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using M9 or M8 together with DSLR

PSon

Active member
Similar to what you mentioned above Son, i enjoy shooting macro at the same time I'm shooting landscapes/cityscapes. are there any lenses that would function well on an M9 for macro photography? i have a 50lux pre-asph and a 24elmarit asph at the moment. (edit: obviously those are not options - they are just what i'm working with, but i have been reading about M macro lenses that are built on extension tubes, and have issues where you cannot collapse them without destroying the sensor on an M9, so... that's kinda scary sounding)

i have been thinking of investing in a DSLR camera to use for macro shooting simply because you can judge results through the lens immediately. any suggestions? I have 2 Minolta macro lenses, but I'm not sure where to find info on what digital bodies they might fit. Dealing with sensor sizes, crop factor and all that has been rather confusing to know how they would work. My other option is obviously investing in a new (or new to me at least) kit.

thanks!
unclearconcept,
You can use the visoflex for macro work with your M9. My favorite lens is the Contax S-Planar 4.0/100 with focus helicoil on it and mount to the Leica Visoflex III mirror housing for macro works. I shall demonstrate to you when I get the chance.
Son
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Can you expand on the M9 + Apo 3.4/135 compare to the 70-200 zoom?
thanks,
Son
My 135/3.4 just got back from a trip to Leica because I felt infinity focus needed some adjustment.
When I got it back I just took the M9+135/3.4 and the d700+70-200/2.8VRII at a walk and shot some comparisons at f4.0.
It turned out that a) 135mm on a DSLR is much much easier to focus precisly IMO and b) even when focused precisely the 135apo didnt blow the 70-200 away.
However this only a first impression, nut a test, just comparing both lenses shooting casual side by side.

The last thing is that for 135mm, when shooting side by side you realize how much bigger the subject is in the viewfinder of the DLSR which is much better for framing IMO.
I will keep the 135apo for times when I only want to carry M9, but I think its more for shooting static subjects and closed down a bit.
I can shoot 75 and 90mm much more reliable on the M9.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
90 Macroelmarit works fine on the M9.
I also thought it could work nice with an EP2, having IS in the camera, being able to focus with the lifeview and with a little more DOF due to the smaller sensor.
One could use that lens on the M9 for "casual" macro or on the ep2 if excat framing is wanted.


Similar to what you mentioned above Son, i enjoy shooting macro at the same time I'm shooting landscapes/cityscapes. are there any lenses that would function well on an M9 for macro photography? i have a 50lux pre-asph and a 24elmarit asph at the moment. (edit: obviously those are not options - they are just what i'm working with, but i have been reading about M macro lenses that are built on extension tubes, and have issues where you cannot collapse them without destroying the sensor on an M9, so... that's kinda scary sounding)

i have been thinking of investing in a DSLR camera to use for macro shooting simply because you can judge results through the lens immediately. any suggestions? I have 2 Minolta macro lenses, but I'm not sure where to find info on what digital bodies they might fit. Dealing with sensor sizes, crop factor and all that has been rather confusing to know how they would work. My other option is obviously investing in a new (or new to me at least) kit.

thanks!
 

PeterA

Well-known member
Good to hear your M9 arrived!!!!! Seductive piece of kit to be sure. Wait until you take a look at the images ... other stuff in the gear box tends to just sit there.

What is cool is that unlike the M8, there is a much wider selection of ISO choices ... so rather than jumping from 320 to 640 to 1250 you can also select 500, 800, 1000. 800 and 1000 is pretty good. 1250 is also if exposed well and processed in C1.

Check which firmware is installed, there is a very recent update that improves the M9 ... especially the reformatting function and LCD views at higher ISOs.

My dealer called and a second one is heading my way just in time for wedding season. WaHoo!

Peter, don't you already have a 35mm DSLR? If you don't need really high ISO, Check out the Sony A900 and Zeiss 135/1.8 or Sony 70-200/2.8G APO.

I'd do T/S with a tech camera and MFD back since T/S a more thoughtful slow paced process anyway.

