Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Frank Filippone <red735i@earthlink.net> wrote: > with the F6.8 you must push/pull to focus? How can you do > that with any degree of accuracy? How do you make small > movements of focus? The f/6.8 Telyts rest in the palm of the left hand; there's a fixed hand rest for this purpose that extends under the sliding part of the lens head. The thumb of the left hand pushes a focus lock button and away you go. For coarse focus just grab the sliding part of the lens head and push/pull with the entire hand; for fine focus leave the hand in one place and focus just with the fingertips. It takes some practice but after just a few days it becomes second nature and you start wondering why anyone would want AF. The 400mm f/6.8 is very well balanced and assuming minimal lubrication of the lens head the focussing action is quick, light and perfectly accurate: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/blsk0.html The 560mm f/6.8 is rather front-heavy but if it's properly lubricated and if you balance the weight with your left index finger and take advantage of the knurling on the right side of the lens head, this lens can also be quite easy to use: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/ssha0.html > Is it on your opinion that the F5.6 lenses are more user > friendly for these reasons? IMHO the Televit lenses (f/5.6) balance better on a tripod. The f/6.8 Telyts were designed assuming a substantial portion of the lens' weight would be carried by the left hand. They're more difficult to focus (IMHO) if the left hand isn't supporting the lens. This is especially true of the 560. When the lens is on a tripod and left hand supports the lens, framing the picture can be more difficult 'cuz the view will change when you vary the lens' weight in the left hand. Another issue is photographing animals from a blind (UK: hide). The left hand is so far forward that when using a blind my hand is completely outside the blind in order to focus. OTOH when using the Televit (f/5.6) lenses my focussing hand stays inside the blind. Extension tubes are another issue: tube 14182 (60mm extension) was made for the f/6.8 Telyts; it fits no other lenses. It has a wide throat and fits between the lens head and mount tube. Assuming an R mount tube, the results are GREAT. These are dynamite lenses at close range: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/cato00.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anhu0.html The Viso mount tube has a more constricted throat and some vignetting may appear (can anyone verify?). Other extension tubes can also be used, but I find that the 14198 and 14256 both have constricted throats which cause some vignetting. Perhaps the 3-part extension rings (14158) will do better, since these have no meter or aperture couplings and ought to have a less constricted throat. With the Televit (f/5.6) lenses, there is no dedicated extension tube comparable to the f/6.8's 14182. I get vignetting with the 14198 and 14256 extension tubes. Consider this a WTB: 14158 Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://www.wildlightphoto.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html