Leica M for Technical Camera...

[xiaubauu2009]

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My Saturday at Expo Park with Leica M Monochrom (Type 246) + Cambo Actus + Cambo Actar 24mm f/3.5 and Voigtlander 15mm III + 50mm Classic Heliar f2.

Having owned Monochrom v1, I was very eager to try out technical camera setup for the Leica, particularly the ability to stitch with the Monochrom. Long story short, I ended with the M246 for its ability for live view, a must for technical camera setup and Cambo Actus 24mm and Cambo Actar 24mm (the only wide angle option to go with the M)

 

Stitching with the Actus is easy, but somehow PS and LR find it very hard to do a proper panorama combination. I guess only having light and dark information from the MM files make the AI algorithm confused. It's much easier to just use the ultra wide 15mm and crop to panorama later on.

 

Anyway, here's some of the shots I have made today.

 

M246+Cambo Actus+Cambo Actar 24mm, shifted about 8mm up and 18mm left and right stitched, generating a 11000x 3500 image.

 

M246+Cambo Actus+Rodenstock APO Rodagon-N 80mm f/4 (Enlarging lens), this tiny little lens has image circle to cover closed to 6x7 at least. Shifted up about 12mm up, very high resolution as I have tested on medium format sensor as well.

 

with the Actar again, shifted slight more higher, i think about 10mm. This is the shot that I constantly cannot stitch together, not just because the water and sky has some weird artifact, but the software completely cannot recognize some of the image at all.

 

Much easier just to do a single shot with the Voigtlander 15mm and crop in post...

[a.noctilux]

Nice work.

 

With 15mm crop, I see much WA distortion, I have used that lens for years (not geometric distortion or very small amount).

The other with less wide lenses please me more.

 

I'm fan of Xpan Hasselblad, used since 2008 (not digital though) and it's very wide 30mm gives nice/pleasing panoramics.

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[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Xiaubauu2009,

 

Nice photos.

 

When you stich 2 separate images together, each of which is the size of the image taken with the wider angle lens: That gives you more "information" in the combined image than there is in the single image taken with the wider angle lens.

 

Is the added "information" available from being able to combine 2 images preferable to the convenience of creating & working with a single image from the wider angle lens?

 

Or is the ease of use with a single lens more important than having the added "information" of the 2 images?

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited December 2, 2017 by Michael Geschlecht

[xiaubauu2009]

Yes, Xpan/Fuji TX2's 30mm lens is one of my favorite. Image circle reaching to cover 6x7. Yet maintain the WA distortion to a minimum.

 

Nice work.

 

With 15mm crop, I see much WA distortion, I have used that lens for years (not geometric distortion or very small amount).

The other with less wide lenses please me more.

 

I'm fan of Xpan Hasselblad, used since 2008 (not digital though) and it's very wide 30mm gives nice/pleasing panoramics.

[xiaubauu2009]

Hello Xiaubauu2009,

 

Nice photos.

 

When you stich 2 separate images together, each of which is the size of the image taken with the wider angle lens: That gives you more "information" in the combined image than there is in the single image taken with the wider angle lens.

 

Is the added "information" available from being able to combine 2 images preferable to the convenience of creating & working with a single image from the wider angle lens?

 

Or is the ease of use with a single lens more important than having the added "information" of the 2 images?

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

 

Thank you. 

The added information is actually just for getting a larger print? The view angle from a Actar 24mm 3 image stitch is about the same as that 15mm Voigtlander cropped to same aspect ratio.

11000 resolution print at 200dpi, you can get 55inch, which is quite big for a 135 format camera.

However, the process of setting up the system is quite slow. I have to put up the Cambo Actus, lock in the lens i want to use, put on the bellow, and then put on the M at the back, then find focus, stop down, then move around... it's easy, but will take sometimes, where as if I use a WA lens, it will be like 10 sec, slap it on a tripod and I am done.... and I do only have to take 1 lens... the downside is the resolution will be only about 1/2....

