[Ben-G]

Dear pentaxforum users,

For landscape photography I'm very confused, at the same price, between a Leica R Leitz apo telyt 180 f3,4 Leitaxed and a Pentax SMC DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED (IF) SDM for my K-1.

Anyone has used and compared, in terms of image quality, both lenses ?


LEITZÂ* APO



All the best,

BEN

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Last edited by Ben-G; 02-23-2020 at 09:54 AM.

[stevebrot]

It might help if you were to explain what you are expecting in terms of "quality". Since you are open to manual focus, you might also be interested in either the FA* 200/2.8 or A* 200/2.8, both of which might also give the Leitz a reasonable challenge.


Steve

[Wasp]

I would take the Pentax in f/2.8 for the extra half stop of aperture. Full compatibility with every mode that the camera has is a bonus too.


Are Leitaxed lenses a manual aperture deal? If so, bear in mind that manual apertures are an acquired taste. I use my K mount lenses on my Samsung NX bodies. No big hardship but one must make allowances. At least on mirrorless the body cranks up viewfinder brightness when you stop down. On a DSLR you have to focus wide open, stop down, take meter reading, you know the drill. Just like granddad with his Spotmatic and Takumar lens, but he managed just fine.

[stevebrot]

Are Leitaxed lenses a manual aperture deal?

Yep...

On a DSLR you have to focus wide open, stop down, take meter reading, you know the drill.

Turn ring to desired aperture (counting clicks for later)...meter shutter speed...open aperture to focus and frame...stop down counting clicks...make picture (repeat last two steps until either the light or subject changes). (Abbreviated versions available for hand-held meters or Av mode.)

Just like granddad with his Spotmatic and Takumar lens, but he managed just fine.

Spotmatic is a lot easier because granddad (or Stevebrot) had auto aperture actuation meaning the stopping down part was done by the camera...no counting clicks.


Steve

[pres589]

With a Leitax'd lens with an aperture ring, wouldn't you just leave the camera in Av mode, focus wide open, and then stop the lens down and let the camera deal figuring out the shutter speed? I know there's more going on here vs. having native k-mount functionality, but I regard this as less taxing than manual focusing.

[stevebrot]

With a Leitax'd lens with an aperture ring, wouldn't you just leave the camera in Av mode, focus wide open, and then stop the lens down and let the camera deal figuring out the shutter speed? I know there's more going on here vs. having native k-mount functionality, but I regard this as less taxing than manual focusing.

Yep...the flow is the same as an adapted M42 lens with the A/M switch stuck in the M position. Even in Av mode, counting the clicks gets old after awhile.


Steve

[pres589]

And with no Judas window on a DSLR... I agree that counting clicks isn't that much fun.

[twilhelm]

I don’t have the Leica 180 (yet) but I have the Summicron 50 and the Elmarit 135 and the DA* 200. The DA* 200 ranks right up there with the two Leica lenses I have, and I would say is sharper across the image.

Personally, I would start with the DA lens. It is impressive.

[Digitalis]

The Leica as actually apochromatic the DA*200mm f/2.8 lens is not, this makes for quite a difference at the focal plane in terms of sharpness and outside it as colour fringing will be absent with the Leica lens. I have used the DA*200mm f/2.8 and Longitudinal chromatic aberration can be problematic with that lens.