Summicron-m 75 f2

[Rolo]

"One of the best Leica Lenses I have handled. The focusing is ultra smooth. The throw is short. And the results have been superb."

It does generate good reports.

Does anybody use it on wedding assignments ? Would you recomend it for that application.

I know one photographer who uses it for the ceremony, but switches to a 90mm Elmar C (?) once outside in the open light. Recall he says the extra length allows him to stand off a little further, the light weight makes it less tiring and the new Elmar has an extremely short throw. At f4, he says and I believe him, the quality is excellent.

Anybody have useful experience in this, as I only want to buy one additional lens at the moment.

[Rolo]

Wolfgang,

It is some hours since you posted the pictures of your child. I remain impressed by by generosity in making such an effort to help in this way. I thank you.

Originally Posted by Rolo

Wolfgang,

It is some hours since you posted the pictures of your child. I remain impressed by by generosity in making such an effort to help in this way. I thank you.

Glad to be of help. Hopefully it helps you to take a decision. Depending on your other lens I would prefer 35 / 75 or 35 / 50 / 90.

If you wanna buy a 90mm lens I would buy an actual version of an Elmarit or the new Macro Elmar 4,0/90. I use both of them and can recommend them without any restrictions.

[Rolo]

Interesting Wolfgang

Depending on your other lens I would prefer 35 / 75 or 35 / 50 / 90.

I have a 35mm Summicron Asph and a 50mm Summilux pre-Asph. I had anticipated that a 75mm was a long enough (+50%) step from the 50mm and ask why you suggest going to a 90mm.

Others have recommended the 90, but the advice is split between the Macro and the F2.

Any reasoning behind your suggestion ??

Originally Posted by Rolo

Interesting Wolfgang

Depending on your other lens I would prefer 35 / 75 or 35 / 50 / 90.

I have a 35mm Summicron Asph and a 50mm Summilux pre-Asph. I had anticipated that a 75mm was a long enough (+50%) step from the 50mm and ask why you suggest going to a 90mm.

Others have recommended the 90, but the advice is split between the Macro and the F2.

Any reasoning behind your suggestion ??

The framelines in the finder from 50 and 75 mm are too close together. So if you use them in parallel sometimes you'll choose the wrong one. This can't happen with the 90mm.

My personal suggestion is to sell the 50mm and buy the 75mm if you want to stay with only two lenses.

Regarding the 90mm it depends what you want. The Elmarit is the best overall solution. The Elmar is a perfect combination between optical quality, size and weight. The 90mm Summicron ASPH has IMHO not a very nice Bokeh.
BTW, I also use a 90mm Summicron NON ASPH which is the perfect lens for "smooth" portraits.

[Rolo]

"My personal suggestion is to sell the 50mm and buy the 75mm"


ARRRRRRGGGGgggghhh !!

I only bought it 4 weeks ago and it was brand new, albeit discounted because it's not the latest model. It's a fine lens with much better bokeh than the new Summilux ( ).

I'll not sell it unless I find it to be totally redundant in my lens line-up and at f1.4 it has the extra stop that's really useful for wedding ceremonies. I bought it after a wedding where I lost a couple of images through camera shake/subject movement, f2 @ 1/8th, and vowed to do what I could to prevent it happening again.

I'm surprised that you don't find too big a gap between 35 and 75mm, but recognise your comment is based on a 2 lens system. Such restriction does not apply, although I prefer not to have my concentration diverted by lens changeovers.

Friends are divided on which lens to add. One says "the main reason for using Leica M is the quality of the wide aperture lenses - therefore f1.4 or f2", another says "the Elmar M is far more practical and quicker and equals the others at f4".

Is the subject isolation and bokeh of the Elmar M at f4, and less than 10 feet as attractive as the 75mm ?

Ok,ok don't sell the Summilux. Its also one of my favourite lenses. Buy a second body and the 75mm. :-))

I never faced a problem with the gap between 35 and 75mm.

The Macro Elmar M has a very nice bokeh which is comparable with the 75mm.

If you need to have a real comparison between all the 90mm lenses I'll have to ask my daughter again :-)

[Rolo]

Thanks Wolfgang. I was in a panic for a while.

