Leica R on Olympus E3

[canfred]

Hi Olympus users , I have a question if anyone here uses Leica R lenses on the

new E3 could you please give me some info as to suitability.

I would like to use the Elmar R 21-35 also the Elmarit 100 The Apo Elmarit 180

and a Apo Telyt 280 f4 I also have the 2x Apo extender.

I do know the 100 will work and I am aware it will be near 200mm long.

I have the Olympus E3 in my sight , the photos I seen taken with this camera

are superb , plus a very well made unit it sure is.

Apart from a few tests with Canon I have no experience with digital , the 21-35

Elmar can not be used on the Canon 5D.

Thank you Manfred

[ronald_moravec1]

I would look at the 5D again. The Olympus sensor is half the size of Canon`s sensor. As with film, size matters and is the deciding factor in quality more than anything else. The small sensor will crop off half the Leica lens image. In that case, you will get the equivalent of a 42/70 lens, 200,360,560.

 

If you really want OLy, then buy the best grade of Oly lens, and there are three grades. The adapter solution is not really good with Canon as you lose metering, auto diaphragm, auto focus, and a DECENT way to manual focus. Like going back to 1955.

 

My advice is to continue with film and the superb lenses on the R body and wait for Leicas digi R. It is coming.

 

Either that or buy into a Canon or Nikon system with their lenses. Canon wides are not that good, so maybe Nikon should be the choice.

D3 full frame camera, 14/24 24/70, 70/210. $10,000.

 

Another possibility is Canon with a 21 4.0 Leica R, Canon 50, and your teles.

 

Faced with the same situation, my Leica R glass is in storage except for when I use film, and I got a Nikon D200. It works until Leica introduces the Digi R.

 

If you want a smaller system, Oly will good prints 8x10 and smaller as will Leicas similar 4/3. Then get the Leica 25 1.4.

 

There really is no perfect solution now, but I promise you that you will be happy with Nikons pro lenses like the 60, 105 macro, 180 2.8.

 

Leicas solution maybe will not be be full frame, but I doubt it. And will cost $10,000. My personel love affair with Leica is over because of cost. I will keep what I have in M and R, and stay with Nikon.

 

A good scanner gets you into the digital world. My Minolta 5400 scans Leica negs and equals what I can do with the Nikon D200 easily. Actually it keeps the leica quality in the picture which I somewhat lose when I put my Leica viso lenses on the Nikon.

[harvey_edelstein1]

The Oly with its internal IS and 2x crop factor is great for telephotos.

Even old manual focus lenses can be set to infinity and benefit from the IS 3 fstop reduction in shake. Only limiting factor is the extra blowup factor in getting the enlargement off the smaller sensor. But this is balance out by the extra reach the 2x crop gives you.

 

A perfect scenario is a FF camera of one brand for wide angle thru short tele and a 4/3 for long tele. The advantages of having a smaller tele and a wide angle camera as a kit.

[canfred]

Hi Ronald and Harvey , thank you for your imput very helpful indeed.

Actually my aim here is to get a DSLR for occasional use , until now film is all I use.

Sure Nikon is a good solution but then purchasing a Nikon lens outfit

just for some situations is just too costly, as well as that R lenses are as good or better. Problem with leica as you all are aware there is no SLR the R9 conversion having been abandoned.

Film and scanning are no problems for me I use Imacon Hasselblad.

So my problem right now is while the Vario Elmar 21-35 will give me

acceptable 40mm - 69mm will it fit seeing wide Leica lenses are very close to the mirror even in the R9. As already pointed out it just will not work on the 5D. I am not happy buying Zuiko lenses either.

Harvey is right with his statement on tele I have seen amazing shots done with this system even older lenses.

Cheers Manfred

[dg1]

"If you want a smaller system, Oly will good prints 8x10 and smaller as will Leicas similar 4/3. "

 

On what are you basing that statement? The 4/3rds cameras are quite capable of A3 prints, and larger. In fact a 5 meg E1 can produce a very fine A3 print. Obviously YMMV, and it depends on the picture in question, but a blanket statement like that seems just ignorant.

 

I have not used R lenses, but I've read elsewhere that they work fine with the adapter to the 4/3rds mount.

[canfred]

Hi Dean, thank you for this confirmation I actually thought the system can do a bid better than that after all you do have 10MP.

Manfred

[harjtt]

Have a look at Gary Todroff's Lympa Blog for Leica R glass with Oly's E series.

 

http://www.northcoastphotos.com/Lympa.htm

 

Cheers

 

Harj