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Author Topic: Really good news for Leica R useers  (Read 4085 times)

ErikKaffehr

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Really good news for Leica R useers
« on: January 15, 2013, 08:27:52 am »

Metabones has an adapter in the works that will allow Leica R-lenses to work on Sony E-mount and Fujifilm X-mount. The way it works aperture increases a stop while focal length is reduced. So 100/2 lens turns into a 70/1.4 (approximately). MTF is improved. The optical group is designed by Brian Caldwell, the designer of the Coastal Optics 60/4 macro.


http://www.metabones.com/product/fuji-x/leica-r-lens-to-fuji-x-adapter2013-01-14-06-08-54-detail

Detail given here: http://www.metabones.com/images/metabones/Speed%20Booster%20White%20Paper.pdf

The enclosed images are said to demonstrate the increase in sharpness, top image without converter lower image with converter.

The improvement is achieved by shrinking the image. So what used to be 20 lp/mm is now 30 lp/mm with essentially the same contrast. A wide angle stays a wide angle. No issues with lens cast, as far as I understand.


Best regards
Erik
« Last Edit: January 15, 2013, 03:51:39 pm by ErikKaffehr »
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Erik Kaffehr
 

RFPhotography

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2013, 08:37:15 am »

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photoshutter

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2013, 08:47:06 am »

Leitax has no optics.
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2013, 10:23:05 am »


Hi,

The great news is that these converters are supposed to improve image quality, essentially by eliminating the crop factor and also increase lens speed.

Best regards
Erik

Leitax has some as well.

http://leitax.com/LeicaR-lens-for-Mirrorless-cameras.html
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Erik Kaffehr
 

telyt

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2013, 11:17:28 am »

Very cool idea, but really good news for Leica-R users would be an R10.
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RFPhotography

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2013, 02:54:47 pm »

Leitax has no optics.

I understand that.  The optics may be a point of consideration of one adapter over the other.  The simple fact is there are other adapters out there and that's what I was trying to point out.  Choice is a good thing.

Erik, I don't entirely get how putting another piece of glass in the path increases image quality.  That one's a bit of a mystery.  The crop factor doesn't concern me, and I'm not really sure it does many.  I don't get the increase in speed either.  That doesn't make a lot of sense.  That one needs some explanation.  That aside, R lenses are already, generally, 2.8 at the slowest so not sure an increase is really necessary.  There are a few slower primes and the zooms are slower but for the most part they're 1.4, 1.8, 2 and 2.8.
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2013, 03:17:56 pm »

Hi,

It is a focal length reducer. Such devices have been used on telescopes for a long time.

What happens is that the lens system reduces the focal length and the image circle. So now the whole image circle can be used on APS-C. As you shorten the focal length aperture will increase accordingly.

Read this article by Brian Caldwell (the designer): http://www.metabones.com/images/metabones/Speed%20Booster%20White%20Paper.pdf

I didn't say the larger apertures are necessary. On the other hand a 21 mm superwide becomes a 31.5 mm wide angle on APS-C (because of the crop factor). With the new adapter the superwide stays a superwide.

The enclosed images are said do demonstrate the quality improvement on a Nikon 55/1.2. The top (larger) image is without the converter and the smaller image is with the converter designed  by Mr. Caldwell. The images are snapshots from the article linked above. From the MTF curves presented it seem that MTF is improved a lot centrally but less so in the corners.

Best regards
Erik



I understand that.  The optics may be a point of consideration of one adapter over the other.  The simple fact is there are other adapters out there and that's what I was trying to point out.  Choice is a good thing.

Erik, I don't entirely get how putting another piece of glass in the path increases image quality.  That one's a bit of a mystery.  The crop factor doesn't concern me, and I'm not really sure it does many.  I don't get the increase in speed either.  That doesn't make a lot of sense.  That one needs some explanation.  That aside, R lenses are already, generally, 2.8 at the slowest so not sure an increase is really necessary.  There are a few slower primes and the zooms are slower but for the most part they're 1.4, 1.8, 2 and 2.8.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2013, 03:31:50 pm by ErikKaffehr »
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Erik Kaffehr
 

RFPhotography

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2013, 03:53:08 pm »

OK, I get it.  Thanks, Erik. 
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2013, 03:58:04 pm »

On the other hand, Leica M is around the corner. Can be adopted for the R-lenses for sure. According to probable sources, Sony is planning a full frame NEX, they already have a full frame video camera, the VG900.

Best regards
Erik

OK, I get it.  Thanks, Erik. 
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Erik Kaffehr
 

RFPhotography

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #9 on: January 15, 2013, 04:06:50 pm »

I don't see a SpeedBoost for the m4/3 cameras.  Wonder if that's coming as well.
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #10 on: January 15, 2013, 04:41:13 pm »

Hi,

I think so... Brian Caldwell writes about m4/3. But I think they may have a crop factor on MFT. Did not read the paper well enough.

Best regards
Erik

I don't see a SpeedBoost for the m4/3 cameras.  Wonder if that's coming as well.
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Erik Kaffehr
 

WaitingForAnR10

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #11 on: January 15, 2013, 10:55:53 pm »

Very cool idea, but really good news for Leica-R users would be an R10.
I couldn't agree more.  ;D
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2013, 12:20:02 am »

Hi,

I don't see an R camera coming, but quite possibly an M-camera adopted for R-lenses.

The new Leica M, with CMOS sensor could be modified to work well with R-lenses. My guess is that it would need a different set of microlenses and a stronger IR-filter. Leica could even add an OLP filter.

On the other hand, you can buy a Fuji 100X or a NEX-7 and the metabone adapter and start shooting in a week or so, at much less cost than a Leica M.

Best regards
Erik


I couldn't agree more.  ;D
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Petrus

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2013, 12:56:53 am »

Tele extender idea turned around = wide-angle reducer.
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hasselbladfan

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2013, 05:15:35 am »

Very cool idea, but really good news for Leica-R users would be an R10.

I can't agree more, but that is history now. The machinery is sold as well as the remaining spare parts. :(

Leica preferred to put hunderd thousands of loyal users in the cold, in exchange for some fame in the MF format (and maybe at best thousand new users).

I sold my gear and I won't look back.

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telyt

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Re: Really good news for Leica R useers
« Reply #15 on: January 16, 2013, 06:02:39 am »

I don't see an R camera coming, but quite possibly an M-camera adopted for R-lenses.

At Photokina along with the new M Leica demonstrated an R lens adapter and announced that R lens profiles would be in the new M's firmware.

Scroll about 2/3 of the way down for more info:

http://www.reddotforum.com/content.php/278-Photokina-2012-Day-1-The-Leica-M

The new M can also be used with numerous other brands of SLR lenses, such as Minolta MD, Canon FD, Nikon (including G-type), Olympus, Pentax... pretty much anything that doesn't require electronic aperture control.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2013, 06:17:13 am by wildlightphoto »
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