leicaflex SL and SL2 lens combo

[jimmy_m.]

I am going to purchase either a Leicaflex SL or SL2. I wanted some opinions on lens combinations (wide-angle(28-35mm) and telephoto(75-135mm). I want 2 lenses for this body. I'm not familiar with CAM lenses and don't know which are compatible with each of these bodies. I am interested in the lenses that fit these bodies THAT I DON'T HAVE TO STOP DOWN OR COMPENSATE EXPOSURE FOR LENS INCOMPATIBILITY. Any recommendations?

thanks!

[john_collier2]

Have a look at Doug Herr's excellent site on the SLR Leicas:

 

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<a href="http://www.wildlightphoto.com/leica/">http://

www.wildlightphoto.com/leica/</a>

[greg_mason]

Both will shoot with the 2 cam lenses, however you should probably

get three cam lenses as they will work with both the sl/sl2, and the

R series. the sl2 is an excellent camera, but it is very overpriced

compared with the sl. I have both an SL and a R6.2 and I love them

both.

[jay_.]

The SL's meter is not very sensitive in low light, if that makes a

difference.

[mark_kaminsky1]

i suggest the 28/2.8 & 60/2.8....

[john_hicks___]

The SL and SL-2 are essentially the same except that the SL-2 is less rounded and (perhaps important to you) the SL-2 meter will read somewhat dimmer light. I believe both require either an PX-13 mercury cell or the Wein-Cell equivalent.

 

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You need _two-cam_ or _three-cam_ lenses. Cam #1 operates the meter in the original Leicaflex, cam #2 operates the meter in the SL and SL-2, while cam #3 operates the meter in the later cameras. So you need two-cam or later _except_ the most recent batch of lenses has I believe only the third cam and won't operate the SL/SL-2 meter.

 

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It's been a while since I've used Leicaflexes. Frankly, today, I'd find a nice clean R6 if I wanted a mechanical R body rather than such oldsters unless a screaming deal became available.

[sheridan]

Hello Jimmy.My SL2 is a tough,precise instrument with a

sensitive meter which uses a now defunct mercury battery.I

believe close substitute batteries are available.As a two lense

medium aperture combo I would consider the Elmarit 35mm

and 90mm.If you could stretch it to three lenses I would consider

35mm Summicron,60mm Elmarit and 180mm Apo Telyt.

[andy_piper2]

"The SL and SL-2 are essentially the same..."

 

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One other critical difference: the following lenses will mount on the

SL2 but NOT on the SL (due to differences in the mirror swing):

 

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24 f/2.8, 16 f/2.8 fisheye, 80-200 f/4.5 (the original Minolta/Leitz

lens: all the later versions - 75-200, 75-210, 80-200 f/4 - work on

either body). The 'small' 19mm f/2.8 may also not work on the SL - I'm

not sure.

 

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Beyond that restriction: as already mentioned, you want 2- or 3-cam

lenses. Single-cam lenses are for the original Leicaflex (no TTL), and

3rd-cam-only lenses are for R3-8 cameras only. ROM lenses also will not

mount on the SL/SL2. 8^(

[doug herr]

<I>all the later versions - 75-200, 75-210, 80-200 f/4 - work on

either body</I><P>

Ah, if only this were entirely true. The 80-200 f/4.0 is a ROM-only

lens, and Leica's official line is that it cannot be converted to

3-cam. As Andy mentioned, ROM lenses are no-go on the

Leicaflexes. A real shame 'cuz the 80-200 f/4.0 is a darned fine

lens.

[gerald4]

<i>"I wanted some opinions on lens combinations (wide-angle(28-35mm)

and telephoto(75-135mm). I want 2 lenses for this body." </i>

 

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Though I have the 28mm Elmarit-R, I personally do not find lens of

that focal length that useful so I would recommend 35mm Elmarit-R and

90mm Elmarit-R to start.

 

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Your SL needs 2-cam or 3-cam Leica-R lenses. When shopping for Leica-R

lenses, bear in mind that the 2-cam Leica R lens should cost less than

that of the equivalent 3-cam lens. The 3-cam lenses will support the

full metering functions of the later Leica R[4-8] series cameras.

