Advice Requested - Leica R, 180mm options

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david.elliott

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Good morning all,

There are quite a few 180mm models in the leica r line. Would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations. The 180 f/2 is absolutely out of the question simply due to budget constraints.

How do the 180/3.4 apo telyt, 180/4 elmar, and 180/2.8 elmarit compare to each other? Please feel free to post sample images.

Note that the majority of my photos are taken at a distance of 5-20 feet, not infinity.

I'll follow up to this post after work late this evening. Thanks.

-David
 
The 180 /3.4 apo telyt was designed primarily for infinity focus. It has a minimum focus limit of 2.5 meters. Doug Herr (Wildlight) states:" ..... performance degrades slightly at close distances." He recommends the 180 2.8 Apo Elmarit.
I used to have a 180/4 and it was a fine optic, also v. useful b/c it was so light and small.
There were 2 versions of the 180/2.8 (non-Apo) elmarit - the first was very heavy (>1.3 kg) and the second lighter and better IQ. Neither would be as good as the 2.8 Apo Elmarit - but the price reflects this

Edit: I assume you've visited this site - http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica...n_Page#M_Series_Lenses_.26_Camera_Accessories
 
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Shac said:
The 180 /3.4 apo telyt was designed primarily for infinity focus. It has a minimum focus limit of 2.5 meters. Doug Herr (Wildlight) states:" ..... performance degrades slightly at close distances." He recommends the 180 2.8 Apo Elmarit.
I used to have a 180/4 and it was a fine optic, also v. useful b/c it was so light and small.
There were 2 versions of the 180/2.8 (non-Apo) elmarit - the first was very heavy (>1.3 kg) and the second lighter and better IQ. Neither would be as good as the 2.8 Apo Elmarit - but the price reflects this

Edit: I assume you've visited this site - http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica...n_Page#M_Series_Lenses_.26_Camera_Accessories
Click to expand...

I do agree with it. At the moment the 180/4 and 180/2,8 are rather cheap to get. The optics are both of the same high level.
Personally I do use the 180/4 for 'streetwork' and the 180/2,8 for available light, concert and theatre photography.
They are also exceptional suitable for portrait photography.
Also at 'close distances' these lenses are very useful for close up photography.

I can recommend these Elmarit's very much:)
 
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Joop - Agree - I just bought a 180/4 - should never have sold my first - there again I should not have bought an SL2 recently!!
 
In the world of R optics, the 180/4 doesn't have the best of reputations. I've never used it, but I've seen its' MTF graphs, and wide open they're pretty mediocre. I suppose, stopped down it is nice, and I've seen some nice pictures from this lens, but any lens will be nice at small apertures. My feeling is that an f/4 lens should be stellar wide open. And you pay for the Leica name so that you can have that quality at wide apertures.

The 180/2.8 are heavy.

I used the 180/3.4 apo. Stellar, except at close focusing.

When it comes to lenses, learn to read mtf graphs. They're not everything, but they're a starting point. Then check the photo.net forum for reviews, paying heed that there was some guy who would apparently bash leica r under various names for no reason other then he had a grudge and wanted his opinions heard. And in circa. '05 or so Erwin Putts did a series of articles in Leica Fotographie International talking about all the R lenses and cameras. Although I don't believe everything this man says, it too was a good starting place when I was getting into the R system several years ago. And to actually see images taken with the lens, flickr is not bad. Pictures taken with the 180/3.4 apo are on my flickr site (polar bears).
 
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Thanks guys. I think I will save up for the later 180/2.8 elmarit. In the meantime, I now have to decide between the 90 cron and 90 elmarit v2. :)
 
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