[david strachan]

I admire your experiments.  

View cameras are fun, as are M Leicas.

 

Look forward to seeing more.

 

...

[rpittal]

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Hello Xiaubauu2009

​This got me thinking of merging for panos in photoshop 2018CC with monochrome 246 images. In the past I have used other cameras for panos, so decided to try a couple of non-artistic ones this afternoon, using a M246 and a 35mm Summilux ASPH preFLE (at f8). Both of these were 7 shot panos (in portrait orientation). There was absolutely no problem with the merging and seemed to take about the same time as when I use an SL or a Q. I am not sure how to do a multi-row merge though with lots of sky with little info there. Both these were about half a gig in size as tifs, and these are posted 1200 bits wide at only 400kb. Some blown out highlights too, but was just testing for any issues with the merge function. 

 

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I am not sure why the technical bellows and lens would cause any additional problems.

[xiaubauu2009]

Hello Xiaubauu2009

​This got me thinking of merging for panos in photoshop 2018CC with monochrome 246 images. In the past I have used other cameras for panos, so decided to try a couple of non-artistic ones this afternoon, using a M246 and a 35mm Summilux ASPH preFLE (at f8). Both of these were 7 shot panos (in portrait orientation). There was absolutely no problem with the merging and seemed to take about the same time as when I use an SL or a Q. I am not sure how to do a multi-row merge though with lots of sky with little info there. Both these were about half a gig in size as tifs, and these are posted 1200 bits wide at only 400kb. Some blown out highlights too, but was just testing for any issues with the merge function. 

 

Panorama1ss.jpg

 

Panorama2FA.jpg

 

I am not sure why the technical bellows and lens would cause any additional problems.

 

 

Good question. I am still want to test out more. 

 

It's like the program suddenly become dump and unable to acknowledge some of the images. this prompt me to want to build a color version of this setup. Time to look for a cheap second hand M240 for this set.

 

This is such a sweet setup for a street + Landscape/Archi travel kit!!!!!! pair with some voigtlander ultra wide and a 35mm FLE for general purpose, I am well prepared!

[rpittal]

have fun with the techno setup; will be interesting to see further examples.

[BeuBu]

Thanks for this test and posting the stunning pictures.

I'm also interested to use my M240 and M246 with the Cambo Actus and Actar lenses.

I wonder if you could say something about the image quality of the Actar 24mm f/3.5 and may be other Actar lenses in terms of (edge) sharpness?

I'm using for my landscape work currently the Wate, SEM21mm, Summilux35mm FLE and also the VM 15mm III.

Are the Actar lenses comparable with the Leica/Voigtlander  lenses?

 

Thanks so much and a happy New Year,

Uwe

www.beutnagel-buchner.com

[xiaubauu2009]

Thanks for this test and posting the stunning pictures.

I'm also interested to use my M240 and M246 with the Cambo Actus and Actar lenses.

I wonder if you could say something about the image quality of the Actar 24mm f/3.5 and may be other Actar lenses in terms of (edge) sharpness?

I'm using for my landscape work currently the Wate, SEM21mm, Summilux35mm FLE and also the VM 15mm III.

Are the Actar lenses comparable with the Leica/Voigtlander  lenses?

 

Thanks so much and a happy New Year,

Uwe

www.beutnagel-buchner.com

 

 

Hi Uwe,

 

I think the Actar 24 is just an average lens in terms of sharpness unless you stop down to about f11, and while I use it on the Sony A7R3 it produce some pretty good color, but it's not as sharp as the TSE24mm. Image circle is big, around 80mm so you can do some pretty good stitching and perspective correction.

 

A lens I would like is the new Cambo adapted Contax 645 35mm lens. That lens is superb as I have use them on IQ3 100mp with no issue, even shifted.

 

I haven't try other lens from their line up to comment, however, since this setup is my 'light' tech cam setup, I paired it with Enlarging lens. They are super small and compact and doesn't cost you much. They have close to 0 distortion and superb resolution. I used it extensively with Fujifilm GFX 50s.

