Some Leica lenses on 30D

[thomas_brabant1]

For the past 50 years, I have used Leica equipment, and have collected many

lenses. After a fond vacation into digital photograhy, via Olympus

prosummer cameras, I renentered the world of SLR with a Canon 30D

 

I have used most of my old lenses on the Canon, but still am wondering which

is better. I am particularly interested in hearing from somebody who has

used the following Leica R lenses on the 30 or 20 D, and what their thoughts

are: Super Angulon 3.4 21mm, 180 APO Telyt 3.4, an early edition, and the

280 2.8 APO Teylt. All of my Leica lenses are now R, not M. How do these

prime lenses compare with the available prime Canon lenses, whether L or

not. I know that I don't have the advantage of auto exposure, focus, or

IS. But that doesn't bother me in my field of photography. So otherwise,

how do these other lenses "stack up"?

[jcolwell]

I suggest that you also post this question at the Fred Miranda forum on <a href="http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/55">Alternative Digital Systems & Lenses</a>.

[thomas_brabant1]

Thanks James for the direction. Looks as if I should not have posed questios about Leica lenses on a Canon forum, even if I am using them on a Canon. Such is life. Thanks again.

 

Tom

[shambrick007]

No problem posting such a question here, it's just that the issue has been addressed many times before, although, maybe not for your specific lenses. <p>I for one - rarely - use a 2-cam Leica Elmarit 28/2.8 on my 5D w/great results. BTW, you will retain auto exposure in Av mode.

[bennyboy]

Another place where people are doing a lot of this: http://oomz.net/mf

[thomas_brabant1]

Thanks again for your information, and I will try these other sites. I had read some of the other threads on this site re use of Leica lenses, but most dealt with technical connection and photo taking proceedures. What I was really wanting to know was how some of these old Leica lenses stacked up with some of Canon prime lenses, which I may consider buying in future. I know these old Leica lenses were great in their time, but possibly had been surpassed by modern Canon technology.

 

The response re the 28mm 2.8 interested me. I have that lens; unfortunately about 15 years ago the front hood element broke and there is no protection for the front lens element nor ability to attach hood or filters. I might try to work on that lens; would make a neat 50mm equivalant on my 30D.

 

Thanks again for your help

 

Tom

[john_jovic]

Not sure how similar the 30 and 20D are but I am unable to accurately focus any of my Leica lenses on the 20D that I have. I need to use them on my 1dsmk2 where the focusing is accurate. Yes, there can be advantages but Canon also makes some extremely good lenses so some times it makes no sense to use the leica equivalent.

 

I regularly use an R80/1.4 on my 1dsmk2 whith excellent results. On the other hand if I owned a EF85/1.2 then I don't think I'd ever use the Leica lens.

 

As some one suggested, go to the alternative forum on fred miranda where you will find a massive amount of info on the subject.

 

JJ

[steve_unsworth1]

Hi Thomas

<p>

Seems a perfectly valid question to me :-)

<p>

I've used Leica lenses on a Canon 300D, 20 D and now a 5D. As has been mentioned focussing can be an issue in low light on the cheaper bodies - the focussing screen isn't really suited to manual focus - but the 5D is much better in this respect. I bought a Brightscreen for the camera and the microprisms help.

<p>

You'll find that the longer the lens the easier it is to focus. The subject 'pops' into focus more. Wide angles are more difficult but not impossible. I'd have thought that you'd have no problem with the 280 for example.

<p>

I recently has a two week trip to France and only took the R lenses, they work that well. Level of detail is stunning.

<p>

Here's a shot I took a few weeks ago at a classic car race meeting. The lens was a 180mm Elmar. I also took the Canon 75-300 IS consumer zoom. The Canon lens was junk in comparison.

<p>

Let me know if you have any further questions.

<p>

<img src="http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/49027-2/002.jpg">

[jason_cheng2]

Hi Steven,

 

I was interested to read about your Brightscreen on your 5D. Does this affect exposure? Is this something you can install yourself or does this have to be installed by a repair shop. I've used some of my Contax lenses on my 5D but found it a bit hard to focus accurately with the standard screen. Does the Brightscreen still show the autofocus points selected when you are using it with Canon autofocus lenses? How much do they cost? Sorry about the long list of questions but this intrigues me and is something I may want to do.

 

Jason

[steve_unsworth1]

Hi Jason, I've received your email but I thought I'd answer in open forum in case anyone else is interested.

 

As far as I can tell the screen doesn't affect the exposure. However the use of non-electrically coupled lenses seems to affect the exposure. Basically the camera overexposes. So I dial in -1 stop of exposure compensation and shoot RAW.

 

The screen can be installed very simply - see the relevant section in the instruction manual. If I can successfully install one anyone can :-)

 

The red AF points are retained.

