Thambar-Crazy

[Paul J]

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Can someone please comment on how controllable the blur is? Does the effect reduce with stopping down? As I understand the Thambar does not work like conventional sf lenses and the affect does not reduce with stopping down. You can only increase the effect by using the filter - is this right?

Edited December 8, 2017 by Paul J

[albertknappmd]

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Derleicaman said that you need a tripod to be able to appreciate the optical abberancies on the M10's  screen...

Have you found this to be so?

Do you see an ACTUAL change in the picture's artifacts on the back screen as you stop down from wide open?

 

Thanks,

Albert     

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Can someone please comment on how controllable the blur is? Does the effect reduce with stopping down? As I understand the Thambar does not work like conventional sf lenses and the affect does not reduce with stopping down. You can only increase the effect by using the filter - is this right?

Interesting point, Paul.

I haven’t tried yet. Give me more time - I will report here what I find out... )

 

 

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[lik]

@Paul: the effect does reduce stopping down. Just as usual it gives more depth of field and less blur

 

 

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[lik]

@Albert: yes i see the effect stopping down on screen and EVF. But I must try out more than I can do at the moment talking about artefacts.

 

I any case from my POV I don’t see the need of a tripod even though I feel always discovering more artefact details afterwards watching results...

 

 

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[lik]

I must admit your questions require more discipline than I have at the moment enjoying the lens.

Every time I mount the lens I’m keen on photos wide open and I hardly ever stopp down...

So I need to do a disciplined testing with tripod ...,

I’ll try.

Later.

[emoji6]

 

 

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[ECohen]

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Shoot people close up .......When you have to time

[derleicaman]

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Derleicaman said that you need a tripod to be able to appreciate the optical abberancies on the M10's  screen...

Have you found this to be so?

Do you see an ACTUAL change in the picture's artifacts on the back screen as you stop down from wide open?

 

Thanks,

Albert     

Hello Albert,

What I was referring to was the personal problem I have with using the back screen handheld because of my close-up eyesight not being that great. To see the rear screen clearly, I need to hold the camera at almost arm's length. To be able to compose, focus and shoot with the rear screen, I would need to mount the camera on a tripod. Hence the Viso 020 is a better solution for me. However, the Thambar is such an unruly beast in that the flare or glow at wider aperture is often really quite intense and makes focusing and even composition more difficult.

 

I read the instructions for the original Thambar that someone linked here and I think anyone seriously contemplating this lens give it a read. In those instructions, it was pointed out that these problems I am talking about are obviated with the use of a rangefinder camera as you are not looking through the lens. This is a good point, but then again, makes visualizing the effect of the Thambar impossible. I don't remember if they made a short mount to use the Thambar lens head on a PLOOT reflex housing, but perhaps they did. Bottom line, I think I need to spend a lot more time with the lens and the M10 to come up with something workable in how I use the lens. This is one tough lens to get comfortable with in use.

 

Top marks to the OP on his input and images taken with the new Thambar. They have been quite instructive and helpful in my own approach to this most difficult Leica lens.

[Wonzo]

Today I had the opportunity to hold the Thambar in my hands. My local Leica dealer had arranged a presentation of Leica products and I was very happy to realize, that the Leica representative could follow my request for a Thambar. I was informed about this special opportunity yesterday and as you can imagine, I was very excited and very much looking forward to test the lens.

 

Unfortunately the weather conditions were bad but anyway I took it outside for about an hour. What can I say after this short period of time ... the Thambar is amazing – if you have an idea of what you hold in your hands .... It produces dreamy pictures with the center spot filter as well as without it wide open. The lens can be stopped down until 6,3 before the center spot filter produces a black picture. If you focus precisely wide open, the lens is medium sharp and light sources are medium blurry. All in all you have a dreamy effect this way. The more you go out of focus, the more blurry the lights get as you can also see from the first picture which Lic has presented in this thread. It`s up to you, how dreamy and blurry you want to create your picture.  Without the center spot filter, pictures are really sharp the more you stop down.

 

The resumé after this short testing is, that the Thambar still keeps surprises hidden which need some more testing. My first impression is, that it is much more versatile than I had imagined. Fortunately, the representative offered me another opportunity of testing tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather is going to be a bit better with a little sunshine ....

