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Leitz Telyt 280mm/F4.8 vs. Minolta MD 300mm/F4.5
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2018 1:32 pm    Post subject: Leitz Telyt 280mm/F4.8 vs. Minolta MD 300mm/F4.5 Reply with quote
On special request I've compared these two lenses on my A7R II as well.

As usual shot RAW and converted in LR without any further manipulation or lens correction. Please click on pictures for best quality viewing. Shot with sturdy tripod and 10 sec. selftimer with largest common aperture F5.6:

1. Leitz Telyt 280mm/F4.8 Visoflex (version II):



100% center crop:



100% side crop:



2. Minolta Tele-Rokkor MD 300mm/F4.5 IF (version MD II):



100% center crop:



100% side crop:



My previous comparison also with other additional lenses on my Ricoh GXR-M can be seen here: http://forum.mflenses.com/300mm-lens-comparison-leitz-minolta-pentax-t76838.html

Interenstingly I've had slightly better memories of the Telyt from my previous GXR-M comparison. However, it still beats the Minolta lens also on FF sensor in terms of CA's, particularly outside the center area. On the other side the Minolta (almost 20 years newer) delivers more contrast, most probably due to better coatings. Anyway, contrast is very easy to improve during post processing, when needed.

Unfortunately the rather expensive Novoflex adapter from Visoflex to Leica-M causes some vignetting with the Telyt in the very outer corners. That much to the excellent Novoflex quality. Wink

However, the Telyt is still a very capable lens and not bad at all when considering it's age (introduced 1961, my copy is from 1969) and price (I've paid EUR 179.-) as well.

Edit: Even my beloved Minolta AF H.S. APO G 300mm/F4 isn't able to beat the Telyt in the corners in terms of CA's.

Last edited by tb_a on Thu Dec 27, 2018 1:52 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2018 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That was fast - thanks a lot! From the images above one gets a good impression of the performance of the Telyt. It certainly has less CAs than the ED Nikkor 4.5/300mm and the Pentax M* 4/300mm ED. Quite remarkable.
On the other hand the (nowadays) extremely cheap Mamiya Sekor C 5.6/300mm probably has even less CAs and better detail resolution than the Telyt. Quite remarkable as well!

Thanks again for providing the information.

Stephan


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2018 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
That was fast - thanks a lot! From the images above one gets a good impression of the performance of the Telyt. It certainly has less CAs than the ED Nikkor 4.5/300mm and the Pentax M* 4/300mm ED. Quite remarkable.
On the other hand the (nowadays) extremely cheap Mamiya Sekor C 5.6/300mm probably has even less CAs and better detail resolution than the Telyt. Quite remarkable as well!

Thanks again for providing the information.

Stephan


You're welcome.

Thanks also for the information but I think I have no further need for another 300 mm lens. Wink
Additionally the adaption of a Mamiya 645 lens to either Leica-M or Sony-E would be another costly adventure.

BTW, the other Visoflex Telyts like the 200/4 and the 400/5 aren't bad as well.

Last edited by tb_a on Thu Dec 27, 2018 3:18 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2018 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:


Thanks also for the information but I think I have no further need for another 300 mm lens. Wink


Yep -- but others might be interested Wink

I was (and still am) surprised that all f4 and f4.5/300mm ED lenses from around 1980 are not that much better than the Minolta 4.5/300mm IF or the Canon FD 4/300mm (which always were said to be a quite bad 300mm lenses).

And I'm really surprised about the image quality of the Mamiya Sekor C 5.6/300mm which is almost identical as the Canon FL-F 5.6/300mm (the latter has two Fluorite lenses (even the much faster Canon 2.8/300mm L lenses do have "only" one Fluorite lens!)

Stephan


PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
tb_a wrote:


Thanks also for the information but I think I have no further need for another 300 mm lens. Wink


Yep -- but others might be interested Wink

I was (and still am) surprised that all f4 and f4.5/300mm ED lenses from around 1980 are not that much better than the Minolta 4.5/300mm IF or the Canon FD 4/300mm (which always were said to be a quite bad 300mm lenses).

And I'm really surprised about the image quality of the Mamiya Sekor C 5.6/300mm which is almost identical as the Canon FL-F 5.6/300mm (the latter has two Fluorite lenses (even the much faster Canon 2.8/300mm L lenses do have "only" one Fluorite lens!)

