Best Macro solution?

[jeffnesh]

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I'm trying to decide on a macro solution. I'm shooting an M240, know I'll have to use live view/evf, etc. I'm also in the market for a nice 90mm for reach and portraiture...I'm trying to pick between three options...

 

1) New Macro Elmar with Macro adapter. Seems nice, but at f/4 is it good for portraits and worth the premium price?

 

2) 90mm Summarit and Novaflex extension tubes. Love this lens and with the novaflex tubes is a good price...

 

3) 3rd party, Nikon 105mm with adapter. Good for macro, not so useful as a leica regular-use lens.

 

Here are a few shots that show what I'm going for, mostly from a sony camera: Flowers - highway30.org | Jeff Nesheim

 

Thanks for any opinions...

 

-Jeff

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[DigitalHeMan]

I haven't tried it, but how about buying the new Leica macro adapter without the lens, and pairing it with either the Elmarit-M 90mm or the Summarit you mention? Or indeed any of the other lenses you may already have.

 

That said, the Macro Elmar is a stunningly sharp lens, based upon my limited testing, and f/4 still gives good enough out of focus areas for a nice portrait.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I have the 90mm Samaria and Novoflex tubes. Works well but no where near life size or even half life size. I do use it though. In the end I bought a Zeiss 100mm f2 Makro plannar with a Novoflex Nikon adaptor. It's awesome. Sensational. And I can use it with the Macro tubes to get nearly life sized.

 

And it's a staggeringly good portrait lens as well.

 

So I vote for option 3. But do give the Zeiss a look.

 

Gordon

[thighslapper]

With the M, live-view, multiple backwards compatibility adapters, bellows and lenses you are spoilt for choice.

 

Just depends how much you want to spend and how complicated you want to go.

 

Option 2 looks the most sensible ....... and you get a super versatile 90mm lens.

 

You could also pick up some old Leica bellows to extend the magnification.

 

If you are like me, the novelty of macro photography is a bit sporadic and transient ...... so take care you don't just fill another cupboard with gear you hardly use but don't want to part with......

 

..... I know .... I've done it ....... and I'm ashamed to say I reach for the XVario these days instead ...... focusses down to 10cm and gives superb shots .... and a Marumi 5D close up lens on the front gives spectacular further magnified results ....

[jeffnesh]

Thanks for the feedback, and definitely want to avoid [expensive] gear for gear's sake...

 

I was under the impression that the novaflex tubes, got to 1:1 and the Leica macro adapter did not. Apparently I was mistaken at least on the former.

 

Any thoughts on the best bellow option for M?

 

Thanks again,

Jeff

[John McMaster]

The R 100mm APO macro and R-M adapter...

 

john

[paulsydaus]

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It's not the cheapest option, but I would go with option 1. The performance of the Macro Elmar will blow the Nikon out of the water.

It is a great lens, plenty useful for portraits as well as Macros, and with the adapter can now be focussed from 1:2 to infinity without removing the lens. It is the best all round solution and the lens is great for travel when not doing Macro.

For Macro, you probably don't need f/2.4 anyway because DOF will be too small. Most Macro shots aren't done wide open...

Plus the design of the new Summariat-M is but ugly.

The R lens option is probably too heavy and the cost of the R adapter is higher than the macro adapter I believe...

I think it's a clear win for Option 1. If you can afford it, I bet you won't regret it!

[thighslapper]

Thanks for the feedback, and definitely want to avoid [expensive] gear for gear's sake...

 

I was under the impression that the novaflex tubes, got to 1:1 and the Leica macro adapter did not. Apparently I was mistaken at least on the former.

 

Any thoughts on the best bellow option for M?

 

Thanks again,

Jeff

 

The standard 2nd hand bellows that you will see on ebay will work ... some direct ......and some designed to attach to the Visoflex, but there is an adapter that avoids this .... and you will need an adapter on the front to use bayonet rather than screw lenses.

 

There is a diagram on the internet somewhere showing how all the various adapters fit together and the code numbers ...... via someones web page about the Leica Visoflex system .... I have all this stuff in various boxes 'somewhere safe' .... ie. haven't a clue where I've put it ...... so I can't help at present. I will have a hunt.

 

None of the individual bits are hard to source or expensive .... and there are several threads on the forum if you search that will tell you what to do. The only difference is that with the M the Visoflex bit (which is basically a bolt on SLR emulation) isn't needed anymore.

