SL Macro adapters

[helged]

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Regarding focussing with bellows (in my case the Contax-bellow): I found the Leica Macro-Adapter M quite convenient. First approximate focus with the bellows mechanism (which is good but not 100% precise), and then fine-tuning the focus with the Macro-Adapter. 

[ynp]

I do not have any R lenses nor interested in buying them on that stage. The best R lenses are very expensive.

There is a simple and modern solution from Novoflex , their makro bellows system http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1195212-REG/novoflex_castbal_ts90_tilt_shift_lens.html

They supply the Digitar 90 with the bellows. The lens is quite decent and works better than the old Contax 100mm Macro, which I happen to own.

Another option is a mini view camera, such as an Actus or Actus -B from Cambo. The SL can be mounted through the M adapter. It is a better solution for macro photography than any bellows. It will allow the rear standard (camera) movements.

 

Since my Sinar equipment was stolen last week, I am seriously considering the Actus as a main view camera, at least before the insurance company settle with us.

 

 

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[ynp]

Regarding focussing with bellows (in my case the Contax-bellow): I found the Leica Macro-Adapter M quite convenient. First approximate focus with the bellows mechanism (which is good but not 100% precise), and then fine-tuning the focus with the Macro-Adapter.

Very clever. Thank you for sharing this.

What lenses do you use with the adapter on your bellows?

 

 

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[dkCambridgeshire]

A few more House Leek Flower images taken with the SL 24-90mm using:

 

 

1 Canon 77mm 500D 2 diopter achromatic c/u lens  (2 diopter)

 

 

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2 Polaroid 77mm 250D 4 diopter achromatic c/u lens  (4 Diopter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Stacked Canon 77mm 500D 2 diopter plus Polaroid 77mm 250D 4 diopter c/u lenses.  (Total 6 Diopter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All images taken at f11 using natural window light plus polystyrene reflectors ... the last two in fading light. 

 

 

Best wishes

 

 

dunk

Edited July 18, 2016 by dkCambridgeshire

[wlaidlaw]

The problem with the macro adapter M on a Contax or Yashica bellows is that you would need an M lens to Contax mount adapter and I don't think such a thing exists off the shelf. Contax lens to M mount - yes I have a cheapo no name and a Novoflex LEM-CONT but the other way round I think no. Other than macro use, what would be the purpose of such an adapter as an M lens could never focus to infinity on a Contax body, notwithstanding that the flange focal distance of Contax RF lenses are the shortest of any SLR full frame camera (Leica M 27.8mm Contax RF 34.85mm). When using my new Yashica bellows on the SL, I will put my Novoflex LEM-CONT on the back but use it with Contax SLR lenses on the front. 

 

Wilson

[wlaidlaw]

Probably the best lens for me to use will be the Contax 50mm f1.7 Planar. This used to be the second highest scoring MTF lens on that German third party lens testing site, whose name escapes me at the moment. The only lens which scored higher was a Canon 200mm L lens. They are available on Fleabay for not a lot of money. 

 

Wilson

[thighslapper]

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A few more House Leek Flower images taken with the SL 24-90mm using:

 

 

1 Canon 77mm 500D 2 diopter achromatic c/u lens

 

 

HLeek3-500D-242.5K.jpg

 

 

 

 

2 Polaroid 77mm 250D 4 diopter achromatic c/u lens

 

 

HLeek--4-250D--1280.jpg

 

 

HLeek-3-250D-closest-199.4K.jpg

 

 

 

 

3 Stacked Canon 77mm 500D 2 diopter plus Polaroid 77mm 250D 4 diopter c/u lenses.

 

 

HLeek-4-250-500D-4-1280K.jpg

 

 

HLeek-500-plus-250-6---1280.jpg

 

 

 

All images taken at f11 using natural window light plus polystyrene reflectors ... the last two in fading light. 

 

 

Best wishes

 

 

dunk

 

yup ....... who needs macro fancy lenses when you can produce images like these with add-on achromatic close-ups.......

 

similar results with the X-Vario, Q and T with it's lenses. 

 

even if Leica produce a dedicated macro lens for the SL I think I would still prefer the 24-90 with a Marumi in my pocket rather than more clobber to carry ....

