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Leitz 800mm Telyt-S pics


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When I first started with Leica,  the rep came to out shop having done some race pictures in Wisconsin with the 800.  He Used 2 tripods.

 

I have a 800 Vivitar that is not to bad one stop down.   Most pleased I spent only a few hundred dollars on it as it never saw much use.  I do have and use the 400 & 560.

 

Thanks for the pictures.

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When I first started with Leica,  the rep came to out shop having done some race pictures in Wisconsin with the 800.  He Used 2 tripods.

 

I have a 800 Vivitar that is not to bad one stop down.   Most pleased I spent only a few hundred dollars on it as it never saw much use.  I do have and use the 400 & 560.

 

Thanks for the pictures.

 

 

Consider using the 400mm and 560mm with the regular non-Apo Leitz 2x extender (the one which used to cost $hundreds but now sells s/h for $75 :) ) … together with a M4/3 camera … thus creating  800mm, 1120mm, 1600mm and 2240mm focal lengths. Works really well - probably because the M4/3 format only uses the centre of the lens' image … thus no edge degradation. I tried a 560mm and the 2x extender with a 4/3 format Olympus E5 and was very surprised and pleased with the results … good fun too picking out details on church towers. 

 

dunk

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Dunk,

 

oh, what an effort to install this "monster"-lens: excellent results and admirable effort. Thanks for sharing this interesting reportage. I hope for more  to come...

 

The Berlebach tripods are excellent, because they have less vibration than other material and the wood can bear heavy loads very well. I also bought one for my gear and use it more than my other tripods. One can buy all sizes and can combine all modules with each other which makes it a very versatile tripod. The wood is very robust and its weight is less than metal.

 

You used a Manfotto aid. Is this advisable and can one use it also with lenses that do not have a screw for attaching a tripod directly?

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Dunk,

 

oh, what an effort to install this "monster"-lens: excellent results and admirable effort. Thanks for sharing this interesting reportage. I hope for more  to come...

 

The Berlebach tripods are excellent, because they have less vibration than other material and the wood can bear heavy loads very well. I also bought one for my gear and use it more than my other tripods. One can buy all sizes and can combine all modules with each other which makes it a very versatile tripod. The wood is very robust and its weight is less than metal.

 

You used a Manfotto aid. Is this advisable and can one use it also with lenses that do not have a screw for attaching a tripod directly?

 

Thank you for the positive comments Iduna. Yes Berlebach tripods are superb - I have another smaller model - and also use Berlebach binocular mounts which are far better than 'L' brackets. Ref. the Manfrotto telescopic support on the front - it's intended for use with any conveniently situated 1/4" tripod thread e.g. on the camera's base plate -  with a long lens supported by its tripod mount at the C.O.G.. The 800mm Telyt S has a lockable ring/anulus on the front section of the lens which has a 1/4" tripod thread - but I have also used the supplementary Manfrotto support on the camera. In very windy conditions the camera and lens require three supports i.e. front of lens, middle of lens and camera base. Last weekend i used two tripods plus the Manfrotto telescopic support - each of which required their thumb screws tightening securely to prevent 'wind wobble' after the subject was focused. 

 

The R9/DMR camera's optimal ISO settings are 100 and 200 - necessitating longer shutter speeds compared to e.g. Canon DSLRs which have higher usable ISO settings.  'Wind wobble' affects Canon cameras less because they can utilise faster shutter speeds at higher ISOs. 

 

Best wishes

 

dunk

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Dunk,

 

many thanks for your kind and quick reply with detailed information. I'll consider the Manfrotto aid. My lenses are not that bulky but it could be helpful to get stability and relief for the bayonet. The wind and the bodyshake are not to underestimated. Keep going and we'll be grateful for updates...

