D lens vs R lens (50mm)

[laurencetam]

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I just test D 14-50 zoom compare with Later verison 50 Summicron-R with 4/3 adapter.

The result is almost same, but R-50 most sharper than D 50

 

1st Picture - D 14-50mm (set 50mm)

2nd Picture - R 50mm

3rd Picture - D 14-50mm (set 50mm)

4th Picture - R 50mm

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[spylaw4]

Interesting, Laurence. did you experience any exposure problems with the R lens? A few more details might be useful.

[laurencetam]

Interesting, Laurence. did you experience any exposure problems with the R lens? A few more details might be useful.

 

I didn't see any problem for exposure with r lens, once thing is very interesting, if you use r lens for focus, D3 have detected your object on focus (green spot) in viewfinger.

[spylaw4]

Yep - focus confirmation using manual focus came to the L1 with the V2 firmware - useful!

Interesting that you did not experience exposure problems with the 50mm R. If you look at my recent thread re Lens trials L1/D3 you can see that the 90mm R lens seriously underexposes. Maybe it's a bit of a lottery as to what works ok and what does not.

[rivi1969]

Hello,

 

I been tempted in buying (again) an Epson RD1 but I been also interested in reading more about the Digilux 3 -I have the D2- and their chance to use R lenses on it. First I wonder how do you exposed... does it has to be done completely manual or can you use aperture priority as well?? For the examples shown here I wonder if its worthy the investment in those manual focus primes, I really don't see a significant difference to be honest, maybe its my monitor.

[audidudi]

Interesting, Laurence. did you experience any exposure problems with the R lens? A few more details might be useful.

I agree about needing more details here, as the 4/3 sensor reaches the diffraction limit sooner than 35mm-format film does and (presumably) the D lenses are designed to achieve optimum sharpness at larger apertures than the R-lenses. For instance, my sample of the 14-50 seems to be equally sharp at f4 and f5.6 but falls off slightly as you stop-down or open-up from there whereas I'm guessing the R-lens, as with most 35mm-format lenses, is sharpest at F8 or so...

 

If true, this means a straight comparison between the two potentially puts one lens at a disadvantage to the other if you shoot both at the same f-stop, whatever that may be. Depending upon how you intend to actually use the lens, though, this could be a fair approach, as DOF will obviously change as you change apertures...

[S. Wong]

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Though they are set to the same focal length, the angle of view is different

any idea why that is?

-Steven

[zapp]

Though they are set to the same focal length, the angle of view is different

any idea why that is?

-Steven

 

+- a couple mm in focal length on the specs and probably a different position of the entering pupil. Changing the lens on a camera fixed in position does not mean that you get the very same angle in close range photography. The 14-50 may be a little longer or shorter than the 50 R so length of the lens is a factor putting you closer or further from the subject. If the camera was not fixed in position, well the answer would be too simple...

 

Why use an R lens: Well you get extra f stops compared to the zoom, and you can use it full frame on another camera. Sure enough, an R lens should not perform much better on a 4/3 than the same lens designed for 4/3 - otherwise we have a design problem.

[karlitos]

I didn't see any problem for exposure with r lens, once thing is very interesting, if you use r lens for focus, D3 have detected your object on focus (green spot) in viewfinger.

 

Sorry Lawrence, are you saying that you get focus confirmation with the R adapter? or have I misunderstood. I wasn't aware this was available.

 

Karlitos.

[laurencetam]

Sorry Lawrence, are you saying that you get focus confirmation with the R adapter? or have I misunderstood. I wasn't aware this was available.

 

Karlitos.

 

 

Yes, So far i tried use R50/APO100/180. D3 have focus confirmation on viewfinger.

[karlitos]

Can you tell me how. I am unable to get VF confirmation with the R adapter. Leica's instructions state 'focus indicators in the viewfinder and monitor do not appear in general' (whatever 'in general' means.)

 

Thanks

Karlitos.

