Occasional close-ups with M8?

[stewardrobbins]

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I think the M8 would be perfect for 98% of my photography. However, I occasionally do product shots – not true macro - that need to be a bit closer than .7 meters. I don’t do enough of this work to justify investing in a macro Elmar. Is there an inexpensive solution to my problem (close-up lenses, extension tubes, etc.) or should I just keep my Canon DSLR for this kind of photography?

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[marknorton]

Your problems are framing and focussing. FOlowing advice here, I bought Macro Elmar, Macro Adapter and Angle Finder which provides a good solution, even if it doesn't allow to get bigger that 3:1. Since you don't want to go down that road, I think you should stick with your DSLR.

[johnastovall]

I would keep the dSLR. That's what I'm doing different tools for different jobs.

[thomas_schertel]

You also can use the visoflex I or III-System. It ist, compared with the M8 body, not really expensive.

Another solution would be the old double range Summicron.

 

yours sicerely

Thomas

[wparsonsgisnet]

I second Thomas' recommendation of the 50mm f2.0 DR. This lens keeps appearing on eBay in the few hundred dollars range.

 

Besides the fact that it is an absolutely superb lens, it goes almost to 1:1. It comes with (or needs) goggles. On the M8, the stop will need to be removed for the goggles to function correctly.

[waterlenz]

I second Thomas' recommendation of the 50mm f2.0 DR. This lens keeps appearing on eBay in the few hundred dollars range.

 

Besides the fact that it is an absolutely superb lens, it goes almost to 1:1. It comes with (or needs) goggles. On the M8, the stop will need to be removed for the goggles to function correctly.

 

 

Leica needs to clarify the nature of the incompatibility of the dual-range Summicron (a.k.a. NF Summicron) with the M8.

[blakley]

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The DR Summicron doesn't come close to 1:1 reproduction. It's more like 1:5. Still, it's a good lens for closeups, though not as good as the Macro-Elmar 90/4 with Macro-Adapter M, which is compatible with the M8 according to Leica's information - and which gets to about a 1:3 reproduction ratio.

[marknorton]

Thanks Bob, I said 3:1 and should of course have written 1:3.

[fredbonhomme]

And what about the 90/4 macro ?

[wattsy]

Thanks Bob, I said 3:1 and should of course have written 1:3.

 

Isn't the ratio 1 : 2.25 on the M8 (or something like that)? With the ability to check focus and composition on the LCD, the M8 makes the Macro Elmar a much more useful proposition (for macro photography) than it ever was with the film M bodies.

[Guest stnami]

Dear Mr Grasshopper

I own a M8( well sorta, well not really yet... but I know everything about it but I have not seen one) and I want to photograph you.

Please help

signed Mr Occasion

[marknorton]

Ian, the reproduction ratio refers to the size of the image projected on the sensor, compared to the size of the original. Therefore, when Imants gets to photograph his grasshopper, the size of the image on the sensor will be 1/3 the size of our crop-eating friend and that reproduction ratio is independent of sensor size.

 

The angle of view of the lens will restrict the actual size of the object which can be reproduced.

[Guest stnami]

I shall keep my D2 and elpro for shots of Jiminy Cricket and friends and use a M8 to take shots of the locust swarms on the moon, when Virgin Airways begins its flights . Sounds practical considering the shrinking grasshoppers

 

I am sure there will be better uses for the 8 than closeup stuff

[marknorton]

Yes, I agree, it's pushing the M8 where it doesn't really belong. But you have to admire their ingenuity in getting the macro stuff together.

[blakley]

With the M8's crop factor, you'll get "sort of" the equivalent of 1.3 : 3 = 1 : 2.3 with the 90/4 Macro-Elmar plus Macro Adapter M. I say "sort of" because you get 1 : 3 magnification and then a 1.3X crop - so it's like taking a slide shot at 1 : 3 mangnification, cropping off the outer edges, and then "stretching" the slide to fit the original mount. Effectively it'll seem to be magnifying the subject more.

 

With the 50/2 DR summicron, you'll get 1.3 : 5 = 1 : 3.8 on the M8.