Third party telephoto on M240

[dem331]

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I am toying with the idea of buying a prime lens in the 200-350mm range for occassional use on the M240. I do not want anything very expensive, since for serious tele work I would want to move to the Image Stabilization world (that is a personal preference, I know that a lot of people on this forum get great results out of long R lenses). I want to use it for portraits and some landscape, not wildlife. Size and weight are also important.

 

After much reading the discussions on the forum I have ruled R glass out. Where do I go next? I am thinking FD L glass (but I am not sure if it focuses at infinity- seems to be contradictory info out there), or Tele-Tessars, of which I know very little about.

 

Can any one help me? Any other good options?

 

Many thanks.

[lburn]

As you know, using a third party tele on the M240 means using live view and is therefore a much slower process than using the viewfinder and rangefinder. But you say you don't want it for wild life so that shouldn't be a problem. I use Nikon lenses from the late 1990's with a Novoflex adaptor. There are huge numbers of such lenses out there at all focal lengths so the choice is yours. There are also of course masses of lenses from other top line manufacturers such as Cannon and Pentax etc. I also use a Sigma 150mm macro in Nikon mount. All these work well and the results are very usable, in my opinion. One of the many strengths of the M240 is its huge versatility when it comes to lenses. Just make sure you get a decent quality adaptor (Novoflex is very good) and don't buy an APSC lens. If you identify a lens you like its probably sensible to check its reviews via a google search. There are some really good ones out there.

Good luck.

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[FlashGordonPhotography]

Infinity focus will depend on the adaptor, mostly. Many lenses adapt well to the M with an EVF. I have only adapted some Nikon glass (Zeiss ZF 100mm macro mostly) and it has worked out really well. Certainly with Nikon there's a ton of choice available.

 

Gordon

[farnz]

I use a Zeiss Contax Vario-Sonnar 4/80 - 200 in C/Y mount with a Novoflex adaptor, which gives similar results to my 4/80 - 200 Vario-Elmar-R but with a different (Sonnar) 'feel' and can be found at reasonable prices.. I sometimes couple it with Leica 2x APO-Extender-R to give an 8/160 - 400 (but always on a tripod of course).

 

Pete.

[MRJohn]

The Nikon 300mm F4 AF-S IF ED with a Novoflex adapter and EVF gives excellent results on my M240.

[jdlaing]

Look at Olympus OM.

[jaapv]

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As you know, using a third party tele on the M240 means using live view and is therefore a much slower process than using the viewfinder and rangefinder.But you say you don't want it for wild life so that shouldn't be a problem

:confused: Sorry, I only read this after doing just that. Completely useless.... Not.

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[bocaburger]

I have a spate of manual-focus Nikkors I've had over 40 yrs which I am currently using occasionally on the M240, and I did recently happen upon a 70-210 R lens for around $200 and remembered it being an excellent lens so I figured, why not. They have no issues with the M240 but I much prefer them on my Canon 5D because of the reflex viewing. I'm not a huge fan of EVF's, but certainly it's more convenient than dragging along a 5D kit.

 

Btws I wouldn't write off the EVF as unusable for wildlife! Excellent wildlife photographs have been made with Hasselblads despite the lack of an instant-return mirror. I do find that a significant lag time between shots is challenging with moving subjects of any kind though, but not beyond capability of producing an excellent image.

Edited November 28, 2014 by bocaburger

[dem331]

Thanks very much for the help.

 

I am narrowing it down to the following, with approx pricing:

Oly 200mm f4.5 100€

Oly 300mm f4.5. 400€

 

 

Canon FD 300mm f4 L 400€

 

 

Contax T* 200mm f3.5. 200€

Contac T* 300mm f4. 400€

 

I am tempted by the Tessars but I have not been able to find many comparisons. I have read that the Tessar teles where less impressive than their other lenses (except the custom made ones). Any suggestions to which would have best IQ of thei bunch?

 

Or am I better off going for a non APO R lens with converter (or even the 180 f3,4 which I have read is very good although in the 1000€ range plus converter).

 

Sorry if I sound confused, but I am.

 

Thanks

[bocaburger]

I'm confused too, because you said

I want to use it for portraits and some landscape, not wildlife. Size and weight are also important.

and you're looking at 200 and 300mm lenses. What kind of portaits are you speaking of? Paparrazzi-style "candids" ? (Otherwise I don't see why you would be needing anything longer than 90-135mm). For landscapes I presume you mean picking out details from a distant vantage point? In either case you probably would find a zoom to be more amenable than a fixed lens. My 70-210 R is useful for both, it's sharp as a tack, very little distortion, not unduly heavy or cumbersome, very well-made, and dirt cheap as R lenses go. Last I looked KEH had a couple of them.

[jdlaing]

Thanks very much for the help.

 

I am narrowing it down to the following, with approx pricing:

Oly 200mm f4.5 100€

Oly 300mm f4.5. 400€

 

 

Canon FD 300mm f4 L 400€

 

 

Contax T* 200mm f3.5. 200€

Contac T* 300mm f4. 400€

 

I am tempted by the Tessars but I have not been able to find many comparisons. I have read that the Tessar teles where less impressive than their other lenses (except the custom made ones). Any suggestions to which would have best IQ of thei bunch?

 

Or am I better off going for a non APO R lens with converter (or even the 180 f3,4 which I have read is very good although in the 1000€ range plus converter).

 

Sorry if I sound confused, but I am.