[spylaw4]

Karlitos, the adapter itself does not provide focus confirmation. Using the L1 with V2 firmware and I presume the D3 (as confirmed by Laurence) there is a focus confirming green dot that appears in the info display in the viewfinder when the manual focus is correct. It can be a bit erratic - so blink and you may miss it!

[rivi1969]

Hello Laurence,

 

If you are so kind I would like to ask you a couple of things since I am a happy Digilux user and I am thinking deeply in the D3 or going back to an R-D1...

 

1. first is how do you exposed in the D3 using R lenses? can you use Aperture priority

or it has to be manual?

 

2. I wonder if I can get the same deep and bold colors and wide tonal range with the D3 with all the improvements, so can you tell me how do you rate the quality your are getting with the D3 against your other/former equipment? (I have also a Nikon D80)

 

 

Thank you very much in advance for your reply.

Ricardo

[laurencetam]

Hello Laurence,

 

If you are so kind I would like to ask you a couple of things since I am a happy Digilux user and I am thinking deeply in the D3 or going back to an R-D1...

 

1. first is how do you exposed in the D3 using R lenses? can you use Aperture priority

or it has to be manual?

 

2. I wonder if I can get the same deep and bold colors and wide tonal range with the D3 with all the improvements, so can you tell me how do you rate the quality your are getting with the D3 against your other/former equipment? (I have also a Nikon D80)

 

 

Thank you very much in advance for your reply.

Ricardo

 

Hi Ricardo,

 

I believe D3 and RD-1 is a little difference user, D3 looks like high-end Point of shoot camera, RD-1 is M User.

1.) I'm setting on AE and manual aperture, same as use my R8.

2.) I can rate D3 is acceptable(7.5/10). or viewsfinger is bigger more perfect. I don;t have D80, but i feel D3 more metal feel instead of plactic.

[karlitos]

Karlitos, the adapter itself does not provide focus confirmation. Using the L1 with V2 firmware and I presume the D3 (as confirmed by Laurence) there is a focus confirming green dot that appears in the info display in the viewfinder when the manual focus is correct. It can be a bit erratic - so blink and you may miss it!

 

Hi Brian, I cannot get this function at all. No matter what settings I have on the camera. (AF+MF in menu on/off etc, etc) I'm using D3's

 

Laurence, can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?!

 

Karlitos.

[spylaw4]

Karlitos - the only other thing I can suggest is using single spot focus (AF = Centre) and set AF+MF=On, which is what I have set on my L1. Maybe you could locate an L1 and take along a manual lens to try to see what it should look like?

[dhsimmonds]

Jeffrey

 

On just a general point "R" lenses as with most Leica prime lenses usually work at their best resolution at either maximum aperture or closed down one stop or so. This is just one of the reasons for using Leica lenses and there are many others if you exclude price!

 

In my personal view there is no comparison with other SLR lenses perhaps with the exception of some of the older Olympus Zuiko or Zeiss lenses.

 

On another point, when using R lenses with the D3/L1, I would have expected a higher resolution as with it's 2 x crop factor only the central portion (sweet spot) of the lens is in use. If this is so, there should be very little or no edge degradation.

 

The focus confirmation feature is interesting and we need to know more about this not least because this may well be the way Leica will go when designing a repacement for the R8/9 DMR?

[karlitos]

Brian, thanks, but done all that to no avail. Laurence sadly hasn't yet given me a clue as to how he's crafted the D3 for focus confirmation with the adapter. Are you there Laurence to point me in the right direction?

 

Karlitos.

[cnguyen]

Karlitos - Focus confirmation on L1/Digilux 23 will work on any manual lenses you mount with 4/3rds adapter. What you do is turn the manual focusing ring slowly till you see the confirmation green light flickers and then fine tune it the way you want. I''ve been using Leica R lenses on my L1 in the same fashion.

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[spylaw4]

Karlitos - you are looking at the little display to the right hand side in the EVF, aren't you? The little green blob appears at the same location as the focus confirmation for the standard lens.