350mm Apo-Telyt-S f/4

[Likaleica]

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Anyone heard when this monster might be produced?

[wildlightphoto]

Anyone heard when this monster might be produced?

 

I heard that it would not be produced. Look for a nice used Zeiss Contax 645 350mm f/4 Tele-apotessar instead.

[topoxforddoc]

I have been speaking to Michael Leibfritz, who makes the Lei-Ko R lens- S mount adapter (500 Euros). The 280/4 APO will work on the adapter, as will the 1.4x APO (but not 2x APO) extenders. However, the max focus distance is 20.3 m (when the infinity stop is reached on the focus ring).

 

It also works with the 180/2 Summicron, but with a max focus distance of 12.4 m. I might get one shortly, as I have just got a new S 006. Will report back later.

 

Charlie

[menos I M6]

Get a 300/2.8 APO Mamiya with matching 2x Mamiya TC.

Yes, it is a full manual lens (stop down metering and manual focus of course) but for reach and speed it is the most flexible option to put a long lens on a Leica S.

 

I would love a 400/4 autofocus lens with matching 1.4x and 2x TCs on a S (+faster AF on the body). Until that happens (likely never) I keep using the Mamiya on the S2 or preferably a Nikon system.

 

 

This is the Mamiya 300/2.8 APO naked on the S2:

 

WEC 6 hours of Shanghai - Aston Martin Racing by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

 

… and combined with Mamiya TC 2x for a 600/5.6:

WEC 6 hours of Shanghai - Fri - No 31 Lotus Praga LMP2 by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

 

The Contax 645 350/4 Carl Zeiss lens has seen some heavy fantasy inspired pricing since Leica offers the Contax 645 adapter. I would not pay for what some of these clowns are asking but rather get the Leica manual focussing screen and a nice set of manual focus telephoto lenses.

[Likaleica]

Good info from everyone. Doug, a while back I was ready to pull the trigger on a Zeiss Contax lens but the MTF curves scared me off. There are 5 of them on eBay right now, three for around $3,700, which is weird because for the longest time I couldn't locate one anywhere. I considered the Hasselblad FE Tele-Tessar but the curves are even worse on that. The Tele-Superachromat has the best lab bench performance (other than the Zeiss TPP), but it's a slow lens at f/5.6 and expensive. As you well know, wildlife at dusk requires all the light gathering power you can get. But, the HB is half the weight of the Contax. An 8 pound lens can become burdensome.

 

Dirk, thanks for the advice, and great photos by the way. I actually prefer manual focus on my telephoto lenses, especially for wildlife. My rule of thumb for tele lens jumps is twice the focal length. 350 is roughly twice the 180 Apo-Elmar-S.

 

I've ruminated this dilemma for a few years now, ever since I got the S2. Contax plus Leica adapter approaches Superachromat price, is twice as heavy but one stop faster.

 

That's why I was hoping for a Leica solution. Leica showed a mock 350 f/4 in the early promotional photos for the S2 and that was a big factor in my decision to buy one.

[menos I M6]

Timothy I do not do nature and wildlife but always wanted longer lenses for the S2 for shooting motor sports.

The 300/2.8 APO is quite a compact and lightweight lens, considering that it covers 6x4.5 and is the fastest 300mm for medium format around giving some flexibility with TCs.

It is sized approximately a similar size to the old manual focus Nikkor 300/2.8 super tele photos.

It buys part of it's compact size by being of an older not internal focussing design, which I prefer as it is indeed very easily handhold able and is easy to transport once it's lens hood is slid back and the leather-sock type front cap is in place.

 

It has all features you could want from such a lens, I especially like how it's focus limiting dial is designed - very handy when shooting with the lens stopped down at working aperture without the need of refocussing precisely between two distances.

 

I wish modern AF tele photo lenses would have such a focus limiter design.

 

The only feature I am missing from the lens is the availability of a CPL drop in filter with external control like it is commonly available for most modern high end telephotos.

 

I am still looking for a possibility to adapt the Mamiya 300/2.8 APO to mount on a Contax 645 mount.

This way I could use my Carl Zeiss Mutar 1.4x in Contax 645 mount with the 300mm on the S2.

This Carl Zeiss 1.4x TC is of extremely high quality indeed and would make for a very nice 420mm f4 on the S2.

 

I really would love to see Leica introduce a modern materials, lightweight AF super telephoto for the S but I don't see this happening.

Options from Canon and Nikon for long lenses are simply too flexible and too good performing for Leica to develop such expensive low quantity items.

I don't see that Leica could match such a lens price wise to a comparable Nikon or Canon super telephoto, which would be also the most what I would be willing to pay for one.

 

 

This plays into the next factor which might be especially interesting for wildlife photography.

On the S2 even the fast Mamiya lens does not make the rig well suited for low light.

When shooting a comparable Nikon system side by side it is shocking how quickly the edge in image quality sways from the S2 to even an old Nikon D3 one you push ISO.

 

It is so easy to just shoot at ISO 800 or even 1600 while I stop using the S2 when I hit ISO 320.

This is especially important when using TCs which really is only an option in very bright light with the S2.

 

This all might very well be the reason why we did not see a Leica 350/4 S lens so far (probably never will).

[Likaleica]

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Thanks, Dirk. Maybe I'll look into the Mamiya a little more. I agree, the ISO on the S2 can be limiting.

 

One other crazy expensive alternative is the Leica 400mm Apo-Telyt-R. I know of a couple of lenses that have had their barrels adapted to use on the S, apparently with good results.

[menos I M6]

The issue with the exotic Leica R telephoto lenses is that themselves they are extremely pricey already, not to speak of a conversion job added on top.