[dkCambridgeshire]

yup ....... who needs macro fancy lenses when you can produce images like these with add-on achromatic close-ups.......

 

similar results with the X-Vario, Q and T with it's lenses. 

 

even if Leica produce a dedicated macro lens for the SL I think I would still prefer the 24-90 with a Marumi in my pocket rather than more clobber to carry ....

 

 

Today was the first time I'd attempted using c/u achromats on the SL 24-90mm. Now I'm considering possibly purchasing the Novoflex SL lens collar/tripod mount to improve c/u composition ergonomics - it's one of the more reasonably priced Novoflex accessories.

 

dunk 

[steppenw0lf]

I do not have any R lenses nor interested in buying them on that stage. The best R lenses are very expensive.

 

The SL has no problem with non-Leica equipment, which opens the gates to many more reasonable opportunities.

Some macro equipment is very expensive. Especially the long macro primes (180mm or 200mm).

So I use macro zooms instead - the Nikon 70-180 micro is an old gem. Leica R 4/80-200 is also fine.

But a real bargain is the Contax 80-200. It is an excellent macro at 200mm and much better than you would expect from such an old and humble lens. And as everybody thinks a 80-200 zoom is too old-fashioned you can get them for "an apple and an egg" (chicken feed).

It is quite long, but that is the usual size for a long macro lens. But I agree it looks like a grandfathers lens, but who cares if you get a decent/excellent macro for a tiny sum. (By the way it was an expensive lens when new, and the big price drop is really amazing, probably mainly because it is not sexy at all at all).

Edited July 19, 2016 by steppenw0lf

[ramarren]

Here's my "most macro" setup: Leica SL fitted with M adapter T, R adapter M, Leica Focusing Bellows R, and Summicron-R 50mm f/2. In this photo, the setup is racked to the limit to provide maximum magnification for capturing Minox 8x11mm negatives at about 2.7:1 magnification: 

 

 

With this setup, I can make approximately 22 Mpixel captures of these tiny negatives and show their resolution and quality. I discovered to my surprise that the humble Summicron-R 50mm out-performs even the Macro-Elmarit-R at this very high magnification. 

 

Deutsches Museum - Munich 1997

 

Inverted and rendered in Lightroom

Minox B, APX100  - HC110

Processed 01 Mar 98, Taken Nov 97

20100515-0015-20

Edited July 19, 2016 by ramarren

[ynp]

Here's my "most macro" setup: Leica SL fitted with M adapter T, R adapter M, Leica Focusing Bellows R, and Summicron-R 50mm f/2. In this photo, the setup is racked to the limit to provide maximum magnification for capturing Minox 8x11mm negatives at about 2.7:1 magnification:

 

 

With this setup, I can make approximately 22 Mpixel captures of these tiny negatives and show their resolution and quality. I discovered to my surprise that the humble Summicron-R 50mm out-performs even the Macro-Elmarit-R at this very high magnification.

 

Deutsches Museum - Munich 1997

Inverted and rendered in Lightroom

Minox B, APX100 - HC110

Processed 01 Mar 98, Taken Nov 97

20100515-0015-20

Impressive! Thank you for sharing

 

 

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[su25]

Here's my "most macro" setup: Leica SL fitted with M adapter T, R adapter M, Leica Focusing Bellows R, and Summicron-R 50mm f/2. In this photo, the setup is racked to the limit to provide maximum magnification for capturing Minox 8x11mm negatives at about 2.7:1 magnification: 

 

 

I wonder what would be the MFD (minimum focus distance) with this setup?

[ramarren]

I wonder what would be the MFD (minimum focus distance) with this setup?

 

 

You can see it in the photo. The film I'm shooting sits on the light box under the lens ... That is positioned at the close focus distance. It's about 20mm in front of the lens. 

[wlaidlaw]

Ramarren, 

 

That is an interesting set up. I have been sending my Minox film to Paul O'Sullivan at MS Hobbies for developing and scanning (he uses a modified Minox enlarger and a Canon 5D Mk3). I could duplicate your set up either with my old Novoflex bellows or my new Contax/Yashica one. My old Minox C (a black one with a red LED) is getting a touch cranky. I am thinking of looking for a late TLX and leaving the C as a static exhibit. I have had it for around 30 years, so it doesn't owe me anything. 

