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Leica M's Macro Capability (w/ macro adaptor)

jmui852

By jmui852
in Leica M Lenses

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rpavich

rpavich

Posted
Posted

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I spent a LOT of time trying to do this very thing, in the end I purchased a nice digital point and shoot. ( a Ricoh GR3)

 

a Leica is superb at what it does but in my opinion, doing food shots while eating isn't one of them. It's too klunky. Every solution is a kludge.

 

Pull out your pocketable point and shoot, enjoy your meal, and save the Leica for other things. That's  just my take on the situation.

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jaques

jaques

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well- if you have an M240 with liveview and the EVF- it's not that hard at all. And as Jaap said if you have an M9 or m8 the visoflex works perfectly well. And if you must have RF coupling- you can do that too quite affordably using the Sooky M attachment with a 50mm Elmar.

 

Some people don't want to have multiple cameras.

 

here's a few shots from the M9 with Visoflex and 65mm macro:

 

 

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Doc Henry

Doc Henry

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Hi Jimui,

 

Just with Summilux 50 Asph and my M8 (320 Isos)

 

The whole sesame bread  measures 12 cms.

 

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I also took coffee beans in macrophoto. I'll post them when I find photos.

 

Best

Henry

 

 

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Doc Henry

Doc Henry

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Here coffee beans 100% Arabica "Kenya" purchased at coffee roaster

 

Leica M9

90 MacroElmar

MacroAdapter

Tripod

ratio 1:3

 

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Best

Henry

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Doc Henry

Doc Henry

Posted
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Hi Jimui,

I do a test today :

chinese ravioli sized sushi (3x2cms) frozen
distance of focus 50 cms  (and not 70 cms as I said above)

 

Eoin,  you can always try with a real sushi if you want
It interests me because I just wanted to take pictures of
plates or food with my M7 and film to see the color difference

 

Here is the result in this uncropped picture.

 

Leica M9 (160 Isos)

90 Macro Elmar

(a fabulous lens)

Macro adapter

Magnifier viewer 90°

+ tripod

 

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Best

Henry

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esquire53

esquire53

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90 Macro Elmar

(a fabulous lens)

Macro adapter

Magnifier viewer 90°

+ tripod

 

Thanks Doc Henry that finally someone is taking the tripod into account.

 

it is quite a challenge for macro photography without it

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esquire53

esquire53

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My image was handheld ;)

 

I bet it was and I guess you were standing on one leg?

now the snowdrop is a pretty low flower, so the camera was on the ground, or the hands were holding the camera.

;)

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jaapv

jaapv

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I bet it was and I guess you were standing on one leg?

now the snowdrop is a pretty low flower, so the camera was on the ground, or the hands were holding the camera.

;)

Actually it was I that was on the ground ;) As it was quite windy this was "decisive moment" photography :D

 

When doing  this type of garden photography I use a tripod about 50% of the time.

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ECohen

ECohen

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Hi Guys,

 

I am a restaurant operator and I love shooting food when I visit nice restaurants, and I would like to seek your advice regarding taking food shots with a Leica M. I currently use my Nikon D800 + a 50mm F2 Zeiss Makro-Planar to shoot when I go to a restaurant (please note I visit them as a diner, not a paid photographer). However, I would like to explore the capability of taking food photos with my Leica M.

 

I currently own an M240 along with a 50mm APO Summicron lens, a 35mm 8-element Summicron lens, and a 60mm F1.2 Konica Hexanon lens (however I would like to use my 50APO in this scenario due to its sharpness. The 50APO has a 0.7m minimal focusing distance, which is not close enough if I wish to shoot say a piece of sushi. My current setup with the 50mm Zeiss macro lens enables me to get as close as 0.3m to the subject. Furthermore, in a nice restaurant, even with a longer lens, it is rude to move all the way backwards (say a 100mm macro lens) to shoot my food, also a reason I went with a 50mm macro. So I am just wondering whether a macro adapter would help solve my problem. I heard from a friend that with an adaptor, I can only shoot within a particular range from the subject (say for example only from 0.3 to 0.4m from the subject), but this really limits what kind of food I shoot (say a small piece like a sushi, or a large plate of pasta). So I would really appreciate if someone who has experience in this area can help me out. Since I would wish to continue using my 50APO, would a macro adaptor help? And in what range (distance wise) would I be able to shoot if I added an adaptor? Also someone suggested I could also consider using my Zeiss (Nikon mount) on my Leica M with an adaptor, would that work? Would it impact the quality of the photo? Ideally I would wish to use my 50APO on my M to shoot food as I spent quite a lot on this lens and body. Appreciate if someone can help me out.

