Telyt V 280/4.8 version III. Some observations

[wlaidlaw]

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Is this just a general remark?

Or does one or the other image look to you as affected by haze?

 

Best, K-H.

 

K-H,

 

Just a general comment. I know the series 3 is somewhat better than my series 2 but the photos I took in Namibia were quite affected by haze. I was looking at the examples of hazy photos that were cleaned up in the C1 V6 video examples and thinking that I must try that on mine.

 

Wilson

[k-hawinkler]

K-H,

 

Just a general comment. I know the series 3 is somewhat better than my series 2 but the photos I took in Namibia were quite affected by haze. I was looking at the examples of hazy photos that were cleaned up in the C1 V6 video examples and thinking that I must try that on mine.

 

Wilson

 

 

Hi Wilson,

 

Thanks. Could you please give the URL for the video examples? I can't find it.

Have good luck with digitally removing of the haze after the fact.

Please, let us know how that goes.

 

The first Telyt 280/4.8 v3 I got was so severely affected by haze that I threw in the towel right away and sent it to a technician who did a great job cleaning the haze from 3 lens surfaces. For a before and after shot, please see here http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/1636985-post120.html.

 

Now a second v3 I got and the first one seem to be behaving pretty similarly. But both still need to be adjusted for infinity focus.

 

I also have a v2 that is with the technician right now. It wii be awhile before I get my items back.

A comparison between the 3 Telyts ought to be interesting.

 

Best, K-H.

[Lindolfi]

K-H, it would indeed be interesting to see the differences between the cleaned Telyts you have.

 

When looking at the difference between my two images (click) of the Apo Telyt 135mm and the Telyt V 280mm, I'm impressed just how good the 280mm is. There are three notable differences:

 

[1] In the finest details of the lettering on the focussed bottle you can see some colour effects in the 135mm version due to the excellent modulation of the 135mm: it is still very high at the Nyquist spatial frequency of the sensor. And due to the absence of an anti aliasing filter, this is the effect. The 280mm does not show it, because it is softer at that frequency.

 

[2] In the rims of the specular highlights on the glass of the bottles in the 280mm version you can see some purple fringing, which is absent in the 135mm version, due to the Apo correction in the 135mm

 

[3] There seems to be some difference in depth of field between the two images, although that should not be the case given that the apertures were the same as well as sizes of the fields of view. (Under these conditions, DOF is independent of focal length)

 

135mm

f/4.8

3m distance

0.726m fieldofview

DOF 0.086m

 

280mm

f/4.8

6.22m distance

0.726m fieldofview

DOF 0.085m

 

Here is a direct comparison of the DOF at f/4.8 at 100% to show it is the same: click

 

So most likely there is a slight difference in focus plane in the images of the cupboard.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Lindolfi

[wlaidlaw]

K-H,

 

Here is the link The Image Quality Professor's Blog . It is the 2nd example below chromatic aberration correction.

 

Wilson

[Lindolfi]

Thanks Wilson for the reference to anti-Haze processing. Cleaning of lenses is the first step and after that using hoods properly and as a last resort dealing with it in post processing. The term "haze" can be used for the milky substance on a lens surface or for the bluish or whitish veiling in a photograph, which can also be produced by internal reflections in a lens when the surfaces are clean. What is meant on the page you refer to is haze due to atmospheric conditions. The correction shown is that of histogram optimization.

 

The other item on that page is about lateral chromatic aberration. That does not work for longitudinal chromatic aberration, as seen in the last comparison I gave of DOF in the right hand panel (click): Purple outlines in parts in front of the plane of focus and greenish outlines in the parts behind the plane of focus.

 

Correction of lateral chromatic aberration is done by selectively magnifying the colour layers of an image. That will not take care of the greenish and purple fringes produced by longitudinal chromatic aberration. So an Apo lens has its advantages.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Lindolfi

[wlaidlaw]

My V2 Telyt 280V looks pretty clean, even shining UV light through it and looking for fluorescence. I think the haze I am getting is a combination of flare and atmospheric haze. I actually notice it worse with my 400 and 560 Telyt-V's. That is why I hoped that the C1 method could make the photos more usable. To date all I have been doing is playing with contrast in channels, with some but limited success.