 

Thanks

 

If you get an Olympus they are very nice lenses.

[farnz]

… I am tempted by the Tessars but I have not been able to find many comparisons. I have read that the Tessar teles where less impressive than their other lenses (except the custom made ones). Any suggestions to which would have best IQ of thei bunch? ...

Enrique,

 

I understand that the Tessars were designed with fewer lens elements for the lower end of the market so personally I would choose a Sonnar or Planar design instead.

 

Pete.

[bideford]

I'm using a Super Takumar 300mm f/4 with a cheap M42 adapter:

 

 

Not bad for about £100 (and £20 for the adapter).

 

As previous forum users have commented - the M240 (and EVF) opens up a whole new world of lens choices.

 

James

Edited November 29, 2014 by bideford

[Daniel Beacock]

My money would be on the Canon 300mm f4L. Great value lens and works like a treat on the M240. It is a heavy lens though and handheld can be tough to control, although f4 helps obviously.

 

Obligatory test shot on a cat, handheld, at f4:

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100% crop:

 

I've now got 3 x Canon FD lenses for my M240; 300mm f4L, 135mm f2 and the fabulous 85mm f1.2L. But overwhemingly as others have mentioned the most frustrating aspect of using them is the lag between shots in using the EVF. But by using Continuous rather than Single shot you can, with a bit of practice, get a decent hit rate if you indulge in a bit of blind panning!! Another thing about the FD's is their lovely focus throw, hard to describe but it's very "measured" in that you don't end up over compensating and getting wildly out of focus. It's quite a subtle shift, especially on the 135mm and 300mm.

 

Some third party adapters won't infinity focus, but Novoflex Lem/Can definitely does and works on all of those. Costs a bit more but is so worth it. You will have to use a bit of tiny rubber tubing that Novoflex supply to chock open the aperture lever on the lens, but it's not difficult, takes about 5 minutes and when it's done once, you won't have to do it again.

 

I've also got an Olympus OM 180mm f2.8 which is also a cheap but great performer, but hasn't got the same lovely controlled focus throw as the FD's. A little under what you are looking for in terms of range though, but OM's are equally good on the M240.

 

I've also seen a Canon FD 300m f2.8L on sale on ebay today. Hmmmm..........

[bocaburger]

One thing about the Canon FD lenses is they can't be used on EOS bodies, should you happen to ever want to, without an adapter that has a glass element in them. Adapters for other brands such as Zuiko, Nikkor, Takumar and Leica-R are just empty tubes.

[dem331]

Thanks Daniel. Beautiful shot if the cat.

[CheshireCat]

After much reading the discussions on the forum I have ruled R glass out.

 

Why ?

The APO Telyt-R 180/3.4 is so compact, light, and optically excellent, that it is an integral part of my M kit.

It is also a good 360 with the 2x APO extender, although you will need good light.

[Berlinman]

My money would be on the Canon 300mm f4L. Great value lens and works like a treat on the M240. It is a heavy lens though and handheld can be tough to control, although f4 helps obviously.

 

 

 

Obligatory test shot on a cat, handheld, at f4:

 

[ATTACH]471076[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

100% crop:

 

[ATTACH]471077[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

I've now got 3 x Canon FD lenses for my M240; 300mm f4L, 135mm f2 and the fabulous 85mm f1.2L. But overwhemingly as others have mentioned the most frustrating aspect of using them is the lag between shots in using the EVF. But by using Continuous rather than Single shot you can, with a bit of practice, get a decent hit rate if you indulge in a bit of blind panning!! Another thing about the FD's is their lovely focus throw, hard to describe but it's very "measured" in that you don't end up over compensating and getting wildly out of focus. It's quite a subtle shift, especially on the 135mm and 300mm.

 

 

 

Some third party adapters won't infinity focus, but Novoflex Lem/Can definitely does and works on all of those. Costs a bit more but is so worth it. You will have to use a bit of tiny rubber tubing that Novoflex supply to chock open the aperture lever on the lens, but it's not difficult, takes about 5 minutes and when it's done once, you won't have to do it again.

 

 

 

I've also got an Olympus OM 180mm f2.8 which is also a cheap but great performer, but hasn't got the same lovely controlled focus throw as the FD's. A little under what you are looking for in terms of range though, but OM's are equally good on the M240.

 

 

 

I've also seen a Canon FD 300m f2.8L on sale on ebay today. Hmmmm..........

 

 

Hi, I had the 1.2/85L for many years and sold it some years ago. Now I'm missing this nice lens. How does it work on the M240 ?

[Berlinman]

For me the best lens if you don't need a 1:2.0 is the 1:4.4/180 APO-Telyt. I use it a lot with the original Leica-Adaptor. If you want to use Filters: with most of these lenses this could be difficult because they need rare Series 7.5.

 

If You go for 300mm I can recomand the Nikon 1:4/300mm (the old metall AF Version is fine) or the Canon FD 1:4/300 L. The first one I have used with the Novoflex-Adaptor on my M240, the second one nit, but I had use d it for many years on my Canon F-1.

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[Bobitybob]

As well as my Telyt-R 350, I use a Canon FD 1:4.5/85-300 and a cheap but good adaptor from e-bay. it's heavy but versatile and image quality is pretty good.

 

 

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I've also got a Sigma Mirror 1:8/600 again in FD mount, which has the advantage of being very light and has the ability of focusing down to near macro levels. Only problem as other will point to is the odd bokeh.

 

 

 

Hope that's helpful.