Is there any pictures using the 50mm APO Summicron + M9?

[dwbell]

Brett took the Nocti off his M9?

What?

Really?

[IWC Doppel]

I took the M9-M, and 50 APO outside the Mayfair shop (THANKS GUYS) for a few shots, I tried my 35 Lux asph (pre FLE) on the MM and the 50 APO on my M9. Sticking with first impressions with the 50 APO on the M9 :

It's nice neat and small, so looks and feels unobtrusive, the build looks like all Leica lenses so as you would expect. The hood is very neat and easy to twist out and back in, very slick and precise.

In use I did have a few personal concerns, the movement from infinity to close up is relatively small which means the markings for zone focusing are very close and not easy to read, minor but of note to me. The real challenge for me was how tight the lens was to focus, meaning to hit the focus point took much longer and I did find I was needing to put a little too much torque on to overcome sticktion and then 'overshoot' a little. It wasn't a deal barker but it would have worried me a little if I had £5.5k burning a hole there and then.........

The pictures on the M9 (I only took 8 or so on my M9-P) were stunning from fist impressions. Incredible clarity and real 'density' to the image and rendering with I suspect from the amazing contrast. I have yet to develop in LR and will be away from my IMAC until Sunday

BUT... I was very impressed with the pictures straight out the 9. I Shot a few of the assistant against (Thanks!) a wall so no real impression of Bokeh, but the whole image looked great. Colours look nice too and somehow more real then the same unprocessed from my 35.

Looking at the shot down the street I followed with I did not see anything obviously better straight away, close up on a face I did. It seems to show more detail in a get closer to the truth kind of way, looking better for it and more natural than some sharp pictures can. It's better described as extremely clear and undiluted if that makes sense, kind of like all the light has made it through from that seen unfiltered, mixed or diluted.

Would I buy one ? Not sure if it was £2k yep !, I know it will take stunning people shots in a different way to my pre asph Lux. Not sure if it's more or less valid. I'll ramble a little more later. An unprocessed image below straight to small JPG

[IWC Doppel]

PS looking at the picture compressed to forum size you lose the 'pop' of the image and the see through clarity. The picture looks only 'okay' to my eyes for clarity above, on the 27" MAC a different story....

[hlockwood]

Originally Posted by edmond_terakopian

I have few shot with an M9-P:

Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH lens - a set on Flickr

First four are on the M9 and the others on the M Monochrom.

Cheers,

Edmond

Any filter on the Monochrom shots?

Harry

[wosim]

Have look to Ming Thein's great review:

May 10, Part 2: The Leica APO-Summicron-M 50/2 ASPH review, and a comparison – Ming Thein | Photographer

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[edmond_terakopian]

Originally Posted by hlockwood

Any filter on the Monochrom shots?

Harry

Nope, no filters on the M Monochrom shots.

[JMR1979]

Wow, i want the 50MM APO!!!

Great Bokeh & Sharpness.

[PedroHipolito]

Originally Posted by edmond_terakopian

I have few shot with an M9-P:

Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH lens - a set on Flickr

First four are on the M9 and the others on the M Monochrom.

Cheers,

Edmond

The Monochrom at ISO8000 it's impressive. At least it seems from these low resolution samples. What's your impression regarding high ISO performance?

[edmond_terakopian]

Originally Posted by PedroHipolito

The Monochrom at ISO8000 it's impressive. At least it seems from these low resolution samples. What's your impression regarding high ISO performance?

It's stunning at high ISOs, absolutely unbeilable actually!

I have a short review up on my blog with 100% detail crop shots:

The Leica M Monochrom Hands On Review | Photo This & That

Edmond

[wosim]

Erwin Puts seems preparing an Apo-Summicron 2.0 50mm Asph. review:

Setting the pickets (1) (June 7, 2012) - Setting


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[Ivan Muller]

Although I have no doubt that this lens is probably the best 50mm out there, and it should be given its price tag, to make a critical judgement of its qualities looking at a flickr photo is really unsatisfactory...the flickr image at its largest size is less than a 50% enlargement (my guess). I only enlarged the image of the vintage pilot with mustache...and although undoubtedly a fine portrait (the bar in the background is a bit distracting) it only shows the center part of the lens and most if not all lenses are as good as it gets in the centre...although looking at the top part of the pilots goggles I see what might be a bit of 'red' CA...no problem easily removed in PP...but what should really show the qualities of this lens is the corners and unfortunately I didn't see any images with extreme corners on page one (I didn't look any further...)...so for all intends and purposes this lens, judging by these images, looks very much like any cheap plastic 99USD standard lens....

