peterbob67 Posted January 24, 2018 Share #1 Posted January 24, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi there I am a (very average) landscape photographer and am looking for a long lens - longer than the 90-280, I have been advised I need up to 400mm... so assuming the advice is correct... Are there any options for the SL? The Nikon 80-400 with adapter could be one option, although it seems functionality can be an issue? AF is not an issue as I use manual focus. Are there any better alternatives? I sometimes wonder if the SL is right for landscaped but then I use it and know it is! Many thanks in advance. Cheers Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 24, 2018 Posted January 24, 2018 Hi peterbob67, Take a look here 400mm Lens for SL?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
mmx_2 Posted January 24, 2018 Share #2 Posted January 24, 2018 There are some excellent R-glass: "Budget": Leitz Telyt-R 350mm f/4.8 Leitz Wetzlar Telyt 400mm f/6.8 Top of the line: Leica APO-Telyt-R 400mm f/2.8 Leica APO-Telyt-R 400mm f/4 Module The last two are very heavy, hard to find and very expensive . The 350 is very good and can be found quite easily. All of them are of course discontinued since many years, but nevertheless, they are still extremely good. Another option would be a Apo-tely 280 with extender (either 1.4x or 2x). The Apo-Telyt 280 is still one of the sharpest lenses ever made by any manufacturer. This is a good source of information on Leica R-glass: https://www.apotelyt.com/photo-lens/leica-r-catalog Otherwise Nikon 200-400 is suppose to be extremely good. The 200-500 could maybe also be an option. I have personally no experience with these two Nikon lenses, but I have used several of Nikon 300 and they have all been very good. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McGarrett Posted January 24, 2018 Share #3 Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) If you are familiar with Nikon lenses and manual focus is not an issue, may I suggest the Ai-s 400/5.6 IF-ED? As for Leica lenses, the old Telyt 350 is (not stellar by today's standards, but) very good, but perhaps the leap in reach from the native AF 280 is not huge. If you're not on a budget, Apo-Telyt 4/280 with apo-extender(s) might be the best choice, IQ wise. Or Apo-modulars (400/2.8 or 400/4 etc.), of course... if you don't mind the bulk. Edited January 24, 2018 by Steve McGarrett Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fang Posted January 25, 2018 Share #4 Posted January 25, 2018 My alternate choice will be to get the Leica CL together with the SL 90-280 lens and you will be able to reach 420 without having to buy alternative lens. Plus the bonus is that you will get a nice new camera. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted January 25, 2018 Share #5 Posted January 25, 2018 My alternate choice will be to get the Leica CL together with the SL 90-280 lens and you will be able to reach 420 without having to buy alternative lens. Plus the bonus is that you will get a nice new camera. I agree ...... the cheaper option is add a CL - that way you get the full benefits of best in class optics, OIS and AF .... which will be missing on all the other adapted solutions ...... .... this was handheld through a rather dirty window a few days ago ...... @ 420mm equivalent on the CL Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 13 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/281185-400mm-lens-for-sl/?do=findComment&comment=3447540'>More sharing options...
peterbob67 Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) Thank you all for being so helpful. I remain unsure! One option put to me is to buy the 80-400 nikon lens and get a nikon camera to go with it as it'll be cheaper and (in my friends opinion!) better than the leica lens!! I am tempted to stick with my system, get the leica 90-280 lens, and crop if I need to. I would prefer a zoom so this really limits my options to the novoflex adapter with nikon lens, the leica lens, or the nikon lens plus nikon body (eg 800e - even an old camera has no anti aliasing filter and 36mp). Sometimes it is hard being a leica user, there seems to be compromises all the time - other than quality and ease of use. That is possibly the point, I love using the SL, I have hated using other camera systems... Thanks again Pete PS love the robin! Edited January 25, 2018 by peterbob67 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmahto Posted January 25, 2018 Share #7 Posted January 25, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) I haven't used SL but routinely use 180APO3.4 combined with X2APO extender on my M240. This gives you 360mm for less than 2K US$. I also use 400mm Telyt 6.8 with good success for birds etc. However now I have switched to 180APO3.4+X2APO. Canon FD glass is also excellent (Doug Herr uses it on Sony FF), however your main issue will be image stabilization to get full advantage of long lens. This is why native Canikon system or adding CL to 90-280 SL may be a better choice if you want to do more than just dabble. