Leica M (Typ 240): Close-Up Experiences - Part 4: Practice III

Introduction | Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 Macro Lens | Using the Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 Macro Lens as a Close-Up Lens | Summary and Conclusions | References

Archive

This page presents my practical experiences with close-up shots using an macro lens with the Leica M (Typ 240) in live view mode, namely the Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 lens.

See page Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 2: Practice I for my practical experiences with close-up lenses or achromats and extension tubes and page Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 3: Practice II for my practical experiences with extension bellows.

See also page Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 1: Overview for an overview of the options that you have for close-up shots when using the Leica M (Type 240) in live view mode and pages Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 5: Samples I and Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 6: Samples II, and Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 7: Samples III for sample close-up photos with the Leica M (Typ 240).

Note: Page Close-Up Behavior of the M-Mount Lenses describes the close-up characteristics of the lenses when used without any close-up options.

Introduction

On page Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 1: Overview, I mentioned that rangefinder camera are not well suited to close-up photography because of the parallax. With the Leica M (Typ 240), however, this has changed, because Leica added live view to the camera. With respect to close-up/macro photos, in live view mode the M behaves like a system camera (or like a DSLR) and can use all the techniques that these can use: close-up lenses, extension tubes, extension bellows, and macro lenses. On that page, I provide an overview of the options that you have for close-up shots when using the Leica M (Type 240) in live view mode. On this page and two other pages (see on top of the page), I would like to present my practical experiences in this domain, which are, of course, of anecdotic nature.

Because of the length of this page, I prepared three separate pages for presenting sample close-up photos (see on top of the page)

Calculating Magnification

From dkpeterborough (l-camera-forum) I adopt the way how magnification is calculated:

Sensor width / object width = 35.8 [mm] / object width [mm] for the Leica M (Type 240) full format sensor.

Below, I will use this formula for calculating the achievable magnification under various conditions.

Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 Macro Lens

The Lens Alone...

I bought the Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 macro lens at the end of January 2017. My sample has an with M42 mount (COWEIT) and the serial number 355941. I do not know which production year this points to, but I read that the lens was manufactured in the 1960s (it was manufactured by Staeble who sold a more or less identical lens).


Front view of the lens	Oblique view of the lens	Side view, lens not extended

Rear lens, lens fully extended	Rear lens, lens fully extended	Rear lens, lens collapsed

Rear lens, lens two click-stops extended	Rear lens, lens fully extended	Rear lens, lens extended - with Novoflex adapter

Lens collapsed	Lens one click-stop extended	Lens two click-stops extended
		All extensions with distance set to infinity. If distance is set to closer values, the lens is farther extended
Lens three click-stops extended	Lens four click-stops extended

Photos: Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 lens with different views and different extensions (there are four click-stops for extending the lens)

Adapters...

Since my Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 lens has an M42 screw mount, I need an adapter to attach it to my Leica M (Typ 240). I bought the Novoflex LEM/CO adapter, and I was able to attach it to the lens without problems, though there is some slack.

Luckily, the Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M offers the option to achieve even higher magnifications by extending the lens barrel for another 1 cm. I cover this aspect on this page as well (see below).


	Novoflex LEM/CO adapter		Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M

	Novoflex LEM/CO adapter		Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M

Photos: Novoflex M42-to-Leica M adapter (LEM/CO), Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M

So, this is my "macro set" for the Leica M (Typ 240) when I use a macro lens:

Photo: Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 lens with Novoflex LEM/CO adapter and Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M

The Whole Setup

Lens with Novoflex LEM/CO Adapter




Collapsed, distance set to infinity		Three or four click-stops, distance set to infinity

Four click-stops, distance set to close (about 0.3 m)		Four click-stops, distance set to infinity

Four click-stops, distance set to infinity		Four click-stops, distance set to close (about 0.3 m)

Four click-stops, distance set to infinity		Four click-stops, distance set to close (about 0.3 m)

Photos: Leica M (Typ 240) with Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 lens and Novoflex LEM/CO adapter

Lens with Novoflex LEM/CO Adapter and Additional Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M


Collapsed, distance set to infinity		Ditto, one click-stop, distance set to infinity

Ditto, four click-stops, distance set to infinity		Ditto, distance set to close (about 0.3 m)

Photos: Leica M (Typ 240) with Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 lens, Novoflex LEM/CO adapter, and additional Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M (1 cm)

Lens with Adapter Attached

Lens with Novoflex LEM/CO Adapter and Quenox Extension Tube


With Novoflex adapter, lens collapsed	With Novoflex adapter, lens fully extended	With Novoflex adapter, lens collapsed

