APO-Telyt-R 180/3.4 vs. APO-Lanthar 180/4

trifox · Expire: 2014-05-29

Hi Vilhelm -- I fully agree with all you've mentioned --

What I am saying is that I am missing something in highlights -- that's all ..

Enjoy your lens as much as you can --

I have done several shots with my APO Lanthar 90 3.5 and it's beautiful but any if this lens is under strong light -- there is not too much texture.

tf

james · Expire: 2011-12-28

One thing about buying a quality lens that appeals to you is that if you tire of it or it disappoints, you can always sell. Good glass will always find an interested buyer.
I was always curious about the Leica and had no intention of buying one but happened upon it in a shop for ~450 euros. Despite owning the CV 180, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. And if I find that it's getting little use, I'll sell it. I did the same with a ZF28 whose performance wasn't as expected so I sold it for what it was bought at and a Nikkor 17-35 whose performance was far from stellar (at its widest end) so after shooting with it for an entire year, I lost just a few hundred dollars for the experience. Pros like Vilhelm have a more practical sense of equipment, but for a hobbyist like me who doesn't shoot day in & day out this is an appealing way to learn about a lot of different glass characteristics.

I look at it as a reasonable cost for the education.

no-X · Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 7:27 am Post subject:

trifox: Do I understand you well, that you find better texture in highlights on pictures taken by Leitz? If so, it can be easily explained. Lanthar is more contrasty lens. It means that the image projected on the camera sensor is more contrasty (has higher dynamic range). If the sensor isn't able to capture the entire dynamic range, highlights are clipped and detail is lost. In this case I wouldn't criticise the lens, but the camera.

I think it would be interesting to see a comparision made with several high-end cameras with high dynamic range (D3x, S5PRO, 1Ds-III, A900) Smile

Esox lucius · Expire: 2011-11-18

Please don't add 90/3.5 data here, that belongs in another topic.

Highlight tests with the APO-Telyt & APO-Lanthar... waste of time because results are pre-determined by choice of sensor.

Highlight conservation is more dependent on how much dynamic range sensor can capture. D3/D3s/5dMk2 can all do a bit more than 12 f-stops, a D3x already does almost 14 full f-stops. Go to http://www.dxomark.com and compare them (and other sensors) from the drop-down menu.

What I would like to see, in stead of highlight detail tests, is more photos taken with these lenses. Posted in another, dedicated topic Smile

Vilhelm

trifox · Expire: 2014-05-29

@ no-x -- I meant that was MORE contrast in Lanthar output .. Telyt has some greenish 'haze' as noticed by other people too and this may be a reason why we can see highlights 'with some texture' ... it's also hard to say if this greenish texture (in highlights by Telyt) is exactly what we want to get ... whether we can call this as a BENEFIT:).

@ Vilhelm -- yes, send more pictures, of course..

metallaro1980 · Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 9:53 pm Post subject:

after I saw this samples... I like more the apo-lanthar 180 than leica apo-telyt-r 180.
apo-lanthar is for close focus. ok.
apo telyt-r is for infinity focus but I don't like the greenish cast..
Rolling Eyes

so if I would a 200mm lens, a bit better than my Jupiter-21M what can i buy ?
and you must consider that in general I use my Jupiter-21M for infinity focus.
excuse me ... but I am a bit pernickety...

BRunner · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 705 Location: Czech Republic

james · Expire: 2011-12-28

The Nikkor 180/2.8 ED AiS (a lens I've owned for 15 years and know well) is readily available and its price has fallen in the past 1-2 years. It can easily be found for less than �250/US$325 from sources in the US. Sharp and quite heavy, it demostrates lots of axial and lateral CA (the former gone by ~f/5.6; Nikon Capture now purports to eliminate axial CA but I haven't had any experience with the new software). The very inexpensive and surprisingly capable Nikkor 200/4 is another great and compact alternative to the CV180.
The CV 180 has become very scarce (see Vilhelm's production estimates) and I haven't seen one on eBay for some time [UPDATE: Vilhelm, of all people, is selling a new-in-box duplicate copy on eBay as of this writing]. The last time I can recall one at auction, it sold for about $1,100 in Nikon mount. If anyone is interested, Cameraquest in the US still has them new in Pentax mount for $900/�700. If memory serves, the 180 was made for Nikon, Pentax, M42 and maybe Contax/Yashica; Vilhelm is the authority on this. I don't believe EOS mount was one of them. Cosina's recent release of a new SL II version of the sought after 90/3.5 suggests to me that an updated 180 can't be too far off. Definitely worth the wait and superior in IQ to the other options mentioned especially if it's priced similar to the new SL II 90 (US$550).

metallaro1980 · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:56 pm Post subject:

FluffPuppy · Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 365

I have owned the APO-Telyt, but did not keep it. It was designed for reconnaissance use, not general pictorial photography, and it shows. I have owned 4 different Leitz 180s, and this was one of them. The 180 f/4 Elmar-R is a much superior lens for general photography. The second version of the Elmarit (not the APO-Elmarit, which came later) is also a splendid lens, and I prefer either of them to the APO-Telyt.

metallaro1980 · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 2:52 pm Post subject:

the apo telyt-r shows more details than apo-lanthar in the shot of audi (near the pneumatic)

metallaro1980 · Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:27 pm Post subject: