Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dennis: I haven't seen any responses to this, but I'm on the digest & behind on my reading, so this may be redundant. The 180Summicron is also capable of taking either or both APOtele-extenders. At least one gent on the list (who's probably momentarily overwhelmed with a project) stacks the two extenders on his 180f2 (180, 1.4, 2.0 in that order) to get a Big Fast Lens. Leica, in their Program Catalog of last year, said that with the 1.4APO on the 180f2, the lens had to be shot at apertures above 2.8, as the tele-converter was computed for the 280f2.8 and the f2.0 could show some vignetting. The current Program Catalog does not include this disclaimer (although the current one also advertises the 28f1.2, a typo repeated throughout the copy on the actual lens - the 28f2 - so it could just be another brilliant Leica advertising/promotional gaff) [ed. note: why does Leica have such great brochures for their binoculars, but their camera stuff is inevitably some bizarre transliteration of the original High German text? Does that appeal to us as buyers?]. Reports on the 180Summicron say that it is a spectacular lens, but almost invariably point out the difficulty in hand-holding it, even with the grip/palm rest. Erwin states that its performance even on a monopod will be compromised. The depth of field on it is, again nodding to Erwin, among the shallowest of any lens, including the Nocti [has anyone done the DOF computation not based on distance, i.e. "@ six feet," but by magnification "so her head is always the same size"? This harks back to a link from two weeks ago...]. In combination, the weight, size, and DOF are the factors which contribute to Erwin's insistence on a tripod for the 180Summicron. Other possibilities include a chest-mounted minitripod, a belt-mounted monopod, a gyroscope, or a mini-Steadicam. Or you could set the thing on the ground, I guess. I would like to volunteer to try this lens in all possible configurations, in case you buy it but don't have the time to test it thoroughly. Christopher Bokeh Quinn Much much more on-topic than either the Filson or Mountainsmith posts