Leica Elpro E52 close up lens

[dkCambridgeshire]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi there,

 

I just managed to get the close up lens set at Adorama and wanted to try it out with my M10 and 75mm or 50mm. 

 

Silly question, but how do you focus with it? Since the viewfinder does not change, how do you know when the subject is in focus?

 

I bet it's easy once you know but curious if a printed manual costs Leica too much or what the reason would be to put a little note in the package saying 'Please find information regarding the lens on our website". 

 

I am sure you guys will know more about how to use it.

 

Thanks in advance,

Kate

 

 

Ideally you need the Visoflex 020 for a 'live view' image. 

 

Leica Camera AG's 'E52 Elpro' marketing, and accessory specification, makes no mention of the actual diopter strength and some potential buyers may likely have no real idea of what they are buying and how to use it properly. 

 

The focusable lens to subject distance with any lens when used with the E52 is shallow. Would be best to use a focusing slide on a tripod to accurately fine focus the subject … or use e.g. a copy stand 

 

dunk 

[Kate]

Very true, Dunk!

 

Feel like they could describe the lens in a more detailed way on their website.

 

Anyway, I figured it out, I was just not close enough to the subject basically.

 

Which step up rings did you guys buy / would you recommend? I would need one from 39mm ...

 

Thanks,

Kate

[dkCambridgeshire]

Very true, Dunk!

 

Feel like they could describe the lens in a more detailed way on their website.

 

Anyway, I figured it out, I was just not close enough to the subject basically.

 

Which step up rings did you guys buy / would you recommend? I would need one from 39mm ...

 

Thanks,

Kate

 

They are all likely all made in China … try a search on Amazon for 39mm to 52mm step up ring 

 

dunk 

Edited September 2, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[Kate]

They are all likely all made in China … try a search on Amazon for 39mm to 52mm step up ring 

 

dunk 

 

got it, thank you !!

[dkCambridgeshire]

The only Leica 90mm lens listed by Leica Camera AG as being compatible with the Leica E52 Elpro is the 90/2.4 Summarit and requires use of the 46mm to 52mm step up ring.

 

I was curious as to whether my 90/2 APO Summicron M lens (55mm filter thread) would be usable with the older and very reasonably priced Leitz Elpro 1 (2.51 diopter), Elpro 2 (4.92 diopter) , Elpro 3 (1.66 diopter) and Elpro 4 (0.75 diopter) achromats … because their diopter strengths are more useful (to me) than the Elpro E52's relatively high 7 diopter power. I have no plans to buy the E52 Elpro … it's too powerful for my needs. If I require circa 7 diopter strength this can be achieved by stacking the Elpro 2 and Elpro 1 together … combined power 7.43 diopters. Any of the older Leitz Elpro achromats can be purchased s/h for considerably less that the cost of the E52 Elpro … sometimes just for a few $£€ from some dealers.   

 

The 90/2 APO Summicron M has a noticeably bulbous, convex front element. The Elpro 1 and Elpro 2 both have dual thread mounts i.e. M55 and Leitz Series VI ... latter being 44mm and 'protruding' behind the 55mm thread.

 

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!

 

To illustrate Elpro 2 dual thread mount and resultant protruding rear element

 

 

Due to the protrusion the Elpro's rear element hits the 90mm APO Summicron's front element. However, this can be avoided by use of a 55mm spacer ring 

 

 

 

To illustrate use of the 55mm spacer ring to prevent contact between the Elpro 2 and 90 Summicron M front element 

 

 

Even though the actual Elpro 2 lens element diameter is only 39mm (as distinct from its 55mm thread diameter), when used with the 90mm APO Summicron, the resultant close-up image shows no vignetting. However, there is a noticeable 'softness' at full aperture when using the Elpro - but the softness disappears when the lens is stopped down.

 

My Elpro 3 and Elpro 4 c/u lenses do not have the dual thread - they have a single 55mm thread - but their rear elements 'just' make contact with the 90mm APO Summicron front element … so will be also used with the spacer ring. 

 

To use the new Elpro 52 with the 90mm APO Summicron M (or any other lens with a 55mm filter thread) requires use of a 55mm to 52mm 'step down' ring which is easily obtainable from e.g. SRB Photographic. The 'step down' ring's thickness may, or may not, prevent contact between the Elpro E52's rear element and the 90mm APO Summicron's front element … but any contact can be prevented by use of the spacer ring.   

 

For those of you keen to try the Elpro E52, please consider acquiring the necessary additional adapter rings for use with Leica lenses having 'other than' 46mm and 49mm filter threads.

