nuvolari Posted March 31, 2020 Share #1  Posted March 31, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi, new to the forum and I'm trying to find out if the 100mm f4 Elmarit-R bellows lens allows focus to infinity?  I'm referring to the lens specifically made for bellows use meaning it has no focusing helicoid and can not be used without bellows. And of course I want to know if focus to infinity is possible with bellows. I can't find this info anywhere so please let me know if you have this combo and use it at more extreme focus distances and not just for macro.  Many thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 31, 2020 Posted March 31, 2020 Hi nuvolari, Take a look here Will 100mm Makro Elmarit Bellows Lens Focus to Infinity?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
gbealnz Posted March 31, 2020 Share #2 Â Posted March 31, 2020 First look I had at the Leica Collectors Guide, Laney, suggests it should. In describing the Universal Focusing Bellows-R it says, "Can be used with special 100mm Macro-Elmar over the focusing range infinity to 1:1". Someone else, who has the items (I don't) should be able to help. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmax Posted March 31, 2020 Share #3  Posted March 31, 2020 Yes, works! Will focus to infinity (and a tiny bit more). But it's not really handy 😉 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuvolari Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share #4  Posted March 31, 2020  3 hours ago, gbealnz said: First look I had at the Leica Collectors Guide, Laney, suggests it should. In describing the Universal Focusing Bellows-R it says, "Can be used with special 100mm Macro-Elmar over the focusing range infinity to 1:1". Someone else, who has the items (I don't) should be able to help. Gary 3 hours ago, Lmax said: Yes, works! Will focus to infinity (and a tiny bit more). But it's not really handy 😉  Thanks guys. How does it look at normal distances such as if used for portraits?  They seem to be readily available with bellows for less than $200 so it would seem like a nice combo for macro as well as portraits even if they are not optimized optically for that use. Lmax, do you have this lens?  Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmax Posted March 31, 2020 Share #5 Â Posted March 31, 2020 Yes, have it, use it only for macros and on tripod. I think, it's optimized for f8, where it is really sharp. For 'normal use' I prefer the 2/90 or or the most versatile 2.8/60.. And, yes, the 4/100 is cheap and underrated, but with it's manual stop-down, I think, it's not very usable for portraits or any kind of faster work. Probably it's better to use it for the intended purpose only. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted March 31, 2020 Share #6  Posted March 31, 2020 I use one set bellow + short mount Macro-Elmar-R , before the later available Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8/60mm or Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8/100mm. See this link to Wiki 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! Good device when it was alone in the Leica R system, more than thirty years ago, but nowadays there are many better choices and much more practical to use. It was very clever device for what it was intended for , pushing the button to close the aperture, or the rolling bar/ruler to show repro size with three focal lengths, double cable release, for example ...  Arnaud Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Good device when it was alone in the Leica R system, more than thirty years ago, but nowadays there are many better choices and much more practical to use. It was very clever device for what it was intended for , pushing the button to close the aperture, or the rolling bar/ruler to show repro size with three focal lengths, double cable release, for example ...  Arnaud ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/308030-will-100mm-makro-elmarit-bellows-lens-focus-to-infinity/?do=findComment&comment=3943414'>More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted March 31, 2020 Share #7 Â Posted March 31, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've used the short mount and bellows since 1969 for macro and some for portraits. It is clumsy, but fun. I agree the 60 f2.8 R is much handier, and I'll often use it as a normal lens when hiking - especially now that it's Bluebonnet season in Texas! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuvolari Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share #8  Posted March 31, 2020 Thanks so much to everyone for the info. I have a 60mm Elmarit Macro lens but I don't seem to use it much unless I need close up macro shots. For normal lens shots I prefer my Zeiss 50mm f1.7 Planar in Contax/Yashica mount. I've come to love the look of the Zeiss more than the 60mm. I also love, love, love my 28mm Elmarit and leave that lens on the 5D2 for the majority of my shooting. I even use the 28mm with Hoya close up filters for close up shooting when I don't need the extreme sharpness of the 60mm. I find the 28mm Elmarit to have absolutely beautiful "look" and am always surprised that it's not more appreciated and sought after. I also have a 19mm Elamarit V1 which I like but find it has a bit too much distortion and vignetting especially with the protective UV filter. It is very sharp though, sharper than the 28mm in the center. But 60mm is my longest lens so I've been thinking of some longer options to round things out and I saw the 100mm + bellows for very low prices and was curious. (And I'm also watching for a 180mm f2.8 Elmarit which is also more affordable than usual Leica options although I've heard the cheaper first version is quite a heavy monster. Thanks again and if anyone wants to post any pics with the 100mm + bellows at any focusing distance, I would love to see. