Two questions from a beginner

[macaroniitfc]

1.

Thinking of getting the ASPH 75 or the ASPH 90. As a beginner Leica user I wondered what the thoughts of the experts were. Please help!

2.

I have an SF24D flash and an M7. The instruction manual is proving pretty hard to use. Does anyone have some suggestions as to how I can get up and running with this flash, in the most simple of modes?

[stunsworth]

Both are excellent lenses so either will perform to a very high level. Which one to get will depend of your shooting style and what other lenses you already have. If you had a 50mm, then the 90mm would make more sense than the 75mm IMHO.

One thing you can do with the M7 is to move the frameline selector lever to see the view each lens would give. That should give you an idea of which you prefer.

[Philippe D.]

Yes, both are excellent and very sharp.
The 75 is very easy to use (lighter and shorter) and quick to focus, it turns 1/4 from ∞ to 0.7m. The 90 needs a longer way (1/3 turn) to go to 1m.

[Photon42]

The main question is - what do you what to do with the lens? Apart from what Stunsworth and Philippe said:

The 75 has AFAIK the highest reproduction factor of the Leica lens line-up short of the 90/4 macro lens. If you like close-ups, there would be an advantage for the 75. There is a small difference in size and weight between the 75 and 90, too.

The frame lines for the 75 lenses are the least precise frame lines of all (both in terms of visibility and correlation of view and actual image). This, however, is certainly something one can accustom with.

Either way, have fun with it.

Cheers
Ivo

[budrichard]

I have both lenses.
For a beginner, choose the 75mm Summicron because it is not as tight and difficult to focus for portraits as the 90mm is, DOF is larger for the same stop.
If always using as a telephoto, then obviously 90mm is better than 75mm. Optical quality will be the same.
I mostly use the 75mm but for theater work, it's the 90mm.
Your SF24 is simple to use. Set your M7 to AUTO. Set your SF24 to TTL/GNC position.
Have film in the camera. Turn the M7 ON and the SF24 ON. The M7 AUTO selects the correct shutter speed, tells the SF24 the ASA in the camera. Shoot, simple.
You have two reflectors for Tele or Wide angle, if attached they automatically tell the SF24 they are attached.
Disregard all the other buttons.-Dick

[topoxforddoc]

Macaroni,

Do you have any other lenses or is this your first Leica lens? The thing about rangefinder cameras is that they are easier to focus than SLRs at shorter focal lengths. The 75/90 lenses are both excellent; however they are generally used as portrait/stage photography lenses. Your M7 will let you get much closer to your prey than a big SLR. People don't get so frightened by a M camera as opposed to a large DSLR. Hence most people use a 35 or 50 as their standard rangefinder lens.

As a pick between the 75 and 90, it's a very close call. As Steve said, use the frameline selector to see whether you prefer the 75 or 90 view. Most people would be hard pushed technically to differentiate between the 90 and 754 asph.

Charlie

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by abrewer

1. Sorry if it rankles some, but it's totally appropriate to question why a beginning M photographer chooses a longer focal length for a camera that begs to be shot at 35 or 50...

I totally agree about the focal length. For your first lens on a film M you are more likely to be happy with either a 35mm or 50mm lens. This is based on knowing quite a few M shooters over the years. I am sure that there are some whose only lens is a 90mm, but I've never met one.

The only flash shots I can ever remember taking with a film M were in the catacombs in Paris. The only flash shot I've ever taken on my M8 was in Krakow at the get together the other year when someone had one in their bag.

[Rolo]

Originally Posted by abrewer

2. The next time I use a flash on my MP, it will be the first time. You simply don't need one with lenses crafted at f2, f1.4, f1 (for heaven's sake).
This truly is a case of the tail wagging the dog. Get out and shoot the thing. You'll see.

The fixed x0.72 viewfinder of the M series is a fundamental compromise for lenses other than 35mm and 50mm, but it's not one that will get in the way much of using any lens in the range. It's definitely easier to use the mid-range focal lengths, but I frequently use 75mm and 90mm and they work well for me, but like others here I have many years of experience. I think you'll be surprised just how much a single lens can cover if you're mobile. One member here shoots weddings with just a 50mm lens, in spite of owning an extensive set of glasses. As above, buy a 35, or a 50mm and get started.

On top of every M camera is a shoe that's dedicated for a flash gun. I've used mine a lot ! I've used it for all the reasons that a flash gun is needed. As a wedding photographer I use it at every event. I try hard not to use it, but if there's little light, or I want more than 1/2" of DoF from my Summilux lenses I need to bounce a little light around. I've also use a Pocket Wizard in the shoe to transmit firing signals to studio flash heads - again, no problem. So, if you need flash for your work, the M cameras are well suited to it.

Great and flexible gear and it's worked for many years in all fields. Enjoy it.

[abrewer]

Perhaps OP needs to let us know what viewfinder mag he has on the camera??? If he's at .58 then my suggestion about length is even more germaine

Point well-made, well-taken about the flash, Rolo

Unless there is more to Mac than meets the eye, I doubt he'll ever use the flash other than to try it out a time or two

[JBA]

macaroniitfc is a friend of mine, actually. He has a standard 0.72 M7 and 35 Summilux Asph.

