Tri-Elmar MATE v1 for M10?

[Jeff S]

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9 hours ago, BLeventhal said:

My gut is telling me to wait on the MATE until I am certain that I will use the M10 after the "newness factor" wears off... For now, I think I'll stick with what I have before I put piles of money into other lenses.

 

 

Good thinking.  Even better to not hang around the forum in the meantime. Studies indicate that GAS can be transmitted online.

Jeff

[howard_cummer]

I have the MATE version 2 and use it on my M10R for walk-around street photography especially. I previously used it in the same way on all my older M digital models.

In bright sun I set the f stop at f8.0 and fire away cranking through the various focal lengths quickly - much quicker than changing lenses. Here are some shots taken a week or so ago of the British Car Show at Beacon Hill, Victoria, B.C. on a rainy Sunday afternoon. All taken with the M10R and the MATE V2. Various Focal Lengths.

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Edited July 1, 2024 by howard_cummer

[RMF]

I have a MATE 49 v2 6-bit coded and it’s really a different experience having three focal lengths at your immediate disposal, allows you to pre-visualize in a new way and choose a focal length as you are approaching a photograph. Here are 3 photos all done within a span of a couple minutes walking around a vintage racing paddock using a MATE at 50, 35, and then 28.

 

 

 

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[ldhrads]

I absolutely love mine, bought it over the winter with the express plan of using it for travel. I am amazed. I have a full stable of Leica primes, as well as some interesting bits from Miyazaki and a couple of other oddities. This lens is great for travel, great for everyday walk around.  I just upgraded from M10-P to M11-P and the combination of MATE and M11-P is phenomenal.

[Kiwimac]

On 6/28/2024 at 8:46 AM, darylgo said:

For those that like this lens it is well loved.  I sold my copy within a few years after buying it, the IQ is good but I could get better results with a prime in a smaller package.  My use of lenses relies on faster optics for use in low light, f4 was not fast for my use and iirc the peak performance is f5.6.  One advantage of Leica optics is you can purchase/sell on the used market without significant loss, $1750 sounds like a very good price. 

Rumored for 10 years, I would be interested also and think it would be similar to the 35 Summicron Apo, no stock for two years.   

 

I walked in and bought my Apo Summicron 35 off the shelf 10 months ago. 
 

It was just sat there, BNIB.  I was back the day after I saw it, trading my Summilux 35!

 

I owned a MATE from new and used it with film. It was a bit slow in poor light but otherwise very handy. I regret selling it. 
 

If I could get hold of a good copy I’d like to get it again as it really is a useful travel lens. I’d have preferred 35/50/75 though. 

Edited August 17, 2024 by Kiwimac

[darylgo]

5 hours ago, Kiwimac said:

If I could get hold of a good copy I’d like to get it again as it really is a useful travel lens. I’d have preferred 35/50/75 though. 

The Leica R 35-70/4.  Also could be used on the SL bodies or for that matter any current Nikon, Sony etc.  

In the past few years a couple of 35-70/2.8 have become available.  Pricey and big.  

[Joshi_H]

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I decided to get a MATE just recently and had two v1 before I got the v2 E49 6-bit coded I kept. The two v1 both had problems in sharpness. I bought both of them online with the option to return them.

The v2 I have now is a very good one and I am very happy with it. I use it on a M10-M and a M10-P and this is the lens which combines all three focal lenses a I really like, no matter whether it is landscape or street photography. The only downside is the stray light sensitivity at 50mm as this example shows:

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Anyway, knowing about it helps to avoid it. Shading it with my hand already helps. This is my Flickr album, where I store all images made with the Tri-Elmar MATE:

Tri-Elmar-M MATE Flickr album

 

Edited August 28, 2024 by Joshi_H

[wda]

It really pays to buy such equipment from an authorised Leica dealer who will take care of any such problems. Flare is a known problem, particularly at the 50 mm setting. However, you have become aware of it and taken sensible precautions. It wins on versatility. 

Edited August 28, 2024 by wda

[Joshi_H]

I have to correct myself: the first two MATEs are a v1 and a v2 - just checked the mails.

[lct]

6 hours ago, Joshi_H said:

The v2 I have now is a very good one and I am very happy with it. [...] The only downside is the stray light sensitivity at 50mm as this example shows: https://www.l-camera-forum.com/uploads/monthly_2024_08/image.jpeg.9e66a1559b4ff5a1cb173174d213f441.jpeg

May i ask if the lens had a hood when you shot this picture? Just curious as flare looks less pronounced on my v1. MATE v1 @ 50mm on M11 here:

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[henning]

I have a v1 MATE that I picked up used when the M8 came out. It got used a lot; the approx. 36-46-70mm fields of view equivalent were exactly what was needed. I also got a WATE when Leica offered an exceptional deal to early M8 users to buy a lens at a steep discount. With that one I got 21-24-28mm fields of view.

