thawkins
Well-known
Anyone use a 135mm lens on a Leica RF? If so, what are the pros and cons?
mpaniagua
Newby photographer
I currently have an Hektor 135 on my bag. No issues and love the lens. mostly use it aroung F/8 so dont really notice soft corners, vignetting or falloff. Will look for a test picture on my files.
Also have the Elmarit 135, but, strange enough, havent use it yet after having it for 1 year. Dont really use that focus length that much and when I need tele, normally grab the Elmarit 90 or the Hektor.
Regards.
Marcelo
Also have the Elmarit 135, but, strange enough, havent use it yet after having it for 1 year. Dont really use that focus length that much and when I need tele, normally grab the Elmarit 90 or the Hektor.
Regards.
Marcelo
Ronald M
Veteran
The .91 viewfinder allows a large image so the 135 frame look about as large as 90 on .72 cameras.
Goggled lenses ,135 2.8, bring up 90 mm frame lines and block out much of the viewfinder so it is like looking thru a tunnel. Other 135 are "natural" viewfinder and .91 allows proper focus.
4.5 Hector is a decent lens stopped down to 6.3 or 8. 135 APO is probably the best lens. I use a 135 4.0 designed for viso flex. It is almost APO for a fraction of the price and the head comes off for use on viso, bellows, short focus mounts, tubes all of which I have. All the accessories are difficult to collect now.
Use the 135 2.8 on .72 camera ( all but M3 and digital M ). A 135 BL finder is a wonderful accessory as it is 1:1 or 100%. Goggled lenses focus ok on .72. Others are a touch more difficult on .72.
Goggled lenses ,135 2.8, bring up 90 mm frame lines and block out much of the viewfinder so it is like looking thru a tunnel. Other 135 are "natural" viewfinder and .91 allows proper focus.
4.5 Hector is a decent lens stopped down to 6.3 or 8. 135 APO is probably the best lens. I use a 135 4.0 designed for viso flex. It is almost APO for a fraction of the price and the head comes off for use on viso, bellows, short focus mounts, tubes all of which I have. All the accessories are difficult to collect now.
Use the 135 2.8 on .72 camera ( all but M3 and digital M ). A 135 BL finder is a wonderful accessory as it is 1:1 or 100%. Goggled lenses focus ok on .72. Others are a touch more difficult on .72.
wjlapier
Well-known
I used a Nikon 135 LTM on a M3. Easily flares, but other than that, pretty good lens.
Gregm61
Well-known
The M3 should be about the best platform for a 135. I use a 135mm f4 Tele Elmar from 1970 with my digital M's. Fortunately those two cameras' rangerfinders (M9P and M262) are well matched with that lens and I get some really sharp resulting images.
The primary drawback for me, is the size of the 135mm frame in the finder. I picked up a Leica 1.4 magnifier to both increase the size of the box and effective rangefinder base for more accurate focusing but you lose enough contrast with the magnifier that I stopped using it. With your M3, no worries on that front.
The primary drawback for me, is the size of the 135mm frame in the finder. I picked up a Leica 1.4 magnifier to both increase the size of the box and effective rangefinder base for more accurate focusing but you lose enough contrast with the magnifier that I stopped using it. With your M3, no worries on that front.