I already have a fine M3 and it should work well with a 75mm methinks. Just need to get a guage on the viewfinder with my adapted ground glass viewer.

Off Topic - The M3 is a wonderful body, but last weekend I got into a fix with it doing a wedding in bright sunlight and shade. C41 B&W in the MP and colour in the M3 seemed sensible enough until I started swopping lenses and fitted a 2x ND to the Summilux and a 3x to the Summicron. Bloody mayhem ensued with the handheld meter being used more frequently than is healthy. I reverted to just using the MP and thankfully didn't lose any frames from exposure, but OOF increased. In future I'll use same speed colour film in both as normal practice.

The outcome is that I believe an M8, or alternatively an M7 is the right camera to work alongside the MP and not the M3. So my lens and auto body decision will await the first reviews of the M8.

Anybody, who has experience of doing same work with a non-metered M camera, able to comment on benefits of using an M7 in a fast moving environment with changing light levels ?

The M7 is the ultimate M. Don't believe what the people are telling about failure of DX coding, drain of batteries and all such things.

If you once use the M7 you'll never give it back! Believe me. Together with a MP its the most expensive but best solution.

You can see from my userpicture that I use a M4-2 as well but to be honest I use it seldom or never.

[Rolo]

"If you once use the M7 you'll never give it back! Believe me."

I trust your opinion completely, but why ? How is it different and what does it do for you? How does it change what you do? ....... Sell it to me babe !

errrr.. there's an M8 coming.

Sorry guys, does this need to be another thread ?

[lambroving]

Rolo,

The M7 is totally intuitive on "Auto", and if you want and have time to make a little exposure compensation, you can do it with the exposure lock feature. Given the meter in this camera and the infinitely variable auto shutter, for 90+% of your shots the exposure will be as good as it gets. The M7 is definitely THE Leica for someone who needs to work fast. If I HAVE to get the shot, this is the body I use, followed closely by the M5. The other metered Leicas are more like guess work...

M8?! you want to take pictures or pixels?!

[Rona|d]

Originally Posted by lambroving

Rolo,
M8?! you want to take pictures or pixels?!

William, ALL pictures i saw from you are based on pixels !

[marknorton]

William, are you going to "do" M8?

"....... Sell it to me babe ! "

Never! ;-)

[lambroving]

Originally Posted by Rona|d

William, ALL pictures i saw from you are based on pixels !

Ron,

Silly boy! My pictures did not start life as pixels. As you well know, there is often a subtle, sometimes not so subtle difference, even when rendered on websites AS pixels... I already know that YOU know when to use WHICH...

BTW, are you bringing the M-Digital with you on Monday?

Mark,

I simply have no need so long as my local lab continues to perform. I don't shoot enough to justify the expense, dislike the process, and I hate computers. Naturally, a working pro with deadlines has few choices. I expect Ron may spring for one if he continues to get the jobs he has lately. Ron LIVES on his computers...

[Rolo]

"....... Sell it to me babe ! "

Never! ;-)


Wolfgang - that was a bad translation.

I was referring to you selling the idea to me, i.e. persuading me it was a good thing to buy an M7 for the following reasons .........

I suspect you thought I was asking you to sell me 'YOUR' M7. Not at all. Just the concept. :-)

Oh, oh you're right. I have to improve my english ;-)

A now a new concept:

1. Step: M7 + leicavit + 75mm ASPH
2. Step: M8

" And now......"

Its too hot for me today:-))

[wbesz]

Rolo, there are no rules that you need to sell anything. Just buy the lens you need at the time, and commence a collection. :-)

[Rolo]

Thanks William.

No intention of selling anything. It was a suggestion from Wolfgang in a moment of weakness.

I was hoping for an in-depth recommendation as to the benefits of an M7/MP kit versus the MP/M3 kit I own now for wedding application. However, it is toooo hot in Germany and Wolfgang rests .

I've no experience of the M7 at all. Not even handled one.

All of this of course is against the pending release of the M8 and its affect on lens and body ownership choice. Probably do nothing till more is known, but there is a good chance my impatience will result in the acquisition of n Elmar-M and possibly an M7 before much longer.

Digital is but a scan away.