leicanet Posted April 18, 2011 Share #21 Â Posted April 18, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have tried a few R lenses in the last few years, although admittedly never on a R body but only on Canon 5 D I & II by the means of a good adapter. So, although missing the AF on the Canon cameras, I have had some great fun and, for my limited capabilities, some great results too. I would say that overall the 100/2.8 APO Macro-Elmarit is a sure keeper, a wonderful lens versatile enough to be used in most photographic situations, from macro to portraits to street photography, not too heavy (relatively speaking when compared to any M lens), and optically even today up there with the very best there is. The 80/1.4 Summilux comes next, beautiful lens, indeed quite heav-ish & very tricky to focus but worth all efforts when looking at the magicalworld-like results you can (sometime) get with it. After a lot of deliberation, I actually sold my APO 90/2 ASPH Summicron-R (another brilliant R lens, optically another one of the very best) to keep the Summilux. But the lens that has really impressed me the most is the late APO Vario-Elmar 70-180/2.8 ASPH, absolutely magnificent lens, very heavy at just a few grams short of 2kg, but stunning in the way it reproduces images, especially close-ups. Love it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 18, 2011 Posted April 18, 2011 Hi leicanet, Take a look here Which are your most exciting R lenses?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
S. Wong Posted April 18, 2011 Share #22 Â Posted April 18, 2011 Mine are the 3 I own. I've sold one, but I was never partial to the vario lenses anyway (not leica's at least) Â My favorites: 28/2.8 v1 135/2.8 v1 50/1.4 v1 Â the 28 & 135s were great for the photos of sailing for the first time this last weekend. Heavy enough to have a good stability in the rocking water, and mechanical enough to not care about salt spray. Â The 50 doesn't get a lot of use, but it never fails to come along for the ride. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveYork Posted April 18, 2011 Share #23 Â Posted April 18, 2011 Anything APO (read here -- most recent formulations and big $$$). But some of the better R lenses, from a historical point of view, have been the 50 Summicrons, 90 elmarits, the later 35mm elmarits and the 180/3.4. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted April 19, 2011 Share #24 Â Posted April 19, 2011 The 80/1.4 Summilux comes next, beautiful lens, indeed quite heav-ish & very tricky to focus but worth all efforts when looking at the magicalworld-like results you can (sometime) get with it. After a lot of deliberation, I actually sold my APO 90/2 ASPH Summicron-R (another brilliant R lens, optically another one of the very best) to keep the Summilux. Â That's an interesting choice. Very different lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted April 19, 2011 Share #25  Posted April 19, 2011 My favorite R lenses in no order of preference.  All of which have had a new lease of life since I converted them to Sony Alpha mount with Leitax bayonets, for use on the Sony Alpha 850 FF camera.  19mm f2.8 vers.2 Elmarit 28-90mm f2.8 Vario-Elmarit Asph. 100mm f2.8 APO Macro Elmarit 105-280mm f4.2 Vario-Elmar 280mm f4 APO-Telyt  The trickiest conversion was the 28-90mm but I successfully managed that without trashing the lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted April 19, 2011 Share #26 Â Posted April 19, 2011 Many of you have mentioned the 280. When looking at its raw resolving power, aside from the other characteristics, there are presently no digital sensors that can display its full abilities. Which is a shame since it is by all reckoning, especially by Erwin Puts, considered the finest tele ever made by Leica. At US$5,000 a used copy for this lens that was made in limited numbers, quite a thing to treasure until such time as a sensor is made that will do justice to its full potential. I also believe that its one of the very rare lenses that's already diffraction limit at maximum aperture (the 280/2.8 APO is nearly so at f/2.8). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ac611 Posted April 19, 2011 Share #27 Â Posted April 19, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I started with Leica R lens (using a canon full frame body) around 2 years ago and since then have accumulated 7 to 8 R glass so far. Frankly speaking, I like them all but my favourite one is 180mm Elmarit Apo partly because it took me so long to find it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryee3 Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share #28  Posted April 19, 2011 My favorite R lenses in no order of preference. All of which have had a new lease of life since I converted them to Sony Alpha mount with Leitax bayonets, for use on the Sony Alpha 850 FF camera.  19mm f2.8 vers.2 Elmarit 28-90mm f2.8 Vario-Elmarit Asph. 100mm f2.8 APO Macro Elmarit 105-280mm f4.2 Vario-Elmar 280mm f4 APO-Telyt  The trickiest conversion was the 28-90mm but I successfully managed that without trashing the lens.  Is your Sony quality better than the Nikon and Canon digital images? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted April 19, 2011 Share #29 Â Posted April 19, 2011 Is your Sony quality better than the Nikon and Canon digital images? Â The main reason I went for the Sony 850 is that it's a no-frills, moderately priced full frame DSLR with none of the superfluous/unnecessary features (in my view), which have been crowded into many DSLRS. Build quality is superb and the controls are very intuitive. Â Most reviews claim that Image quality is excellent up to about 600 ISO, and is on a par if not better than the opposition. Image quality deteriorates markedly above 800 ISO compared to the Canons & Nikons. That's been my experience with this camera as well. Â However high ISO performance is not an issue for me, I seldom shoot above 400 ISO anyway, having been weaned on Kodachrome 25 for the past 40 odd years. Â In my opinion it's a great platform for my Leica R lenses and the combination delivers superb results. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
