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M240 with Tilt Shift Lens for Commercial Use


Paul20

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The M series were designed as small form factor reportage cameras with backward compatibility for virtually all previous Leica lenses .......

 

When it comes to architectural work you are going to be stuck on a tripod and spending a fair time getting things set up right .... so it doesn't matter how humungously large the camera is or how complex the interface.

 

An M is not the ideal camera .... but if it is all you have then there are possible solutions.

 

I have a good friend who is a well respected commercial architectural photographer and she uses either Canon 35mm gear or medium format. Theoretically the best M solution should be Schneider-Kreuznach option ...... but she has recently had the range on trial from them and didn't rate it optically at all, despite all the fancy rotating bits..... and the 28 is listed at over £5k in the UK ..... whenever it appears .....

 

I have an A7r looking for a home if you decide to head in that direction ......

Edited by thighslapper
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During opening or Kimbell Museum I met Canadian photographer Nick Lehoux.

He uses a shift adapter on a canon and MF lenses.

He is also very good, so perhaps technique is second, however here is the kit:

 

heavy tripod

MF adapter with shift

MF lens

software stitching

results are really good as you use just the centre of the MF lens, even when shifting.

low distortion

fully manual control

 

starting point to investigate adapter is here:

MIREX-Adapter f

 

have a look at here for photos by Nick:

Nic Lehoux

 

I would imagine you could do the same with an M and using live view.

Regards,

G

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Granted that Leica M240 is not a good option for all Photography work.

 

But,....

 

What is the logic of an M240 w/o Leica glass???

 

If Canon or Nikon glass is good enough why bother with paying more for a Leica system?

sillbeers15,

 

Because I have an M system with M lenses which I use for street and travel photography and I want to keep the system. The question is whether an M can also be used commercially for architecture and that necessitates a t/s lens?

 

Also most M mount primes are better than DSLR primes. For example most of the Zeiss ZM lenses are less complex that their DSLR equivalent, they tend to be cheaper and have less distortion. So using an M system [with the ability to also use tilt and shift] would be perfect.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

Paul

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Sorry. Got a few facts mixed up. I have a Novoflex adaptor for my M (not Metabones). The one with the aperture blades in it. I use the Metabones adaptor on the Sony which has the electronics. The Canon lenses do not stop down electronically on the M but the Novoflex adaptor allows DOF control. I don't often use the T/S as I usually us the WATE and a geared head.

 

Apologies for the misinformation in my first post.

 

Gordon

Flashgordon,

 

Why do you say the A7 and not A7R? The A7R has no AA filter....

 

Thank you

Paul

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Why is Tilt Shift lenses still required when Lightroom 5 has the feature to perform perspective correction over the images? I can use my 21mm Summilux and still achieve the same effect as a tilt/shift lens.

 

LR perspective correction screws up a lot of things, not the least of which are the vertical/horizontal proportions. See the first item here:

 

http://themachineplanet.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/fix-it-now-or-fix-it-later/

 

Dante

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Flashgordon,

 

Why do you say the A7 and not A7R? The A7R has no AA filter....

 

Thank you

Paul

 

..... probably with regard to it as a 'general camera' ....... shutter is noisy and you really need to use shutter speeds 2xf if handheld otherwise you get shake.

 

as a high resolution tripod mounted camera there isn't a problem. for me it was just too fiddly with the usual japanese 'slow death by added features and controls' that drove me to Leica originally ..... and I have no desire to go back there again, no matter how wonderful the ultimate results ... :rolleyes:

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In 35mm, with Canon TS lenses the Sony A7 (not R) is probably the best overall system for architecture. If you have M lenses the M240 is a viable alternative.

 

Gordon

 

Just curious to know whether you have tried any of the wider angle Canon T/S lenses with the A7? Thanks.

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I have the Hartblei 80mm super rotator lens in R mount which very occasionally, I use on my M240. There are two problems. Firstly the optics are based on a 15 year old or older Pentacon 80mm medium format lens. Even when new, this lens was not at the bleeding edge of resolution and contrast in the MF field. On the M240, its limitations become very obvious. It never has enough contrast to trigger focus peaking and there is nowhere near enough resolution for 24MP. The second problem is a limitation on the M240. When Leica were designing the Live View interface, they did not include the ability to change the focus and zoom area on the image, like most other cameras with live view can. Most of the time this is not a problem but with tilt shift lenses, which do not show focus peaking, it makes the M240 close to unusable. If at any point Leica add tethering for a tablet (unlikely), so that you can assess focus over the whole image, it may become usable again.

