[LRflex] Re: Macro - Elpro or Tube?

G'mornin' Douglas, Art, et al...

Close up lenses have their place.  Personally, though I don't do a lot of=
 close up work, the results I've had with the Nikon 6T and 80~200/4 Variol,=
 though very good, are not quite up to a prime lens with tubes. That being=
 said, it has the advantage of small size, low cost and light weight -=
 ideal for the traveling photographer.

Recently I acquired the ELPRO IVa and IVb pair of Leitz close-ups. These=
 are specifically formulated for the first version 50 Summicron and with=
 this lens they yield superb results. 

Close-up lenses have a bad reputation... and I believe that comes from the=
 vast number of innexpensive sets (usually a +1, +2 and +3 diopter lenses=
 in a small case) comprised of simple, single element lenses.

However, the small number of two element achromats (Minolta, Nikon,=
 Leitz/Leica and a few from Olympus) are of very high quailty.

I paid CAD$20 for my Nikon 6T and US$20 each for the two Elpros. I am so=
 pleased with them for casual use that I've just sold my extension tubes!

Moreover; lenses, such as the 1st version 90 Summicron, that don't work=
 well at close focus do better with close-upo lenses than tubes.  

Finally, close ups are mandatory with zooms.  The distance from the rear=
 lens element to the film/sensor plane is critical and cannot be varied.=
  Depending on the lens, results will vary from poor to terrible, and the=
 lens will change from zoom to variable focal length design.

Sorry, can't help you with the Exakta/Topcon mount.

Cheers!


David Young,
Logan Lake, BC    
CANADA. 

Personal Web-site at: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt
Leica Reflex Forum web-page: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm

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