[Leica] 90 Cron R on D700

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

> Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:38:51 -0400
> From: Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] M/V Star Aquarius 90 Cron R on D700
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>
> Howard - You tried I'm sure doing some work with the R lenses  
> stopped down?
> Because some say its quite doable. The image stays bright in the  
> viewfinder.

Hi Mark,
Indeed I have shot lots with the lens stopped down. Focus confirmation  
does work up to f5.6
which is a bonus, but as you stop down the finder does naturally  
darken, and you lose
the ability to focus accurately and quickly - at least I do. So what  
you need to do is focus
wide open and then crank the lens down just before you take the  
picture in order to gain depth
of field. It can be done but I get plenty of misses this way.
For my age (67) and stage (tri focals) the AF of the 70 - 200 VR II  
was a siren call. I blame Jayanand! :-)
>
> My point is not only can it be done, non automatic diaphragm  
> shooting it can
> be done day in day out 24/7.
> At least one guy on the LUG David Rogers does it all the time and  
> shows his
> jpegs to us from it. I'm sure others have. You can stop down and keep
> shooting.
>
> My main main point is that although a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/ 
> 2.8G ED
> VR II Lens is an awsomely capable tool I sure Hate to see somebody  
> "trading"
> a Leica 180mm f3.4 APO-TELYT-M for it.

Better in my opinion to pass the lens on to somebody with sharper eyes  
and faster reflexes who will use it rather than
stick it back in the dry box where it was resting before I put the  
leitax bayonet on it. Besides I got quite good money for it. :-)
That was before Leica announced no R solution and the buyer also got  
all the parts to turn the lens back to an R lens if he wanted.
>
> That's like saying you want a BMW but you don't "trade in" your  
> Bentley for
> it. Because they you don't have your Bentley and what is the point  
> of life?

I prefer the Beemer anyway. :-)

>
> A Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR you can shoot an elephant  
> charging
> at you and scamper out of the way at the last minute I'm sure but do  
> it with
> a 180mm f3.4 APO-TELYT-M you don't care if you live or die. You've  
> just gone
> to heaven anyway getting a shot with such blazing micro contrast and  
> who
> knows what you can't even believe it. The gnomes from Solms don't fool
> around.

True - very true. But I would like to live to shoot another day!

>
> Less trading please. More use of piggy banks.

Yes Sir!

Yours Cheerfully
Howard.