Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/11/28

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Subject: [Leica] Leitaxed R lenses on Nikon focus confirmation
From: mak at teleport.com (Mark Kronquist)
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:57:05 -0800
References: <mailman.970.1354152757.1211.lug@leica-users.org> <56435EBB-E5E4-4C5E-847E-EC0C84932E5C@netvigator.com> <BLU173-DS18A0D122748E4B341A1E8CB85C0@phx.gbl>

D3 user many adapted lenses  rather than relying on arrows and dot the glass 
shows focus well. On a D3 they almost always agree...(severe backlighting 
no) 
On Nov 28, 2012, at 8:46 PM, Aram Langhans wrote:

> 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
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from steve.barbour at gmail.com (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Leitaxed R lenses on Nikon focus confirmation)
In reply to: Message from cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer) ([Leica] Leitaxed R lenses on Nikon)
Message from leica_r8 at hotmail.com (Aram Langhans) ([Leica] Leitaxed R lenses on Nikon)