Stephan


Yes, many of the Canon FL range really were outstanding optics for their time and continue to perform.
Another excellent cheap lens from Canon is the FD 300mm f5.6 S.C.
Surprising performance really
Tom


PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
I was (and still am) surprised that all f4 and f4.5/300mm ED lenses from around 1980 are not that much better than the Minolta 4.5/300mm IF or the Canon FD 4/300mm (which always were said to be a quite bad 300mm lenses).


Well, there are a lot of story tellers around and many people are blinded by their favorite brand. I only believe what I'm seeing, preferably from my own camera. Wink

stevemark wrote:
And I'm really surprised about the image quality of the Mamiya Sekor C 5.6/300mm which is almost identical as the Canon FL-F 5.6/300mm (the latter has two Fluorite lenses (even the much faster Canon 2.8/300mm L lenses do have "only" one Fluorite lens!)


Well, I've out of curiosity checked also this Mamiya 645 lens but the price incl. new special adapter is no real bargain.

Actually I prefer to use my Minolta AF H.S. APO G 300mm/F4 which is fully usable already wide open (even with additional 1.4 X converter) for typical wildlife shootings where AF isn't bad as well.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:

Well, I've out of curiosity checked also this Mamiya 645 lens but the price incl. new special adapter is no real bargain.

Here in Switzerland they are around CHF 100.--.


tb_a wrote:

Actually I prefer to use my Minolta AF H.S. APO G 300mm/F4 which is fully usable already wide open (even with additional 1.4 X converter) for typical wildlife shootings where AF isn't bad as well.

Sure, for wildlife I also prefer lenses such as 2.8/200, 2.8/300, 4.5/400 and 2.8/400. Lateral CA's usually aren't disturbing, but a shallow depth-of-field and nice bokeh is important.

I've just been using the newly acquired FL-F 5.6/300mm Fluorite for a 40x60cm size calendar, and the final high quality offset print looks stunning. Of course, the FL-F 5.6/300mm is much easier to carry around than any of the 2.8/300mm lenses.

Stephan


PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:

Here in Switzerland they are around CHF 100.--.
Sure, for wildlife I also prefer lenses such as 2.8/200, 2.8/300, 4.5/400 and 2.8/400.


I think I already mentioned that Switzerland should be renamed to "Schlaraffenland". Wink

Maybe I should plan my next trip to Zurich or Luzern. Haven't been there for a while.

Well, these fast tele lenses like the 2.8/300 or the 2.8/400 are too heavy for my taste and not really cheap as well; but most probably also quite reasonable in Switzerland. Wink


PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:

...
I think I already mentioned that Switzerland should be renamed to "Schlaraffenland". Wink

Not so much any more. Many respected photography shops have been disappearing during the last two years, including the largest Swiss group (https://www.fotopro.ch/).
Two years ago there were still four large shops in the center of Zurich, now nothing is left. Of course there a the e. g. "light & byte" for professionals, but they don't buy/sell used stuff. Quite boring for people like me ...

I used to have really good connections to some of these shops; quite often i was able to get interesting stuff there (FD 2.8/300 Fluorite, MD 2.8/85mm Soft, FD 1.2/50mm L, MinAF 2/100mm, Tamron 2.8/70-150mm Soft) - often even for free since it was thrown away (Minolta XM with AE-S finder, Makro Kilar 2.8/4cm, MinAF 4.5-6.7/100-400mm APO, Canon FD 2.8/24, 1.4/50, and many, many other items). Lots of old camera stuff now will simply thrown away by ignorant / unaware people.

Of course there are flea markets and "Brockenhäuser", but finding something useful there is rather time-consuming.

tb_a wrote:
Maybe I should plan my next trip to Zurich or Luzern. Haven't been there for a while.
Maybe not. See above.

tb_a wrote:
Well, these fast tele lenses like the 2.8/300 or the 2.8/400 are too heavy for my taste and not really cheap as well; but most probably also quite reasonable in Switzerland. Wink

CaNikon MF 2.8/300 are in the range of 800-1200 CHF. I've never seen an MF 2.8/400 here; my own lens comes from Germany.
The Canon FD 2.8/300mm Fluorite is less than 2 kg, btw.

Stephan


PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 2:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many thanks for the information, Stephan. Luckily I've got enough lenses anyway. Wink
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