 

In case anyone is squawking, Minox was owned by Leica when this camera was made and the picture was taken with an SL and 90-280 lens. 

 

Wilson

 

 

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[ramarren]

...

In case anyone is squawking, Minox was owned by Leica when this camera was made and the picture was taken with an SL and 90-280 lens. 

 

Even more to the relationship between Leica and Minox, the 15mm anastigmat lens of the pre-WWII Minox was its weakest point. After the war, Walter Zapp managed to befriend and obtain the services of Arthur Seibert, a long-time employee of Leitz, to design the lens that Minox used. His first version had some issues due to the use of a "film lens" element, but the second four-element version, with only one minor reformulation in the early 1970s, was used for the entire production of focusing Minox 8x11 cameras up to the present. (I don't know whether they are actually still in limited production at this point.. It's been some years since I was closely associated with the Minox Historical Society and people who were in direct contact with the company.)

 

I have several Minox cameras including a II, B, early C (with Complan version of the lens), and EC. I had #33 of the CLX run ... the commemorative edition model made to celebrate sixty years of Minox camera production ... at one point, but I've since let it go to another enthusiast and friend. The C is one of my favorites Minox models: DAG overhauled mine twenty-some years ago and it is in perfect working order today. I don't shoot them much anymore, but I have a nice freezer full of Agfa 25 and 100 films at the ready in case I get the urge. 

 

In addition to the SL rig for digitizing the Minox negatives, I have a Minox film carrier for my Nikon 9000 film scanner which allows me to scan an entire roll in one automated operation if I should choose to. The problem is that a 4000 ppi scanner only nets a 2.2 Mpixel image, and there is definitely enough resolution on a good Minox negative to warrant a 10-20 Mpixel scan. 

Edited July 21, 2016 by ramarren

[wlaidlaw]

My Minox black  C has a horrible intermittent electronic fault in the exposure circuit. After discussion with Paul, we suspect that there may be a fault in the PCB. I know from experience with my older silver C, these intermittent faults are close to impossible to track down and we gave up with that one. There are no spares for the C PCB available other than used ones taken from cameras that have other irreparable problems, which may be no improvement.

 

He has a lovely barely used Black LX, which he is sending to me on approval with a couple of films to test. I do have some Sharan films in 8 x 11 but I want to keep them for use in my micro Rolleiflex. Whereas the Sharan cassettes fit in the Minox, Minox cassettes are a fraction too large sometimes to fit in the Rollei. As I am an old customer of Paul, He has given me the LX at a good price, including a 6 month warranty. 

 

I think the last mechanical 8 x 11 xLX metal cameras were made around 2009 but Minox still had stock until quite recently and I would guess if you paid them enough, they would assemble one from spares. There are plenty of unused ones for sale on Fleabay at inflated prices. Mostly the "bling bling special" gold or platinum models or even more expensive, the solid silver one. I would guess most of these are ex-dealer stock. 

 

Wilson

[hsw]

This is a 22mm flower shot with the 100mm APO-Macro-Elmarit-R with the Elpro attachment at 1:1; the SF 40 flash with the included diffuser

 

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[helged]

Very clever. Thank you for sharing this.

What lenses do you use with the adapter on your bellows?

 

 

 

I often use Carl Zeiss 100mm f/4 Macro S-Planar (link), although the 100mm APO-Macro-Elmarit-R is more convenient as you have one (brilliant) lens for ordinary shooting as well as for macro (the latter with the Elpro). I have also played with dedicated micro/enlarging lenses (e.g. Zeiss Luminar 63mm and Rodenstock 135mm Rodagon).

[pierovitch]

my compact travel macro kit.

the extension rings work on my 90mm elmar which took the shot.

example of watch strap mesh.

The Wild Leitz macro stand is a bit heavy for carry on.

 

 

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Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Guest]

So which of the R macros would you recommend, the 60 or the APO 100? 

 

 

 

Money no object I would have both from what I have read and seen that which the 60 achieves. I do have the 100 and is a wonderful lens in the studio. Handling and finished article, the images are just stunning.