[Leica] IMG: Macro Experiment with Leica-R 60 Elmarit Macro Lens

[Jim Nichols]

I've been using the Leica-R 60 macro lens for a few days and began 
wondering which gave the best results, adding the dedicated extension 
tube or the tube plus the Leica-R 2X Extender.  So, I did a kitchen 
counter experiment.  Using kitchen lights and a shiny dime, I first 
combined the dedicated extension tube with the 2X extender and mounted 
the assembly on an old Star-D tripod.  I adjusted the height so that the 
image of the dime filled the height of the frame, and took several 
exposures.  Here is the resulting image:

http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/20201008-DSCF2180.JPG.html

I then removed the 2X Extender and mounted the lens and extension tube 
as it was intended to be used.  I took several images of the dime, which 
now filled about half the height of the frame, and cropped the resulting 
image to match the first one:

http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/20201008-DSCF2192.JPG.html

It is my opinion that the lens/tube combination is sharper without the 
2X Extender, even with enlargement.  I am ignoring differences in 
lighting with this setup.

-- 
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA