Pros n Cons of the Leaf Shutter Lenses ?

knumbnutz · 05-19-2009, 04:56 AM

Hi All,

I am looking at the Leaf Shutter lenses mostly the 165mm and would like to hear peoples experience of them.

I know nothing at all so anything is going to be beneficial, things like ease of use, metering, speed of setup etc.

Cheers Neil

Wheatfield · 05-19-2009, 09:11 AM

About all you lose with the 165 leaf over the non shuttered lens is a stop of maximum aperture. Everything else is the same, except that you have the option of plugging your flash into the lens ans syncing up to 1/500 second.
If you get a LS lens, make sure you aquire instructions for using it. There are some things you can do wrong which can do really bad things to your lens.

desertscape · 05-19-2009, 12:03 PM

What do you intend to shoot with it?

knumbnutz · 05-19-2009, 08:35 PM

Originally posted by desertscape

What do you intend to shoot with it?

Mostly portraits and street portraits.
I am thinking to get the 200/f4 or the 165mm.

Cheers Neil

D W · 05-20-2009, 06:53 AM

The only reason I used the LS lens in the last 30 yrs was to get a faster sync speed when using flash.

You need to manually cock the shutter on the lens after advancing the film.

desertscape · 05-20-2009, 12:07 PM

If you require the use of a flash and faster than 1/30 sec shutter speed, go with the 165LS. If not, go with the 200 Pentax. The 165mm f/2.8 has f/22 smallest stop, where the LS has f/32.

knumbnutz · 05-20-2009, 07:47 PM

So basically, no need for leaf shutter if you are not using a flash ?
Cool.
Cheers Neil

Wheatfield · 05-21-2009, 07:01 AM

I have found the occassional use for my LS lenses without flash.
Because the curtain travel time is so slow, the camera will actually show the movement of objects traveling past the camera if they are going any speed. Remember, it takes the 6x7 shutter a full 1/30 of a second to make any exposure above sync.

**Lowell Goudge** · 05-21-2009, 10:16 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

I have found the occassional use for my LS lenses without flash.
Because the curtain travel time is so slow, the camera will actually show the movement of objects traveling past the camera if they are going any speed. Remember, it takes the 6x7 shutter a full 1/30 of a second to make any exposure above sync.

it might help to post a photo of oval wheels

Wheatfield · 05-21-2009, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

it might help to post a photo of oval wheels

We were visiting some friends near Winnipeg one time. They took us to see a working steam train that was being used to take passengers from Stonewall to lord only knows where.
I decided to take a few pictures with the 6x7 and got reall funky results, almost cartoonlike because of subject movement during the 1/1000 second exposure.

desertscape · 05-21-2009, 05:41 PM

I once seriously considered getting the 165 LS for landscape work due to its f/32 DOF and its optical cross section similar to the 200mm Pentax. The 90-180 zoom with its f/45 trumped it though and I bought that instead.

Art Vandelay II · 11-19-2009, 12:31 PM

I've been thinking about getting a Pentax 645N but I am really put off by the 1/60th max flash sync speed. I know Pentax offered a few leaf shutter lenses which might fix the issue for me, but I've never used one. So my question is what exactly is involved with these? Are there electoral contacts between the body and lens to let the body knows what the shutter speed is set at? Can I still use radio triggers to fire the strobes or do I have to plug an sync cable directly into the lens? Thanks in advance.

tuco · 11-19-2009, 03:15 PM

I have both the 165mm LS and the 90mm LS. I use them both. The 165 needs to be stored with the shutter tension off the springs for long term. So don't forget to close the LS when putting it away. You need to remember to put the camera on 1/8 shutter speed for both these lenses when using their LS. Something you might forget if you are in a hurry or haven't used it for a while.

The 90mm LS has two great properties.

1) Vibration-free shooting using only the leaf shutter *. The 165mm LS does not.
2) Can do multiple exposures. The 165mm LS cannot.

* Instructions are in the 90mm LS manual.

