Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/08/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]A month ago I purchased a used 280mm f/4.8 Telyt (a Visoflex lens, made i= n Canada, last version) to supplement my 400 and 560 Telyts for wildlife work. Here's my field report: I took the 280, 400 and 560 on a family camping trip to Yellowstone and other western national parks. Our Voyager was crammed with stuff; my brother's Grand Voyager was similarly loaded. The 400 and 560 were much too bulky to be kept in the passenger area so they were buried under sleeping bags, tents and miscellaneous kid toys and foodstuffs. The trip= od was similarly packed out of reach. The 280 was close at hand the entire time. I really like the 280mm focal length. It was perfect for most of the larger mammals down to animals the size of a marmot (a western woodchuck)= =2E = The Telyt shows more flare than the 400 f/6.8 with direct sunlight on the= front element but I doubt any long lens could meet or better the 400's flare resistance. Many of my first few 280 chromes suffer from a slight case of hand-held-itis but the ones that don't have this problem are cris= p and contrasty with bright, clear colors and wonderfully smooth and gentle= out-of-focus areas in the background. The chromes displayed no light fall-off at the edges or corners. I used it entirely at maximum aperture= , without a shoulder stock. The 280 is an old-style lens without internal focus so it will focus only= as close as 11 feet (3.5 meters) but with the 14256 macro-adapter-R extension tube the focus range is from about 11 feet to about 6 feet (2 meters). The 14256 is a very handy extension tube and will be better onc= e I modify it to fit the SL. It would be even better if it cost much less.= My father's N***** 300mm f/4.5 ED will "win" a lines/mm or MTF contest bu= t I prefer the overall look of the Telyt's chromes. The ED's chromes are brutally sharp to the point of harshness; likewise the out-of-focus areas= are broken and distracting where the Telyt gives pleasant, complimentary washes of color. Mechanically the 280 is first-rate. Nothing sloppy or stiff. The ED is no match for the Telyt in this area. What I don't like: in standard configuration the 280 has a traditional rotating ring focus mechanism. No problem for static subjects but less than ideal for active wildlife. I'll be looking for a Televit-R and the 14138 adapter to fit the 280 to the Televit. Consider this a WTB. Among= Leica 250/280 lenses only the last version 280 f/4.8 offers this option. = As far as I know only Novoflex has ever offered a comparable fast-focus mechanism with a 280-ish lens. My favorite long lens? Most of the time it was whatever lens was attache= d to the SL. Lacking a Televit for the 280, the 400 is still the most usef= ul lens for my work when it's bulk isn't a problem. The 280 is my next favorite. If you don't mind the pre-set aperture it's a good lens and quite a bargain. - -Doug