Leitz Telyt II 280mm/F4.8 (latest Visoflex M39 version)

[tb_a]

As already reported I purchased this lens because it was offered at a bargain price (EUR 179).

Here are my first test shots more or less quick and dirty with my Ricoh GXR-M:


Infinity at F4.8:



Infinity at F16:



Apprx. 3m distance at F4.8 (distance ring was used):



Same as before at F8:



Wide open some purple fringing is visible (1st picture) which easily can be removed by LR. Stopped down (2nd picture) it disappears anyway and it's tack sharp from corner to corner (at least on APS-C). The original height of the pug figure is 17cm.
I think it's better than my Minolta MD 300/4.5 IF but below my Minolta AF 300/4 APO G. However, if the weather improves I will do some direct comparisons to make that sure. Maybe I will also include my Super Takumar 300/4.

The lens was produced 1969 and is designed to be used on Leitz Visoflex viewer and is therefore easily adaptable on most of the existing digital cameras. I'm using it on my Ricoh GXR-M with cheaply available Visoflex-M to Nikon and Nikon to Leica M adapter as the existing Visoflex to Leica M adapters are far too expensive (apprx. 200 Euro). The M39 version (like mine) has to be adapted by a special Leitz adapter like this: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/OUBIO to fit on any Visoflex-M to camera adapter. The M-mount versions can be fitted directly to any Visoflex-M to camera adapter.

It equals to 420mm FOV on my Ricoh and is (compared to my other ones mentioned before) the smallest lens. For better portability it's split-able in several parts which is a rather unique feature.

Any comments are welcome.

Cheers,

[AE Conrady]

The F4.8/280mm Telyt is a classical "Tele-Tessar" design by W. Mandler/H. Schmidt. I don't know who originally invented the design (Schneider/Zeiss/Leitz) or someone else. It is similar to a Tessar or Elmar, where the achromat (a5/a7) has been turned around (flint in front) and then split. By seperating the achromat field becomes narrow and the lens gets telescopic, which is desirable:



In practise these lens are excellent, but heavy and Zeiss delivered these lens to Hasselblad for the next 30 years. In 35mm Terms, these lens did not remain in the catalogues for very long, although Leitz offered it up the the end of the 80ies.

These lens can not be made very fast as the SA is more or less comparable to a simple triplett. Apertures F4 to F5.6 is possible, depending on the focal lengs (Leitz did manage to build a F2.8/90mm). An other disadvantage is the remaining CA, ED glass is not useful as long as you are limited to 4 lens only. Around F8, these lens are as good as it gets. If you shoot B/W and limit the spectrum somewhat (by adding filters), resolution can be impressive.

Regards AE Conrady

[tb_a]

AE Conrady, thanks for the additional information.

Maybe it's also worth to mention that according Puts my lens from 1969 has an improved design compared to the older ones: "From #2340944 a newer design with higher contrast and better definition of fine detail has been produced. Close up performance is very good."

However, looking forward to real live shooting as soon as the weather improves here significantly.
Birds would be an ideal target.

Still not decided whether I should also look for the Telyt 200/4. I am not sure if it can beat my existing Minolta MD 200/4 (short version). Maybe I can find one for a bargain price. All the necessary adapters are already on hand anyway.

[AE Conrady]

These 200mm Telyt lens are cheap nowdays (for a Leitz lens). I have seen them from 120$ on. There are still many around. I didn't know on the improvement made in early 70ies, but my understanding is that most companies did minor redesigns for simpler manufacturing or little optical performance improvements.

Based on the patent data, I have made a privat study on the 280mm F4.8 Telyt. Glass are close to the patent data, PSK2 (1. lens) and LAFN8 (3. lens) are used. Glass is not precisely provided. So, Actual glass may differ a little bit. The design is not final and it is unclear if it 100% reflects the actual lens. (You need to know the designers aim or the the merrit function in todays wording) But it should be close enough. Abberation data are given for F=5. At F8, the lens becomes really sharp. I like the mechanical design of these dinosaurs, but they are heavy.




Regards AE Conrady

[tb_a]

In order to test this Visoflex lens also on my FF-camera (Sony A850) I found another variant to adapt the lens: Out of a cheap Zenit M39 macro tubes set (available for less than 10 Euro) I took three rings stacked together (apprx. 39mm) and mounted the (extended) lens on a cheap M39 to Minolta AF adapter (apprx. 2 Euro from China incl. shipping). This allows focusing as designed from apprx. 5m to infinity. So it's rather easy to adapt those Visoflex lenses to almost every existing digital camera without any major investment.
The M42 adaption variant is described in my other thread about the Telyt 200: http://forum.mflenses.com/leitz-telyt-200mm-f4-visoflex-m39-version-t76697.html It's likewise cheap and easy.

Unfortunately the weather is rather bad outside (foggy, humid and cold). However, the sample pictures give at least some ideas on how well this lens is performing also on FF-camera.

Most of the pictures are shot at F8:

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6

[tb_a]

Taken with Vivitar 2X Macro Focusing Teleconverter on Ricoh GXR-M. Distance apprx. 50 meters. FF FOV equ. 840mm.