[edmond_terakopian]

Originally Posted by Ivan Muller

Although I have no doubt that this lens is probably the best 50mm out there, and it should be given its price tag, to make a critical judgement of its qualities looking at a flickr photo is really unsatisfactory...the flickr image at its largest size is less than a 50% enlargement (my guess). I only enlarged the image of the vintage pilot with mustache...and although undoubtedly a fine portrait (the bar in the background is a bit distracting) it only shows the center part of the lens and most if not all lenses are as good as it gets in the centre...although looking at the top part of the pilots goggles I see what might be a bit of 'red' CA...no problem easily removed in PP...but what should really show the qualities of this lens is the corners and unfortunately I didn't see any images with extreme corners on page one (I didn't look any further...)...so for all intends and purposes this lens, judging by these images, looks very much like any cheap plastic 99USD standard lens....

I did post this above but guess you may have missed it - although nothing from the corners, there are several 100% crops shot with this lens on an M-Monochrom:

The Leica M Monochrom Hands On Review | Photo This & That

It's a fabulous lens!

Edmond

[Ivan Muller]

Originally Posted by edmond_terakopian

I did post this above but guess you may have missed it - although nothing from the corners, there are several 100% crops shot with this lens on an M-Monochrom:

The Leica M Monochrom Hands On Review | Photo This & That

It's a fabulous lens!

Edmond

Edmond,

I was referring specifically to the flickr posts..I have not looked at your links... my point was really just that little forum/flickr/website images don't show the quality of any lens...most if not all lenses are as sharp as it can get in the center and at mid apertures...leica certainly don't have the edge here...their edge lies wide open and in the the corners wide open...and as I said I am sure this lens is the best there is....and I am sure with the monochrome makes a great great combination...and I am sure mounted on a heavy tripod the images will be even sharper...

[edmond_terakopian]

Originally Posted by Ivan Muller

Edmond,

I was referring specifically to the flickr posts..I have not looked at your links... my point was really just that little forum/flickr/website images don't show the quality of any lens...most if not all lenses are as sharp as it can get in the center and at mid apertures...leica certainly don't have the edge here...their edge lies wide open and in the the corners wide open...and as I said I am sure this lens is the best there is....and I am sure with the monochrome makes a great great combination...and I am sure mounted on a heavy tripod the images will be even sharper...

Ivan,

There is so much more to a good lens than just corner sharpness. The way a lens renders tonal gradation and subtleties along with dealing with extreme highlight and shadow detail are really important for me. Add to this a correct levels of contrast and dealing with light sources in the image and we get close.

Not sure I follow your point though; you don't look at the links and say images can't be judged on the Internet? I think you can begin to get a very good idea. This married to reading the thoughts of a photographer or reviewer whose opinion and skill you trust, can paint quite an accurate picture.

Anyway, it's a stunning lens!

Edmond

[diogenis]

This lens is the holy grail of 50mm lenses and maybe more: MTF diagrams given by Leica shows why it can record those fine details and contrast levels are kept constantly higher of matching lenses like the smilax 50mm. I believe this to be enough of a justification for sharpness obviously and for recording the finer tonal gradations. I am waiting anxiously for Erwin Puts' article to verify that, but then again this also comes at holy grail prices

[Ivan Muller]

Originally Posted by edmond_terakopian

Ivan,

There is so much more to a good lens than just corner sharpness. The way a lens renders tonal gradation and subtleties along with dealing with extreme highlight and shadow detail are really important for me. Add to this a correct levels of contrast and dealing with light sources in the image and we get close.

Not sure I follow your point though; you don't look at the links and say images can't be judged on the Internet? I think you can begin to get a very good idea. This married to reading the thoughts of a photographer or reviewer whose opinion and skill you trust, can paint quite an accurate picture.

Anyway, it's a stunning lens!

Edmond

Edmond, I know you are a fine photographer and if you say the lens is good/sharp/stunning etc etc then I can/will believe you...I don't have to look at your proof thereof on the net...

