Official Talk Leica thread

[justpix]

Hi, again Schwetzingen ... (M9 - VOIGTLÄNDER Apo-Lanthar 2/50 f 2,8 ; crops) :











f 2 :




(Some might ask, was there a reason for buying this lens ? Well, the easy answer would be to quote King Lear Oh, reason not the need ... ---

Seriously, I read very favorable reviews of this lens, and I wanted an Apo M mount lens. The only other Apo I have is the ZEISS Apo Sonnar 2/135 I rarely use.

And I found the Leica Apo Summicron too expensive. Its compactness could not compensate this (for me).)

 

[PJH99]

I’ll bet that 135 Zeiss isn’t easy to focus with an RF

 

[justpix]

I’ll bet that 135 Zeiss isn’t easy to focus with an RF

Hi, actually, the ZEISS Sonnar has an ZF.2 mount (for NIKON). I bought it in my SONY adapting years.

I bought the 50mm Macro-Planar first, then the 100mm Macro-Planar, and the Sonnar at last. All are wonderful lenses. ---

But my LEITZ Tele-Elmar 4/135mm is not easy to focus on the M9, not having live view. I do not use it often, which is why I did not buy the Apo-Telyt 3,4/135 ...

​

 

[gramps]

Two Old Men by Bristol Streets, on Flickr

Leica Q
f4
1/500
ISO 500

 

[Adam Bonn]

Hi, I bought the Planar after the Sonnar, because the Sonnar showed CAs on my MFT Olympus Pen EP-1 in my early adapting days.

The Summicron I bought later out of curiosity. What I liked and like about it is the sliding hood, and its compactness, making it easy to use.

When going out taking pics I rotate the lenses. Basically, they are all good, and they perform almost on the same level.

FWIW…. I’ve had both cron 50 and ZM 50/2 and they have different strengths and weaknesses

ZM V Cron

+ better flare control
+ 1/3 click stops
+ VFM

- more distortion
- 1/3 click stops (I hate ‘em YMMV)
- Not really 50mm (maybe 46 or 47) or maybe it’s focus breathing
- cooler flatter rendering (subjective I guess)
- hood optional extra

 

[Adam Bonn]

Enthralled by Adam Bonn, on Flickr

did I do this one already? Elmarit 28 and 10R

 

[Jammy Dodger]

Hi Everybody - hopefully today will see the purchase of a new M11 - always dreamed of owning a Leica

 

[Adam Bonn]

Congratulations

 

[justpix]

FWIW…. I’ve had both cron 50 and ZM 50/2 and they have different strengths and weaknesses

ZM V Cron

+ 1) better flare control
+ 1/3 click stops
+ VFM

- more distortion
- 1/3 click stops (I hate ‘em YMMV)
- Not really 50mm (maybe 46 or 47) or maybe it’s focus breathing
- cooler flatter rendering (subjective I guess)
- 2) hood optional extra

Hi, thank you for your professional evaluation, Adam.

ad 1) I did not find it to have better flare control. The Planar is better, I found. I used both lenses with their hoods. But Maybe I should do an A-B comparison on a sunny day again.

ad 2) I cannot make much of this. The hood is 70 €. Even with the hood a new Planar is cheaper than a used Summicron. I do not mind the price but the fiddliness when attaching the
lens cap.

But the above are merely an amateur's impressions ... ---

Theodor-Heuss Brücke in Mainz/D ... (M9 - Elmarit 2,8/24 asph. f 5,6 ; crop) :

 

[justpix]

Hi Everybody - hopefully today will see the purchase of a new M11 - always dreamed of owning a Leica

Congrats!

 

[PJH99]

Hi Everybody - hopefully today will see the purchase of a new M11 - always dreamed of owning a Leica

Fantastic! Which lens(s) did you go for?

 

[wibbly]

Hi Everybody - hopefully today will see the purchase of a new M11 - always dreamed of owning a Leica

Very nice! Enjoy.

 

[wibbly]

Quick wander out with the M10-P yesterday. My little 90mm Rokkor is fun to use for this kind of thing.

 

[Adam Bonn]

ZM V Cron

+ better flare control
+ 1/3 click stops
+ VFM

Hi, thank you for your professional evaluation, Adam.

ad 1) I did not find it to have better flare control. The Planar is better, I found. I used both lenses with their hoods. But Maybe I should do an A-B comparison on a sunny day again.

ad 2) I cannot make much of this. The hood is 70 €. Even with the hood a new Planar is cheaper than a used Summicron. I do not mind the price but the fiddliness when attaching the
lens cap.

Sorry I didn’t write it very clearly

ZM V Cron

+ point of ZM = better flare control
+ point of ZM = 1/3 click stops
+ point of ZM = VFM

 

[justpix]

Hi, I agree ,,,

 

[Jammy Dodger]

Fantastic! Which lens(s) did you go for?

I've purchased a 50mm f2 & a 28mm f2.8 summicron & a visioflex + Billingham bag

 

[justpix]

I've purchased a 50mm f2 & a 28mm f2.8 summicron & a visioflex + Billingham bag

Hi, a nice starter-kit ...

 

[Adam Bonn]

I think I undersold the M10R highlight recovery earlier in the thread.... we went out for lunch and I set the camera with a static 1/125 and let it pick it's own ISO to limit hand shake in the dark restaurant.

