Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/11/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks Howard. I saw your post there, but never replied as we were still on our trip. I just recently noticed something on my D7000 as far as focus goes. I was using the 50 cron and getting what looked like out of focus pictures. One of them had some things in front of the main subject fairly close and I noticed that they were sharp as a tack. I then used my homemade fine focus test rig and using the focus conformation, I found that there was quite a bit of front/back focus range when the light was lit, but I could rotate the lens quite a bit and still keep it lit. In those situations, I could get front, back or correct focus shots. My eyes and the small crop screen, though larger and brighter than the Canon I had before, is not good enough for me to see tack sharp focus on the screen. I then tried live view with the imaged magnified and could get tack sharp results on what I was focusing on. I do not want to use live view all the time, but if the focus conformation lights are this unreliable, it could explain some of my missed shots with the 50. Now, I don't seem to have that problem with the 100 APO. Maybe when I am doing Macro I take more time to see, and maybe the closeness makes the image snap in and out of focus enough for me to more accurately judge correct focus on the screen. Have you noticed any focus conformation slop on your Nikon? I am also wondering if I should invest in a split image/microprism screen, but the metering problems with a third party screen have me hesitating. There are already some metering problems stopped down with Leica glass on the D7000, though not nearly as severe as with my previous Canon. We can take this back to the Reflex forum if you like. Aram -----Original Message----- From: H&ECummer Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 7:11 PM To: lug at leica-users.org Subject: [Leica] Leitaxed R lenses on Nikon Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:58:31 -0800 From: "Aram Langhans" <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica in the LUG To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> Too far off for me yet. My interest would be for my R lenses, but I will wait and see how others have "mastered" this acceptable solution to learn if it really is worth it or not. Would it be better than my spending way less up upgrade my perfectly acceptable Nikon D7000 to a DX00 full frame? I will have to see how others feel about the only two real drawbacks of Leitexed lenses on Nikon - the focus problem and the stopped down meter issues. If it really is an acceptable solution, I will save up my money, sell my bad leg, rent out my spare bedroom and get one. Aram Hi Aram, Over on the Leica Reflex Forum Frank F and I had a discussion about using leitaxed R lenses on Nikon Dslrs. Apologies to those Luggers who are also on the Reflex Forum for the duplication but I thought some here might be interested. [LRflex] Leitaxed R lenses on Nikons Hi Frank, Answers to your questions (*) below. From: "Frank Filippone" Howard Do you shoot your Leitax'd lenses wide open all the time? * No - the focus confirmation on the D700 worked up to f5.6 - and with the D800E in brighter light it works up to f8.0. So I can focus and work at f8.0 in good light. If I have trouble with confirming focus then I open up. What are the results like when using your lenses with the D800e? * The quality of R lenses shines through - every time. The limit IMHO is the eye of the photographer, :-) Which lenses? Mostly long Telephotos? WA? 50? * I have had a variety of R lenses and with experience have sold off some of them. I had the 19 Elmarit Version 1 but it was very large, the front element was exposed, and it tended to vignette in the corners wide open so I sold it off and replaced it with the Cosina / Voigtlander 20mm. Fact is I don't use that very much at all - having the 24 - 70 Nikkor zoom but it is a huge monster. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/R+lenses+on+Nikon+D700/El19CheungShaNofilterw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/c4d9htp http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/R+lenses+on+Nikon+D700/FeralCow19EFilterw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/btke4a * I have the 28mm Elmarit latest version and it works very well and is perhaps the best 28 ever made by man. It draws simply wonderfully. I shoot it mostly at f5.6. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/HK2010_001/4PanMidW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/ayadq7a * I have the 21 - 35 Elmar and sent it to Leitax to be bayonet changed because the rear cowling needed to be shaved to clear the mirror of the D700 (and now the D800E). It is a great wide angle lens and sharp to the corners as you would expect a Leica to be. I use it quite a bit for street shooting. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/lens+pix/CageTalkw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/ctx6zrh http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/lens+pix/Check24w.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/2ek7ecu * I recently acquired the 35 - 70 Elmar zoom and (bravely for me) I made the leitax bayonet change myself. It requires some filing to preserve the ROM attachment should you ever want to revert the lens to the R mount. * The quality of the 35 - 70 Elmar is clear on the D800E but being limited to f4.0 as the widest aperture in low light focusing can be more difficult. At least that is what I am finding for my 69 year old eyes. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/lens+pix/HC70Elw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/9r2yztn * I have the 90 Summicon (Canadian made) and it is great for portraits but I find it doesn't get a lot of use. I use the Nikkor 85 f1.8 AF instead. AF and auto aperture have their place. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/HK2010_001/YlwRsW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/3ax9cct http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/HK2010_001/PurpleOrchidW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/2bbzjkc * The 100 APO is spectacular on the D800E and I have the 1:1 adaptor so I can get really close. This is the one lens I will not sell no matter what happens. Flowers and bugs watch out!! http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Macro/PetuniaW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/b3skj7l http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Canada2012/SpiderLw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/9ukuzus * I had the 180 f3.4 APO and its quality was clearly evident on the D700. It didn't focus close enough for tight portrait shots and I finally sold it off - which I now regret. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/R+lenses+on+Nikon+D700/LiLauw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/blu4s6 * I had the 400 f6.8 with the trombone focusing and I used it with the D700 on a tiger shoot in India a few years ago. I had real trouble getting sharp photos in the heat of battle and came to rely more on the 300mm f4.0 manual focus Nikkor that I had with me - so I sold off the Telyt as well. When I hit focus the images were great but I was mightily frustrated and disappointed when I missed focus in an other wise good shot. And, of course, you couldn't get focus confirmation with f6.8. The 300 f4.0 with auto aperture worked better for me in the field and the quality was more than good too. 400 Telyt shots: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/TIGER/TigHuntW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/2apymwo http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Final+Tigers/TigUpW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/c7q6jx7 * One comment about focus confirmation - the arrows in the view finder point in the opposite direction to what you must turn the lens to achieve focus - because Nikons and Leicas focus in opposite directions. So you have to rewire your brain with practice to overcome this difference. I hope this long and detailed answer isn't too long or to detailed but it sums up my experience so far. I don't regret at all making the bayonet changes. Cheers Howard