Sony's new FE 400/2.8 lens

[dkCambridgeshire]

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… but some claim that 'Leica photographers have no need for any lenses longer than 280mm … ' … what a load of old cobblers! 

 

Now await the PanaLeica 100-400mm argument

 

dunk 

Edited June 28, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[jaapv]

Interesting in that it appears to be a good run of the mill wildlife/sports lens, albeit suffering from Sony Buttonitis.

 

It begs the question though, why Leica is so out-of-the-picture here.

 

With the abandonment of the R system they left the playing field for long lenses altogether, despite being industry leader for decades.

Slow 280 on the SL and slow 135 on the CL  are pathetic for a firm like Leica. It justifies the sneer in the video.

 

It would be so easily solved:

Revive the Modular Apo-Telyt system and make the focusing modules AF/O.I.S. L mount. Practically no R&D required.

And extend the 4/3rds 100-400 to APS-C, again not a super-magic trick.

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[dkCambridgeshire]

Interesting in that it appears to be a good run of the mill wildlife/sports lens, albeit suffering from Sony Buttonitis.

 

It begs the question though, why Leica is so out-of-the-picture here.

 

With the abandonment of the R system they left the playing field for long lenses altogether, despite being industry leader for decades.

Slow 280 on the SL and slow 135 on the CL  are pathetic.

 

It would be so easily solved:

Revive the Modular Apo-Telyt system and make the focusing modules AF/O.I.S L mount. Practically no R&D required.

And extend the 4/3rds 100-400 to APS-C, again not a super-magic trick.

 

 

 

But the Apo Telyt R modular system was introduced in 1996 and likely designed in 199? or 198? … Surely lens design technology has moved on more than a bit in the last 28 ish years and what was good in those far off days would not be 'state of the art' today.  However, a 'new' modular AF Apo-Telyt system is an interesting concept. 

 

dunk 

Edited June 28, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[jaapv]

Not really. It is still miles ahead of anything else on the market.

[pgk]

Not really. It is still miles ahead of anything else on the market.

 

The other offerings are very good.

[SonomaBear]

Whilst I adore my long Canon L glass, they are sterile in their rendering, technically adequate, emotionally boring bokeh which lacks Leica 3D “Pop”

I can manually focus long glass because I don’t shoot footballers in combat not birds-in-flight. L mount sounds so promising but SL is not my favorite overall.

[jaapv]

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The other offerings are very good.

Indeed they are, but the modular Apo-Telyt system is stunning (the price was as well )

[AlanD]

The old APO Telyt systems were good but poor designs for AF and OIS. They likely used lead/arsenic glass (like the 200/1.8L from Canon).

 

High end telescopes from TEC and AstroPhysics beat Leica, but they are not telephotos. The focal length matches the optical tube length...

 

If you want an interesting lens, the original FL-F Fluorite 300/2.8 is wonderful and can be adapted to an SL. That is as sharp as the 200/1.8L.

 

The old Photodo 280/2.8 APO has a weighted MTF of 0.85 at f2.8. The Canon 200/1.8 was 0.82 at 1.8 and 0.88 at f2.8.

[jaapv]

Well, that is hardly surprising, given that they are from an era that AF and OIS were no Leica things. It should be well within Leica's capabilities to update the optics of the focusing modules.

[dkCambridgeshire]

Well, that is hardly surprising, given that they are from an era that AF and OIS were no Leica things. It should be well within Leica's capabilities to update the optics of the focusing modules.

 

 

 

But … Given that the Apo Telyt R Modular 400/2.8 weighs 5900g and would likely weigh significantly more if redesigned with an AF module, such an AF lens would not have a'ready market' … especially as the Sony FE 400/2.8 weighs just 2895g.  Sony has set a new benchmark with their latest offering's weight against which Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Leica will have to seriously consider future offerings if they wish to remain competitive. Furthermore, even if Leica offered a 400/2.8 they'd also have to offer matched 1.4x and 2x extenders to be competitive.

 

Leica seems to prefer devoting their limited resources to marketing gimmicky special editions and badge engineered Panasonic products rather than 'getting a move on' with e.g. long AF lenses. 

 

dunk 

[AlanD]

There is limited role for long lenses in the absence of advanced high speed PDAF for tracking. The S is the only Leica AF camera with phase detection and medium format is a bad choice for this.

[LichtUndDunkelheit]

Seriously, can anybody explain to me how this is "Leica News" if Sony releases some lens ?

 

 

especially as the Sony FE 400/2.8 weighs just 2895g.

 

The Sony is that lightweight because Sony is a cheapskate and only used a single large lens element, trying to compensate the primitivity of this solution with lots of (however much cheaper) small lens elements.

 

Nobody else ever did that, thats why everybody elses 400mm f/2.8 is heavier. And probably also performs better.

[dkCambridgeshire]

Seriously, can anybody explain to me how this is "Leica News" if Sony releases some lens ?

 

 

 

The Sony is that lightweight because Sony is a cheapskate and only used a single large lens element, trying to compensate the primitivity of this solution with lots of (however much cheaper) small lens elements.

 

Nobody else ever did that, thats why everybody elses 400mm f/2.8 is heavier. And probably also performs better.

 

 

And what are your lens design credentials to justify your 'primitivity' and 'cheapskate' opinion? Initial reviews suggest the lens performs well and has excellent ergonomics. The lens is 'newsworthy' because so far Leica Camera AG has not announced any firm intention of introducing e.g. an SL 400mm or 560mm plus SL extender.

 

Leica SL users requiring a lens longer than 280mm have to improvise as best they can to achieve their 'objectives' e.g. 

 

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https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/275370-vintage-lenses-on-the-sl/?p=3553829

 

 

dunk 

Edited July 11, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[LichtUndDunkelheit]

I dont oppose Sony junk aint newsworthy.

 

I oppose its Leica news.

 

I dont want to discuss Sony junk, even less on a LEICA forum, even less when its a horrendously overpriced product that Leica obviously wouldnt want to copy in this way in the first place.

 

And about "performing well" - ALL NEW PRODUCTS ALWAYS PERFORM WELL. Duh ! Thats because initial reviews are always thinly veiled advertisements. Have you somehow missed that ?

 

Besides, take any Nikon or Canon 400/2.8, from the 1970s if you want. They ALL perform OUTSTANDING - not just "well".