Then when we left I forgot I'd done this



That's not too shabby at all in my opinion

 

[justpix]

Hi, in Schwetzingen ... (M9 - Summicron 2/50 v5 crops) :

f 4 :

















f 2 :




(To avoid the flare issue, I tend to take the Summicron on cloudy days ...

Generally, all my M mount 50s are good - in everyday use.

It is the same with cars. A Mercedes S class, an AUDI A8 or a BMW 7 series will show only minor differences in the hands of an everyday driver
on public roads with traffic and speed limits.

Measurements may vary, and professional drivers on race tracks can find more significant differences ... --- )

 

[Jammy Dodger]

Just a quick bit of advice - I'm not used to a rangefinder but I'm finding taking pictures in portraite orientation awkward.

My left hand I use for focusing keeps covering the rangefinder - any advice?

 

[zx9]

Just a quick bit of advice - I'm not used to a rangefinder but I'm finding taking pictures in portraite orientation awkward.

My left hand I use for focusing keeps covering the rangefinder - any advice?

Hold the camera the other way up, as in with the viewfinder at the bottom left hand under the camera focusing and right hand at top of camera on shutter release.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Hold the camera the other way up, as in with the viewfinder at the bottom left hand under the camera focusing and right hand at top of camera on shutter release.

Good one. That's always worked for me.

 

[Jammy Dodger]

I'll try but I feel a bit 'cack handed' shooting this way.

 

[wibbly]

I'll try but I feel a bit 'cack handed' shooting this way.

You’ll soon get the hang of it I’m sure.

 

[justpix]

Hi, my wife's ALDI orchid ... (M9 - Elmarit-M 2,8/90 f 2,8) :

 

[zx9]

I'll try but I feel a bit 'cack handed' shooting this way.

I know how you are holding it and agree that is a more compact and stable way of positioning your arms, I did experiment doing it that way after been told of these supposed advantages but it did not work for me.
Thinking back the way I described is how I have used most types of camera for the last thirty odd years, I use my right eye to focus and often have my left eye open watching what is about to come into the lens / viewfinder's field of view, just how I am and helps me keep in touch with what is happening around me.
At the end of the day there is no right or wrong way, just what works for you, if you are used to the built in grip of a DSLR perhaps a 'thumbs up' in the accessory shoe will help.
Example for M10

 

[wibbly]

Wander out with a mate I hadn’t seen for a while today. Both of us looking very hipster with our M10’s

M10-P & ‘cron 50mm

 

[justpix]

Hi, in Boppard/D ... (M9 - ZEISS Distagon 1,4/35 f 2,8 ; crops):

 

[PJH99]

Nice pop on that second shot Immo. Nice car too

 

[justpix]

Nice pop on that second shot Immo. Nice car too

Hi, the Distagon is my best M mount 35 (of 5). If it were more compact, I would like using it even more ... ---

 

[PJH99]

Yes, that Zeiss performs very well. No smaller options would give similar image quality. I thought about swapping my Summilux 35 for the new steel rim version to save weight, but the optics don’t seem as good.

 

[Adam Bonn]

Strangers on the Steps by Adam Bonn, on Flickr
Summilux 50 asph and 10R

 

[Jammy Dodger]

Strangers on the Steps by Adam Bonn, on Flickr
Summilux 50 asph and 10R

Love this image

 

[justpix]

Hi, in SchwetzingenD ... (M9 - ZEISS Distagon 1,4/35 ; crops)

f 2,8 :





f 1,4 :

 

[Adam Bonn]

Love this image

thank you very much

 

[justpix]

Hi, biker in Schwelm/D ... (M9 - LEITZ Summicron 2/35 v4 , f 4 ; crop) :

 

[Adam Bonn]

Forever Closed by Adam Bonn, on Flickr

10R and lux 50 asph

(getting GAS for the CV 50/1 lately... pretty dumb right?)

 

[PJH99]

That CV is a big boy! I’ve got the 1.2 and never take it out

 

[Adam Bonn]

That CV is a big boy! I’ve got the 1.2 and never take it out

Yeah I often take the cron out over the lux as it's smaller and lighter, so I really am just being a GAS idiot and as cheap as it is compared the F1 Leica lenses, it's very far from a cheap lens!

 

[justpix]

Yeah I often take the cron out over the lux as it's smaller and lighter, so I really am just being a GAS idiot and as cheap as it is compared the F1 Leica lenses, it's very far from a cheap lens!

Hi, I bought my VOIGTLÄNDER Nokton 1,2/35 years ago used (€ 700) for 2 main reasons (apart from GAS): to get a fast lens, and as a Noctilux test to find out how much I would
like using a 490 g lens.

I liked the speed, not the bulk and weight. I use it rarely.

There are many good reasons to buy - or not to buy - a lens, depending on haptic preferences and usage patterns.

For street photography, especially at night, the 1/50 Nokton may be perfect, and one accepts its weight ... ---

Back to my old-iron portfolio ... :

In Schwetzingen (M9 - Summarit 2,5/35 ; crops)

f 2,5 :





f 2,8 :




(The bokeh is not bad for a low-cost compact aspheric Leica lens, I think ... )