Subject: Photos with Leica scope
Date: Nov 29 11:37:32 2003
From: Jerry Blinn - 76506.3100 at compuserve.com


>> Can anyone help me with this?

I have a Leica APO Televid 77 scope and would like to take photos through
it,
preferably using an SLR camera. Leica offer an SLR adaptor for around $400.

Does anyone have experience with this, and are there cheaper ways to do
it? Can
you get comparable quality using a digital camera? I have the Leica 32x
wide
angle eyepiece which is wonderfully clear and bright.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Richard Isherwood <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


Richard, I have the APO scope and the SLR adapter. I made tests with it
early on, with a Nikon F5, and was absolutely delighted with the results --
far better than one would expect with a simple eyepiece attachment. The
SLR adapter is an optical device, as opposed to a simple attaching device,
which significantly improves flatness of field, etc. My results from the
field have been equally satisfying but, of course, would never equal one of
those $7,000+ 600mm lenses. I'd say the results were about the same as, or
better than, those expected with a third-party 300mm 2.8 lens and 2X
extender.

Leica also offers a $65 eyepiece adapter for their $895<G> Digilux I
3.9mp digital camera.

The key, in either case, is a ~great~ tripod and good vibration
reduction technique -- meaning lay the weight of your free hand over the
balance point of the scope, which is easy with the Leica if you focus with
your thumb. With medium speed film, shooting at ~f11, you get a relatively
slow shutter speed -- tripod technique can be far more an issue than the
intrinsic quality of the optics.

Jerry


E-mail from: Jerry Blinn

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