Leitz Telyt 200mm/F4 (Visoflex M39 version)

[tb_a]

Today I've finally got my "newest" lens which completes now my Leitz LTM/M39 lens collection from 50 to 280mm (50/90/135/200/280). Shorter focus lengths are well served by my beloved Voigtlaender M39 lenses from 12 to 75mm. So I'm rather complete now.
If I find a Telyt 400mm/F5 at a bargain price I could eventually change my mind.

My Telyt 200 was made in 1959. The lens remained unchanged in production from 1958 until 1978.
Specifications can be seen here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/F_%3D_20_cm_1:4_Telyt

I mainly bought the lens for my Ricoh GXR-M (APS-C) camera and use only the "sweet spot" of the lens. About the different ways to adapt any Visoflex lens to any digital camera I've already written in my post about the Telyt 280mm: http://forum.mflenses.com/leitz-telyt-ii-280mm-f4-8-latest-visoflex-m39-version-t76573.html . Due to the long register distance of 61.5mm there are several options for using Visoflex lenses also on DSLR cameras. Most probably I will also use it on my Sony A850 FF-camera.

The weather allows at the moment only indoor shooting but I will provide more examples as soon as the weather improves.

These are the first test shots (rather quick and dirty) both taken wide open at F4. Shooting distance was nearly 4m according markings of the lens (MFD is apprx. 3m). The figure of the first picture is apprx. 17cm in height.

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#2


I am rather satisfied with its performance. The lens is more than usable at F4. At least I didn't realize any shortcomings so far.
According Puts it reaches its best performance at F8 (for FF camera).

Cheers,

[tb_a]

One more example wide open:



I like the OOF rendering very much.

[tb_a]

In order to enable the use of this Visoflex lens on my Sony A850 FF-camera I've used a step-up ring M39 to M42, two Pentax M42 macro tubes stacked together (total 38mm) and a M42 to Minolta AF adapter. That allows focusing from 3m to infinity (and beyond ).

Unfortunately the weather isn't really nice outside (foggy). Nevertheless I've made some test shots to show the lens also on FF-camera.

The performance isn't bad at all also on FF (bearing in mind that the lens is almost 60 years old). For the money I've paid (150 Euro) I consider it as a real bargain and it's usable on all of my cameras without any restriction.

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#2


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100% crop of #2 for the pixel peepers:

[Minolfan]

Nice portrait of your dog!

[kds315*]

[Oldhand]

Very nice images indeed.
But who pruned that rose bush

T

[tb_a]

Thank you, gentlemen!

[Oldhand]

[tb_a]

The sun is back! Tried the Telyt 200 with a 2x Teleconverter (of mediocre quality) on the Ricoh GXR-M which results in a FF FOV equivalence of 600mm:

The result is surprisingly usable I would say (shot free hand):

[dan_]

Indeed, surprisingly good image for a mediocre (as you described it) quality 2x Teleconverter. It clearly shows the quality of the old 200mm f/4 Telyt.
I have it too and the only drawback I could notice is the CA at f/4 which, while undisturbing in normal light, is noticeable in strong light (but still easy to correct in PS). At f/5.6-f/11 it disappears completely.

[tb_a]

[tb_a]

Some more examples from my today's walk all shot with Ricoh GXR-M:

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#4


100% crop of #4 above:


I'm beginning to love this lens. The quality of the crop is rather impressive, at least for my taste.
All pictures shot at F8 freehand RAW. Developed and resized with minor adjustments in LR6.

[tb_a]

Today I've tested this lens on my new A7R II (42MP/FF) and I'm rather impressed by it's performance. Actually there is nothing to complain about, except that the adapter caused some vignetting in the very outer corners.

All shot free hand at F8 and ISO 800 for short exposure time. Please click on pictures for larger view with better quality.

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#2


100 % corner crop of #2


At least on my new 32inch 4K UHD monitor it's looking very impressive.