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Leitz Canada Telyt-R 1:4/250 MM first version [new pics]
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 3:59 pm    Post subject: Leitz Canada Telyt-R 1:4/250 MM first version [new pics] Reply with quote

Hi!
Got this lens very cheap (~80€), due potential reselling profit I couldn't resist.
Build quality is very good, very strong, thick and massive brass, but the lens is damn heavy aswell (like Tair-3 etc. or even heavier, but at least more compact), which is the biggest con of this lens.
Optically this first version of the lens has often slightly negative ratings, so I expected nothing, but I found that it's actually quite nice as albeit sharpness and resolution are not made for intense pixel peeping nerds like some other Leica Telyt's are, but it's more than sharp enough, colors and contrast are very decent and CA's are also very well controlled. There is some (very minor and smooth, some would call it (sarcasm Wink) "Leica-) glow wide open (only) in 100% view, but gets invisbile @F5.6, overall it as a nice performance also at wide apertures.
MFD is around 3,8m, so it's not a lens for macros or close up, but good enough for nice potraits.

Due Leica-R mount it can be easily adapted to most DSLRs (Canon EF, Sony A,..., due focal length even Nikon if you don't care about very far distances).

Here some quick test shots from today, all F5.6 (or some F4 maybe) in clouded light, all 1/800s and so quite high ISO on Sony A7 (full frame). All handheld of course.





















Last edited by ForenSeil on Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:08 pm; edited 11 times in total


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice results, usually this lens sells for 200€+ in good condition so you got a real bargain.

Please show us some crops even if they do not look so good.
Have you already tried this lens for long distance shots?



Timo


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whatever this sells for you have done it justice, great focusing skills there, keep it until you get a silly offer,


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here two crops; lens stopped down to F5.6
But don't forget it's handheld; 250mm is not easy to keep steady on a 24MP sensor, also at 1/800s, especially with moving objects where you can't hold you breath.









With some contrasty sunlight they would have looked a little sharper for sure.
Imho it's not for pixel peeping (look what my Rodagon 105 does for instance at 100% https://www.flickr.com/photos/54671350@N02/13611442544/sizes/o/in/set-72157632873067443/ ) but more than good enough I would say Smile

cyrano wrote:
Whatever this sells for you have done it justice, great focusing skills there, keep it until you get a silly offer,

Thx, but focusing tele lenses outdoors with Sony A7 is quite easy due focus peaking and usually even I'm better Wink

I almost forgot to say, you have to turn the focusing ring a lot for focusing, which is nice for precise potrait focusing but is more demanding for sports etc., especially at distances of less than 5m where you have the turn the focusing ring 180° for only 1m difference or something like that. My Nikon 180/2.8 ED works much easier for sports here.


Last edited by ForenSeil on Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:54 pm; edited 5 times in total


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow that lens renders beautifully! Great pop Very Happy


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

looks fine for me.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have to say, looks a fair bit less good than the Konica Hexanon 4.5/300 and I don't think it's better than a good copy of the Tair-3 either.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cheap Leica rarely good , rarely better than anything else, rather worst. Great pictures, lovely dogs, congrats!!


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Leitz Canada Telyt-R 1:4/250 MM first version, quick tes Reply with quote

ForenSeil wrote:
Optically this first version of the lens has often slightly negative ratings,
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Nice pictures with typical Sony greens!Smile
I could not see any major flaw in your lens, which seems to be better than average.
The Telyt-R 250mm F4 uses an optical scheme much like the SMC Pentax 300mm F4.
The greatest difficulty of using telephoto lenses to shoot action is putting the focus on the desired point. For example, in the Picture below the focus is on the dog's tail instead of the head.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for comments!
I think I will try it again once with good light and more bokeh and then decide if I will keep it at least for a few more months or until I find something better or lighter

Would be nice to find the second version of this lens for cheap aswell, it's said to be dramatically sharper, contrastier and most important also lighter. As this lens is already very good the second version must be simply awesome Smile
Though I've never seen it going for less than ~300€ so far, but maybe a good offer will come one day

@Ian -
the Konica is already on my wishlist Wink
Btw., how large is it compared to the Tair for example? Is it more compact?

