These lenses were made by Staeble, not by Leica. The 400 & 560 Telyts were made for C & D by Leica. They are rare and expensive when I see them.

 

The follow focus grips work much better than either the Televit or the Leica slide focus 400/560 mounts, in my experience.

 

I believe that any 400mm or longer lens head can be used on any grip with the right adapter. Each case would have to be explored separately. There is no good source that explains Novoflex in detail.

[wlaidlaw]

Here is the whole kit but with a 560 Telyt head mounted rather than my 400. The 400 is a better lens than the 560, which is pretty soft at the edges. Neither of them are as bad as our friend Erwin Puts makes out. I find it is best used on a robust tripod (Manfrotto 074B) but then I am human. Supermen like Jaap, can hand-hold the combo down to 1/30 second. Don't use it while politicians are wandering about, especially with the shoulder rest, or you may find out how trigger happy some of our wonderful policemen are.

 

Wilson

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[k-hawinkler]

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Thanks for the clarifications. Here is the description of what I ordered:

 

400 F5.6 TELYT (SERIES VII)(VISO)(LATE) WITH TELEVIT, STOCK, BUILT IN HOOD, 35MM RANGEFINDER MANUAL FOCUS TELEPHOTO LENS

 

I assume I can attach that to my M9 and Visoflex III, mount it on a sturdy tripod, and it should work. Is that correct or do I need additional components?

Could I also exchange this lens head with the one from a Leica 400mm F6.8 Telyt R Lens and attach that to the Televit instead?

If so, what's the difference in IQ between the two lenses?

 

Would it also be possible to convert the Leica 400mm F6.8 Telyt R Lens into a Nikon lens with the following part:

 

Amazon.com: Fotodiox Pro Adapter, Leica R Lens to Nikon Camera Mount Adapter -- for Nikon D1, D2, D2x, D2h, D3, D3x, D3h, D100, D200, D300, D300s, D700, D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70s, D80, D90, D5000, D3000: Electronics

 

Apparently the Leica 400mm F6.8 Telyt R Lens comes also with the 14127 F adapter.

What role does that adapter play?

Is there a difference between this particular Telyt R and other Leica R lenses with regards to how they are mounted?

 

Thanks again, K-H.

[jaapv]

The 5.6 lens has stronger CVA, reason the 6.3 was introduced. There is a very extensive and complete description of the Novoflex sytem with all its ramifications in the "Leica M Compendium" by Johnathan Eastland. Imo required reading for any body interested in the Visoflex system, Leica's follow-focus lenses and the Novoflex system. A wealth of information about the M system as well.

[jaapv]

Sorry,typo from my phone.6.8 not 6.3. The ring is probably the close-focus extension tube.

[wlaidlaw]

KH,

 

The 14127F is an adapter to allow the earlier M/Visoflex Telyt/Televit combo to fit directly on an R i,e, without a Visoflex. IMHO that makes the earlier Telyt/Televit combo more flexible as it will fit on both M and R. The later T/T combo is R only. If you look, the 14127 has an aperture ring but no diaphragm. This is to activate the cam inside the R body to tell the R body what aperture the lens is set at. You did not mention if you have the aperture body, which fits between the pistol grip/fast focus tube and the lens head, I assume you will be getting this. It is required otherwise the whole thing will not go together. BTW, I have a spare 14127 if anyone would like one - PM me.

 

Wilson

[jaapv]

Thanks for the correction, Wilson

[zeitz]

The Eastlund writeup is a start, but there are numerous errors and incomplete information. For instance PRALEI adapter mentioned and shown on pages 92 and 93 requires modification to make it work in that application (shirt machined away). TEX only words with PIGRIFF C. The 200mm f3.8, even with LEIAN 3.8 doesn't focus to infinity on Novoflex bellows with reflex housings. There are at least two different lengths of LEIAN adapters. These details are important when buying the equipment.

 

He also doesn't discuss the Follow Focus bellows and the lens heads from 105 to 240 that go with it.

 

So there is room for a real comprehensive treatment of Novoflex.

[k-hawinkler]

KH,

 

The 14127F is an adapter to allow the earlier M/Visoflex Telyt/Televit combo to fit directly on an R i,e, without a Visoflex. IMHO that makes the earlier Telyt/Televit combo more flexible as it will fit on both M and R. The later T/T combo is R only. If you look, the 14127 has an aperture ring but no diaphragm. This is to activate the cam inside the R body to tell the R body what aperture the lens is set at. You did not mention if you have the aperture body, which fits between the pistol grip/fast focus tube and the lens head, I assume you will be getting this. It is required otherwise the whole thing will not go together. BTW, I have a spare 14127 if anyone would like one - PM me.