 

 

Fujifilm GFX 50s + Cambo Actus GFX + Rodenstock APO Rodagon 80mm f/4

6 image stitched.

[BeuBu]

Thanks Xiaubauu2009, and a great picture.

 

I want to decide if it worth to use my M240/M246 with a Cambo Actus Mini or if I should invest in GFX-50s with Cambo-GFX.

But, the question in both cases is, which lenses I can / should use. I'm mostly shooting between 15mm and 50mm.

 

My feeling is that I wouldn't be happy with the Actar-24 lens, after your feedback on this.

The Contax 645 35mm seems to be option for both combinations.

The Rodagon enlarger lenses seem to be also an option for both combinations, but are available only down to 40mm, if I'm not wrong (btw, is there any possibility to get a raw file from the GFX-50s with one of the Rodagon's?)

Any other options, besides of Rodenstock's Diragon S 23mm (-: ?

 

And just out of curiosity: how did you focussed the edges with the M246 on the Cambo Actus while tilting or shifting?

[jpk]

I did some stitches with Monochrom v1 files. Sometimes, if the software would not recognize correctly, I did the follwing: prepared the stitch automatically in Microsoft "Image Composite Editor", saved it as multi layer PSD, opened it in PS, let the automatic do the rest. Sometimes I even removed parts of a single image to press the software towards a preferred image part. After that you still can edit the stitch manually... Hope that helps! BTW I did not only get issues with B&W files...

[xiaubauu2009]

Thanks Xiaubauu2009, and a great picture.

 

I want to decide if it worth to use my M240/M246 with a Cambo Actus Mini or if I should invest in GFX-50s with Cambo-GFX.

But, the question in both cases is, which lenses I can / should use. I'm mostly shooting between 15mm and 50mm.

 

My feeling is that I wouldn't be happy with the Actar-24 lens, after your feedback on this.

The Contax 645 35mm seems to be option for both combinations.

The Rodagon enlarger lenses seem to be also an option for both combinations, but are available only down to 40mm, if I'm not wrong (btw, is there any possibility to get a raw file from the GFX-50s with one of the Rodagon's?)

Any other options, besides of Rodenstock's Diragon S 23mm (-: ?

 

And just out of curiosity: how did you focussed the edges with the M246 on the Cambo Actus while tilting or shifting?

 

40mm WA rodagon only covers 135format and the flange is too short, won't work on GFX or M (27mm flange and 28mm flange).

 

The best option is go for WA 60mm Rodagon and start from there...

 

HR23mm might not work on GFX as the rear element will hit the inside of the camera and I am sure won't work for M as well. Your choice is really just limited to using Canon with an adapter or using the Actar....

 

I have used SK 28mm f/2.8 Digitar L, but that lens has a small image circle of 60mm and is just about the same as the Actar in terms of IQ and I would rather use Actar....

[xiaubauu2009]

Thanks Xiaubauu2009, and a great picture.

 

I want to decide if it worth to use my M240/M246 with a Cambo Actus Mini or if I should invest in GFX-50s with Cambo-GFX.

But, the question in both cases is, which lenses I can / should use. I'm mostly shooting between 15mm and 50mm.

 

My feeling is that I wouldn't be happy with the Actar-24 lens, after your feedback on this.

The Contax 645 35mm seems to be option for both combinations.

The Rodagon enlarger lenses seem to be also an option for both combinations, but are available only down to 40mm, if I'm not wrong (btw, is there any possibility to get a raw file from the GFX-50s with one of the Rodagon's?)

Any other options, besides of Rodenstock's Diragon S 23mm (-: ?

 

And just out of curiosity: how did you focussed the edges with the M246 on the Cambo Actus while tilting or shifting?

 

As for the GFX + Cambo GFX, I suggest you ge the Cambo GFX, cause that's the newer design and it allow you to change the rear bracket to fit any mount onto it. I use the Cambo GFX for both GFX and M and also E-Mount Sony... versatile little beast.