What are you thinking? Updating your ALPA? Or the Sinar?


-Marc
Thanks Son and Marc - it was a long time in coming!

Marc - the M9 is a revelation to me - I finally have the camera in digi form which I used almost exclusively in 35mm film form ...fantastic file quality in full frame form and my M glass is behaving as it should in terms of field of view..

this is my first weekend with it and I just love it! A lot of improvements over the M8.

re tech camera shooting - my Alpa doesn't do shift or tilt - in fact I think the tilt add on mechanism from Alpa is a joke. I wont sell my Alpa though for same reason as I will never sell my XPan kit - i am too attached to them for personal and historical reasons..

I bought a new 24 Nikkor shift tilt today to test ...but somehow I know I will end up with an arTec - they really are the bees knees for tec shooting...

my problem is I have too many MF systems which ( quite frankly) I dont use enough and I have now tested and retested enough to know each system's strengths and weaknesses..

Sadly I have decided I wont be buying an S2 as much as I wanted it to be the camera...it just doesn't add up for me..my Leica nut ends with M series cameras..after the R debacle I am not investing /committing to $100K worth of gear only to see it killed off or die because of lack of interest....but I am frustrated by the S2 - a lot to like a lot to like..especially the ergonomics for an SLR style shooting.


so I have quite a few white elephants sitting in my gear cabinets...a bunch of exotic glass from Rollie/Zeiss/Hasselblad/RZ Mamiya/Contax - with cameras and backs to match - most of which I hardly ever use..

time to clean up and consolidate..

I want one back I can switch from Alpa/arTec and use on one MF system whilst keeping some of my exotic Zeiss glass which I love - I Know a Hasselblad 60 will do the job but so will a P65+

this would likely be my last purchase for a very very very long time and I want to get it right...every system has its strengths and weaknesses...it is a very personal decision..
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Jaap Thats an outstanding image and so much harder to do with the 135APO than AF. But the effort spills over to your focusing capability and improves your "in focus ratio"with every focal length. But I know you must shoot quite a lot as it takes practice to do this. I admire your technique and execution as well as the image itself.
 

Gilles L.

New member
unclearconcept,
You can use the visoflex for macro work with your M9. My favorite lens is the Contax S-Planar 4.0/100 with focus helicoil on it and mount to the Leica Visoflex III mirror housing for macro works. I shall demonstrate to you when I get the chance.
Son
Hi Son, Can you explain how to use the Contax S-Planar on the visoflex? What kind of mount do you need? Do you know if the lens adapts to the bellows II too? I use the Visoflex III in combination with the bellows II with a 90/2.8 and 135/4, and i would be quite interested in expending the system with more lenses. Thanks for your input! Gilles
 

PSon

Active member
Hi Gilles,
I changed the Visoflex III mount to a Canon Eos mount since this would give me all the possibility to attached any lens with the abundant adapters already available. I have to sets one with the focusing helicoid and one with the PC auto bellows. I will take some photos and post them here for you and others.
Best Regars,
Son
 

Double Negative

Not Available
I carry multiple systems on occasion, and more often than not the M8 is one of them (if not the only one the rest of the time).

Case in point, the recent St. Patrick's Day parade here in town. I used my Canon 1D Mark IIn and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens for the parade (it was raining cats and dogs) since it's weathersealed and I needed the reach, AF, higher ISO, etc. For everything else (interiors) I used the M8. The latter is quite discreet and non-threatening.

Another time I went out with the Hassy shooting B&W film, but I had the M8 with me for color.

Still another time I was shooting Velvia and Provia in the Mamiya 7II, but had the M8 along for all but the "whoa!" shots, which I wanted the 6x7 negative size for. You go through a lot of film (or at least I do) when you only get ten shots per roll! So I wanted to keep that within reason.

I'm mostly a "one system at a time" kind of person, but there are times where you need extra flexibility or just want different approaches for whatever reason. There is no one perfect system IMO as they all have their strengths (and weaknesses).
 
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