The MATE got sent to Germany to be coded and adjusted, and the mechanics are as good as anyone might want. Easy focal length switching and clear detents with the proper framelines. As the M8 didn't use the corners, the lens performed superbly. Also 10mp didn't tax the optics much. The flare issues were obviously still there.

I still have the lens; it looks rather worn now, and is not aesthetically appealing as I wanted a focussing tab which took the form of a sturdy green zip tie. Works well but looks not so well. On the M240 it still performed quite well, but the M10M and M11 are rather more demanding and the lens shows its age to some degree. I still go out with it at times, though and doubt I'll ever sell it.

The attached picture was taken with the MATE at 50mm in Ukraine in happier times (2008).

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Edited August 29, 2024 by henning

[BLeventhal]

16 hours ago, Joshi_H said:

I decided to get a MATE just recently and had two v1 before I got the v2 E49 6-bit coded I kept. The two v1 both had problems in sharpness. I bought both of them online with the option to return them.

The v2 I have now is a very good one and I am very happy with it. I use it on a M10-M and a M10-P and this is the lens which combines all three focal lenses a I really like, no matter whether it is landscape or street photography. The only downside is the stray light sensitivity at 50mm as this example shows:

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!

Anyway, knowing about it helps to avoid it. Shading it with my hand already helps. This is my Flickr album, where I store all images made with the Tri-Elmar MATE:

Tri-Elmar-M MATE Flickr album

 

Great album... really reflects that the lens is more than capable.

bruce

[Joshi_H]

vor 18 Stunden schrieb lct:

May i ask if the lens had a hood when you shot this picture? Just curious as flare looks less pronounced on my v1. MATE v1 @ 50mm on M11 here:

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No, there is no hood on the lens.

[lct]

33 minutes ago, Joshi_H said:

No, there is no hood on the lens.

Could be an explanation as the MATE v1 has a built-in hood that reduces that flare i suspect. Just a guess though.

[Smudgerer]

On 6/30/2024 at 10:56 AM, hansvons said:

Gr

Now the MATE. Basically, it’s a zoom lens. Despite Leica’s pedigree as a mythical lens maker, they cannot work magic and have to deal with the mundane laws of physics. In that case it’s dealing with the compromises a zoom requires. If they are optically in prime territory, they are large, like huge. I own a 20-100mm S-35mm Cooke cine zoom. It’s 45cm long has a front lens diameter of 18cm (!) and weights 5 kilos. If they are small like the MATE, they must compromise on performance, including speed, corner sharpness, and various aberrations. 

 

 

 

 

A bit of an aside but I couldn't resist it.....I loved, still love the Cooke 5:1 20-100 you own, what a great lens for flesh tones, the same goes for the Cooke 3:1 20-60 T3.1 which I slightly preferred. When I still had my S16 Aaton Xtera I also had the 10-30 t1.6 Cooke, heavy but damn useful for HH night shoots with 800' mags stuffed with 7218.......Those were the days!!! I worked a lot of TV dramatic episodic  series shoots with that combination.

But back on subject, sort of, if the OP wants a bit more speed and would like to stick with 35mm FL the Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm 1.4 is a great option and easier on the wallet too. I tried a friend's MATE last year and didn't like it's physical length on the M body, way too much VF blockage, it's results were "ok" but nothing that would make the lens an attractive proposition for me.

[Joshi_H]

Am 30.6.2024 um 10:56 schrieb hansvons:

Now the MATE. Basically, it’s a zoom lens.

This is the only part I dare to disagree with. The WATE is kind of a zoom lens since the focal length steps are arranged in the correct order 16-18-21 whereas with the MATE it is 35-50-28 which would be strange for zoom.

Edited August 29, 2024 by Joshi_H

[Jeff S]

2 hours ago, Joshi_H said:

This is the only part I dare to disagree with. The WATE is kind of a zoom lens since the focal length steps are arranged in the correct order 16-18-21 whereas with the MATE it is 35-50-28 which would be strange for zoom.

More specifically…

Jeff

[Einst_Stein]

I had MATE V1, but then sold to buy V2. V1 has weired flare that can not be fixed with any improved hood.

If you want MATE, get V2 only, regardless the price. 

[lct]

V2 flares as much or more than v1 apparently. See post # 27 above.

 

Edited August 29, 2024 by lct

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Hallo,

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[roydonian]

My V2 flares so badly at the 50mm setting that I've given up using it.