M or R (or?) 1:1 macro lens for CL?

[tommonego@gmail.com]

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In a pure lens world the distance from the lens to the subject focal point of the lens for 1:1 magnification should be the focal length of the lens ie 60mm should be 60mm from the subject focal point. The distance from the focal center of the lens to the sensor should be 2x the focal length of the lens say 120mm for a 60mm lens. This is much easier to illustrate on view cameras than digital cameras. Also no lens anymore on digital cameras is pure. The complex design of the macro lenses causes the focal length of the lens to shorten as the magnification approaches 1:2 or 1:1 with an extension tube. This is especially true with longer focal length macro lenses 100mm or 200mm. I know this holds for Nikon micro (macro) lenses. But it is still true 1:1 is 1:1 no matter the lens or format.

[lct]

I just said that there are two parameters for magnification, not one or three. For a given focal length, magnification will depend on one factor only of course, the remaining one, focus distance. If this is what you wanted to say i agree totally.

[nicci78]

Don’t bother with old lenses.

APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm is awesome. AF also works quite well in macro mode with its two stages of AF range : infinity to 1:2 & 1:2 to 1:1

First and sole Leica lenses providing 1:1 magnification without any extending tube or close up lens aid. 

Second Macro AF lens from Leica. The other one is the small medium format S macro lens.  

Designed to mimic APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 100mm rendering. So what not to like ? 

It is small and light. Lighter than any R macro lenses.

Native L-mount. 

Double as a nice portrait lens. 

Not that expensive. 

[jaapv]

4 minutes ago, nicci78 said:

Don’t bother with old lenses.

APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm is awesome. AF also works quite well in macro mode with its two stages of AF range : infinity to 1:2 & 1:2 to 1:1

First and sole Leica lenses providing 1:1 magnification without any extending tube or close up lens aid. 

Second Macro AF lens from Leica. The other one is the small medium format S macro lens.  

Designed to mimic APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 100mm rendering. So what not to like ? 

It is small and light. Lighter than any R macro lenses.

Native L-mount. 

Double as a nice portrait lens. 

Not that expensive. 

Mimic APO 100. Some prefer the original to the imitation

I think the TL macro is far too expensive for occasional use.

[lct]

Not sure why i would need AF for macro. 

[leitzpark]

Adaptor + Nikkor 55 micro 2.8, best bang for the buck

 

Numbers on coinimaging.com show that its miles ahead the legendary APO-MACRO-ELMARIT 100

Edited August 3, 2019 by leitzpark

[graeme_clarke]

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Here is an inexpensive alternative.  Although  I use a f2.8 100mm macro with a 1:1 elpro, for light-weight carrying convenience I also have a couple of  well made close up lenses (made for a Bronica) in the bag which  also work effectively. They're 62mm but with a step-down ring they screw directly into the 18-55mm lens and autofocus/manual focus with additional magnification for accurate focusing both work. There will be plenty of 52mm ones available.  Here are a couple of images, with a +2 and  +1 lenses stacked. The first is full frame, and the second cropped to 2400 x 1600 pixels.

Good luck with the quest,  Graeme

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[Jonathan Hanson]

Thanks again every one; these are all good suggestions to investigate.

[jaapv]

As long as Leica does not provide a stabilised close-focusing long lens, this kind of handheld shot requires another camera: Panasonic GX8 + Leica DG variously-Elmar 100-400 @ 400 (800 mm equ.)

 

 

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[ramarren]

10 hours ago, nicci78 said:

Don’t bother with old lenses.

APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm is awesome. AF also works quite well in macro mode with its two stages of AF range : infinity to 1:2 & 1:2 to 1:1

First and sole Leica lenses providing 1:1 magnification without any extending tube or close up lens aid. 

Second Macro AF lens from Leica. The other one is the small medium format S macro lens.  

Designed to mimic APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 100mm rendering. So what not to like ? 

It is small and light. Lighter than any R macro lenses.

Native L-mount. 

Double as a nice portrait lens. 

Not that expensive. 

(bolded) means I can't use the APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm on anything else other than a Leica CL/TL/TL2 body. 

I can use my Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm on any of my Leica R cameras, Leica SL/CL/TL/TL2, Leica M 240/262/M10 series cameras, any other brand EVF camera (including Sony, Hasselblad, Panasonic, Nikon, et al). There are no L-mount extension tubes, bellows, doublers, etc. Without the Macro Adapter R, it weighs four ounces more than the TL lens, but is 30% shorter in length. And it cost me $550 vs $4000. 

With those things in mind, there's no reason for me to be interested in the APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm lens at all. The only thing I'd get out of it that I don't get with the MER60 is AF on the CL body, and I really don't need/want AF at all with a macro lens. 

Both are excellent lenses. Pick your poison and enjoy the drinking...

[dkCambridgeshire]

The Macro Elmarit R 60/2.8 lens is a superb lens and being manual focus is far preferable to 'modern' AF lenses for close-up imaging. During its 36 years production period over 46500 60/2.8R lenses were manufactured.

The lens was designed by Heinz Marquardt https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Heinz_Marquardt

Exemplary performance especially considering it’s a 1971 design - check the MTF graphs http://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_1698.html … click onto the graphs to see the detailed f5.6 chart … note how f5.6 graph shows almost 'straight lines'  …  very even performance which is superb for a c.1971 design … even by today's standards  .

Experiments with my 60/2.8 R  today suggest it's the ideal lens for a current project i.e. using my Leica T on 'mini copy stand' 'in the field' for photographing natural history specimens. 

A secondhand 60/2.8 R lens can be sourced for a quarter the price of a 60mm TL lens. And the 60/2.8 R can be coaxed, at minimal additional cost,  to image at magnifications in excess of 1:1.

 

It's a 'no brainer' choice as a superb macro lens provided you're happy to use manual focus … which is the preferred (by many) focus mode for close-up / macro photography.

 

dunk 

 

Edited August 17, 2019 by dkCambridgeshire
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