Re: [Leica] My 1st Generation f/2.8 APO-Telyt-R Lens...

["Ted Grant" <tedgrant@home.com>]

Greg J. Lorenzo wrote:

>>My 1st Generation f/2.8 APO-Telyt-R Lens...has finally arrived!
Due to a prior commitment tonight my first use will have to wait until
tomorrow.  My impressions so far:

This thing is one MASSIVE, GIGANTIC and TITANIC chunk of glass. It came with
ND and a PL filters which the kids remarked are the size of dinner
plates. Has anyone shot with this lens handheld or dropped it on their
foot?<<

Hi Greg,
Hand holding is a piece of cake, just takes a bit of practice and if you
have a motor drive on your R get the Leica tubular shoulder brace that fit
the old 400 6.8 with pistol grip. Then get the micro switch that mounts in
the pistol grip with a wire connection to the motor and away you go like
crazy.

You'll be able to hand hold the works at 1/15th no sweat! :-) I've used mine
hand held more times since 1984 when it arrived in the world than it's spent
time on monopod or tripod.

Then the next two items you need "right away!" :-) Sorry three, one is lots
of money! ;-) Then the 1.4 and 2X extenders and you're really laughing
because then you make the 280 into a 400 f.4 with the 1.4, or using the 2X
you have a 560 5.6. Or the really big jump, mount the 1.4 to the lens, then
lock the 2X on to that, then lock it all onto the camera and you have....
800mm f.8.... hand holdable! Man it's wild goose shooting time. ;-)

Of course if you have the shoulder brace man you can shoot 800mm images like
they're going out of style and amaze your wife, kids and friends with the
incredible images you'll bring home. :-)

Relax and use the 280 lots and soon you'll be handle it like a normal lens
it'll be so easy.

I'm going to add one other little item you might look at to use with it
.........

The Leica R macro adapter, using it changes the complete focusing range and
just another way of doing pictures completely different. Then throw on the
1.4 with the macro adapter and you've got the incredible "close-up 400 mm
macro lens!" :-)  Get daring and use it with the 2X it begins to get wild
and when you do it with the whole rig, lens, 1.4, 2X and macro it's a nats
eye at 100 yards. ;-)  And a collection of really different and exciting
photographs.

Just have fun as the only thing holding you back will be your imagination,
so let it go wild !
ted

PS:
Never dropped it on my foot but had an accident during the Barcelona '92
Olympics and dropped a 400 2.8 on the 280 and the repair bill was $1600. and
change. Fortunately insurance paid for it.

 Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant

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