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Canon Telephoto or Leica Apo Telyt

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Dave Blackham

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If you had a choice would a Canon FD L telephoto (300mm, 400mm or longer) with professionally converted PL mounts or Leica Apo Telyt modular lenses (280, 400, 560, 800) converted to PL to work best with Red ? Both options seem good to me and I wonder is one practically or optically best suited as a system for Red.

thanks for your views,

Dave
 
One of my long lenses I use on RED is a Canon FD 150-600 f/5.6L, with a Century PL mount conversion (mount only). The footage on RED with this lens has been stellar. I personally like the footage look from Canon FD long lenses on RED - its a warm, filmic look. I also use some Nikon long lenses on RED (400 f/3.5 AIS, 50-300 f/4.5 AIS) with excellent results. I haven't used Leica glass on RED yet.
 
chuck colburn said:
The Leica Telyt system is very elequent and optically spectacular. When combined with the matched 2x extender gives you up to a 1600mm focale length range. Have you looked at the pricing of this equipment?

http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/r_system/lenses/3808.html
Click to expand...

Yes, it is incredibly expensive new ! My real question is the Leica that much better than the Canon L Tele lenses as I know the Canon tele's are good. or does changing the Leica focus unit from the heads cause any practical operational issues. The 280mm f2.8 leica doesnt seem to get as good reviews as the Canon for some reason.

Dave
 
Dave Blackham said:
Yes, it is incredibly expensive new ! My real question is the Leica that much better than the Canon L Tele lenses as I know the Canon tele's are good. or does changing the Leica focus unit from the heads cause any practical operational issues. The 280mm f2.8 leica doesnt seem to get as good reviews as the Canon for some reason.

Dave
Click to expand...

I've heard that the Leica, while optically very nice tends to suck in a bit of dust and needs to get cleaned out fairly often. You might want to check in with your service guys on this.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com
 
I dealt with all of these lenses back when I worked at Keslow Camera.
The Leica system is optically phenomenal. It was always rented out for the latest car commercial or something like that. It did get dust in it every now and then, but that's the case with every lens. Nothing to worry about there. The two modules have a very nice, smooth locking system that doesnt even require an extra hand. Kinda hard to explain here, but the ring that locks down the front module is automatic. When the front module is pressed into the rear module, it clicks into place and the lock ring rotates on its own. A final hand tightening ensures its position. The Canon glass is still nice, but optically, the Leica system is superior.
 
Dave, whenever you have a chance to get Leica, get it! I worked a lot with Canon, Nikon and Leica and even if all of them produce superb glass, nothing is like Leica! It renders the lights in a incredible beautiful way, and I really hope Leica is soon joining the PL Market.
Cheers
Marc
 
Leica lenses make extraordinary and amazing pictures on RED.

Leica_NoctiluxF095_01.jpg

Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 Asph demo lens on RED

IMS_RED_LeicaSummicron-M90mm_04.jpg

Leica Summicron-M 90 mm f/2 on RED.

IMS_Leica24mmf2-8_03.jpg

Leica Elmarit-R 24 mm f2.8 on RED.

Have a look at the tests>>>
 
Another option is the Zeiss Contax 200mm f2 or the Nikon version with their dedicated 1.4 and 2x extenders. This would give you a 200mm f2, 280mm f2.8 and a 400mm f4 all in one case. The Contax is rare and pricey but very very good. The Nikon is quite a bit cheaper but I have no practicle experience with it . Mayby someone else here does.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0405/04052801nikkor200.asp

http://www.contaxcameras.co.uk/slr/slrmanlenses/aposonnar200.asp

The Nikkor also offers a 1.7x extender which would give you a 340mm at about f3.3
 
chuck colburn said:
Another option is the Zeiss Contax 200mm f2 or the Nikon version with their dedicated 1.4 and 2x extenders. This would give you a 200mm f2, 280mm f2.8 and a 400mm f4 all in one case. The Contax is rare and pricey but very very good. The Nikon is quite a bit cheaper but I have no practicle experience with it . Mayby someone else here does.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0405/04052801nikkor200.asp

http://www.contaxcameras.co.uk/slr/slrmanlenses/aposonnar200.asp

The Nikkor also offers a 1.7x extender which would give you a 340mm at about f3.3
Click to expand...

There are 2 Zeiss Contax Aposonnar 2/200 for sale on ebay right now, for $6300 & $5700.
 
To my eyes, Leica and Zeiss have something special in the image other lenses dont have.

Subjective maybe, but i like these two brands image better.

That said, i've made some beautifull images with old Canon FDs.
 
The Third Man said:
Leica lenses make extraordinary and amazing pictures on RED.

Have a look at the tests>>>
Click to expand...

That link doesn't seem to be working anymore. Any chance of reposting?

Edit: someone on Scarletuser says this link is working but still no joy for me. Do you have some kind of permission thing going on based on country of origin? I'm in the UK BTW
 
I've managed to do some visual comparisons of the Leica Apo Telyt modular lens 400MM f2.8 and Canon 400mm f2.8 L on a Canon 5D stills camera. Both are very Large lenses so warrant some consideration if your thinking of using either. The Canon is very good lens and the L series telephotos well proven. To me the Leica stands well ahead and has much more of a 3D feel to the images, appearing to have what Id describe as more micro contrast, I don't know if that's the correct term for it. Focusing on the Leica has about a 340 degree rotation on a silky smooth focus control and for manual focus was very easy to use. I had some reservations about the lens having a separate focus unit but in practice they fit together very well and the retaining ring springs in to place when the lens components are mated. It feels like a far better built lens. Originally these lenses were incredibly expensive new but thankfully used they can be found much more affordably. I am told both are capable of having universal adapters fitted so PL or other mounts can be used to use with Red and other PL cameras. To use with Red a Birger mount could be used and a relatively inexpensive Leica R to Ef converter used instead.

Ill post some images here when I can and also some test charts.

Dave
 
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