I had two Tair-3's (one un- or single-coated was crap, one MC was very good), it's imho too large for taking on a longer walkaround (does not even fit into my bag) which is a big drawback for me, while the Leitz fit into my usual shoulder bag. The Tair always needs and extra hand for transportation. IQ wise I would rate my better Tair-3 copy indeed to be on about the same level optically, especially when both are stopped down, though they have very different character.


Last edited by ForenSeil on Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:31 am; edited 3 times in total


PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Active dogs - lovely colours.
I've given up trying to chase subjects like these with an MF telephoto. For my old eyes it is simply a waste of time.
You have done remarkably well under the circumstances.
I would have reached for an AF lens if I'd had one at the time, but as calvin83 says:
the best lens to use is the one you have with you.
OH


PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As promised more samples with brighter light, from a walk with my dog.
Unfortunately my adapter has a light leak issue; I always had to close the leak with one finger which made focusing extra hard this time, with better adapter results might have been better https://www.flickr.com/photos/54671350@N02/13853296765/in/photostream/

All shots F5.6 or a half stop between F5.6 and F8, except #2 which might be wide open.
All shot handheld (not easy with 250mm, 24MP and moving objects)
All have slight PP, some sharpening, noise reduction, added a little "dynamic"/saturation in Lightroom to get an even more vivid look (in some like #6 it became a little too much, sry).

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5 (larger: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54671350@N02/13877898263/sizes/k/in/photostream/ )

#6

#8

#9

#10

100% crop:

#11

#12

#13 (cropped to 12,5MP, view larger: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54671350@N02/13877776143/sizes/k/in/photostream/ )

#14


Conlusion:
+ No major optical flaws
+ Decent bluish CA control and low vignetting (might work very decent for deep sky photography)
+ Decent colors
+ Leica R mount - easy to adapt to almost every DSLR
+ Build like a tank
+ More compact than many comparable lenses
+ Build in hood which is very effective

- "Only" F4
- Resolution is good but there are a crispier ones
- Lens is very heavy
- MFD of 3,8m only (~potrait distance)
- Focus is smooth and very precise but you have to turn the focusing ring too much for my taste; it's more made for precision than for speed.

Final conclusion: Lens is very good Smile
I think I need to try the second version which is supposed to have better MFD, better resolution and less weight, must be really awesome

Side question: Does anyone know why this lens is called "Telyt" and not "Elmar"?
EDIT: Answer: Every lens Leitz above 200mm focal length is called Telyt, but some with 180mm are called Telyt while others are still called "Elmar" or "Elmarit". Does anyone know if there's are reason for that?


Last edited by ForenSeil on Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:15 pm; edited 14 times in total


PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Too much CA to be called 'very good' I think. I'd call it good but too much CA for my tastes.

I guess we know now why they also made an Apo-Telyt.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CA or no CA, this lens renders tremendous images Smile I'd much rather use this than a boring lens that produces flat, dull images Very Happy

P.s. OP, your dog is amazingly cute Shocked Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ManualFocus-G wrote:
CA or no CA, this lens renders tremendous images Smile I'd much rather use this than a boring lens that produces flat, dull images Very Happy

P.s. OP, your dog is amazingly cute Shocked Very Happy


Thx Smile
Today I shot with Nikon 180/2.8 ED again and missed the Telyt a lot, even if the Nikon is slightly sharper much lighter and easier to focus, output of the Leitz would have been often better.

Actually my dog is only adopted and might not stay forever, but until then I have quite cute (but very headstrong Wink) model ^^

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Too much CA to be called 'very good' I think. I'd call it good but too much CA for my tastes.

I guess we know now why they also made an Apo-Telyt.


For me it looks quite decent. But I'm only allergic towards blueish CAs at high contrast transitions while other usually don't disturb me very much until reaching (very) high levels. Could you please crop a sample were you can see the most disturbing CAs (on Flickr you can download all my samples in full res via right click) to show exactly what you mean?
And I will have a look if it might be partially caused by PP (I added a little color saturation in Lightroom which should have increased CAs...) and/or can be removed.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

wow, I love this lens and try to find it. Your pictures are stunting.