 

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Unless you need fast 35mm lens, the 35mm Elmarit-R is the lighest and

most compact 35mm Leica R lens. The image performance of that lens

when shot at its optimal aperture (f5.6) is excellent. As that of 35mm

Leica lenses, all leica 90mm primes (Summicron + 2 versions of

Elmarit) are excellent. The second version of E-55 90 Elmarit is the

most compact among the three and has excellent close-up performace

when used with extension tubes. Both my 35mm and 90mm Elmarit-R use

the same E55 filter.

 

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Enjoy your SL or SL2, they are the true classic among the classic!

[jay_.]

When the 80-200/4 first came out it was not ROM and I remember seeing

them differentiated in dealer ads when the ROM version hit the

shelves. I can't recall lately seeing any non-ROM's but there must

be some out there?

[cing_dao_kan1]

I would also recommend the lens combination of Summicron 35 and

Elmarit 90. I recently brought a used Summicron 35mm (2nd version)

with the help of many people contributed on this subject. The

Summicron 35-R is an excellent lens. I highly recommended it. I am

currently using a three-lens combination, Summicron 35, Elmarit 60-

Macro, and APO- Telyt 180 with two SLs. If I can find the zoom lens

80-200/4 in non-ROM version, I will buy one to replace the APO-Telyt

180.

[Robin Smith]

Jimmy

 

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Any 2 or three cam 35mm will be a nice fit, as would any non-ROMed

28mm. Most of the current 28mm are ROMed, so the earlier 28mm would be

better perhaps (although the later one is a better performer). I would

suggest a 35mm Summicron (early version is big and heavy, current

version is lighter and more expensive) and a 90mm Summicron - both

very nice lenses and fast too. The "budget" choice would be the 35mm

Elmarit and the earlier 90mm Elmarit. If you want the later 90mm four

element 90mm Elmarit then that tends to a higher price, but it is

"better" than the Summicron and the earlier Elmarit. All of these

lenses are great and have the Leica look (whatever that is).

[andy_wagner1]

Jimmy I 've got the SL and my two must have lenses are the 28 and the

90. They work for probably 85% of my shots

[king_cheng]

I would suggest 35 Summicron and 90 Elmarit. I am using this

combination for over 20 years with my SL2. Only added the SL as wear

appeared in the SL2 mount due to frequent lens changes.

[gary e]

I know I'm a month late, but after getting the SL I haven't picked up my other cameras - besides my M ;)

 

FYI, I've tried to fit my friend's small 19/2.8, and it does not fit the SL :(

[budc]

No one's mentioned that the viewfinder of the SL does not have the split image rangefinder that is in the SL/2. The SL viewfinder is slightly larger and brighter.

 

The SL finder is best with macros and longer lenses. The SL/2 is best with shorter lenses that are harder to focus with the microprism focusing of the SL (SL/2 has both).

 

I've never found the lower sensitivity of the SL meter to be a problem and I prefer the paper clip style match needle of the SL over the lollypop style of the SL/2. I also prefer the method of opening the back of the SL over the SL/2.

 

Note that a lot of older Leicaflexes suffer from problems with the prism. A new prism is very expensive, if still available. I was fortunate to be able to get a resilved prism installed in my SL. I'm the original owner of my SL/2 so I don't anticipate having fungus problems with it.

 

The obvious choice in lenses seems to be 35/90 but I almost never use the 35mm focal length. I'd say I use the 60 macro, 28 Elmarit, 90 Summicron most in that order.

 

I'm finding that the big drawback with my Leicaflexes is that I can't use newer lenses including new zooms.

 

If I were starting from scratch, I'd probably get one of the R bodies.

[doug herr]

<I>If I were starting from scratch, I'd probably get one of the R bodies.</I><P>

A good R body seems more practical but I enjoy using the Leicaflexes more. BTW there was an SL-style viewscreen available for the SL2 and an SL2-style viewscreen available for the SL. I use mostly long and macro lenses so the SL's microprism screen suits me best. My SL2 has the microprism screen, no longer available from Leica.

[mountainrivera]

Hi all. DAG has resilvered prisms for the SL and is very reasonable. I sent in my SL - EBAY purchase - because I could not stand the dirty prism even though I shot a roll with superb results.