Tri-Elmar experiences???

T

Tim

Guest
Anyone use one?

I've suddenly got interested after last week. I was hiking down in Tassie, a very beautiful part of the planet btw, and got extremely fed up with constantly swapping lenses around. Was carrying the M6 with the 35, and had the 28 in a pocket, and seemed to be swapping them every 2nd or 3rd shot. And wishing for a 50.
And never went below f4. (Nice weather, for once)
So I was thinking, well, a Tri-elmar would be a nice thing to have for travel.

But they are too damn expensive just to get one to try it and see if I like it!

I've read everything I can on them, key points seem to be that they are as good as primes at f4 or above, so optical quality is not a problem; sure it's bulkier, but it's one lens instead of three; and it's relatively slow. But for landscape work thats not necessarily an issue.

I probably won't do it, my local favourite camera temptation place has a near new example in mint condition in, which I fondled errrrrr I mean checked out today, but I think the price is a little more than I want to pay.

But anyone got any direct experience with them?


(btw, the last time I asked a question like this it was about the 1.25x eyepiece magnifier; if anyone's interested I resisted that because rational thought pointed out I hardly ever use a lens bigger than 50mm......... Hey, I resisted some GAS! That's a big thing!!!)

:D

tim
 
Hi Tim,
I did use one, and I liked it a lot, but sold it only when I was selling my Leica gear to raise cash for a startup business venture. The Leica purists will always pooh-pooh it, because its different. I thought it took a while to learn the layout of the various control rings- focus, aperture, and focal length, but I certainly felt at each focal length it WAS the equal of a Leica prime, but of course, usable at only F/4 and up. If you shoot in daylight and like to travel light, you definitely will like taking only 1 lens and never having to switch. For those reasons I was happy with it. There is some talk that you sometimes have to wiggle the focal length setting to get the right frameline to appear, but as long as it works on YOUR body, and you'll know it right away if it does or not, it won't ever be a problem. IOW- it won't show up later as a problem on that body.
 
Tim, my story is similar to George's. Had one, used it, liked it, sold it for financial reasons.

I know what you mean about prices though because I considered getting another one and used examples are selling for far more than I sold mine a few years ago.

Mine was the 'first' version. I used it with an M2 and found the full VF gave a decent approximation of the 28mm frame. If the situation in which you're shooting doesn't require fast lenses or very limited DOF, it's very convenient. OTOH, I notice you mention, "Nice weather, for once". You may want to track how often you use your current lenses at apertures larger than f/4.0. If a lot, the TE is not for you.

How about simply adding another body to your current kit? An R2 or R2A or used 'M' would cost a lot less than a TE and give you a backup and the option of shooting different film as well.

hth/ScottGee1
 
GAS Wormtongue whispering "a 90mm Elmar is ooooooonly $100 or so, how could you NOT buy such an inexpensive lens?"

Of course, you'd get the magnifier...
 
Did it, got a Tri-Elmar today. Still not sure whether this is genius or stupidity. Going hiking this weekend and we will see.

But it sure looks and feels nice tho.......

:cool:
 
Tim said:
Did it, got a Tri-Elmar today. Still not sure whether this is genius or stupidity. Going hiking this weekend and we will see.

SNIP!

:cool:
Click to expand...

This, of course, depends on the price you paid.

Low = Genius!!

High = :bang:

Since I'm sort of, kind of, vaguely in the market for one, may I ask how much you paid?

Thanks!/ScottGee1
 
jdos2 said:
And Leica is reorganizing, why? We here could support 'em for next year!
Click to expand...

Hopefully, it's just evolution! Maybe they're pupating ;)

(Sorry, been reading Perdido Street Station... :D)
 
scottgee1 said:
This, of course, depends on the price you paid.

Low = Genius!!

High = :bang:

Since I'm sort of, kind of, vaguely in the market for one, may I ask how much you paid?

Thanks!/ScottGee1
Click to expand...

Sure, but I don't know that it will help you much, as Aus prices are significantly higher than US....

I payed towards the top end of the scale for second hand. The lens is 6 months old, literally mint, and came with case, caps, the dinky lens hood, plus a b&w uv slimline filter. Cost me AUD$2400.

There's another one for sale at the moment, in another shop in town, it's listed as a demo, and it's AUD$2500. And it's not in as good condition.

These are both 2nd models of course.

With the Tri, I really wanted to buy one I could put on my camera first, as there seem to be a lot of stories abut various troubles with mismatches - some don't chnage focal length smoothly, etc - but the consensus seems to be that if it works then it will be fine for that body.

cheers...
 
Yikes! I hope U.S. prices are lower. I sold my mint (first version) a few years ago for ~$1100 to a chap in the Netherlands!

Buying locally is a good idea with the TE for exactly the reasons you mention.

Looking forward to seeing your pix with it. Have fun!/ScottGee1


Tim said:
Sure, but I don't know that it will help you much, as Aus prices are significantly higher than US....

I payed towards the top end of the scale for second hand. The lens is 6 months old, literally mint, and came with case, caps, the dinky lens hood, plus a b&w uv slimline filter. Cost me AUD$2400.

There's another one for sale at the moment, in another shop in town, it's listed as a demo, and it's AUD$2500. And it's not in as good condition.

These are both 2nd models of course.

With the Tri, I really wanted to buy one I could put on my camera first, as there seem to be a lot of stories abut various troubles with mismatches - some don't chnage focal length smoothly, etc - but the consensus seems to be that if it works then it will be fine for that body.

cheers...
Click to expand...
 
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