QUICK TAKE – LEICA 135MM F3.4 TELYT-M APO | PebblePlace
IF YOU REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANT THE BEST…
I have owned the Leica 135mm F3.4 Telyt-M APO several times – once with the Leica M8, and then again with the Leica M9-P. With those cameras my in-focus keeper rate was dismal. Shooting at wider apertures like F3.4 was a non-starter. The obvious solution is the Leica 1.25x or 1.4x magnifier, but the magnifiers tend to lower the viewfinder contrast which can make judging focus patch alignment more difficult. And, if the M body and the 135mm are not perfectly focus calibrated with one and another, then no magnifier will help. My conclusion at the time was – the 135mm F3.4 Telyt-M APO was extremely unforgiving and not well suited for handheld shooting. Fast forward to June 2013 with the Leica M-240. During the past year I have repeatedly stated my dislike for the Leica EVF on the M-240, but when it comes to the Leica 135mm F3.4 Telyt-M APO, the EVF is a must-have accessory. Working with the EVF slows down the shooting process, but my in-focus keeper rate has improved substantially. Usually I pre-focus with the EVF and then use the RF viewfinder to compose and shoot. I shoot this way because the shutter lag with the EVF messes with my timing. When shooting via a tripod, the EVF’s tilt-up feature makes life very easy. So, during the past year my opinion on the Leica 135mm F3.4 Telyt-M APO has changed considerably……..
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Hans-Dieter Brand