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Conclusions
The Leica 180/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R shows what is possible, with performance wide open that barely improves by stopping down, except to improve contrast slightly, and to provide more even illumination (vignetting) across the field. This is as good as it gets with diffraction quickly being the limiting factor.
The Leica 180/2.8 exhibits a clarity lacking with the other lenses. It’s a lens that will perform on 40-60 megapixel cameras with grace, and when the going gets tough (flat light, subtle tones, color, etc), it’s likely to excel in ways one can’t see on a test chart.
The price of the Leica 180/2.8 APO-Summicron-R is out of reach for most photographers, but used samples can sometimes be found for much less. The sample tested here was tested using the Leitax converter; conversion takes about 10 minutes with a screwdriver—very easy.
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Diglloyd DAP is DSLR-oriented, but also contains workflow and other topics. Much of the focus is on Canon and Nikon but also Pentax and Pentax medium format.
Special emphasis is placed on lens evaluation, focusing on Canon and Nikon and Sigma lenses, but with a few others like Rokinon/Samyang.
- Make better images by learning how to get the best results right away.
- Save money by choosing the right lens for your needs the first time, particularly some of the new Sigma Art lenses vs Nikon and Canon.
- Workflow discusses image organization, raw conversion and post processing. Many examples show processing parameters for direct insight into how the image was converted.
- Jaw-dropping image quality found nowhere else utilizing Retina-grade images up to full camera resolution, plus large crops [past 2 years or so].
- Real world examples with insights found nowhere else. Make sharper images just by understanding lens behavior you won’t read about elsewhere.
- Aperture series from wide open through stopped down, showing the full range of lens performance and bokeh.
- Optical quality analysis of field curvature, focus shift, sharpness, flare, distortion, and performance in the field.
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