400mm f6.8 telyt focusing?

[prispoli]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Dearest all, I'm a new entry. As many of you I like taking pictures in bit complicate way. One simple question:

- Telyt 560 f/6,8, just as new (one of the latest s.nr. 2849461) with M tube 11905 for Visoflex; precision focusing difficult vs inaccurate because of the focusing rail (lubricated

  already with scarce improvement);

- Pigriff B (or C), I don't have it but I know where to find a good one;

- Novoflex Visba adapter.

I would like to know if the various Telyt heads can fit in the Pigriff (type B is best as I read) or they are made only for Novo Lenses; otherwise the alternative would be to find a Televit 14136 or to stick  with Novo lenses and give up Leitz quality

Does anybody know if the above listed stuff will guarantee an easier focusing and, above all, will focus to the infinity?

Thanks for your time and best regards.

Pietro Rispoli

 

P.S. I apologize for my English

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[zeitz]

I really enjoy using the Novoflex Follow Focus system.  I have never seen a Pigriff that does not work perfectly.  The Novoflex optics are not as good as the Telyt 6.8 lenses.  And the Pigriff does not focus very close by itself which resulted in various close-up accessories.

 

All these lenses are only achromats so they will show chromatic aberration on digital cameras.

 

The original Pigriff uses the VISLEI-P adapter for Visoflex II/III.  The camera adapter is L39 mount to Pigriff.  (The Novoflex factory calls this Pigriff-G for "gewinde" or screw mount.  Germans pardon me if I do not have "gewinde" spelled exactly correct.)

Pigriff-B uses VISBA for Visoflex II/III.  The camera adapter is bayonet mount to the Pigriff-B.

Pigriff-C would use VISA, but it will not focus to infinity on a Visoflex II/III.  The camera adapter is bayonet mount to the Pigriff-C, but it is a different bayonet mount from Pigriff-B.  A modification can be made to allow use on Visoflex II/III, but you lose the close focus capability.

Pigriff-D would be the same as Pigriff-C.  The difference in -C and -D is how the lens heads connect to the Pigriff.  -C is a screw thread; -D is a bayonet mount.  A "D Ring" was available to convert -C heads to -D mount.  -D lens heads actually are the same heads with the D Rings attached from the factory.

 

The optical components and metal around the optics from the Telyt 6.8 lenses are used for the Novoflex Telyt combination.  However, there are intermediate tubes that were made by Novoflex to mount the optical components.  These intermediate tubes are very hard to find separately.  The 400mm tube is quite complex as it recesses the lens head.  The 560mm tube is a very simple, large extension tube.

 

If you contact Novoflex in Germany, they may be able to provide the -C or -D metal pieces for you.  Expect a high price.

 

As a side note, the Leica Novoflex system for Leicaflex is a hybrid -C / -D.  It has some characteristics of -C for close focusing and some characteristics of -D for lens head mounting.  The Leicaflex mount for the lens to the camera is not removeable.  The lens heads, however, from the Leica Novoflex system are usable on -D directly and on -C with the D-Ring removed.

[luigi bertolotti]

Dearest all, I'm a new entry. As many of you I like taking pictures in bit complicate way. One simple question:

- Telyt 560 f/6,8, just as new (one of the latest s.nr. 2849461) with M tube 11905 for Visoflex; precision focusing difficult vs inaccurate because of the focusing rail (lubricated

  already with scarce improvement);

- Pigriff B (or C), I don't have it but I know where to find a good one;

- Novoflex Visba adapter.

I would like to know if the various Telyt heads can fit in the Pigriff (type B is best as I read) or they are made only for Novo Lenses; otherwise the alternative would be to find a Televit 14136 or to stick  with Novo lenses and give up Leitz quality

Does anybody know if the above listed stuff will guarantee an easier focusing and, above all, will focus to the infinity?

Thanks for your time and best regards.

Pietro Rispoli

 

P.S. I apologize for my English

 

Pay attention... you cannot mount the Telyt 560 6,8 on the Televit 14136 : Televit is made for the previous 400/560 f 5,6 (and you can mount on it also the 280 lenshead)

Personally, having both, I have always preferred the Telyts 5,6... the 6,8 have indeed a focusing system that is globally "unpleasant", and image quality is similar (with a bit more of vignetting for the 5,6, indeed, but just a very small area in the corners)

[zeitz]

For completeness, you can also mount the lens head of the 400mm f5.0 Telyt on the Televit.  It is by far my favorite lens on the Televit.  It is much easier to handle because it is a true telephoto (thus shorter and better balanced than the achromats) and in my opinion gives a superior image.  While the 400mm f5.0 Telyt and the Televit are easy to find, the necessary 14138 adapter for the lens head is extremely hard to find.

[prispoli]

Pay attention... you cannot mount the Telyt 560 6,8 on the Televit 14136 : Televit is made for the previous 400/560 f 5,6 (and you can mount on it also the 280 lenshead)

Personally, having both, I have always preferred the Telyts 5,6... the 6,8 have indeed a focusing system that is globally "unpleasant", and image quality is similar (with a bit more of vignetting for the 5,6, indeed, but just a very small area in the corners)

 

Thanks Luigi for your reply; what about to find a trick for adapting the 560/6,8 head on a pigriff B or C?

[jaapv]

Personally find the 400/5.6 on Televit the nicest combination, with the 400/6.3 in its original state the lightest.

[luigi bertolotti]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Thanks Luigi for your reply; what about to find a trick for adapting the 560/6,8 head on a pigriff B or C?

I haven't experience with Novoflex gear, sorry... I know that the Pigriff is a fine and flexible system, but don't know anything practical about (the only Nofoflex item I have is the superuseful LEM/VIS for my Leica M 240...  )

[Orient XI]

 you can also mount the lens head of the 400mm f5.0 Telyt on the Televit.

 

Are you referring to the original pre-WW2 400mm f/5 Telyt for this purpose. I have been unable to remove the lens head from my post-war, recomputed version. Has it just frozen in place over the years? 

[zeitz]

I only have the 1956 to 1966 version.  The lens head unscrews easily on my lens.  I don't know if the first version head unscrews.  I expect Luigi will know.  Remember you still need a 14138 adapter to use it on the Televit.

[luigi bertolotti]

Are you referring to the original pre-WW2 400mm f/5 Telyt for this purpose. I have been unable to remove the lens head from my post-war, recomputed version. Has it just frozen in place over the years? 

Probably is like this... it's just the postwar 400 f5 that has the lenshead removable for Televit (and Focorapid too) , the old "big conical" 400 f5 does not allow.

[Orient XI]

Just my lens then! Could somebody post a photo of the unscrewed lens head and lens tube so that I will be able to see where to apply geriatric jam jar openers to remove the lens head. Thanks!

[luigi bertolotti]

Here is... there is lot of space to apply some forcing, and the lens is VERY solid : you can grasp it where i evidenced, or even (extending the hood) on the main cylindric head.

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

... so that you can mount it on Televit... provided one has the rather elusive 14138 ring...

 

 

btw, my lens mount has engraved, inside, the s/n of the lens head and the real focal length ("399,5")

[Orient XI]

Thanks Luigi! I was fortunate to have the elusive 14138 ring included in the Televit set of 280mm f/4.8, 400mm f/5.6, and 560mm f/5.6 heads.