Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Leaf shutter lenses for medium format cameras do not focus closely. To make a head-and-shoulder portrait with a Hasselblad/Zeiss 4/150 you need an extension ring. This is a matter of mechanical constraints (leaf shutter versus focusing helical) and optical constraints for the larger negative (relatively long extension for close-ups, e.g. 30mm for a tight face portrait with a 150mm lens). In comparison to that a plain Leica-R Summicron or Elmarit 90mm lens can handle a 1:6 magnification without any close-up accessories. To get closer you may use the ELPRO/MACROTAR close-up lenses or extension tubes. There are "manual" (no cam to tranfer the working aperture to the camera body's ttl meter) and "automatic" extension rings. The latter offert 31.5mm extension, dedicated to the 60mm or 100mm Macro lenses ( 2 cam and 3 cam version) or for all lenses (but then only for R3 and later camera bodies). Hans-Peter