I was specifically talking about 'Bretts' flickr post and the only image I enlarged was the 'vintage pilot'...my question was only that the 11 subsequent posts all marveled how great the lens looked etc etc......I was merely pointing out that these images although undoubtedly fine may as well have been taken with any old 99usd lens because as they were seen on flickr at max enlargement none of the 'qualities' of a leica lens were apparent...no corner sharpness no wide open images etc etc etc etc....

BTW there is a very interesting post here re depth of field vs wide open bokeh The Online Photographer. (with one of the most compelling portraits of a famous actor that I have seen lately)

I must say that the author mirrors my thoughts on the subject exactly....

...and I repeat that I am sure this new 50mm lens is probably the best 35mm lens made to date...there is absolutely no criticism of this lens implied...

I use only the 5th best camera (and the lens quality reputation is not great either) so for me these astounding lens and camera qualities are merely of academic interest plus a little wishful thinking....thus I focus my efforts mostly on max depth of field of whatever I am photographing and try to compensate for my lens and camera deficiencies by trying to make the most compelling images that I can..... not that easy I can tell you...

[bybrett]

Originally Posted by Ivan Muller

I was specifically talking about 'Bretts' flickr post and the only image I enlarged was the 'vintage pilot'...my question was only that the 11 subsequent posts all marveled how great the lens looked etc etc......I was merely pointing out that these images although undoubtedly fine may as well have been taken with any old 99usd lens because as they were seen on flickr at max enlargement none of the 'qualities' of a leica lens were apparent...no corner sharpness no wide open images etc etc etc etc....

Hi Ivan

You only enlarged one to max size? Try clicking on the other images and then above it will offer "all sizes".

This is the largest size on flickr 2479x1750 -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotogra...n/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotogra...n/photostream/

They're all shot wide open... BTW please get me that 99 usd lens!!

[Ellie]

Some new images Photoessay: More street images from the Leica 50/2 APO-Summicron ASPH and M9-P – Ming Thein | Photographer

[diogenis]

Originally Posted by bybrett

Hi Ivan

You only enlarged one to max size? Try clicking on the other images and then above it will offer "all sizes".

This is the largest size on flickr 2479x1750 -

All sizes | Massive Winner | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

All sizes | Happy Chap | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

They're all shot wide open... BTW please get me that 99 usd lens!!

what's the DoF Brett? 5cms? the guy is shot from 2m away?
no. like 10cm?

Superb detail!!

[Ivan Muller]

Originally Posted by bybrett

Hi Ivan

You only enlarged one to max size? Try clicking on the other images and then above it will offer "all sizes".

This is the largest size on flickr 2479x1750 -

All sizes | Massive Winner | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

All sizes | Happy Chap | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

They're all shot wide open... BTW please get me that 99 usd lens!!

Hi Brett,

Yes I only opened one to 100% size...sorry life is just too short...the largest size that I could open on flickr just spills over the edges of my 22inch screen. That is quite a bit less than when I view my images at 50% on same screen.

All I am saying is that when viewing the central portion of an image at 50% I really don't think one can judge the finer details adequately. Even at 100% most if not all lenses will look good if not stunning...I just don't think Leica's advantage lies in the center portion of their lenses.

Case in point being these images I posted as an illustration. Crop of Eye at F4 and mouth and hair at F2. Full picture at F4. Crops are 100%. So what does that tell you of this lens? Only that it is sharp enough in the center.....like most lenses are....

BTW You wouldn't like this 99usd lens..its all plastic...and fits on a plastic dslr with a moire filter over the sensor....

Once again I am sure this new Leica 50mm is probably the best ever 50mm and there is nothing wrong with your images made with it....just that even at max flickr enlargement it doesn't show any of its qualities anymore than almost any other lens...and at 50% or less images are nice to look at but one cant seriously determine quality...

BTW the model for my plastic 99usd lens test is my eldest daughter and the iso was 640...I grabbed her on her way out and did the test images in a few minutes with no tripod....

Looking at these images illustrates another point, why would one just want to focus on the eyelashes of one eye...to me the 'better' depth of filed would be where the eyes, nose and lips are in focus and even then at f5.6 to f8 the back of the head usually is oof....so it beats me why this obsession with 'fast' lenses....and wide open 'shooting'....

more of my images and travels here at....Thompson's Beach | Ivan Muller