[Wonzo]

As a supplement I would like to mention, that in my view it is necessary to use an EVF, like I did, otherwise it will be much more difficult to compose a picture and to get an idea of what you are photographing !

[Etruscello]

I use a Meyer Optics Trioplan 100 f2.8 on a Nikon Df for some portraits.  The results look best to me when the subject is  3' to 5' away and there is an interesting background 10' to 15' away that includes specular highlights.  Based on images I've seen in this thread, the effect is not quite the same as the Thambar.  The Trioplan does not bathe a fundamentally sharp image is a blurry glow, as the Thambar seems to do.  The Trioplan renders the entire subject clear and blurs the background in a strong 3-D bokeh.  I have used a Leica 90 Summicron-M 90 with Zeiss stoftar filters on my M to render effects very similar to the Thambar, but perhaps with a more gentle glow and sharper underlying image.  I use these two tools for two different types of effects, and I value both.  One does not replace the other.  Would the Thambar offer me a third distinctly different tool along side the other two?  Would it replace one?  Can it be used to replace both, depending on how you use the Thambar?  I ask this of those of you who have a Thambar and one or both of the other two lenses I mentioned.  Does the Thambar add anything to my present portrait setups? Thanks for any information or insights.  Tom

[lik]

Hi Albert, Wonzo,

I’m really glad to read your remarks!

I was my hope as well that this is far more than just a romantic impressionistic lens but versatile in many respects which makes it a companion in the bag always!

 

 

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[lik]

Oh -sorry - it should have been also Adressen to leicaman - best regards!

 

 

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[lik]

Hi Etruscello,

 

I have the Trioplan with M-mount. I never had a Cron 90, I was always thinking my R 80/1.4 would do the job I wanted.

 

The blur of the Trioplan from my point of view is only a distinguished special one with lights in the background. The glow is far from the Thambar.

 

To me the Thambar due to its versatility definitely will replace my Trioplan, Petzval and even my LUX-R 80.

And the Thambar will be my only 90mm now.

I’d rather add a 75 than another 90 to my combo.

 

Of course there are differences between them to be taken into account but I don’t want to have too much stuff in my bag.

 

 

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[Beresford]

 

 

Anyone ever shoot through the cellophane that wrapped a pack of cigarettes?

 

 

Have you seen the price of a packet of cigarettes in the UK these days? You would need to sell a couple of Leica lenses to buy one.

 

Against much of the 'advice' of some writers on these pages I bought a new 28mm Summaron. I love it so much that it is hardly ever off my camera. It takes pictures which are just a touch less contrasty than more modern designs. (Wattsy's photographs have been a great inspiration.)

 

I can see that the Thumbar would earn its keep if you were a photographer who made a lot of portraits which were bought by the people who commissioned them. You don't have to use it for the full soft/flattering (or what ever) effect. Sometimes just a touch of softness is what is needed. Please don't show any more portraits or I might have to buy one...

 

Keep 'em coming!

[lik]

Could you please refrain from making me curious about the 28 Summaron - than I agree to refrain from showing portraits... [emoji41][emoji56]

 

 

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[M9reno]

Some old pictures taken with my Thambar are here:

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222480-out-and-about-with-mr-thambar/

[lik]

Thanks so much for this inspiring thread and your (Oxford?)-Pics!

It also shows how wisely Leica picked up traditional ways with the remake of this lens.

 

So I give up my critics about the old ergonomic barrel design...

 

 

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[LocalHero1953]

Some old pictures taken with my Thambar are here:

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222480-out-and-about-with-mr-thambar/

It was interesting reading your comments about the reasons for introducing the first Thambar, and the timing towards the end of the pictorialist movement, when it might have been seen as a nostalgic or retro step: just like this second Thambar in fact!

 

Looking at your images and those in this thread, I find the photographs of people to be of most interest - as I guess was the intended application of the first Thambar. Where they work well, the catchlights in the eyes are distinct and sharp, with softness elsewhere (not the Noctilux or wide open Summicron 90 look, though). I guess this reminds us that even with this lens, good lighting is a requisite to bring out its best.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Dario Antonaci]

The regular city photos look terrible, the night shots are even worse! you don‘t need this lens if you take snapshots like that!

 

but i‘m really interested in seeing more photos. maybe there‘s someone here who has the right subjects..