 

Wilson

 

Wilson,

 

Many thanks. It would then appear that both versions of the Telyt I mentioned above might work on the M9 + Visoflex III. I believe both lenses also come with the aperture body. It probably will take about a week until until the stuff shows up at my place. I certainly will report back here what I find.

 

There also was a post by luigi bertolotti http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/55583-telyt-r-400-6-8-a.html#post577943 under the title Telyt-R 400/6.8. He mentions using an Leica M4 with Visoflex with that lens. Interesting. May be the f/6.8 Telyt R is the earlier version as you described.

 

Thanks again. With best regards, K-H.

[k-hawinkler]

jaapv, zeitz, Many thanks for your feedback. With best regards, K-H.

[wlaidlaw]

Wilson,

 

Many thanks. It would then appear that both versions of the Telyt I mentioned above might work on the M9 + Visoflex III. I believe both lenses also come with the aperture body. It probably will take about a week until until the stuff shows up at my place. I certainly will report back here what I find.

 

There also was a post by luigi bertolotti http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/55583-telyt-r-400-6-8-a.html#post577943 under the title Telyt-R 400/6.8. He mentions using an Leica M4 with Visoflex with that lens. Interesting. May be the f/6.8 Telyt R is the earlier version as you described.

 

Thanks again. With best regards, K-H.

 

K-H,

 

Do be careful. I was offered by a South African seller some time ago a Telyt/Televit kit, which he insisted would fit both M and R. I sent a South African friend along to see him with his M4-P and it turned out that the Televit was an R model only, which would have been zero use to me. I later found the entire kit: Televit, Aperture body, Telyts 400 & 560, Viso II (which I sold), 14127 x 2, various Series VII filters and the shoulder rest for half what the South African guy was asking for the Televit R and 560 alone.

 

Wilson

[k-hawinkler]

K-H,

 

Do be careful. I was offered by a South African seller some time ago a Telyt/Televit kit, which he insisted would fit both M and R. I sent a South African friend along to see him with his M4-P and it turned out that the Televit was an R model only, which would have been zero use to me. I later found the entire kit: Televit, Aperture body, Telyts 400 & 560, Viso II (which I sold), 14127 x 2, various Series VII filters and the shoulder rest for half what the South African guy was asking for the Televit R and 560 alone.

 

Wilson

 

Wilson,

 

Thanks. Good advice. The 400 F5.6 TELYT is from KEH. So far I have had excellent experience with them.

 

The other lens was auctioned off via eBid Online Auctions. They seem to have country specific online websites in 18 countries.

Here are the specifics:

eBid Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company no.3697708.

Registered Office: 82 High Road, Byfleet, Surrey KT14 7QW.

I never came across them before, but I assume they are legit.

 

The lens was offered by WestCoastCameras. On their website Welcome to WestCoastCameras! they claim "Your #1 USA Authorized Leica Dealer".

I have never dealt with them before either. We'll see what happens.

 

Thanks again. With best regards, K-H.

[k-hawinkler]

Wilson,

 

I now have a 400 F5.6 TELYT that just looks like the one in your photo. I have shot a couple of images with it and it seems to work fine. One question though, what's the purpose of the trigger on the handgrip?

 

Thanks for your help. K-H.

[luigi bertolotti]

If you mean the knob at the right side, it is to adjust focus with first finger while holding the handgrip: it works decently. The button on the handgrip itself is to make the knob adjustable: if you do not press it, the knob is fixed, pressing it you can rotate it: it's a friction mechanism that can become worn in usage, so that the knob becaomes always free to rotate.

[k-hawinkler]

If you mean the knob at the right side, it is to adjust focus with first finger while holding the handgrip: it works decently.

 

Thanks. Not the knob on the right side. That let's me focus very nicely. I was asking about the trigger button that comes out of the front of the hand grip where it attaches to the big tube.

 

Thanks again, K-H.

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[k-hawinkler]

If you mean the knob at the right side, it is to adjust focus with first finger while holding the handgrip: it works decently. The button on the handgrip itself is to make the knob adjustable: if you do not press it, the knob is fixed, pressing it you can rotate it: it's a friction mechanism that can become worn in usage, so that the knob becaomes always free to rotate.

 

Okay. Got it. Mine seems to be worn out. Is it better to repair it or leave it alone? Who could repair it? Thanks