05-19-2009, 04:56 AM	#1
knumbnutz Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 394	Pros n Cons of the Leaf Shutter Lenses ? Hi All, I am looking at the Leaf Shutter lenses mostly the 165mm and would like to hear peoples experience of them. I know nothing at all so anything is going to be beneficial, things like ease of use, metering, speed of setup etc. Cheers Neil

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Pros/Cons of using medium format lenses on Pentax DSLRs?	hangu	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	49	04-15-2011 01:24 PM
From K20D to 645D, Pros and Cons.	Reportage	Pentax DSLR Discussion	12	11-10-2010 03:13 PM
Epson R1800... Pros/Cons	Buddha Jones	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	13	05-12-2009 07:14 PM
Pros and cons of the Pentax KM/2000	lesmore49	Pentax DSLR Discussion	109	05-01-2009 11:51 PM
Sigma 28-70 F/2.8 (Pros & Cons)	GLThorne	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	8	03-24-2007 07:10 AM

05-19-2009, 09:11 AM	#2
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	About all you lose with the 165 leaf over the non shuttered lens is a stop of maximum aperture. Everything else is the same, except that you have the option of plugging your flash into the lens ans syncing up to 1/500 second. If you get a LS lens, make sure you aquire instructions for using it. There are some things you can do wrong which can do really bad things to your lens.

05-19-2009, 12:03 PM	#3
desertscape Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,272	What do you intend to shoot with it?

05-19-2009, 08:35 PM	#4
knumbnutz Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 394 Original Poster	Originally posted by desertscape What do you intend to shoot with it? Mostly portraits and street portraits. I am thinking to get the 200/f4 or the 165mm. Cheers Neil

05-20-2009, 06:53 AM	#5
D W Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hogtown, ON, Canada Posts: 329	The only reason I used the LS lens in the last 30 yrs was to get a faster sync speed when using flash. You need to manually cock the shutter on the lens after advancing the film.

05-20-2009, 12:07 PM	#6
desertscape Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,272	If you require the use of a flash and faster than 1/30 sec shutter speed, go with the 165LS. If not, go with the 200 Pentax. The 165mm f/2.8 has f/22 smallest stop, where the LS has f/32.

05-20-2009, 07:47 PM	#7
knumbnutz Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 394 Original Poster	So basically, no need for leaf shutter if you are not using a flash ? Cool. Cheers Neil

05-21-2009, 07:01 AM	#8
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	I have found the occassional use for my LS lenses without flash. Because the curtain travel time is so slow, the camera will actually show the movement of objects traveling past the camera if they are going any speed. Remember, it takes the 6x7 shutter a full 1/30 of a second to make any exposure above sync.

05-21-2009, 10:16 AM	#9
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by Wheatfield I have found the occassional use for my LS lenses without flash. Because the curtain travel time is so slow, the camera will actually show the movement of objects traveling past the camera if they are going any speed. Remember, it takes the 6x7 shutter a full 1/30 of a second to make any exposure above sync. it might help to post a photo of oval wheels

05-21-2009, 10:25 AM	#10
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge it might help to post a photo of oval wheels We were visiting some friends near Winnipeg one time. They took us to see a working steam train that was being used to take passengers from Stonewall to lord only knows where. I decided to take a few pictures with the 6x7 and got reall funky results, almost cartoonlike because of subject movement during the 1/1000 second exposure.

05-21-2009, 05:41 PM	#11
desertscape Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,272	I once seriously considered getting the 165 LS for landscape work due to its f/32 DOF and its optical cross section similar to the 200mm Pentax. The 90-180 zoom with its f/45 trumped it though and I bought that instead.

11-19-2009, 12:31 PM	#12
Art Vandelay II Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 886	I've been thinking about getting a Pentax 645N but I am really put off by the 1/60th max flash sync speed. I know Pentax offered a few leaf shutter lenses which might fix the issue for me, but I've never used one. So my question is what exactly is involved with these? Are there electoral contacts between the body and lens to let the body knows what the shutter speed is set at? Can I still use radio triggers to fire the strobes or do I have to plug an sync cable directly into the lens? Thanks in advance.

11-19-2009, 03:15 PM	#13
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,026	I have both the 165mm LS and the 90mm LS. I use them both. The 165 needs to be stored with the shutter tension off the springs for long term. So don't forget to close the LS when putting it away. You need to remember to put the camera on 1/8 shutter speed for both these lenses when using their LS. Something you might forget if you are in a hurry or haven't used it for a while. The 90mm LS has two great properties. 1) Vibration-free shooting using only the leaf shutter . The 165mm LS does not. 2) Can do multiple exposures. The 165mm LS cannot. Instructions are in the 90mm LS manual.