Leica Apo 180 mm f/3.4 lens for cinimatography

[Ashok Kumar]

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Iam planning to buy a Leica Apo 180 mm f/3.4 lens with a EF adapter for attaching my black magic Ursa mini pro,4.6 EF mount camera for a feature film shoot along with other lens, what is your opinion?

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[a.noctilux]

Excellent lenses don't give mediocre results.

Beware of long but precise focus throw and long mini focus of 2.5m.

[adan]

I used the 180 APO-Telyt for one shot (businessman in mask, about time-stamp 3:50) in this Canon 5DII video-reportage. It worked.

http://www.coloradoseen.com/occupy-denver-march/

Tricky to hand-hold without IS. A bit heavy (or at least "dense"). And as Arnaud mentions, not ideal for tight shots - can't focus that close. It can also have rather busy bokeh in some settings - the U.S. Navy, who originally commissioned it, wanted sharp, not "pretty."

Other adapted Leica-R lenses used in that piece - 21 f/4 (mostly) and 50mm f/2.

Edited May 20, 2020 by adan