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sillbeers15 Posted January 26, 2018 Share #8 Posted January 26, 2018 Pete, If your choice is non AF and no need for stabilisation then your choice is wide so long as you can locate the appropriate adapter. Try out the 90-280, it is one of the best when it comes to image quality. Sharp & construsty second to none with fast AF and stabilisation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandokan Posted January 28, 2018 Share #9 Posted January 28, 2018 A telephoto for landscapes will give you compression perspective. Many landscape photos however utilize wide angle lenses. I would love to see the types of photos you are trying to take - maybe you should consider the Sigma/Tamron/Canon/Nikon telephoto zoom lenses. In Canon mount, you have the Novoflex adaptor that lets you set the aperture as well as AF (but no IS). Like the 150-600. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted January 28, 2018 Share #10 Posted January 28, 2018 I haven't used SL but routinely use 180APO3.4 combined with X2APO extender on my M240. This gives you 360mm for less than 2K US$. I also use 400mm Telyt 6.8 with good success for birds etc. However now I have switched to 180APO3.4+X2APO. Canon FD glass is also excellent (Doug Herr uses it on Sony FF), however your main issue will be image stabilization to get full advantage of long lens. This is why native Canikon system or adding CL to 90-280 SL may be a better choice if you want to do more than just dabble. There is some chatter in regard to image degradation using 2X APO extender -- fact or fiction? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted January 28, 2018 Share #11 Posted January 28, 2018 I've used stacked x1.4 and x2 APO extenders and I cannot say image quality has suffered at all ..... which is the whole point of them ..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmahto Posted January 29, 2018 Share #12 Posted January 29, 2018 (edited) There is some chatter in regard to image degradation using 2X APO extender -- fact or fiction?I don't think so. I have done tests with 180APO3.4 and 80-200vario with 2XAPO on FF and found the result without any degradation. The only loss is 2 stops of aperture. Edit: don't confuse it with non APO 2X extender which will have some degradation. Edited January 29, 2018 by jmahto 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted January 29, 2018 Share #13 Posted January 29, 2018 I don't think so. I have done tests with 180APO3.4 and 80-200vario with 2XAPO on FF and found the result without any degradation. The only loss is 2 stops of aperture. Edit: don't confuse it with non APO 2X extender which will have some degradation. Thanks .... I am heading for a trip and have the 80-200 and am thinking of trading in my Q for an SL, CL, or just buying a GX8 (Jaap likes it a lot for safari work, it also has IBIS). Will take my R6.2 and something wide along as well. Just bouncing back and forth with ideas. Downside of SL is weight and FF, so I can't get quite the same reach as a CL or GX8. OTOH, the SL is camera that I will use long after the trip whereas the other two, not so much (I think!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksinner Posted February 2, 2018 Share #14 Posted February 2, 2018 Canon 400mm f5.6 is perfect. very sharp and reasonable price also. heres my album on 400mm some photo on SL https://flic.kr/s/aHskRVtJPb Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmahto Posted February 2, 2018 Share #15 Posted February 2, 2018 Canon 400mm f5.6 is perfect. very sharp and reasonable price also. heres my album on 400mm some photo on SL https://flic.kr/s/aHskRVtJPbIs that FD mount? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksinner Posted February 2, 2018 Share #16 Posted February 2, 2018 Is that FD mount? Nope. Its the L version. Use novoflex adapter. But use manual focus as the af on the adapter is not very good Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmahto Posted February 2, 2018 Share #17 Posted February 2, 2018 Nope. Its the L version. Use novoflex adapter. But use manual focus as the af on the adapter is not very good Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Then you have issue of aperture control. Isn't that an issue in the field? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksinner Posted February 3, 2018 Share #18 Posted February 3, 2018 No. Its an electronic adapter. Try to search novoflex adapter sl to canon. They also have the nikon version. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scroy Posted February 7, 2018 Share #19 Posted February 7, 2018 Has anyone used an APO Televid as a long telephoto? I saw this on Instagram https://instagram.com/p/BeoNmBtnvPy/ And was wondering about general use. Thanks for any/all insights! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McGarrett Posted February 7, 2018 Share #20 Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) I remember the Leica adapter to mount Apo-Televid on R-cameras on the brochures back in the days, so I can tell you it was an "official" Leica proposal at the time, but that's about it, I know nothing about rendering, sharpness etc. as I've never had an apo-televid myself. Edited February 7, 2018 by Steve McGarrett Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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