Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/09/14

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Subject: [Leica] Photos, some Pentax and some Leica
From: Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway)
Date: Wed Sep 14 02:39:12 2005
References: <15770704.1126644563183.JavaMail.root@elwamui-royal.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

Following are some photos taken with an old Pentax telephoto and a Leica 
350 Telyt.

It's not a good idea to buy something just because,
"I've always wanted one of those!"

But... I did it anyway and I'm now on a beer budget again:
http://www.hemenway.com/TheCanon.jpg

It's a Takumar 4.5/500mm circa 1965+, screw mount M42.

I took these photos about 5 weeks ago, a day or so after I received the
lens.  I mounted it on the isDS and I was less than 1/4 mile from the
subjects. Shot at around f11 and f16.
http://www.hemenway.com/Takumar500/

The following were taken a month ago on Telegraph Hill in Hull,
MA.  It was very humid and hazy... I couldn't even see the background
lighthouse until I downloaded the photos from the camera.

I've been told since that the sensors generally pick up just enough
infrared so that some items lost in haze will show up in the digital image.

I think that the hazy conditions caused the "softness" of the distance
shots because the photo of the tower and of the other photographer,
(about 100 feet from me) are pretty clear in comparison.

Shot wide open at f4.5 so that I could have very fast shutter speeds
because of the wind shaking the rig a bit.  The large aperture may have
also contributed to the softness.

The first lighthouse, Boston Light is about 2 miles from where I was
standing and the distant lighthouse, The Graves is almost 3.5 miles.
http://www.hemenway.com/Takumar500-Hull/


I returned to the hill the following Wednesday to shoot some 11x14, and 
also to unscientifically compare the Takumar shots taken earlier, with 
some from the  Leica Telyt 350mm lens.  The weather was less humid and 
hazy, I could easily see The Graves lighthouse.

The cropping factor of 1.5 on the isDS gives a 750mm result with the
Takumar 500mm... while using the 2x doubler on the 350mm is just a
little less at 700mm on the Leica R8.
http://www.hemenway.com/TakumarandTelyt/

Both sets were shot using a tripod, but there was a little breeze
apparent on both days as I composed in the viewfinder.  If I try this
again, I'll do it on a clear, dry fall day and I'll use the heavy Ries
tripod from my 11x14 kit.

I think that these lenses are best for closer subjects like sports and
wildlife.

Jim


Replies: Reply from langeratcarleton at gmail.com (Mark Langer) ([Leica] Re: Photos, some Pentax and some Leica)
Reply from nathan.wajsman at planet.nl (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] Photos, some Pentax and some Leica)
Reply from s.dimitrov at charter.net (Slobodan Dimitrov) ([Leica] Photos, some Pentax and some Leica)