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Some more photos to demonstrate the supports used for 800m Telyt S lens:

 

 

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Leica Forum member jankap who travelled from Franken in Germany to Lincoln in England for The Leica Society AGM Weekend. Jan wanted to try the lens with his Ricoh GXR and also visit Lincoln Cathedral. Here Jan is using my R9/DMR and the 800mm Telyt S fitted with stacked APO 2x plus APO 1.4x extenders. The combination's equivalent FF focal length of 2240mm gave a rather shaky image in the high wind - even when using the three supports - but proved that on a less windy day, or with a different camera with more usable high ISO settings and thus shorter shutter speeds, the stacked extenders at f17.6 offer good potential for certain types of subject. Astronomers regularly use c.2000mm focal length refractors with small focal ratios (e.g. f16) for lunar and planetary observing and imaging - but they use astronomical mounts which are more stable and substantial than the supports used in this photo. The trolley in the background is essential for transporting the equipment - it's far too heavy to carry. 

 

The front support is a Manfrotto 359 - and rear support is a lightweight Manfrotto 190 tripod fitted with a Benbo ball and socket head. A lightweight rear tripod is easy to adjust and does not have to carry any significant weight - its main purpose it to prevent or reduce lateral movement and thus image shake. Most of the weight is at the centre of gravity supported by the main Berlebach tripod and Jobo gimbal. 

 

 

 

 

Jan using his Ricoh GXR with resultant focal length of 1200mm (1.5 crop factor) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of Jan's own images taken with his GXR and the 800mm Telyt-S. at f11. The MacDonald's sign was 215 metres from the camera position - measured with a Leica laser rangefinder. 

 

 

 

 

cont'd. …. 

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continuation ...

 

 

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!

 

These photos show the 800mm Telyt S used with TLS members' Leica M240 cameras via my Leitz 22228 adaptor. At the time I did not realise that the adaptor is unsuitable because of its narrow internal diameter which causes vignetting. 

 

 

 

 

I have since purchased a secondhand Novoflex R to M adaptor with a wider internal diameter which does not vignette on a FF format.

 

It's a learning process ;)

 

More experiments to follow.

 

 

Best wishes

 

dunk 

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I shot 4 pictures of the McDonald sign at 1/640 sec without extender, but with different f/stops. The camera adjusted the ISO value automatically.

I used the 10 seconds self timer.

 

Afterwards I think, I had better tried different exposure times on this stormy day. Now the pictures do not differ on monitor size, 1/640 was enough.

Jan

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More parameters

I used the Hoodman lens to focus on the lcd-screen. The focussing methods used were plain lcd and dancing ants, both used with and without enlargement .

All methods worked well, the wind made the focussing difficult, especially with enlargement.

Also I used the electronic shutter of the camera.

Jan

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Dunk,

 

oh what an interesting series! Not to mention all those tiny little cameras bravely facing the big "monster" ...Great reportage and detailed information, fantastic story. Thanks for all the updates.

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Dunk,

 

oh what an interesting series! Not to mention all those tiny little cameras bravely facing the big "monster" ...Great reportage and detailed information, fantastic story. Thanks for all the updates.

 

Iduna, 20% of the assembled lens' length is the lens hood - in the third image the hood's bayonet mount is visible. 

 

Regards

 

dunk

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Filters for b/w ok. Haze, UV, etc. too.

For color I use polafilters, those are in front?

If you for your astronomy work need a sunfilter to document sunspots, this must be in front of the first lens.

Jan

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

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Crop showing attachment ring screwed into lens' front with bayonet fit hood

 

 

Hello Jan, I have a Series VII polariser which fits in the rear filter slot but it is not easy to use as requires swinging up the the hinged filter holder to turn the polariser … and then by trial and error repeatedly 'swing up' … 'adjust filter' … 'swing down' … 'observe image' … until optimal orientation obtained.  I just tried it and although possible to repeatedly adjust, my fingers left marks on the filter glass - so needs turning whilst using a lens cloth or lens tissue. However, it's possible and maybe worth the effort when a polariser is needed.

 

I plan to use the lens for night astronomy but no plans to use it for solar astronomy - because I have a dedicated Lunt 60 solar 'scope for solar observing. Another reason not to use the 800mm Telyt for solar observing is that the lens cement could overheat and break up and separate … maybe unlikely … but the cement/balsam used for the three element lens module is now over 40 years old. Furthermore, if used for solar observing the lens would require a custom made Waterhouse stop on the front plus a solar filter either on the front or at the rear. 