Thanks and regards,

J

 

 

Depending on your usage . How about a great close up filter set  for your 50mm or the 35mm....no fuss, no muss. When your not shooting CU's slip it off and put it in a pocket.  Try a set make a few tests and bring only to the table what you will need ......Travel light 

This assumes you don't mind using Live View?........and yes  a Macro adaptor would work as well.....but your having dinner keep it simple.  Like you say, you don't want to make it a big production...shoot it, chat about it and enjoy the meal. 

Just my 2 cent's

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vladik

vladik

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Hi Guys,

 

I am a restaurant operator and I love shooting food when I visit nice restaurants, and I would like to seek your advice regarding taking food shots with a Leica M. I currently use my Nikon D800 + a 50mm F2 Zeiss Makro-Planar to shoot when I go to a restaurant (please note I visit them as a diner, not a paid photographer). However, I would like to explore the capability of taking food photos with my Leica M.

 

I currently own an M240 along with a 50mm APO Summicron lens, a 35mm 8-element Summicron lens, and a 60mm F1.2 Konica Hexanon lens (however I would like to use my 50APO in this scenario due to its sharpness. The 50APO has a 0.7m minimal focusing distance, which is not close enough if I wish to shoot say a piece of sushi. My current setup with the 50mm Zeiss macro lens enables me to get as close as 0.3m to the subject. Furthermore, in a nice restaurant, even with a longer lens, it is rude to move all the way backwards (say a 100mm macro lens) to shoot my food, also a reason I went with a 50mm macro. So I am just wondering whether a macro adapter would help solve my problem. I heard from a friend that with an adaptor, I can only shoot within a particular range from the subject (say for example only from 0.3 to 0.4m from the subject), but this really limits what kind of food I shoot (say a small piece like a sushi, or a large plate of pasta). So I would really appreciate if someone who has experience in this area can help me out. Since I would wish to continue using my 50APO, would a macro adaptor help? And in what range (distance wise) would I be able to shoot if I added an adaptor? Also someone suggested I could also consider using my Zeiss (Nikon mount) on my Leica M with an adaptor, would that work? Would it impact the quality of the photo? Ideally I would wish to use my 50APO on my M to shoot food as I spent quite a lot on this lens and body. Appreciate if someone can help me out.

Thanks and regards,

J

 

 

For your specific restaurant food photography I would get a Nikon 50 mm Ais manual Micro lens (plentiful on eBay) and a cheap Nikon to M adapter (or any other brand macro lens) and you have infinity to ½ size reproduction ratio. At ½ life size reproduction ratio your piece of sushi will fill the M’s frame. 

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waloszek

waloszek

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I do not know whether this is really useful here, but here are my results of testings my lenses, including a Zeiss 50 mm lens, with achromats and a Quenox extension tube (replaces Leitz OUFRO) (and a bellows): http://www.waloszek.de/m240_closeup_e.php (page 1 of 5 pages...).

 

Best regards, Gerd

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ECohen

ECohen

Posted
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I've been thinking about this thread....One of the things that wasn't discussed was Depth of Field?

 
Your in a dark restaurant shooting a piece of sushi with available light....during a fancy meal. 
 
You got two problems one is close focus. That can be fixed as this group has shown lots of ways....all good choices. But the bigger problem is Depth of Field. With available light and no tripod, all of the Close Up choices share one thing. When you fill the frame and shoot wide open most of your sushi will be out of focus, you got a half inch. This could be the desired technique but 1/2" is very shallow, and soft focus is not always the best way to show off food/the design of.........unless thats what you want for every shot. 
 
Granted it's not my job and I don't know what juui852 has in mind for these photos.....And generally speaking I'm not a fan of cropping as a technique. However if it were me and I don't see  juui852 wanting posters of these shots, I would not fill the frame and gain depth of field. The M 's file size  is 19.92"X13.307"  leave some room and crop a little you'll gain more depth of field and a much higher hit rate.....and the up side is it will be easer to shoot.....making the meal more fun
 
Yea I know I over think things  :)
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