Leica Tri-elmar on Bessa R2A

[saiseto]

Hello, can someone kindly let me knwo if the Tri-elmar can couple to the rangefinder properly on the Bessa R2A? Also, any experience on using this lens are welcome!!

Cheers!!

 

[Photar]

Regarding experience: overall I like it very much. A body with 0.58 magnification would be perfect since the lens intrudes into the viewfinder and the 28mm frames are hard to see with a 0.72 body even if you do not wear glasses. Last weekend I mounted 400 slides taken with this lens in China. On about 6-8 slides I could notice some flare in the middle of the slide. These shots were taken with the 50mm position. This flare problem has been documented before. In all my cases it appeared with bright overcast sky. I can live with this problem since it only occurs rarely. The advantage of having a perfect travel lens outweights this minor disadvantage. I will keep this lens for sure.

 

[jaapv]

This is a great lens; I use it as my standard lens. The quality is as good as any fixed focus Leica lens,except maybe the current ASPH/Apo range.As to flare:this is not an issue; the lens is virtually flare-free.As the front element is placed well back in the barrel, there is a kind of built-in lens hood. However, the filter thread is on the front of that hood, placing the filter exactly in the wrong place, fully at the front of the optical system. This means, if one uses a "protective" filter, this will produce flare, sometimes badly. It will reduce contrast as well by producing veil. This lens should be used without filter for best results.

 

[Photar]

As to flare:this is not an issue; the lens is virtually flare-free.

??? See above for different experience (not opinion). No, I did not use a filter.

 

[jaapv]

Inetresting that our experiences differ. Tests (for instance Erwin Puts (but is he objective) )indicated a freedom of flare as well. I have a first generation one, not that that should make a difference. I think the opinion of other users will be called for.

 

[Ken Ford]

I already warned the spousal unit that I'm getting one of these before our next UK trip, whenever that may be!

 

[jaapv]

You won't regret it.

 

[saiseto]

Thank you for all the share! I think I am going to get one in very soon future. However, there is still one more issue that I need to solve, can the Tri-elmar can be used on the R2A? Would the rangefinder coupled with the lens?

 

[Avotius]

Seems back in the day I read somewhere about problems with this lens and the CV cameras, something about something not fitting right in the body but cant seems to remember what it was.

 

[Grober]

I owned and used the TE, curent version, for 15 months and always liked the results. Especially useful for wedding photography WITH several different combinations of local and remoted electronic flash units. (With flash, the slower speed of the TE was never an issue.) Smaller filter size, better mechanical feel and the TE II's clever depth of field scale make this one mandatory over the first version although optically both are reputed to be the same. Lastly, I never used it without its lens hood.

However, as soon as the 75mm Summicron was announced, I sold the TE and used the capital for the new 'Cron. All things being equal, if I didn't need the cash for the new lens, I would have kept the TE. (Perhaps this may be a indication of the lasting popularity of the TE: I sold the lens for $100 more that I bought it.)

 

[jaapv]

And your flare experience?

 

[ian_watts]

I too had unexpected flare issues with the Tri-Elmar (second version). It was only an issue at the 50mm setting but was enough for me to lack full confidence in the lens and led me to sell it.

 

[jaapv]

Not too flary, given the subject, I'd say. Lots of Leica character. Tri-Elmar @50 mm, wide open, Agfa RSXII slidefilm, converted to B&W

 

[Ken Ford]

Jaap, I'd say one of your fingers has a stutter!

 

[jaapv]

😀 😀
Not me; the site froze up just as I posted.... I've deleted the resulting mess 🙂

 

[saiseto]

oh...that's a nice image, jaapv!! I got some flare even on my 35 corn' ASPH (although it is very rarely happen), so i think can live with some flare when i can get the Tri-Elmar later.

 

[jaapv]

Thank you. But really not my best one. There are some nice tri-elmar shots in my gallery.