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75 Summilux


Paul J

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The photo of the green man in Huff's review shows a strange flare. There's no light source (that I can see) in the frame. It must be below to the right but judging by the diameter of the flare circle the source must be quite a bit outside the frame.

 

Is flare a real problem with this lens?

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No, but it can be provoked into flare should you want to get 'arty'.

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The photo of the green man in Huff's review shows a strange flare. [...] Is flare a real problem with this lens?

Here, 'this lens' is the Summilux-M 75 mm. While is does flare at times, it's not a real problem in my opinion. It does not flare more often or more intensely than most other lenses would.

 

The kind of flare that the Apo-Summicron-M 75 mm Asph will produce at times is, to me, much more of a problem. When it happens then is more nasty, more stubborn, and more detrimental to the picture than other lenses' flares (albeit not necessarily more intense). See some examples in the German-language part of this forum here, here, and here.

 

Anyway—the built-in telescope hoods in both the Apo-Summicron and the late Summilux are way too short and much less effective than they could (and should) be.

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No, but it can be provoked into flare should you want to get 'arty'.

 

Well in that image you shot straight into the light so I would have expected flare. But Huff's image does not have a light source in the frame. It might not be a problem in most situations though; I was just very surprised to see it in the image of the green man.

 

The kind of flare that the Apo-Summicron-M 75 mm Asph will produce at times is, to me, much more of a problem. When it happens then is more nasty, more stubborn, and more detrimental to the picture than other lenses' flares (albeit not necessarily more intense). See some examples in the German-language part of this forum here, here, and here.

 

Thanks for linking to those threads. That type of flaring behaviour of such a lens is unacceptable imho.

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The kind of flare that the Apo-Summicron-M 75 mm Asph will produce at times is, to me, much more of a problem.

 

Yes, my experience of the 75 Summicron concurs with this - I have found veiling flare a significant problem whenever there is a light source (even just a window on an overcast day) anywhere near the frame. I don't remember the 75 Summilux (which I owned a number of years ago) being anything like as flare prone.

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I never had notable ghosting flare problems with the 75 Summilux. While it is a big lens, I never found it a huge problem. Other than in my bag - I have it set up so I can slip a camera with lens attached into certain slots, yet the 75 Summilux was large enough that it didn't fit in the existing slots. My only real complaint with the lens is the focus throw. Not only is it long, it's stiff.

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Thanks Olaf for your considered and helpful response.

 

I have struggled at times to focus the Summicron 75, and I suspect the short focus throw may be the problem. I haven't noticed a flare problem, but then I tend not to shoot against light sources. This may be an ingrained thing that I was taught with film - shoot with the light behind you.

 

When I switched over to digital with the M9, a local professional photographer told me I should be shooting against the light more. Two things struck me - why? and what about exposure?

 

I think I get the why. But exposure still bothers me a bit - I bracket if I have to, but ultimately, it comes down to properly exposing the subject. I'm working my way through this, as I'm also not particularly interested in star shaped suns which come with small apertures - it's a gimmick you tire of more quickly than bokeh!

 

So, flare is not something I've encountered so much yet - probably as I am not extending myself as much as I would like with my photography; time is a problem. At the moment, I carry my M9 and a couple of lenses everywhere, but they don't come out of the bag as often as I would like.

 

Thanks again - I will consider trading my Summicron for the Summilux if the opportunity arises.

 

Cheers

John

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Sorry to prolong this, but I have a question for Olaf.

 

In the third of the links you provided, there is a series of pictures of some poppies taken against a black screen, with light coming through the window diagonally from the left. The window is not in the frame, but the glare is causing flare.

 

Am I right that the flare complained of is the pale spot which appears in the middle of the background? Also, there seems to be little or no flare at f/2, and the pale spot increases in size and density as the lens is stopped down through F/4, 8 & 16?

 

Does flare get worse as you stop down?

 

I take it such a set up would not produce flare with the Summilux.

 

Cheers

John

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Am I right that the flare complained of is the pale spot which appears in the middle of the background?

Yes, you are.

 

 

Also, there seems to be little or no flare at f/2, and the pale spot increases in size and density as the lens is stopped down through f/4, f/8 & f/16?

Yes, that's right. This particular central spot will appear at close range only, the limit below which it appears is longer at smaller apertures, and it's more pronounced at smaller apertures.

 

 

Does flare get worse as you stop down?

Yes, it does.

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I can duplicate this stange flare with my 75mm Summilux. Sun is to the right. It happens very rarely in my experience but here it is. Doesn't bother me.

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Edited by egrossman
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If the effects of minimal distance for the 75m f'14 summilux bothers you then step back and crop. There are more than enough pixels to work with. I do not see distortion of the nose, for exaple in 75 images.I see many more in 50mm images. Just my humble oponion.

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I can duplicate this stange flare with my 75mm Summilux. Sun is to the right. It happens very rarely in my experience but here it is. Doesn't bother me.

 

I believe this flare is the same as that found in Huff's review. It seems to be of a different type of flare than the central diffuse flare in Olaf's linked pictures.

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The photo of the green man in Huff's review shows a strange flare. There's no light source (that I can see) in the frame. It must be below to the right but judging by the diameter of the flare circle the source must be quite a bit outside the frame.

 

Is flare a real problem with this lens?

 

Could the light source be coming from the upper right like the shot shown here? Also is he guy green or blue? My monitor shows one shot very green, but 2 others mostly blue. Or is it my eyes?

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Has anyone done a comparison between the AA Summicron 75 and the last Summilux 75?

 

Tempted to trade, if it doesn't cost me too much.

 

Cheers

John

 

In case you never saw them, there are articles on each lens in Steve Huff's website. The 75 Cron is an older article, but still applicable today.

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Although the framlines on the M9 are not really "75mm friendly", there is no better focal length for portraits when you want to get close to the subject IMHO. I took this shot of my wife this afternoon (color corrected using an Expodisc). No cropping at all and shot wide open. The 75mm Summilux is one of the great portrait lenses.

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Edited by egrossman
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Beautiful image! And I agree with you 100%.

 

Peter.

P r o s o p h o s

 

Although the framlines on the M9 are not really "75mm friendly", there is no better focal length for portraits when you want to get close to the subject IMHO. I took this shot of my wife this afternoon (color corrected using an Expodisc). No cropping at all and shot wide open. The 75mm Summilux is one of the great portrait lenses.
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The Summilux 75mm V1 has a very smooth transition to OOF, and its true bokeh is gentle, low contrast, unlike some ASPH lenses. If that is what you want, then look for it in photographs and make your own decision. I am an old timer. I like the original 75mm Summilux. You may not. It is this difference that makes our craft so very interesting to me.

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Although the framlines on the M9 are not really "75mm friendly", there is no better focal length for portraits when you want to get close to the subject IMHO. I took this shot of my wife this afternoon (color corrected using an Expodisc). No cropping at all and shot wide open. The 75mm Summilux is one of the great portrait lenses.

 

Really very beautiful shot. Exemplary sample of what the lens can achieve it really does give good cause that it is a great portrait lens indeed. I love that "fast glow" around the ears and the pin sharp eyes.

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