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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
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Leica 70-180mm f2.8 Vario-APO-Elmarit vs takumar 135 3.5
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:55 pm
Post subject: Leica 70-180mm f2.8 Vario-APO-Elmarit vs takumar 135 3.5
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:55 pm
Post subject: Leica 70-180mm f2.8 Vario-APO-Elmarit vs takumar 135 3.5
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I have this lens mounted on my 400D but it's too heavy 2kg and I don't know if my canon will support that
I am sure it is a top lenses, check samples here (not from me)
http://www.northcoastphotos.com/Lympa.htm


180mm @ 2.8


Last edited by poilu on Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:10 pm; edited 1 time in total


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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:17 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:17 pm
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Poilu
ouch that is so sharp it hurts!

patrickh


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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:48 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:48 pm
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My Leica book (Sartorius) describes this lens as "it can only be defined as a true masterpiece of optics and mechanics".
It was built in 1995 and 12 different types of glass have been used for it, including 5 with "partial anomalous dispersion" glasses (don't know if this is correct ENglish translation).
Leica says that definition and contrast wide open are superior to those of corresponding prime Leica lenses.
Vignetting and coma practically absent.
A special x2 extender was built for this lens (the Apo-Extender-R 2x).

Cost of all this: a fortune and a half.


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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:52 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:52 pm
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Orio wrote:
Cost of all this: a fortune and a half.


Kadlubek: approx. € 3500,- for a used lens.
FM list 2007/08 (what vendors would pay): € 2500,-.

Shocked


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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:54 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:54 pm
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this lens is amazing, look 180mm wide open absolute 0 sharpening



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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:21 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:21 pm
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Nicely sharp. It shows up your grouting in gruesome detail Smile


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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:09 pm
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:09 pm
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I made some comparison
In good light condition and at F5.6 the differences are small between good 135 mm lenses.
I am sure in low contrast situation the leica should make differences more obvious.

At 2.8 leica is little better than the contax 135 2.8 but more important with 0 chromatic aberration
At 5.6 leica is better than my sharp takumar smc 3.5
For the contax difference are not so obvious.


100% crop F5.6 light unsharp 150-0.3
leica - contax - takumar


@ 135mm F5.6 the contax 80-200 give same result than contax 135 F5.6
but @180mm leica is better than contax 80-200 |@ 180mm F5.6

leica-contax


conclusion: this leica is a top lenses with 0 chromatic aberration and resolution only limited by sensor.


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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 2:06 pm
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 2:06 pm
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IMPRESSIVE!!!
I wish I had only that half of fortune Shocked


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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 5:34 am
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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 5:34 am
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These are some GREAT test shots and comparison images. You did a great job of putting these into an order that is easy to compare. Thank you for that hard work!

I can't BELIEVE the sharpness! Wow!
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