helged Posted April 23, 2011 Share #30 Â Posted April 23, 2011 Hello folks, a question somewhat on the side of this thread, but in the spirit of R-lenses nevertheless: Â I am looking for high quality macro lenses for a M9+Visoflex set-up. I am thinking primarily of the 60 mm macro R-lens, but I have also the 100 mm lens in mind. There are several versions of the 60 mm macro lens available with quite some price differences (from a search on ebay). Can anyone guide me with info regarding the optical characteristics of the different versions? Â Thanks a lot! Â Best, Helge (ps: By high quality I am thinking of micro contrast, colour rendering, bokeh, flare resistance, etc.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted April 23, 2011 Share #31  Posted April 23, 2011 Helge,  For a long time I used the 135 f/4 Elmar-M v1, which is superb with my Visoflex III and can be found for less than £100. The version 1 (the chrome version) has a removable lens cell (lens head) that can be mounted onto the OTSRO (16472) mounting tube with the OTZFO (16464) focussing mount. The OTRPO (16471) can also be used for higher magnification picture or if additional size isn't a problem the Bellows II.  I'm not sure how to attach the 60 f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit-R to a Visoflex - perhaps by using the 14167 M to R adaptor. The 60 Macro-Elmarit-R is an excellent lens but I use it with a R-EOS adaptor on a Canon 5D2, although it plays second fiddle to my stunning 100 f/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R.  Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildlightphoto Posted April 23, 2011 Share #32 Â Posted April 23, 2011 I am looking for high quality macro lenses for a M9+Visoflex set-up. I am thinking primarily of the 60 mm macro R-lens, but I have also the 100 mm lens in mind. There are several versions of the 60 mm macro lens available with quite some price differences (from a search on ebay). Can anyone guide me with info regarding the optical characteristics of the different versions? Â There was only one optical version of the 60mm Macro. The variation in pricing is most likely due to age, condition and metering cams. I believe the adapter that would allow you to fit the 60 Macro on a Visoflex is the 14222 (does Novoflex make a similar adapter?) but you will be limited to close-range photos only because the viso+adapter will put the lens too far away from the sensor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted April 23, 2011 Share #33 Â Posted April 23, 2011 ... I believe the adapter that would allow you to fit the 60 Macro on a Visoflex is the 14222 .... Doug, Â The only 14222 that I'm aware of is a series VII to series VIII filter adaptor. Is there another (older?) 14222 perhaps? Â Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildlightphoto Posted April 23, 2011 Share #34  Posted April 23, 2011 Doug, The only 14222 that I'm aware of is a series VII to series VIII filter adaptor. Is there another (older?) 14222 perhaps?  Pete.  Quite possible I quoted the wrong catalog number. The Leica adapter was to fit an R lens on an M-mount body. The 14167 is used to fit a Visoflex lens on an R body, of this I am certain.  The Novoflex adapter to use an R lens on an M body is LEM/LER. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted April 23, 2011 Share #35  Posted April 23, 2011 Quite possible I quoted the wrong catalog number. The Leica adapter was to fit an R lens on an M-mount body. The 14167 is used to fit a Visoflex lens on an R body, of this I am certain. The Novoflex adapter to use an R lens on an M body is LEM/LER. Doug,  You're right and I got it wrong; the 14127 is for using Visoflex lenses on a Leicaflex and the 14167 is for using Visoflex lenses on SL and later Leica reflex cameras.  Did you perhaps mean the Leica 22228 adaptor for using Leicaflex lenses on M cameras (and therefore also the Visoflex)?  Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildlightphoto Posted April 23, 2011 Share #36 Â Posted April 23, 2011 Did you perhaps mean the Leica 22228 adaptor for using Leicaflex lenses on M cameras (and therefore also the Visoflex)? Â Yes that's it, thanks for the correction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted August 2, 2011 Share #37 Â Posted August 2, 2011 The only R lens I've ever owned and used is the 90mm Elmarit. This lens is not celebrated enough. However, due to the consistent praise of the 100/2.8 Elmarit Macro, and from what I've seen produced by this lens, I made a purchase today and feeling pretty excited. Can't wait for the package to arrive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganzosrevenge Posted August 2, 2011 Share #38 Â Posted August 2, 2011 my mk1 50-cron that DAG did a splendid job converting from 1-cam to 2-cam. Simple, basic, but oh so saturated, contrasty, and detailed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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