With Novoflex adapter and Quenox extension tube, lens collapsed	With Novoflex adapter and Quenox extension tube, lens fully extended	With Novoflex adapter, lens fully extended

Using the Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 Macro Lens as a Close-Up Lens

Some Specialties

According to Novoflex, the Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 lens serves two purposes: (1) It is a 35 mm lens that offers more field of view than a normal lens (50 mm), (2) it serves as a macro lens with magnifications of up to 1:2 without any other tools - the lens barrel can simply be extended like extension tubes via four click-stop positions. Fine tuning seems to be possible by turning the distance ring (the technical data sheet speaks of a "helical focusing mount"...). Larger magnifications are possible using extension tubes or bellows and/or by reversing the lens. I tested the Quenox Extension Tube for Leica M (1 cm) with the lens, and it seems to work well. Maximum magnification was, however, still below 1:1 with this 1 cm extension tube (lens not reversed).

From 1:1 or larger, Novoflex recommends to reverse the lens; they supplied respective rings for the filter thread (UMCO (M42), UMEX (Exakta), LEIUM (Leica)), but I do not know whether these are still available. They also state that the lens barrel acts as a lens hood in this case.

The table below describes the use of the lens as a macro lens and summarizes, which magnifications can be achieved with which lens setting without and with an additional Quenox Extension Ring. I do not present photos that "prove" my numbers (so there are no "ruler photos" here...), because in the end, I am probably the only person who will use this data... Anyway, this table should be taken with a grain of salt and be used only as an orientation aid.

Lens & Novoflex LEM/CO Adapter					Ditto & Quenox Extension Ring (1 cm)
Click-Stops	MiOW*		Max. Magnification		MiOW*		Max. Magnification
Distance set >	infinity	0.3 m	inf	close	inf	close	infinity	0.3 m
0	n.a.	265	n.a.	1:7.4	130	89	1:3.6	1:2.5
1	320	145	1:8.9	1:4.1	93	70	1:2.6	1:2.0
2	260	105	1:7.3	1:2.9	73	58	1:2.0	1:1.7
3	110	78	1:3.1	1:2.2	60	50	1:1.7	1:1.4
4	82	65	1:2.3	1:1.8	51	43	1:1.4	1:1.2

*) MiOW = Minimum object width

As you can see from the table, there is some overlap between the ranges that the different click-stops cover when you turn the helical distance ring. A magnification of 1:2 can only be achieved when the distance ring is set to the closest distance (or close to it) and the lens is extended four click-stops (without extension ring). The latter costs one f-stop exposure-wise. With the Quenox extension ring (1 cm), one can come fairly close to a magnification of 1:1 and loses probably about two f-stops.

Summary and Conclusions

It looks like I have started an interesting journey with buying the Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 macro lens. Taking close-up shots with it is fun and much easier than using close-up lenses. Adding an extension tube adds some complexity, but allows for more magnification. The lens is very prone to flare and creates "sun rings" when wider open, though. At f/8 and more, this improves considerably. It alos cannot be used for objects at infinity (or large distances). All in all, I am quite impressed with what is possible with this lens - despite all its limitations...

In the end, this lens is the most straighforward solution for taking close-up shots with the Leica M (Typ 240) - at least for me...

A smaller set of sample photos taken with the Novoflex Noflexar 35mm f/3.5 macro lens is presented on page Close-Up Options (Live View) - Part 7: Samples III.

There are also quite a few sample photos on this site that I took with this lens - so see for yourself:

References

Extension Tubes

Novoflex: Extension tube set Leica M (www.novoflex.com/en/products/adapters/extension-tube-set-leica-m/) / Zwischenringsatz Leica M (www.novoflex.com/de/produkte/objektiv-adapter/zwischenringsatz-leica-m/)
enjoyyourcamera: Quenox Zwischenring für Leica M - ersetzt Leica OUFRO bzw. Leitz 16469Y (http://www.enjoyyourcamera.com/Makrozubehoer/Makro-Zwischenringe/Quenox-Zwischenring-fuer-Leica-M-ersetzt-Leica-OUFRO-bzw-Leitz-16469Y::6791.html)

Extension Bellows

Novoflex Company Website (www.novoflex.com/en/home (English), www.novoflex.com/de/home (German))
Novoflex: Adapted bellow systems for the Leica M (Typ 240) and S (Universal-Balgengeräte für Leica M240 und Leica S) (www.novoflex.com/de/produkte/makrofotografie--blitztechnik/balgengeraete/universal-balgengeraete-fuer-leica-neu (German only))