 

Given that the 90mm APO Summicron / Elpro 1/2 combination works without vignetting, seems likely that other Leica lenses with filter threads in excess of 52mm will be OK to use with the E52 Elpro … provided the necessary step down ring is obtained. 

 

Leica Camera AG's published Elpro E52 lens compatibility matrix documents the potential magnifications obtainable with current Leica lenses. Note that the longer the focal length, the greater the magnification … and that for the 90mm Summarit lens the magnification is 1:1.1  (0.91 magnification which is almost 'life size' on the sensor) at 230mm subject distance. 

 

If you're new to close-up photography you'll likely find that working at such high magnification is not so easy … but it can be made a lot easier by using adequate camera / lens support i.e. a tripod or copy stand … not just for accurate focus but also as an aid to composition. And a rack and pinion 'focus slide' on the tripod head will further aid both composition and fine focus … especially for a manual focus M camera used with a Viso electronic finder.  

 

For anyone on a budget who does not wish to spend £300 on a Leica E52 Elpro and cannot source the older Leitz Elpro achromats, there are many other achromatic ( two element and three element) supplementary close-up lenses available at reasonable cost e.g.  http://fuzzcraft.com/achromats.html … and they will work well with Leica lenses.  

 

dunk 

Edited September 3, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[Stonewall Brigade]

For the M10, isn't Live View & focusing peaking alone all that is needed, and not a Visoflex?

Ideally you need the Visoflex 020 for a 'live view' image. 

 

Leica Camera AG's 'E52 Elpro' marketing, and accessory specification, makes no mention of the actual diopter strength and some potential buyers may likely have no real idea of what they are buying and how to use it properly. 

 

The focusable lens to subject distance with any lens when used with the E52 is shallow. Would be best to use a focusing slide on a tripod to accurately fine focus the subject … or use e.g. a copy stand 

 

dunk 

[Stonewall Brigade]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Macro work on an M (or the CL) can be done several ways: (1) ELPRO diopters are convenient; (2) the 90mm M macro lens is made for rangefinders but offers only marginal macro capability, and is very expensive, or, (3) adding a 60mm or 100mm R macro lens and R to M lens adapter.  Rather than stacking diopters, wouldn't the best image sharpness/quality come from adding an R macro lens instead?

The only Leica 90mm lens listed by Leica Camera AG as being compatible with the Leica E52 Elpro is the 90/2.4 Summarit and requires use of the 46mm to 52mm step up ring.

 

I was curious as to whether my 90/2 APO Summicron M lens (55mm filter thread) would be usable with the older and very reasonably priced Leitz Elpro 1 (2.51 diopter), Elpro 2 (4.92 diopter) , Elpro 3 (1.66 diopter) and Elpro 4 (0.75 diopter) achromats … because their diopter strengths are more useful (to me) than the Elpro E52's relatively high 7 diopter power. I have no plans to buy the E52 Elpro … it's too powerful for my needs. If I require circa 7 diopter strength this can be achieved by stacking the Elpro 2 and Elpro 1 together … combined power 7.43 diopters. Any of the older Leitz Elpro achromats can be purchased s/h for considerably less that the cost of the E52 Elpro … sometimes just for a few $£€ from some dealers.   

 

The 90/2 APO Summicron M has a noticeably bulbous, convex front element. The Elpro 1 and Elpro 2 both have dual thread mounts i.e. M55 and Leitz Series VI ... latter being 44mm and 'protruding' behind the 55mm thread.

 

Elpro-dual-thread.jpg

 

To illustrate Elpro 2 dual thread mount and resultant protruding rear element

 

 

Due to the protrusion the Elpro's rear element hits the 90mm APO Summicron's front element. However, this can be avoided by use of a 55mm spacer ring 

 

 

Elpro-2-with-spacer-90mm-APO-Summicron.jpg

 

To illustrate use of the 55mm spacer ring to prevent contact between the Elpro 2 and 90 Summicron M front element 

 

 

Even though the actual Elpro 2 lens element diameter is only 39mm (as distinct from its 55mm thread diameter), when used with the 90mm APO Summicron, the resultant close-up image shows no vignetting. However, there is a noticeable 'softness' at full aperture when using the Elpro - but the softness disappears when the lens is stopped down.

 

My Elpro 3 and Elpro 4 c/u lenses do not have the dual thread - they have a single 55mm thread - but their rear elements 'just' make contact with the 90mm APO Summicron front element … so will be also used with the spacer ring. 

