No idea. If you are too lazy to find good locations or to blur ugly backgrounds in photoshop, it might be helpful. Also, it's a whole lot cheaper than a Summicron.
AcuteShadows wrote:
No idea. If you are too lazy to find good locations or to blur ugly backgrounds in photoshop, it might be helpful. Also, it's a whole lot cheaper than a Summicron.
I guess that is the major selling point of 7a lenses. Or maybe one just needs 1.2 in a pinch...
nehemiahphoto wrote:
I guess that is the major selling point of 7a lenses. Or maybe one just needs 1.2 in a pinch...
With EVF on either Sony or Leica, I would not care going 75/1.2 but try focusing accurately with a telephoto lens on rangefinder at f/1.2. It would be hard to get accurate results unless the subject is at a long distance.
With the CV 75/1.5, I am getting consistent results at mid-distance when shooting wide open and f/2-2.5 at close distance using the RF.
I have not tried the 7artisan and we can always stop down the lens but the Voigtlander is only 350g and it's sharp from wide open.
Fred Miranda wrote:
With EVF on either Sony or Leica, I would not care going 75/1.2 but try focusing accurately with a telephoto lens on rangefinder at f/1.2. It would be hard to get accurate results unless if your subject is at long distance.
With the CV 75/1.5, I find I only get consistent results at mid-ditstance wide open and f/2-2.5 at close distance using the RF.
I have not tried the 7artisan but the Voigtlander is only 350g and it's sharp wide open.
Yes, but I think (from her posted photos) that Helena shoots the a7 series, so that's the context in which I was posing the original question to her.
I have a similar experience to you. I have an Ikon (film RF) and a Sonnetar 73 1.5 that I don't use on it as most of my photos once developed have been out of focus when shooting WO. Even my ZM 50 1.5 (which is optimized to 2.8, not WO) can be tricky to get focus until I stop down to f2.8.
To top it off, it's a 73mm which is fine for Leica RF's, but my the Ikon has 28/35/50/85 frame lines. If I swap out for a Leica, that would help, but a fast tele even with the correct frame lines is tricky. And it's not like on film I can just delete and retry like digital.
Long story short, on an RF, I shoot 28 or 35 and 50mm. On my a7x, I shoot 21/35/75mm regularly.
I find with my Ikon I often just put a 35mm on go out and about, using it like an RX1. I find this super rewarding.
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Yes, but I think (from her posted photos) that Helena shoots the a7 series, so that's the context in which I was posing the original question to her.
I have a similar experience to you. I have an Ikon (film RF) and a Sonnetar 73 1.5 that I don't use on it as most of my photos once developed have been out of focus when shooting WO. Even my ZM 50 1.5 (which is optimized to 2.8, not WO) can be tricky to get focus until I stop down to f2.8.
To top it off, it's a 73mm which is fine for Leica RF's, but my the Ikon has 28/35/50/85 frame lines. If I swap out for a Leica, that would help, but a fast tele even with the correct frame lines is tricky. And it's not like on film I can just delete and retry like digital.
Long story short, on an RF, I shoot 28 and/or 35 and 50mm. On my a7x, I shoot 21/35/75mm regularly. ...Show more →
I wonder how accurate RF focus would be with a 135/4 lens.
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Are you not using it below f2 on the 75A because you don't like the rendering/it's a stylistic choice or it's technically poor?
(Yes, A7 and A7II.) It's sharp enough for me wide open, but when the backgrounds are busy I tend to prefer the rendering at f/2 where it gets smoother. Also, like Fred indicates focusing can be tricky wide open, since it has some "glow" (which I don't mind). In an urban environment and in low light I often use it wide open though with pretty good results.
One thing I really like about the 7A is how the "bokeh circles" stay round to f/2.8 or something. It's the only lens I have that does this (besides some of my Lensbaby lenses/optics).
nehemiahphoto wrote:
I think they have special viewfinders that make it manageable, just like wides. The Zeiss Ikon OVF 21mm is spendy.
For the Mamiya 7 (6x7 film MF RF), the 210/f8 has a special viewfinder, but the lens isn't coupled to the body, so you have to estimate the distance.
The 150/4.5 uses the same viewfinder, but is coupled.
Quirky when shooting 75mm+ on RF's
I've owned a 135/4 Elmar since I bought my M3 in 1968, focus on M3 takes care to get right, on an M6ttl it was not good, you need the higher magnification of the M3 viewfinder. Anything less, such as the R2 Voigtlander I had, wouldn't do a 90/2.8 reliably.
I also have an Elmarit M 135/2.8, the goggles made it 'ok' on M6ttl much easier in M3. But I have mainly used the lenshead etc on evf cameras.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I wonder how accurate RF focus would be with a 135/4 lens.
Not at all accurate, in my experience. I bought a Tele-Elmar 135/4 last year and found it almost impossible to focus accurately with the M10-P's rangefinder. But when I switched to the EVF, the images were tack sharp. Eventually I decided to forget about being a Leica purist and to use it on an A7R3 because IBIS makes framing and focusing a long lens even easier.
I own the TE135 and two of the classic external OVF from Leitz, code name SHOOC: subject framing is easy versus any inbuilt finder. Gaining critical focus is another matter. The best analog solution is unscrewing the head and remounting onto a Visoflex housing. I have all those bits, too, and the full assembly is the center of attention at any cocktail party! This party trick only works until Leica redesigned the barrel and the head was permanently fixed.
I never liked those magnifiers, while they enlarged the view finder they also lowered the contrast so not very much was gained as far as nailing focus goes. At least that was my experience.
FWIW, and the M10 View Finder is a bit different from previous M cameras from what I understand, I use:
#1. My own specs ( no additional cost) this works fine for me even for very wide apertures.
2. If I don't want to use my specs, the Leica M10 diopter screwed on to the M10 View Finder ( Leica price tag, or buy used)
3. Try sticking a small yellow or blue gel patch to the main view finder window. I cut a small patch of yellow gel and stuck it to the finder widow with a drop of water. Some say blue is better. Depends on what works best for more view finder contrast or brightness.
4. Visoflex 020 ( Leica EVF) nowhere near Sony EVF or SL/2 IQ, but does the job none the less. Adds GPS too. (Expensive, but I really like this thing when I use it)
I use a magnifier on my M4-P (silver). The added benefit of a variable diopter is a huge plus for me. I used to use the leica version, but the Match Technical also has a nice rubber eyecup. I have no problems focusing the 135TE, which is a huge bargain BTW.
I found magnifiers to be useful for getting a better approximation of the magnification of longer lenses. 0.72x is dinky for a 90mm lens, for instance.
