Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0024_01BE7F2D.AA040A80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable David, My plane of focus with the 80mm Summilux was just beyond my intended = distance fully half the time. And the error was never that I'd focused = short of my target. I was working hard to get it right. For a long = time, I thought it was me, fiddled with the diopter adjuster, moved it = back to zero and shot with my glasses on, but I was never able to get = things the way I wanted them more often than half the shots. Great = lens, and great look when it was on, but I could never develop any = confidence in it. And the focus point with that lens is its most = important creative dimension in most shots. Don't know if it was me, = the lens, the viewfinder, or some combination, the only pattern was = focusing just beyond the intended point. Finally traded it. I don't find the time between button push and shutter release with the = winder off or on to be different. I always [intend] to release the = shutter from the second detent in the release, and found your comments = interesting. I couldn't figure out why the time between button = compression and shutter release would be different because of having the = winder on, or why an electronic release on the drive would perform any = differently than the electronic release on the body. However, what = happens AFTER shutter release, will be very different, and I look = forward to trading my winder on a motor drive, too. In the literature = though, it talks about only a 4 frames per second speed on the drive...I = am hoping that speed is 1.) a conservative estimate, and 2.) with the = mirror down. =20 You mentioned that the 80mm f1.4 was a tad short for what you were = doing. If speed is not absolutely critical, I suggest you try the 100 = APO-Macro Elmarit. The look is different, and a little more tele- = flatter. Not the terrific bokeh of the 80mm Summilux, but very nice. = The extra reach of the 20mm may take you where you want to go, and the = utility of the razor sharp macro focusing is a tremendous feature. With = flowers popping out here in North America, bugs hatching etc., getting = small is fun. I like the length for portraits, too. It's a terrific = lens.=20 Focus on the 100mm pops in and out quite noticeably, and I my slides = "look" the way I "saw" the image, not the mystery plane of focus I had = with the 80mm, whose depth of field wide open was tiny. No doubt due in = some measure to the fact that it's naturally going to be deeper wide = open and more forgiving to error with an f2.8 than an f1.4 lens, but = when critically, carefully focused, the 100mm gives me more satisfying = images. If you're looking for just a little longer, the 100mm is worth = a try. Fun to use, wonderful images, great macro capacity, which at = this length, let's you stay back a little from critters, often not = disturbing them, when a shorter length would require moving the lens = closer for the same subject size on film. Enjoy the light. Greg - ------=_NextPart_000_0024_01BE7F2D.AA040A80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2014.210" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>David,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My plane of focus with the 80mm Summilux was just beyond my = intended=20 distance fully half the time. And the error was never that I'd = focused=20 short of my target. I was working hard to get it right. = For a=20 long time, I thought it was me, fiddled with the diopter adjuster, moved = it back=20 to zero and shot with my glasses on, but I was never able to get things = the way=20 I wanted them more often than half the shots. Great lens, and = great look=20 when it was on, but I could never develop any confidence in it. = And the=20 focus point with that lens is its most important creative dimension in = most=20 shots. Don't know if it was me, the lens, the viewfinder, or some=20 combination, the only pattern was focusing just beyond the intended = point. =20 Finally traded it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I don't find the time between button push and shutter release with = the=20 winder off or on to be different. I always [intend] to release the = shutter=20 from the second detent in the release, and found your comments=20 interesting. I couldn't figure out why the time between button = compression=20 and shutter release would be different because of having the winder on, = or why=20 an electronic release on the drive would perform any differently than = the=20 electronic release on the body. However, what happens AFTER = shutter=20 release, will be very different, and I look forward to trading my winder = on a=20 motor drive, too. In the literature though, it talks about only a = 4 frames=20 per second speed on the drive...I am hoping that speed is 1.) a=20 conservative estimate, and 2.) with the mirror down. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You mentioned that the 80mm f1.4 was a tad short for what you were=20 doing. If speed is not absolutely critical, I suggest you try the = 100=20 APO-Macro Elmarit. The look is different, and a little more tele-=20 flatter. Not the terrific bokeh of the 80mm Summilux, but very = nice. =20 The extra reach of the 20mm may take you where you want to go, and the = utility=20 of the razor sharp macro focusing is a tremendous feature. With = flowers=20 popping out here in North America, bugs hatching etc., getting small is=20 fun. I like the length for portraits, too. It's a terrific = lens.=20 </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Focus on the 100mm pops in and out quite noticeably, and I my=20 slides "look" the way I "saw" the image, not the mystery plane of = focus I=20 had with the 80mm, whose depth of field wide open was tiny. No = doubt due=20 in some measure to the fact that it's naturally going to be deeper wide = open and=20 more forgiving to error with an f2.8 than an f1.4 lens, but when = critically,=20 carefully focused, the 100mm gives me more satisfying images. If = you're=20 looking for just a little longer, the 100mm is worth a try. Fun to = use,=20 wonderful images, great macro capacity, which at this length, let's you = stay=20 back a little from critters, often not disturbing them, when a shorter = length=20 would require moving the lens closer for the same subject size on = film.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Enjoy the light.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Greg</DIV></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_0024_01BE7F2D.AA040A80--