 

Wilson

[k-hawinkler]

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Here are some images taken with a Telyt V 280/4.8 version III, albeit on a Nikon D3.

I am still waiting for my Visoflex III to return.

2011.04.04 Mesa Views - winklers' Photos

2011.04.05 Orchid - winklers' Photos

 

Best, K-H.

[k-hawinkler]

I too have a version III Telyt 280, but as I said in a recent thread I've been unable to get good focus with it. I would love to have the clarity of your examples. I spoke to Don Goldberg yesterday, he CLA'd my Visoflex III and was surprised that I was having the problem with the Telyt. Both pieces are going to him for "mating". Hopefully when it returns I'll have the kind of quality you are getting!!!

 

 

Hi Lawrence,

 

I would be very interested to learn how your Visoflex III / version III Telyt 280 is doing once you have it back from Don. Maybe you could post an image taken with it?

 

Thanks, K-H.

[drdickm]

Was lucky enough to find a Telyt V 280/4.8 version III (the one with the M mount) in Mint- condition (mechanically and optically) and these are my preliminary observations

 

[1] The lens weighs 1180 gr. including lens caps

 

[2] The lens has a length of 201 mm including lens caps

 

[3] It is extremely well built

 

[4] It has four elements in four groups, making possible separation of elements (sometimes happening in old glass) not an issue

 

[5] Focus is exact at infinity on the Visoflex III house (checked with image of starry night), no shortage of turning range of the focussing ring at the infinity point.

 

[6] The lens has good coating, but not as good as the latest glass (like the Apo-Telyt 135/3.4)

 

[7] The image field of the lens is absolutely flat (within the DOF at f/4.8 at 3.5 meter distance)

 

[8] There is very little geometric distortion

 

[9] The bokeh is great at f4.8 and at f/22. In between, some specular higlights show 12 points around the bokeh disks, due to the 12 bladed aperture (see sample below), which becomes round at f/4.8 and f/22

 

[10] The images I produced so far look great, although there is some tendency to flare when pointing into the light. The glass is clean and no haze, so the flare may be partly the result of the single coating used at the time. Lens has a great double telescopic hood that does take care of some of the flare.

 

[11] At f/4.8 the limit of the resolution of the M9 sensor is reached throughout the field. Modulation in fine detail is less than that of the Apo-Telyt 135/3.4, but better than that of the Elmarit 90/2.8 (1959-1974) at the same magnification of the test chart

 

[12] For such an old piece of glass, it certainly does its work well in a compact size (less volume and weight than my Canon L glass at that focal length and aperture)

 

[13] There is no direct connection of the lens head possible to the Bellows II, but that would not make sense, given that it does not help to focus closer by. It is possible to mount the whole lens with M-mount to the bellows, using 16596G and that gives a reproduction ratio of about 1:2.5 (almost 90 mm fills the frame of the M9).

 

[14] It certainly is fun to work again with the Visoflex III with this lens, setting the exposure, switching the Visoflex to the yellow dot and let the mirror flip up quickly and back again in action photography.

 

Here is a sample of an image I made this afternoon at f/8 without tripod (click)

 

Pic looks great! I've just bought a Visoflex III. I already have a serviced and coded 135mm tele Elmarit whose head detaches to go in the focus mount. I've just started to think about a 280mm lens for it. The engineering feel of the Visoflex is wonderful even as compared to my Canon L series glass. The only problem for macro on the M9 is no way to fire flash with Viso on. Obviously the flash sync socket on my old M6 would have been OK - but that's what I traded in for the 135mm & Viso III !

[wlaidlaw]

Pic looks great! I've just bought a Visoflex III. I already have a serviced and coded 135mm tele Elmarit whose head detaches to go in the focus mount. I've just started to think about a 280mm lens for it. The engineering feel of the Visoflex is wonderful even as compared to my Canon L series glass. The only problem for macro on the M9 is no way to fire flash with Viso on. Obviously the flash sync socket on my old M6 would have been OK - but that's what I traded in for the 135mm & Viso III !