 

The screens are expensive - around $250 if I remember correctly - have a look at their website www.brightscreen.com for more details.

 

If I was buying one again I'd go for one with a solid circle of microprisms rather than the split RF and microprism collar, I find mydelf using the microprisms most of the time.

 

Hope this helps.

[thomas_brabant1]

Thank you, Steve and Jason. To offer a little imput of my own, as for Steve's comments, I did buy the 30D in part because I wanted to once again use my beloved Leica 180 and 280. I live adjacent to a lake, and enjoy taking pictures of wildlife, etc. Those lenses don't "pop" into focus quite as much as they did on an R4 & R7, but the viewfinder is a little different and of course I am dealing with a 288 and a 448 when you plug in the 1.6 factor. So over the summer, I have had to hone in on long lens habits--unipod, tripod, bean bag and all that. I have had fairly good success, except as noted above.

 

However, since I also like general lanscape photography also, I was thinking of using the 21mm which would convert to a 33mm on the D30, to supplement the kit lens I bought with the camera. I have found that the kit lens gives pretty good results at f8 and a median zoom range, around 35 plus. So I guess I was wondering whether the extra effort to photograph with the non auto focusing 21mm would be worth the effort, and how it would compare with a comparable cannon prime lens.

 

I did pick up a 50mm1.8 to fill that range with a prime, so I am not going to fool with my Leica 50 or 90.

 

Again, I have had no problem focusing or with exposure on any of the Leica lenses. For the 21mm, I have primarily used the depth of field scale on the lens. I am just curious as to how they compare with comparable Canon primes.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Tom

[brucecyr]

If you do decide to divest yourself of any of those three lenses, you can probably recoup quite a bit of the cost to replace them with new Canon glass. The 180 and 280 are still stellar teles, so if you can live without autofocus and flare isn't a problem, use them as long as they please you.

 

FWIW, using the Katzeye Opti-Bright focusing screen makes my dim 350D viewfinder much more usable:

 

http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/page--OptiBrite-Brightness-Enhancement--optibrite.html

 

The Haoda Fu screen is also useful but not as bright, nor as expensive:

 

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/screen4DSLR/

 

The Brightscreens are more expensive than the KatzEye Opti-Brights, and I've read enough recommendations to guess they are worth the extra expense.

 

Two off-topics points for Steve Unsworth:

 

1. Who is that guy? He looks like a former F1 driver, but I can't place him. Or maybe he's your father in law :-)

 

2. The 75-300 IS was pretty weak beyond 200mm, but the 70-300 IS replacement looks really good to me throughout its range -- NOT in the same league as the Leica's mentioned, but perfectly good for a hobbyist with an occasionally critical eye.

[steve_unsworth1]

Hi Bruce, I've not a clue who the driver is I'm afraid. I took the shots at Oulton Park here in the UK. The drivers were waiting to go onto the grid and qite a few of them seemed to be mentally preparing themselves, including this one.

 

I was using the zoom mainly at its longest focal length. I know that the lens doesn't have the greatest reputation, I guess I was expecting too much :-)

[balthomas]

I use a Leica Elmarit 180mm f2.8, last version before APO, on my 5D. I didn't buy the

brightscreen, but instead the Canon EE-S screen, which is a little darker and more contrasty

than the standard screen, and makes manual focussing quite easy. While I had exposure

problems while using the standard screen (5D overexposed while stopping down), since

installing the EE-S screen, exposure now is constant thourgh all apertures.

 

The results with the 180mm Leica on the 5D are simply gorgeous. definitively recommended.

[thomas_brabant1]

Thank you, Bruce and Balthasar. I might look into what screens are available, if any, for the 30D. I have only had the 30D since June, so I am still playing and testing with various Leica and Canon lenses. I have used the 180 much more than the 280. It is easier to focus and use and, because of the 1.6 factor, correlates with more picture taking opportunities than the other.

 

I have always loved the APO 180---so sharp and brilliant, especially at mid and far range, for which purpose it was originally designed by Leitz Canada.

 

As for Bruce's advice about selling them, I would hate to. But there may come a time to go all autofocus. I am in my mid seventies, age wise, and my eyeballs might not being seeing what I think they are seeing! In the alternative, I am going to have to use unipod and tripod more often. I don't like to. I started out with Leica rangefinders, and that just wasnn't the way we did it.

 

Thanks again for the advice.

 

Tom

[brucecyr]

Thomas,

 

I understand your thinking. Switching to Canon glass would be perfectly understandable. For example, the Canon 200 f/2.8, which is closest to your 180 APO, is itself a superb lens and a worthy successor to the Leica. That might the most logical place to start, since some people feel Canon wide-angles are their weakest offerings.