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted March 31, 2020 Share #9 Â Posted March 31, 2020 (edited) I feel that there is no miracle concerning "price things" in Leitz/ Leica lenses ( I think it's same in other brands also ) and the opposite is NOT always true as some says "expensive = good", "very expensive = very good". Sometimes we can have a good opportunity for "cheap", but in most of time cheap gear may be less than satisfying. Your requiring of sample pics is not really doable for me, as I mixed my slides and never annoted the lens in use, since decades. If looking hard enough, I can say this slide was from Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R or Macro-Elmar-R , but I'm not motivated to do so. Only I can say that optical wise, the Macro-Elmar-R 4/100mm was a good lens but not practical in day-to-day use. Â Have a look at the cheaper for Leica lens Elmarit-R 2.8/90 or for more money Summicron-R 2/90 for day-to-day use on your SLR. Â Edited March 31, 2020 by a.noctilux Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramarren Posted April 4, 2020 Share #10  Posted April 4, 2020 I have the Macro-Elmar-R f/4 in bellows mount with the Focusing Bellows-R. I use both a good bit, but not as much as I use the Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm lens ... which is probably my most-used R lens. The ME100 with Focusing Bellows-R focuses from infinity down to 1:1 continuously. Used with the double-cable-release it was designed to be, it's a handy setup for general purpose photography presuming that you use a tripod for your general purpose photography... A dedicated macro-bellows lens is not something for hand-held street shooting work, of course, and is a rather bulky/heavy thing to carry about in similar context. The ME100 lens performs very nicely (the typical "two stops down from wide open" at f/8 give optimum results) and has made many fine photos for me. The bellows by itself works well with the Summicron-R 50mm f/2 and Elmarit-R 135mm f/2.8 lenses as well ... and even with the Elmar-R 180mm f/4 lens ... netting very nice close range focusing and excellent focusing control with the built-in macro rail. For hand-held work (portraiture a lot of it) with this focal length, I have the Summicron-R 90mm f/2 lens. That's another superb performer...! G Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuvolari Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share #11  Posted April 6, 2020 On 4/4/2020 at 8:31 AM, ramarren said: I have the Macro-Elmar-R f/4 in bellows mount with the Focusing Bellows-R. I use both a good bit, but not as much as I use the Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm lens ... which is probably my most-used R lens. The ME100 with Focusing Bellows-R focuses from infinity down to 1:1 continuously. Used with the double-cable-release it was designed to be, it's a handy setup for general purpose photography presuming that you use a tripod for your general purpose photography... A dedicated macro-bellows lens is not something for hand-held street shooting work, of course, and is a rather bulky/heavy thing to carry about in similar context. The ME100 lens performs very nicely (the typical "two stops down from wide open" at f/8 give optimum results) and has made many fine photos for me. The bellows by itself works well with the Summicron-R 50mm f/2 and Elmarit-R 135mm f/2.8 lenses as well ... and even with the Elmar-R 180mm f/4 lens ... netting very nice close range focusing and excellent focusing control with the built-in macro rail. For hand-held work (portraiture a lot of it) with this focal length, I have the Summicron-R 90mm f/2 lens. That's another superb performer...! G Thank you for the insight. And thanks to all who replied. Does anyone have any pics they could post to show this lens at less than macro magnification?  I'm intrigued with this lens. I realize it's not an easy handheld lens but for the money and versatility, it definitely is an interesting choice. Thanks again for the quick answers and help. I'm impressed with this forum. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted April 13, 2020 Share #12  Posted April 13, 2020 Excellent lens with superb build quality … a little slow in use but that's no hindrance for studio close-ups … James Lager used the lens for the '000s of illustrations in his 'Leica An Illustrated History …" Vols 1, 2 & 3 …  .  The lens was my very first Leica purchase c.1988 when I adapted it to a Canon T90 (with bellows) for insect c/u photography.  Buy and you'll likely enjoy using it and also be pleased with the results. Consider buying Leica Pocket Book 8th Edition where it's illustrated on page 152 together with charts showing its MTF performance; the book documents nearly every Leitz / Leica lens manufactured from 1924 - 2012(ish) and their performance characteristics. The Leitz 180/2.8 V1 is a superb lens too … and does not not quite deserve the 'monster' description … but make sure the focus is not stiff and that the lens diaphragm is stopping down OK if considering purchase.  If you use the forum's advanced search facility you should be able to find images taken with all Leica R lenses dunk Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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