I would suggest the 50 Summilux Asph. and forget about 75 or 90 for a while. Seriously, never underestimate an M with a 50.
35 and 50 will cover at least 85% of all photos you'll want to take with an M.
Some people shoot with a combination of 35 and 75, but I think the M is optimized for 35, 50, and 90, which is what I use.

The 90 is a great lens but much more satisfying to use with an SLR than with an M. You're welcome to try my 90 Summicron Asph. if you want to go out shooting together some time. Push the frameline lever all the way toward the lens if you want to see the 90 framelines.

[Rolo]

Originally Posted by JBA

macaroniitfc is a friend of mine, actually. He has a standard 0.72 M7 and 35 Summilux Asph.

I would suggest the 50 Summilux Asph. and forget about 75 or 90 for a while. Seriously, never underestimate an M with a 50.
35 and 50 will cover at least 85% of all photos you'll want to take with an M.

AhHa ... the tail is pinned on the donkey with the 35mm. Adding a second lens is a substantially more considered opinion, IMO. Subject genre and funding needs to be taken into account.

I agree that a 35mm and 50mm will cover a large part of all situations, but does it cover the situations that Mac is busy with ? My recommendation is to consider whether a two/three/four...... lens system is being planned for, because IMV that changes what comes next.

To me, the small gaps in focal length, say 35 to 50, seem much more significant than they do on an SLR so a 50 is not just a bit different, it's a lot different, IMO. The frame line selector does a good job of demonstrating this.

If the OP is a urban/landscape shooter, adding a 24mm might be a better choice. If he's a studio portrait shooter, a 75mm is a better choice than a 50mm. If he's moving towards a 4 lens set, then a 24/35/50/75 might be his selection and what does it matter which come first ? None of them are poor lenses and we can all survive with any of them as solo lenses. The photographer makes the pictures with the tools on hand.

Good luck Mac and a great first choice you made.

[ryee3]

What are the differences between the Lux 75 vs the Lux Aspheric 75. What is a good price US estimate for the 2 lenses in a used market?

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by ryee3

What are the differences between the Lux 75 vs the Lux Aspheric 75

There is no 75mm Summilux aspherical lens.

[azzo]

Now I notice that other posts were deleted too.
A "particular" one and not from me which not only did not answer 'macaroniitfc's two questions, but ridiculed him instead, was deleted too!

My original post had suggested to macaroniitfc to think about getting either a 35 or a 50mm. Now that we know that he already owns a 35mm, he might even go for the 75mm as a second lens.
Somehow I suspect that eventually, he'll want a 50mm then maybe a 24mm too.
That happens to us all once you get that Leica Bug.

[abrewer]

35/90 would be my choice, Mac

Can't help you much with the flash

[JBA]

I started with the 35 for the first 6 months on abrewer's recommendation and then got the Apo 90 Summicron Asph. when I found one available for a good price. That left the 50 gap, which I then filled with a Summicron and later a Summilux.

It would be much easier to shoot all your photos with nothing but either the 35 or 50 than it would be to use only the 90.

[macaroniitfc]

Thanks for all the very helpful comments. This site is great. Apologies for the completely broad questions but that's one way to learn.

I think I'll continue to just shoot with my 35 for the forseeable future then and maybe get a 50 next year.

On the flash side, I will use it a lot once I get used to it. As I am in to street photography, and as I usually shoot at night, I have two options: either master focusing at 1.4 with a high iso and hang out near nice pools of ambient light (restrictive) or shoot at an aperture that gives a greater dof and use the flash to freeze movement.

Thanks again all.

[macaroniitfc]

Just a quick update. Went out with the camera to Shibuya last night. Set it at f16 hyperfocal, TTL mode on the flash and shot away like mad. Will get the pics back in a couple of weeks I expect. Thanks again for the advice.

[budrichard]

Please update when pics returned with results.
The M7/SF24 will tell you if the exposure is OK after you shoot. The flash indicator in the viewfinder will continue to flash after you shoot or you can look on the SF24 unit to ascertain correct exposure.
The SF24 is not a high power unit so unless you are using ASA 400, f16 may be too closed.
With K64 I usually use something around F4 with the 35 lux ASPH. -Dick

[macaroniitfc]

Originally Posted by budrichard

Please update when pics returned with results.
The M7/SF24 will tell you if the exposure is OK after you shoot. The flash indicator in the viewfinder will continue to flash after you shoot or you can look on the SF24 unit to ascertain correct exposure.
The SF24 is not a high power unit so unless you are using ASA 400, f16 may be too closed.
With K64 I usually use something around F4 with the 35 lux ASPH. -Dick

Thanks Dick. Will upload if any come out OK. It's going to be a big jump for me shooting film with flash. It was hard enough to do it with a digital camera (only started photography earlier this year) so I guess I'll just have to see what comes out of the camera and take a notebook with me. I was using a 400 ISO film the other night, so fingers crossed! Couple of questions - 1. what is K64 (Kodak ISO64???)? 2. The SF24 comes with two diffusers. I understand that one is for wider than 35 and the other is for lenses above 35. My only problem is I don't know which one is which (I want to try using the tele diffuser with a 35 lens to go for a flash vignetting effect).