Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Greg, I have used the 280 APO f4 lens with the 1.4x extender. The image quality is superb -- equal to a prime 400 lens. I also have shot extensively with the 560 lens with and without the 1.4x extender. With the 1.4x, the image quality is very good. Unfortunately, I do not have direct experience with the 2x APO extender. In short, the decision to purchase the 1.4x for the 280 lens or a prime 400 or 560 lens depends upon subject matter and lens usage. I find the 280 with a 1.4x to be a very portable combination that offers 2 focal lengths. The prime 400 and 560 lenses offer the advantage of rapid focus with the trombone style movement. This is particularly important when shooting handheld. That reminds me of an image that got away. Eight years ago, I was shooting killer whales off the coast of Alaska. When the boat captain announced that we would pull away in a few minutes, I squeezed off several shots on dorsel fins. Not too exciting. When the captain started the engine, a killer whale breached filling the frame of my 560 lens. I hit the shutter button. Nothing happened. The R body was out of film. The mental image of the breach is still magnificent. The trick is how to scan it onto film. Bill Christensen - ---Original Message----- From: Robert G. Stevens <robsteve@istar.ca> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Date: Tuesday, October 20, 1998 7:26 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] APO-Extender-R advice >Greg: > >The APO Telyt-R f4 280mm is considered by Leica to be its finest R lens >period. Use of either extender would not degrade it enough for you to >notice. One word of advice though, I have been trying to do shore birds >myself, and even with a 2X on my 400, it is not close enough. You may wish >to save your money and spend it on a portable blind so that you can get >close enough to make frame filling shots. > >I have shot from my truck as a blind using a tripod on the passenger side, >but close birds are few and far between. The top two images herer were done >with the 400 2.8 APO and the old non-APO 2x plus the APO 1.4x for 1120mm F8 >using the truck blind method. >http://home.istar.ca/~robsteve/photography/birds.htm >I have come to the conclusion that I need to use a blind and set up and >wait using the 400 2.8 alone or with the 1.4x. I have seen results of up >close pictures taken with a blind and they are amazing. You may want to >try a blind first before spending on the converter. The 1.4x may be a >better choice to start with. > >Regards, > >Robert > > At 07:50 AM 10/19/98 -0600, you wrote: >>Good morning LUG-- >> >>I would like to ask advice of R users who have experience with the Leica >>APO-extenders. I have used tele-extenders before with other brands of >>cameras, with unsatisfactory results; degraded sharpness, very soft edges, a >>general haze. >> >>Primary use would be in photographing shore birds and waterfowl, and the >>primary lens "extended" would be the APO Telyt-R f4 280mm. A wonderful >>lens, but often not enough for skittish wild birds. However, the 280 is a >>wonderful lens, and I would rather wrestle around and find the lira for >>something longer if the extenders are not going to deliver the quality I >>have come to expect of this lens. >> >>So quality is first; I would buy the APO version of the extender. >> >>If the quality is there, the next issue is which one to buy, the 1.4X or the >>2X? Is there a difference in image quality between the APO versions of >>these two? Perhaps some of the LUGgers who have used both can help me with >>the telephoto length increase versus loss of speed issue. With this >>particular lens, the 1.4X would take me to an f5.6 400mm and the 2X an f8 >>560mm...obviously, greater "pull" is appealing, but with f8 as the fastest >>selection, I would be at the edge of difficult shutter speeds for such great >>length, even with a sturdy tripod and MLU. This would be mounted on an R8, >>so I've got the brightest SLR viewfinder going. >> >>There are old Telyt R's in very good condition around for about the price of >>a new APO extender. Both the 400 and 560 are f6.3. This poses a quality >>question--which version, extended or prime, will render the best image on >>film? >> >>Any experiences LUGgers have had in sorting out the best decision in this >>context will be appreciated. Thanks in advance. >> >>Enjoy the light! >> >>Greg Bicket >>__________________________ >> >>By the way, in response to those who've asked about potential LUG >>server/software problems, I am getting messages repeated from one digest to >>another, and I am seeing answers to questions and responses to comments to >>which I have not seen the original post. >> >>GB >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >