Re: [Leica] Viso lenses?

[Henning Wulff <henningw@archiphoto.com>]

>I was just away on vacation for a week, and in my travels was 
>seduced by a new-condition Viso 3 with the 5x smokestack finder. 
>Now of course I need lenses to put on it (and focussing mounts too, 
>I guess).  I'm thinking of longer lenses rather than macro(the idea 
>of a 400/6.8 is kind of cool).  I was wondering if people had 
>recommendations or advice, both about lenses and the Visoflex in 
>general.
>
>Paul

To be most practical, get lenses (like the 400/6.8) that you'll use 
wide open most of the time, unless your main interest is using it on 
a tripod. Also, get the right angle 4x finder for general handheld 
work. Again, mainly a convenience thing, because it doesn't reverse 
left and right.

The 280/4.8 is also a very good lens, and often overlooked and 
therefore possibly more affordable. Get the later, closer foussing 
one.

The 65/3.5, especially the black one, is optically extremely good, 
but since you might be stopping it down in general use, it is often 
not that handy.

The old 125 Hektor is an amazing portrait lens. Use it wide open or 
slightly stopped down (you don't have to open it up to focus for this 
purpose) and you can get fantastic effects. Undercorrected spherical 
aberration to provide lots of the best bokeh. I think this and the 
400/6.8 are the best reasons to have a Viso, although of course any 
Viso lens can also be used on almost any SLR. However, the Viso's 
optical system is optimized for longer lenses, so the viewing and 
focussing is particularly good for those long lenses.

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    *            Henning J. Wulff
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