 

As a result of both of these factors, I now use my Olympus EP-5, where you can select the focus/zoom area, with an R to micro 4/3rds adapter for the Super Rotator and get better results. The focus peaking on the Olympus is also less fussy/discriminating (which is annoying with normal manual focus lenses) and does show some peaking on the S-R below f5.6.

 

Wilson

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Flashgordon,

 

Why do you say the A7 and not A7R? The A7R has no AA filter....

 

Thank you

Paul

 

I have both the A7. And A7R. I prefer the A7 for most commercial work because of the lower file sizes, electronic first curtain shutter and higher flash sync. The R would be fine but my clients don't see the difference.

 

Gordon

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Just curious to know whether you have tried any of the wider angle Canon T/S lenses with the A7? Thanks.

 

I have tried the 17mm, 24mm mk1 and 45mm on my A7 with a Metabones mk3 adaptor. A colleague of mine (they're his lenses) uses the A7r and bought the camera specifically for use with them.

 

Gordon

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I am not a professional photographer but have just tried the Leica M Test Drive. I had an interesting hour or two with this and my PC-SUPER-ANGULON - R F2.8 28mm. It might just be worth your while trying this combination out to see whether you like it or not. I thought the results were pretty good. (You can use the Test Drive until the end of the month to borrow a Leica M for free! In my case they included the M/R adapter)

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I am not a professional photographer but have just tried the Leica M Test Drive. I had an interesting hour or two with this and my PC-SUPER-ANGULON - R F2.8 28mm. It might just be worth your while trying this combination out to see whether you like it or not. I thought the results were pretty good. (You can use the Test Drive until the end of the month to borrow a Leica M for free! In my case they included the M/R adapter)

Thanks Tom,

 

I looked a the Super PC-SUPER-ANGULON a while ago. Its a nicely made lens, unfortunately I found there was too much distortion to use it professionally.

 

I have decided to go with a Sony A7r and a Canon T/S 24mm LII. The lens is not manual but its is very good. The A7r looks like a good machine albeit "ergonomically challenged". I just need to find some compatible wide M lenses to use with it now, which is proving harder than I had hoped...

 

Thanks to all on this thread who have given advice. I really appreciate it and I will post some results in due course.

 

Many thanks

 

Paul

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I just need to find some compatible wide M lenses to use with it now, which is proving harder than I had hoped...

Paul

 

Yes ..... you will really struggle to find anything below 50 that gives good results outside the central 25% of the frame .... and the all too familiar Italian flag problems that Leica needed custom sensor design to get around. If you have a WATE you will do fine ...... but this is not a cheap option .... and why my A7r is sitting unused and unloved ....:rolleyes:

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sillbeers15,

 

Because I have an M system with M lenses which I use for street and travel photography and I want to keep the system. The question is whether an M can also be used commercially for architecture and that necessitates a t/s lens?

 

Also most M mount primes are better than DSLR primes. For example most of the Zeiss ZM lenses are less complex that their DSLR equivalent, they tend to be cheaper and have less distortion. So using an M system [with the ability to also use tilt and shift] would be perfect.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

Paul

 

When it comes down to digital imaging devices, the center of excellence in design, manufacturing and pricing competitiveness is in Asia.

 

However, the 100years of optical development, design and manufacturing of prime lenses,....I have to bow to Leica and happily part with my money to them in exchange of pieces of lenses.

 

So it still beats me to think of anyone who will adapt anything less of a Leica lens onto a M240? Try fitting cheap Korean tyres onto a Porsche 911!

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When it comes down to digital imaging devices, the center of excellence in design, manufacturing and pricing competitiveness is in Asia.

 

However, the 100years of optical development, design and manufacturing of prime lenses,....I have to bow to Leica and happily part with my money to them in exchange of pieces of lenses.

 

So it still beats me to think of anyone who will adapt anything less of a Leica lens onto a M240? Try fitting cheap Korean tyres onto a Porsche 911!

sillbeers15,

 

Leica make fantastic lenses and cameras, which i love.

 

Leica do not make a good tilt and shift lens.

 

Canon do make a good tilt and shift lens.

 

Commercial architectural photography requires a t/s.

 

thus the dilemma....

 

Paul

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  • 2 months later...

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