Extension tube for S lenses?

[epines]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Does anyone know of any kind of extension tube that can be used with S lenses? I have the 120mm, but there are times I want to focus closer with other S lenses.

The solution I have so far is to use the H adapter with my H lenses, but I'm not sure if the camera communicates with H lenses when the H extension tube is attached.

[Advertisement]

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

[Pieter12]

21 minutes ago, epines said:

Does anyone know of any kind of extension tube that can be used with S lenses? I have the 120mm, but there are times I want to focus closer with other S lenses.

The solution I have so far is to use the H adapter with my H lenses, but I'm not sure if the camera communicates with H lenses when the H extension tube is attached.

How do the photos look? Is the metadata there and correct?

[epines]

Just tried it. No go -- the H extension tube doesn't work with the H adapter on the S body. It will shoot wide open, but if you try to stop down the lens, the camera won't capture a shot.

[Photon42]

I just checked for you: my S2 with S-Adapter-H, 13mm extension ring H and 100HC orange dot takes photos fully open and stopped down. Even the leaf shutter in the lens works.

 

[John McMaster]

Leica do not make any S extension tubes as most/all the lenses have floating lens elements, you would not get the best quality if they are not in the correct location...  I use my R 100mm APO with ELPRO (or Mamiya 645 bellows with enlarging lens) if I need greater magnification in camera.

john

[davidmknoble]

+1 on the R APO 100 f/2.8 with Elpro.  I also think the Hasselblad CF 120mm does well stopped down, but I prefer that in square crop to remove any issues at the edges.  The newer version of the R 100 (not the f/4) is incredible.

[mgrayson3]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The Elpro for the R 100/2.8 works well on the S 120/2.5 and yields a credible 1:1. The only thing you need is a step-down ring. The Elpro for the S 180 is lovely for close, but not macro, images. The Maimiya 645 120/4 Macro is an excellent and inexpensive 1:1 option, even without bellows.

Edited February 28, 2024 by mgrayson3

[epines]

Thanks, everyone. Good info here. 

 

@Photon42 -- I just tried another lens, and it's working well. Very weird. My HC 50mm II only seems to work wide open with the H extension tube, but my HC 80mm works at all apertures. 

[Photon42]

The tech specs of Leica's S-Adapter-H list the extension tubes as "not compatible". Don't be too surprised that is may not work in some circumstances. I am more surprised it actually does work in my case. If you own the 120S, I would look into the proposal of @mgrayson3. High quality close-up lenses are often better, because they don't put the lens into a focus distance area it was not designed for.