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Making the S+lens combo smaller...?!?


tom0511

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Hi S-users. As a longtime S-user my S-gear has recently collected too much dust (was using SL mostly). But I want to reactivate.

For some (personal/veryday) occasions I find the lens size (big and heavy) disturbing.

So I wondered several things and would like to discuss - maybe others are interested as well:

1) do you use the hood all the time? (maybe I should be more brave and just leave the hoods off.)

2) smaller hoods? I now use the round hood from the S100 on the S70, but would be still interested if there are even smaller alternatives; the hoods are great protection but sooo big

3) smaller third party lens - (which makes only sense if it is really a good lens IMO) - Contax 45 or 55mm? (adapter is quite expensive though) any suggestions for compact but optically good lenses in the range from 35-80mm?

Best, Tom

 

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I reverse the hood on the 70mm and store the hood for the 35mm in a side pocket since it is so wide. I have been wondering if I could get away without using a hood on the 120, since the front element is more recessed than the other S lenses I have (35mm & 70mm). Is this lens subject to a lot of flare? I have also lost the 35mm hood once, taking it off while changing lenses on the fly and must have dropped it while putting it in the bag or my pocket. An expensive learning experience. Now at least I have a label with my name & phone number on all my lens hoods.

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I use my S006 with the Contax 55mm. It's not only optically excellent, but also extremely versatile (42mm or so in FF terms). Makes the combo also more portable, and I don't have to worry about failing AF motors, such as on my Leica 120 APO. It's a workhorse type of a lens, that "little" 55.

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10 hours ago, tom0511 said:

3) smaller third party lens - (which makes only sense if it is really a good lens IMO) - Contax 45 or 55mm? (adapter is quite expensive though) any suggestions for compact but optically good lenses in the range from 35-80mm?

I have a soft spot for the Pentax 645 A 75mm due to its tiny size but the adapter for the Pentax 645 lenses is quite hard to come by. If you do happen to get the adapter the Pentax 645 A 35mm is pretty good, too. Those two lenses make an extremely light travel package. N.B. They're both manual focus lenses as the adapter is a dumb one. 

Watermill image taken with the 75mm lens.

Rocks image taken with the 35mm lens.

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10 hours ago, tom0511 said:

1) do you use the hood all the time? (maybe I should be more brave and just leave the hoods off.)

I never use lens hoods but what about collapsible rubber ones?

I protect my lenses with Skylight filters but do they degrade the image quality?

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For me,  if I bring S 70 and 100 or 120 travel, I will only bring one hood either 70’s or 100’s. The hood will fit nicely. I don’t seek for protection or avoid flare but only for shooting in the rain. My decision was rewarded during shooting in ICELAND. 
 

for small lens, Mamiya 45 150 are very small. Contax645 80 is also small for the speed. 45 and 140 are less so but still smaller than Leica native. 
 

however, I am not convinced with Mamiya output. C645 are great alternative for me, not for the size but for Zeiss classic rendering and color. (I am a fan of modest low elements count planar look, I love C645 80 and mp120, also ZE 50, 85 planar and 100 mp)

Edited by ZHNL
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vor 20 Minuten schrieb Sarnian:

I have a soft spot for the Pentax 645 A 75mm due to its tiny size but the adapter for the Pentax 645 lenses is quite hard to come by. If you do happen to get the adapter the Pentax 645 A 35mm is pretty good, too. Those two lenses make an extremely light travel package. N.B. They're both manual focus lenses as the adapter is a dumb one. 

Watermill image taken with the 75mm lens.

Rocks image taken with the 35mm lens.

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Are those af ?

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47 minutes ago, tom0511 said:

Are those af ?

The A variants of the Pentax 645 lenses are manual focus. The Pentax 645 FA 33-55mm can be used on the adapter as it has a AF / MF selector switch and,  more importantly, a manual aperture ring. 

Edited by Sarnian
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4 minutes ago, tom0511 said:

The answers motivate me to reduce use of the hoods which is a real reduction of size.

In regards of contax lenses - are there ‚shining stars‘ or are the 35 45 and 55 all in the same league ?

The Contax 55 mm is better, it’s sharp and contrasty, with a Zeiss bite. But I like the 45mm too, it’s sorter wide open, but it’s bokeh is prettier at portrait distances. 
 

my S travel kit is the 55mm and 80mm. If I know that I will be doing portraits, I take my S100mm or S120mm. 

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vor 5 Minuten schrieb ynp:

The Contax 55 mm is better, it’s sharp and contrasty, with a Zeiss bite. But I like the 45mm too, it’s sorter wide open, but it’s bokeh is prettier at portrait distances. 
 

my S travel kit is the 55mm and 80mm. If I know that I will be doing portraits, I take my S100mm or S120mm. 

Similar to you. I think the shining stars in the Zeiss/Contax line are the 55 and the 80 F2. Worth getting the adapter just for those two lenses IMHO, that'll cover a lot of shooting ground. 

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21 hours ago, Pieter12 said:

I reverse the hood on the 70mm and store the hood for the 35mm in a side pocket since it is so wide. I have been wondering if I could get away without using a hood on the 120, since the front element is more recessed than the other S lenses I have (35mm & 70mm). Is this lens subject to a lot of flare? I have also lost the 35mm hood once, taking it off while changing lenses on the fly and must have dropped it while putting it in the bag or my pocket. An expensive learning experience. Now at least I have a label with my name & phone number on all my lens hoods.

john

 

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On 1/13/2022 at 11:25 PM, ynp said:

The Contax 55 mm is better, it’s sharp and contrasty, with a Zeiss bite. But I like the 45mm too, it’s sorter wide open, but it’s bokeh is prettier at portrait distances. 
 

my S travel kit is the 55mm and 80mm. If I know that I will be doing portraits, I take my S100mm or S120mm. 

Contax 55mm is fabulous and compact. I also like Contax 120mm Makro and 140mm. The AF of the 80mm is on the slow side but the 80mm has a unique rendering. 
My favourite kit with the S007 : Zeiss or Leica 35mm, Leica 70mm or Zeiss 80mm and Zeiss 140mm.  If only one lens, Zeiss 55mm.

 

 

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13 minutes ago, ZHNL said:

Always want try that Zeiss 55mm given Leica only release this focal for Thalia. However, it is kind of expensive for what it is now (due to rarity? ). I will patiently wait for one with decent price. 

Yes. Both the 55mm and 80mm became much more expensive on the secondhand market than a few years ago. I heard from a knowledgeable person that very few of the 55’s were manufactured. 

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3 hours ago, ynp said:

Yes. Both the 55mm and 80mm became much more expensive on the secondhand market than a few years ago. I heard from a knowledgeable person that very few of the 55’s were manufactured. 

I also believe the quite high number of GFX50/100-users are partly to 'blame' for the relatively high Contax 645 prices. 

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On 1/15/2022 at 6:25 PM, HuntingSand said:

These days, I blame Fuji for most everything anyway 😊

That was very funny, although I must say that I am a big fan of the Fuji instant world after getting to know their product line through the Leica Sofort.

I don't particularly like messing around with plastic analog cameras, but the Instax printers they make come in really handy. I find that I can make people quite happy these days when I offer them a small print that they can hold in their hands or stick to their refrigerator. I have the Mini and the Square and I'm contemplating getting their new "Wide' printer as well.

https://www.instaxus.com/products/instax-link-wide/

Edited by peterv
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