Leicas

[xjjohnno]

I'm looking at adding some Leica lenses to the collection and will need to do conversions of the mounts with the Leitax adapters. Lenses I'd be on the look out for are one lens wider then 28mm, a 50mm and something around 90mm. What lenses fitting those focal lengths are worth getting and what kind of pricing would be in the fair price range. I'd be looking at lenses not in mint condition but good working order.
Thanks for your replies in advance.

[Rolf]

[Orio]

[xjjohnno]

What are opinions on the Elmarit 24mm f2.8? The budget isn't overly tight but as per usual I'd be looking at bang for buck. Thanks for both your opinions. It's giving me a decent indication on what I should be looking at.

[jjphoto]

[poilu]

[xjjohnno]

That Tamron 17-50 already lives here so it looks like the Elmarit 24 is off the wish list. Thanks for pointing me there poillu.

[Rolf]

[LucisPictor]

My Summicron 2/35 was "soft" in the corners. But "soft" actually is the wrong word. It was curvature of field that was intensified by the digital sensor that made it appear soft.

My Elmarit 2.8/35 was not soft and the new version I could shoot with was not soft at all.

That's my experience.

The best buy as the "first" Leica would be a new version Summicron 2/50, perhaps the Canada version, because they are cheaper and by no means worse than the German one.

[xjjohnno]

Opinions on the Summilix 50 f1.4 please, I notice the BIN price is shall we say expensive? What would be considered a fair price?

[Orio]

[jjphoto]

[xjjohnno]

I'd be going for an older Summilux, budget considerations need to be made. Also we get hit with import duties for items over $1000 aud so short of buying locally the cost blows out a bit.

[sir_c]

[LucisPictor]

Don't forget the Elmarit 2.8/19. Expensive but very, very good.

[Esox lucius]

Stay clear of the 21mm Super-Angulon-R. It simply can't even measure close to any modern wide. Lots of vignetting even stopped down to f/8. Troubled by CA and corners don't improve stopped down.

The Elmarit-R 28mm (f/2. is a recommended lens, I like it much more than the Super-Angulon.

[rpo83]

Hi John,

From my collection i have a few standout lenses.

I simply can't believe how much i use the 35-70/f4 ROM. It is the only zoom lens i own, but it is fantastic, that is if you don't mind the f4 limitation. Out of all my lenses this is on the camera much more than the others. They are at fantastic prices now, you can get a virtually brand new one landed in Aus for under $1,000.

I have a 28/2.8 which hardly gets used and a 16/2.8 which augments the 35-70 very well, and gets alot of use, it is a fisheye so on my crop sensor there is a fair amount of distortion, but i kind of like the distortion.

My elmarit 135/2.8 and Telyt 180/3.4 are also favourites.

I have just bought two more lenses from a local Aussie today, a 180/2.8 e67 and a 100/2.8 APO

He has a cron 50/2 for sale, his lenses look immaculate, that is why i bit the bullet and got the APO...

You can also consider using adapters instead of changing to the leitax bayonet..

[xjjohnno]

Cheers Steve, on the way is Summilux courtesy of Orio. That zoom does sound interesing. At the moment my existing 180s and 135s are getting little use so I'm not likely to hunt for those focal lengths. The Telyt 560 is another story, having seen samples posted here. Somehow I don't think PK -Leica R mount adapters exist, hence the Leitax path. There are some substantially cheaper knock offs on Ebay I've heard good reports on.
What's happened to this year's Italian bike concourse, are they holding it anywhere and if so have dates been decided.
Carsten, that 19mm Elmarit is something I'll have to keep a look out for.

[rpo83]

I forgot you use Pentax

Congrats on the lux 50, it is a focal length i don't have as a leica prime.

No news on the Festival of Italian Motorcycles yet, i'm still hopeful that it will happen again this year.

There are a couple of the 35-70/4's on eBay at the moment for sub $800 Aussie.

I forgot to mention if you can get one of the 60/2.8 Macro's you will love it, they are a fantastic lens, and for some reason you tend to see a few come up in less than perfect condition, so there could be some bargains to be had..

[james]

Is the 35-70 f/4 worth all the effort? There seem to be a lot of more modern and faster alternatives. I was chatting with Vilhelm about this and i defer to his expertise as a working pro photographer; it was both our impression that there are a number of Leica R lenses that truly merit the extra expense and can be reckoned among the best Leica has ever turned out (28 Elmarit v.2, 90 APO, 100 makro APO, 180 Elmarit APO, 280 APO and maybe even the 85 Summilux and latest 19 Elmarit). The rest, it seems to me, are a mixed bag of fair to above-average optics.

[Asa14]

i had the leica 35-70mm f/4 on my pentax k-x and it is one of the best lenses i ever used. very sharp from f/4 on and it has this 3d effect in my opinion. but i'm selling mine now, because it is not fast enough for the things i need it, but it is said that it's one of the best zooms lenses ever made after the leica 28-90 f/2.8-4.5, but this isn't affordable.
greeds asa14

[james]

Just spent the weekend shooting my D700 with a 28 Elmarit R v.2 converted to Nikon mount. Traded in some of my little-used glass for a non-ROM version I came across in mint condition.

A revelation.

The Nikkor 24-70 @ 28mm is impressive, besting the 28/2 by a good margin. The Leica is astounding wide open well into the last millimeter at the corners where slight softness is apparent, disappearing by f/4. While it's close focus of 0.3 m is somewhat longer than, say the Nikkor 28/2.8, the Leica performs equally well on subjects near and at infinity.

The Nikkor 28 may be off to eBay....

[xjjohnno]

Some pics with the adapted Summilux 50. Only issue after the conversion is I can only focus to about 3 metres so will have to find out how to adjust the lens to infinity. The plus side is close focussing for plant pics.