 

For night astronomy the 'Leica Telescope Ocular R' will give 64x magnification but I am not sure how wide the field of view might be with the Ocular R - have not tried it yet. An engineer friend has offered to make an adaptor for the rear tube to enable use of e.g. my Baader Hyperion astro eyepieces; an 8mm focal length eyepiece would enable 100x magnification with a good wide field of view. But that is a project for next autumn - currently I'm concentrating on exploring the photographic potential and want to try the lens at Alexandra Palace in North London to view Central London skyscrapers - on clear days after rain.

 

The lens' front has an approx. 135mm diameter thread which in theory might take a 135mm diameter filter  … or any slightly smaller diameter  which would rest on the lens bezel. There is a separate lens hood attachment ring 60mm deep with a concentric revolving tripod mount ring, and a rear 135mm male thread diameter which screws into the lens' front - this could secure a slightly smaller diameter 'drop-in' filter - but there would be no means of turning a front mounted polariser with the ring and lens hood attached . The lens hood has slots which bayonet onto the ring's pins.  

 

So far I have only used the lens three times and it's still a learning process e.g. I did not realise the Leitz 22228 R to M adaptor would not be suitable for full frame M cameras ... and was not sufficiently prepared for using the lens in windy weather with a low ISO limited camera. I like to use the DMR and like its image quality - but its lack of high ISO capabilities is very limiting in extreme conditions. 

 

Further experiments are planned with 4/3 format and its 2x crop factor e.g. using an Olympus E5 DSLR …. and also with the Leitz APO extenders .. and I have some ideas for improving stability and reducing lens wobble/shake. 

 

And also plan to use the lens with a Leica T - which has the same 1.5x crop factor as your GXR. 

 

Plenty of options to keep me busy - but all are weather dependent.

 

Regards

 

dunk 

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Here's couple of not so sharp photos taken with the R9/DMR/Telyt S 800mm at the very windy 25 April Bentley Hotel car park demo … subject is a garden centre sign approx 200 meters distant. The wind was very strong and the lens and camera supports were not optimally adjusted -  was a very optimistic experiment because lens wobble was very noticeable. Self timer was used to try and minimise lens/camera wobble.

 

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The first image taken with 800mm lens without extenders at f8, 1/180 sec, ISO 200 … equivalent FF 1096mm focal length (1.37 crop factor).

 

 

 

Second image taken with 800mm lens plus stacked 1.4 and 2x APO extenders … f8, 1/60 sec, ISO 200  … but equivalent FF 3068mm focal length at f22.  (1.37 x 2 x 1.4 x 800mm) 

 

Note increased (longer) 1/60 sec shutter speed required to cope with effective f22 aperture … compared to f8 and 1/180 sec without the extenders. 

 

Thus stacked extenders appear to have potential ... but further experiments required utilising firmer lens / camera support … and on a calmer day.

 

Prefer not to increase the DMR's ISO beyond ISO 200.

 

 

Best wishes

 

dunk

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For a 3000mm lens on this windy day a good result. A nice experiment.

 

The picture, you posted in #27 (my number 315), was at f/stop 11, 1/640 and ISO 1234. But I have no idea, what the DMR does above ISO 200.

 

The photo of that yellow flower landed in the bin, I suppose.

It would have been an odd coincidence, if the flower and the lens would have compensated their movements. :)

 

Jan

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For a 3000mm lens on this windy day a good result. A nice experiment.

 

The picture, you posted in #27 (my number 315), was at f/stop 11, 1/640 and ISO 1234. But I have no idea, what the DMR does above ISO 200.

 

The photo of that yellow flower landed in the bin, I suppose.

It would have been an odd coincidence, if the flower and the lens would have compensated their movements. :)

 

Jan

 

Thank you Jan … yes, acceptable considering the wind. I did not press the shutter after framing the flower as was too windy and it was moving too much - but it proved that the lens would focus at that relatively short distance - maybe 60 meters? I did not measure exactly. 

 

Best wishes 

 

dunk

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Dunk,

 

these your experiments are all very interesting with amazing results. May there be many days with not a single leaf stirring to let your plans be carried out successfully. Please keep us updated.

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