[thighslapper]

I have found a copy of the Leica accessory guide - you can download it from here

 

....https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8936627/leica_accessory_guide.pdf

[michaelstokes]

Has anyone tried the Leica Macro adapter with the 90 Elmarit M or a 70?

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Thanks for the feedback, and definitely want to avoid [expensive] gear for gear's sake...

 

I was under the impression that the novaflex tubes, got to 1:1 and the Leica macro adapter did not. Apparently I was mistaken at least on the former.

 

Any thoughts on the best bellow option for M?

 

Thanks again,

Jeff

 

The Novoflex tubes will provide a magnification that is lens dependant, as do all extension tubes. Magnification is a combination of the focal length of the lens and how far the focal point is from the sensor. To get life size with a 50mm lens the focal point would need to be 50mm from the sensor. With a 90mm lens the focal point would need to be 90mm from the sensor. So longer lenses need longer tubes for the same magnification.

 

Shorter lenses (wider) will get more magnification. A50mm with the Novoflex tubes gets to 0.84x magnification. The longer the lens the less magnification. So no 1:1 with a 90mm. But you could get there with a 35, if you could get that close to the subject.

 

Gordon

[alexander]

The R 100mm APO macro and R-M adapter... is the best

[thighslapper]

The R 100mm APO macro and R-M adapter... is the best

 

I agree .... it's the combo I use with my M ..... superb images and it is a fine portrait lens as well.....

 

...... still prefer the humble X-Vario for casual macro use though .... and is miniscule compared to this pair ....

[wlaidlaw]

My suggestion would be to use a Contax Macro Planar (either 60mm/f2.8 or 100mm/f2) with a Novoflex LEM/CONT adapter. These lenses come in various versions and you would need to do a little research into which focal length and version would suit your particular needs. The lenses are available on Fleabay for around £300 to £500 dependant on condition. All the lenses are excellent and every bit as good as the Leica R Macro lenses at a considerably lower price point. This would mean for an outlay of around £500 to £700 you would have a top class macro set up and also a lens that would be first class for portraits.

 

If you go down this route, my advice would be to go for one of the later Japanese built MMJ rather than the earlier German made AEG models. The T* coating is improved on the Japanese lenses, they are newer and usually a minor recomputation/refinement of the optical formula took place between the two versions. The build standard of the Japanese lenses is every bit as good as the German ones and due to the snob value of a German lens, the Japanese ones are often cheaper. A real win-win situation.

 

Wilson

 

PS. There is a beautiful bellows made for use with these lenses that has tilt/shift on it.

[dkCambridgeshire]

If you like the 90mm Summarit consider using it with a 46mm to 55mm stepping ring and attach a Leitz Elpro 2 or Elpro 3 achromatic close up lens … a budget solution but I use Elpros extensively and results are excellent. One Elpro 3 on a 90mm should enable 1/3 life size but two Elpros can be screwed together for higher magnification. Leitz Elpro 1,2,3 and 4 were designed for Leica R lenses and are only available secondhand; in the UK they usually cost between £20 and £40 each depending on the dealer - but I've seen them for as little as £5 each.

 

dunk

[lct]

The R 100mm APO macro and R-M adapter... is the best

+1 but rather expensive though.

The Macro-Elmarit-R 60/2.8 is superb as well and can be had for significantly less. Not enough reach for the OP though perhaps...

The Macro-Elmar-R 100/4 is no slouch either and can be had for less than 500 EUR second hand.

[tobey bilek]

90 Elmar is a super fine lens. All that is gained by stopping down is depth of focus.

 

My only lens that is equal or better is 100 2.8 APO and the Macro Elmar.

 

I would say either are world class lenses.

 

105 mm micro Nikons are very very decent. Not the standard 105 which is ok+ adapted for close work. Buy the Gauss version for close work.

 

NO close up to infinity lenses will preform as well including APO Summicrons or Elmarits . The 90 APO is a hair better at infinity. You will not notice it.

 

Be careful of adding bellows to a 240 as they cover the release and difficult to impossible to remove.

 

Is it a good lens for portraits? Depends on what you want it to do. It will show every pore and defect.

 

If money is important, the 90 2.8 Elmar from back when is is more than decent lens and works well close and far. Notice I did not say Tele Elmar. YOu will need some tubes or other close up devices . The head is removed and used on visoflex or bellows or extension tubes.

 

Bellows are super nice to work as they rotate vertical to horizontal format without the optical axis changing. As does the 100 APO with the STA 1 adapter. However

it is not as strong and stable as Leica should have offered.