Hello All!

I have aquired a 4/250 Telyt-R lens (SN 2695xxx). I would like use with my R8 for nature and general telephoto work. From what I can tell this was an early version of this Canadian built lens.

Could any one answer the following questions:

1. How I can expect this lens to perform as compared to the later version of this lens.

2. Would I be better off upgrading to a newer of different lens?

3. Will any of the lecia 1.4x or 2x converter provide with good results in combination with this lens?

4. Finally, is there a lens/tripod collar that was made to fit this lens?

Thanks for your time and be safe!

Scott

-- Scott G (PFD261@hotmail.com), February 01, 2002

Answers

Check out this site for a review of this lens.

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/leica/

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), February 01, 2002.

The later version has a tripod collar build in and is a better performer too. If you think of up grading, there is the 280/4 APO which is better but cost lots more. Other option is the 350/4.8 which is hard to find. The 350 is extremely good that I think it is a WOW lens. I used it with the APO 2x which give tack sharp and high contrast images at 700mm. Best Chi Cheung -Vancouver Canada

-- Chi Cheung (chic@intergate.bc.ca), February 01, 2002.

I have a 2-cam version of the 250 f4 Telyt with the same first serial #'s as yours. I have no experience with the newer versions, but I like my old one a lot. Mine has a tripod collar on it, albeit an immovable one. (pain in the butt for verticals on a monopod.) You can see a photo I took with the lens at:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=542893

-- Lance Goins (goinsphoto@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

Hello Scott.Your lens was built in the heavyweight telephoto era of the early 70's and is a pretty good performer ..much like the 180mm Elmarit.Firsly, I would give the lens a run.. I don't think it focuses as close as the latter version.If you want a quantum leap in a performance tele and don't need quite the magnification, look at the 180mm 3.4 Apo Telyt. This lens coupled with a 1.4 Apo extender,provides a wonderful set.Regards.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

Sheridan I didn't think you could fit the 1.4x teleconverter on the 180 Apo Telyt. Julian

-- Julian Hart (jhart@totalise.co.uk), February 02, 2002.

Hello Julian. You may well be right.To tell the truth I have not tried the 1.4 extender on my 180mm 3.4.It is indeed a newer design. Perhaps you may be limited to the non Apo 2X converter, an older design. Regards.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), February 03, 2002.

It is a good performer, certainly for the price (compared to an APO). I'm using it at love it's ruggedness and excellent images.

I was lucky and bought mine for about $300 via ebay. Don't spent more on it than $500

I have a pic on photo.net made with it.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=426947

it's the enjoying ice-cream

-- ReinierV (rvlaam@xs4all.nl), February 05, 2002.

Scott FWIW I owned the older (fat) Canadian 250/4 lens serial #2480xxx for about a year. The most ruggedly built lens I ever owned, very smooth operation and very very heavy. Focus was extremely slow from point to point and close focus was around 13 feet. It had a built in tripod socket and balanced well on my TillTall tripod. However, I was disappointed with its performance, I thought it was rather soft compared to other Leica primes, and exhibited quite a bit of chromatic abberation, maybe mine was just a bad sample. The newer version with the rotating tripod collar is a better performer I understand but also twice the price. If its limitations are within your parameters and you find a clean one for 400-500 its still not a bad deal. Personally I would look at the 75-200 Elmar zoom about the same price, lighter, more versatile and I think sharper.

-- Ron Dixon (RDixon@stny.rr.com), February 09, 2002.