[Leica] Fast 85mm portraits or joy in melted backgrounds.

[doubs43 at cox.net (Walker Smith)]

>
>
>Walker, I don't know how you feel about adapters, but the LTM can be
>adapted to many SLR's.  I suspect that you will have almost complete
>focus range to infinity with many cameras.  If you have a Leica SLR
>there are several adapters to mount M lenses and with a LTM-M adapter
>you could stay Leica.
>
>For some things the beast is a marvelous choice for portraits and
>possibly macro.
>
>Don
>
Don, I spent an hour yesterday fooling around with one of my Helios-40 
lens, Visoflex I and Visoflex II housings plus various adapters and 
extension tubes. No combination produced infinity focus, even with a 
direct attachment to the Visoflex II. The thickness of the housings is 
just too great. However, it wasn't a complete waste because I did find 
that with an Accura adjustable extension tube I could mount my 200mm 
Telyt on my START SLR and focus past infinity. That, at least, is a 
usable combination. All of my Leica bodies are RF but an SLR Leica isn't 
out of the question for the future.

Another possibility that I'd like to try with the Helios-40 is an 
adapter to fit it to an Exakta. I don't own a Zeiss Biogon 75mm f/1.5 
and the Helios would be a suitable sub if I could get it to fit.

Your three pictures are proof-positive that the Helios is a fine 
portrait lens. The weight helps keep it steady too.

Walker