 

There is a way - get a OTVXO chimney finder. I bought mine for exactly this reason. For macro, the 5X magnification and variable diopter helps focussing as well. Usually these finders come up fairly often on Fleabay. Don't pay more than about £80/$125 for a really nice one. I bought a mint one, with original box for £80 just a couple of months ago.

 

Wilson

[ldhrads]

I finally got a 14138 Ring!!!!!

What a great combo, Telyt 280 on televit, it is indeed a pleasure to use.

 

My wife couldn't understand why I was so excited about a piece of metal....

[wlaidlaw]

I finally got a 14138 Ring!!!!!

What a great combo, Telyt 280 on televit, it is indeed a pleasure to use.

 

My wife couldn't understand why I was so excited about a piece of metal....

 

Lawrence,

 

Were you the buyer of the one on Fleabay last week?

 

Wilson

[billib]

Lawrence,

Were you the buyer of the one on Fleabay last week?

Wilson

I think that might have been me.

I'm not quite sure what to do with it yet.

I bought it then stumbled onto this thread.

The closest it focuses is about 12 feet or

3.5 meters too Infinity. Boy, is it one BIG

HEAVY lens. I haven't had time to play

with it yet.

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[wlaidlaw]

Bill,

 

I was "lucky" that my Televit was down at my French house, although I have my 280 Telyt with me in the UK, so I decided to put temptation behind me and save my wallet. In any case, I am not sure how much I would use it. If the results of my Telyt 280 V2 were fantastic, maybe but the results from the 280 are mediocre at best. Only really sharp in the centre of the image and pretty low contrast. It is strange that even by the mid 1960's Leica could not make a decent telephoto lens. Maybe they should have got on the phone to Oberkochen (Zeiss). After all they did just that for some of their early R zooms.

 

Wilson

[billib]

I didn't (don't) know what to to expect from the 280mm

lens and Leica reflex combination. Right now I primarily

just want to try capturing a few flowers. I bought this lens

just because it was cheap. The more I use this combo the

better I hope to learn what lens(es) to acquire in the future

to better give me what I want. Advice from anyone would

be welcome. I primarily would like to capture flowers from

a few millimeters in diameter to maybe 50mm's in diameter

plus infinity.

 

Thank you for any guidance!!!

[k-hawinkler]

I would like to suggest to get a Bellows II and some OUFRO/16469 rings.

 

K-H.

[billib]

I would like to suggest to get a Bellows II and some OUFRO/16469 rings.K-H.

Very cool! Thank you!!

Is eBay my best bet?

[wlaidlaw]

I have often got better deals not on eBay on Visoflex stuff and at least with a dealer, you have a reasonable certainty of being able to return something if it is not right. In the US, Collectible Cameras in Phoenix AZ have quite a lot of stuff. They are 100% honest. Ed and his other staff are really helpful. Often when I have been tempted by cheaper deals on Fleabay, I have been somewhat disappointed. I have just bought another Leicameter on eB, that was half the price that Ed was asking. We will see when my daughter brings it over from the US in two weeks, whether I made the right choice.

 

If you are going to buy a bellows, buy the Leica II model not the Novoflex one I have. The Novoflex is a pain, as the adapters are next to unobtainable. It is LTM at both ends, which seemed simpler but in practice, it isn't. The only nice feature is that it has micrometer focus fine adjustment, which is very good for macro. If you are going to do macro and will ever want to use a flash, you will need the OTVXO 5X chimney viewfinder for the Visoflex, so that you can access the flash shoe.

 

Wilson

[billib]

Great advice Wilson, thank you!

This is just the advice I'm looking for.

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Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[ldhrads]

Wilson,

Yes, I bought the ring on the 'Bay last week, on the 8th.

My email let me know that my longstanding search had hit and I did a buy it now immediately.

A bit compulsive for a 40 year old metal ring, but it was a visceral reaction. I had tried so many dealers and folks that collect leica "bits".

 

Happy I have it....