[Leica] (FF) waned

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

Yes to be clear 1:1 focusing macro glass pre AF days were rare but they did
exist.. Its what I mean which counts not what I write.

In my direct experience my 105 micro Nikor did not go to 1:1 but the AF
version I got when that came out did.
I found the 60 more useful.

One of my dream lenes for decades was the 120 f4 CFI  Makro Planar T* which
I finally landed in 2001 only goes on its own to 1:4.5 making for a = 10.125
square inch  minimum image size from side to side.

When the Contax 645 Apo-Makro-Planar T* 120mm f/4  came out I wondered if it
was better it was internal focusing and auto focus and the schematic was not
even similar to my classic version.  I' betting it went to 1:1 or darned
close. 
You make a macro lens nowadays which does not got to 1:1 and people wont
talk to you.

And now canon has come out with one which goes even closer.

I got a tube but never used it. Used. For like 30 bucks.


Mark William Rabiner
Photography


> From: Doug Herr <wildlightphoto at earthlink.net>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 07:03:41 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] (FF) waned
> 
> Mark Rabiner wrote:
> 
>> Any Nikon or Canon lens needed a tube before AF.  With auto focus for some
>> reason THEN they'd then go to 1:1.
>> The Leica's did not use tubes but "ELPRO' s" which were multi element 
>> close
>> up filters in a barrel and  I think came with most of the Leica lenses to
>> get 1:1.
> 
> IIRC an early pre-set version of the 55mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor would focus to
> 1:1 without extension tubes, and there might have been a Pentax 1:1 macro 
> lens
> as well (not certain).  Canon, Minolta, Nikon and Leica Macro lenses 
> typically
> would focus to 1:2 with an accessory extension tube required for 1:1
> reproduction ratio.  The Olympus OM system was particularly strong in the
> macro area; I believe the 'normal' Oly macro lens also required a tube for 
> a
> 1:1 reproduction ratio.
> 
> AF has a hard time with long focussing helixes so this feature pushed lens
> design to internal focus for macro lenses, allowing 1:1 reproduction ratios
> without an accessory tube, at the cost of closer working distances.
> 
> Leica's ELRPO lenses were made is several flavors.  One was intended for 
> the
> 100mm APO Macro which allowed 1:1 reproduction ratio, but most ELPRO lenses
> were intended for normal-focus 50mm 'cron, 90mm and 135mm R lenses.  At 
> best
> these ELPRO lesnes would allow 1:2 reproduction ratio.  Though not
> specifically made for them, some of the ELPROs would also fit the early 
> 80-200
> f/4.5 and 75-200mm f/4.5 zooms and 180mm f/4 Elmar-R.
> 
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
> 
> 
> 
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