Macro Adapter M with APO 50

[lldd]

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Has anyone used a Macro Adaptor M with an APO 50?  Can you speak to the impact on image quality, and how close one is able to focus?  Same questions for the Noctilux, if anyone has tried that.

[jaeger]

Macro adapters is a fancy name.  It's a hollow spacer actually.  It only pulls away the focal flange to use only the center part of "whichever" lens, similar to crop factor but projecting on full sensor instead.  What image quality of an ant/bee are you expecting?  You will get a lot of creamy bokeh for sure.  lol

How close is depends how how many X adapter do you use.  Some is stacking multiple adapters.  Do multiple the F stops though. 

Do share some sexy bee photos ok?

[Morrison]

7 hours ago, lldd said:

Has anyone used a Macro Adaptor M with an APO 50?  Can you speak to the impact on image quality, and how close one is able to focus?  Same questions for the Noctilux, if anyone has tried that.

Funny you should ask. I only recently acquired the Macro Adaptor M in a kit with the 90mm Macro Elmar lens and just tonight I was messing around with my Noctilux F1 on the adaptor. So, very little experience to relate, but here's a test shot at f1 wide open. This is full frame, uncropped, and while I didn't measure I would guess I'm within 6-8 inches of my poor kitty, who wasn't pleased with this experiment at all, preferring a long lens if any. (Note my reflection looming quite large in his startled eye.) As Jaeger says above, you may certainly expect to capture bits of pollen on a bee's bottom, with dreamy bokeh for days, even as you the close the aperture down. I was just shooting open to gauge extremes and would by no stretch offer this as a nailed shot. 🙃

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[jaeger]

9 hours ago, Morrison said:

test shot at f1 wide open

This image looked like taken from Zeiss 100mm 0.73

[lldd]

Thanks for the replies.  No plans (currently) for bee's butt photos.  I'm simply trying to get closer than the 2 or 3 meter minimum focus distance on these lenses.  Not really interested in close up macro, more along the lines of 10-18 inches from subject.  Morrison, your info and photo are very helpful in understanding all of this - Thanks!

[Morrison]

34 minutes ago, lldd said:

Thanks for the replies.  No plans (currently) for bee's butt photos.  I'm simply trying to get closer than the 2 or 3 meter minimum focus distance on these lenses.  Not really interested in close up macro, more along the lines of 10-18 inches from subject.  Morrison, your info and photo are very helpful in understanding all of this - Thanks!

Yes, definitely will get you the ability to focus in that pocket—18 inches may even be too far afield. I would say my sweet spot with the 50mm is in 8-12 inch range, increasing as I close down aperture. I don't have the 50 APO, only the ASPH V5 Cron, but imagine the focus range would be similar to the 50 Nocti? Excited to try it on some different lenses shortly. I only picked it up last week and am still on my learner's permit. 🤔

[luigi bertolotti]

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1 hour ago, Morrison said:

Yes, definitely will get you the ability to focus in that pocket—18 inches may even be too far afield. I would say my sweet spot with the 50mm is in 8-12 inch range, increasing as I close down aperture. I don't have the 50 APO, only the ASPH V5 Cron, but imagine the focus range would be similar to the 50 Nocti? Excited to try it on some different lenses shortly. I only picked it up last week and am still on my learner's permit. 🤔

the 50 APO ought to focus a bit closer with the M adapter, indeed... it's minimum focus is 0,7m , whilst the Nocti f1 (iirc, haven't it) goes to 1 meter.

[Morrison]

42 minutes ago, luigi bertolotti said:

the 50 APO ought to focus a bit closer with the M adapter, indeed... it's minimum focus is 0,7m , whilst the Nocti f1 (iirc, haven't it) goes to 1 meter.

Ha, to irk my cat nearer still!

[lct]

Leica digital CL, Summicron 50/2 apo, macro-adapter-M v2, f/11, handheld, no cropping. Minimum subject distance about 20 cm. Not my usual combo for proxy photo but works fine so far.

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[olegn]

On 7/15/2020 at 10:12 PM, Morrison said:

Funny you should ask. I only recently acquired the Macro Adaptor M in a kit with the 90mm Macro Elmar lens and just tonight I was messing around with my Noctilux F1 on the adaptor. So, very little experience to relate, but here's a test shot at f1 wide open. This is full frame, uncropped, and while I didn't measure I would guess I'm within 6-8 inches of my poor kitty, who wasn't pleased with this experiment at all, preferring a long lens if any. (Note my reflection looming quite large in his startled eye.) As Jaeger says above, you may certainly expect to capture bits of pollen on a bee's bottom, with dreamy bokeh for days, even as you the close the aperture down. I was just shooting open to gauge extremes and would by no stretch offer this as a nailed shot. 🙃

 

There is not so many information about the Macro-Elmar. Could you tell you opinion about that lens, please?

[Morrison]

4 hours ago, olegn said:

There is not so many information about the Macro-Elmar. Could you tell you opinion about that lens, please?

Hi there. It can best be summed up as ultra sharp and super compact. I had heard about its sharpness prior to using it and was still surprised at how easily it captures fine detail even without the macro adaptor. Used with the macro adaptor, it'll get you in super tight and equally sharp. As a bonus feature, it's so compact and light. If you're traveling and don't want to get bogged down with weight and bulk, the Macro-Elmar will be your best friend. I do enough low-light photography that I value larger apertures, so it won't be kicking my Summicron 90 to the curb anytime soon. That said, if you don't need a faster lens than f4, this is a solid choice for an all-purpose 90mm.

[wattsy]

On 7/16/2020 at 6:07 PM, lldd said:

Thanks for the replies.  No plans (currently) for bee's butt photos.  I'm simply trying to get closer than the 2 or 3 meter minimum focus distance on these lenses.

You'll need to experiment to be sure it will work for you. The problem with using an extension tube like the macro adaptor to try and get a bit closer than usual is that it restricts the working focal range. You obviously lose infinity but, depending upon the lens, you can also lose the ability to focus only a couple of feet away. In other words, you can end up with a really narrow focus range that can be a pain to work within. 

[lct]

The macro-adapter-M is not the same as close focus adapters one can use on some non Leica bodies.Those close focus adapters allow to focus M lenses, say, at 0.5m instead of 0.7m but also to focus at infinity. 

[Simon]

On 7/16/2020 at 3:12 PM, Morrison said:

Funny you should ask. I only recently acquired the Macro Adaptor M in a kit with the 90mm Macro Elmar lens and just tonight I was messing around with my Noctilux F1 on the adaptor. So, very little experience to relate, but here's a test shot at f1 wide open. This is full frame, uncropped, and while I didn't measure I would guess I'm within 6-8 inches of my poor kitty, who wasn't pleased with this experiment at all, preferring a long lens if any. (Note my reflection looming quite large in his startled eye.) As Jaeger says above, you may certainly expect to capture bits of pollen on a bee's bottom, with dreamy bokeh for days, even as you the close the aperture down. I was just shooting open to gauge extremes and would by no stretch offer this as a nailed shot. 🙃

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Your kitty’s concern adds to the shot!  He/she looks pensive.  I like it!