 

To use the new Elpro 52 with the 90mm APO Summicron M (or any other lens with a 55mm filter thread) requires use of a 55mm to 52mm 'step down' ring which is easily obtainable from e.g. SRB Photographic. The 'step down' ring's thickness may, or may not, prevent contact between the Elpro E52's rear element and the 90mm APO Summicron's front element … but any contact can be prevented by use of the spacer ring.   

 

For those of you keen to try the Elpro E52, please consider acquiring the necessary additional adapter rings for use with Leica lenses having 'other than' 46mm and 49mm filter threads.

 

Given that the 90mm APO Summicron / Elpro 1/2 combination works without vignetting, seems likely that other Leica lenses with filter threads in excess of 52mm will be OK to use with the E52 Elpro … provided the necessary step down ring is obtained. 

 

Leica Camera AG's published Elpro E52 lens compatibility matrix documents the potential magnifications obtainable with current Leica lenses. Note that the longer the focal length, the greater the magnification … and that for the 90mm Summarit lens the magnification is 1:1.1  (0.91 magnification which is almost 'life size' on the sensor) at 230mm subject distance. 

 

If you're new to close-up photography you'll likely find that working at such high magnification is not so easy … but it can be made a lot easier by using adequate camera / lens support i.e. a tripod or copy stand … not just for accurate focus but also as an aid to composition. And a rack and pinion 'focus slide' on the tripod head will further aid both composition and fine focus … especially for a manual focus M camera used with a Viso electronic finder.  

 

For anyone on a budget who does not wish to spend £300 on a Leica E52 Elpro and cannot source the older Leitz Elpro achromats, there are many other achromatic ( two element and three element) supplementary close-up lenses available at reasonable cost e.g.  http://fuzzcraft.com/achromats.html … and they will work well with Leica lenses.  

 

dunk 

[dkCambridgeshire]

Macro work on an M (or the CL) can be done several ways: (1) ELPRO diopters are convenient; (2) the 90mm M macro lens is made for rangefinders but offers only marginal macro capability, and is very expensive, or, (3) adding a 60mm or 100mm R macro lens and R to M lens adapter.  Rather than stacking diopters, wouldn't the best image sharpness/quality come from adding an R macro lens instead?

 

 

Macro lenses are fine. Purpose of my Elpro post is to show that older low to medium power Leitz Elpro supplementay c/u lenses have their uses and at considerably less cost than the Leica E52 Elpro … the E52 Elpro being likely too powerful for many Leica photographers who have not yet ventured into c/u photography … and who might be unfamiliar with supplementary c/u lenses and their diopter strengths. 

 

dunk 

[dkCambridgeshire]

The following 'Technical Specs.' documents the Elpro E52  7 diopter strength … the only reference found: 

https://www.leicauae.com/shop/leica-elpro-e52-close-up-lens-set/   

… thus E52 Elpro focal length = 1/7 metres = 142.85mm 

Thus the complete Leitz / Leica 135 format achromatic Elpro lens specifications:

Elpro 1 / VIa   2.51 diopter   398mm focal length    (also earlier Macrotar  VIa)    

Elpro 2 / VIb   4.92 diopter   203mm focal length    (also earlier Macrotar  VIb)

Elpro 3 / VIIa  1.66 diopter   602mm focal length    (also earlier Macrotar VIIa)

Elpro 4 / VIIb  0.75 diopter  1333mm focal length   (also earlier Macrotar VIIb)

Elpro E52        7.00 diopter    143mm focal length (rounded) 

 

Elpro 1 & Elpro 2 have dual 55mm and Series VI threads

Elpro 3 & Elpro 4 have 55mm thread 

Elpro VI and Elpro VII have  Series VI & Series VII threads respectively 

Elpro E52 has 52 mm thread 

 

dunk 

[dkCambridgeshire]

Forgot to include the dedicated Elpro 16545 for the 100/2.8 APO Macro Elmarit R.:

Elpro 16545  10.52 diopter  95mm focal length; 60mm thread.  

This enables 1.1:1 maximum magnification when used with the 100/2.8 APO Macro Elmarit R lens … to allow full frame reproduction of slightly cropped, glass mounted slides. 

dunk 

Edited October 12, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[david strachan]

Thanks Dunk.

A good reference.

 

Cheers dave s

[otto.f]

On 9/3/2018 at 2:44 PM, dkCambridgeshire said:

dunk

Thanks! This is also a marvellous idea to keep away from MacroElmar 90, which is way too expensive if you’re already hooked to the APO 90, like me.