75 summicron APO or super elmar 21?

[mandelbrot]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi all

I own the following lenses: 28 cron., 35 lux FLE, 50 lux asph, 90 Elmarit.

I am in the market for a 75 APO or a SEM 21. I have not make up my mind yet.

What's your suggestion?

Thank

M

[Guest]

...

 

For the existing lenses a 21mm lens would imply a significant expansion toward the wide angle while a 75mm lens would complete only the lens portfolio.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[pop]

Which focal length did you miss more often while you were out shooting?

[Peter Branch]

75mm and 90mm are virtually the same.  Crop a file from the 75 and in the vast majority of cases it will be indistinguishable fro a file taken with the 90mm.

 

However a 21mm, (or better still an 18mm), is very different to a 28mm.

[albireo_double]

You probably don't always carry all lenses with you at the same time. So I suggest you think in terms of combinations that you feel comfortable carrying. The 75 Apo would travel well with you 35 FLE, for example - same for your 28 and 50 lenses. The 21mm is a focal length that you need to know the reason for owning - it is not just to "complement your lens portfolio". It requires specific creative thinking - take a look at Jean Loup Sieff's work, for instance: he used 21mm very often and very effectively. On the other hand, the internet is full of comments by amateur photographers who complain that they "find it difficult to find landscapes with interesting foreground" and that the 21 mm is "too wide". On the topic of the 75mm APO - the lens is bitingly sharp; great for fully/half body portraits (I recall an LFI feature about a year ago where a photographer used his 75 APO to take portraits of sadhus in India, with his M9 - great pictures), but it is very unforgiving for portraits of people with less then ideal skin (older ladies won't praise you for taking their portraits with it). The lens also has rather short focusing throw and requires good eyesight/perfectly calibrated rangefinder to use it to its full advantage.

[jankap]

According to the Leica Q marketing a 28mm performs from 28 to 50mm, simply by cropping.

So you need lenses in steps of a factor of 2 only.

A 15mm perhaps?

Jan

[mandelbrot]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

You probably don't always carry all lenses with you at the same time. So I suggest you think in terms of combinations that you feel comfortable carrying. The 75 Apo would travel well with you 35 FLE, for example - same for your 28 and 50 lenses. The 21mm is a focal length that you need to know the reason for owning - it is not just to "complement your lens portfolio". It requires specific creative thinking - take a look at Jean Loup Sieff's work, for instance: he used 21mm very often and very effectively. On the other hand, the internet is full of comments by amateur photographers who complain that they "find it difficult to find landscapes with interesting foreground" and that the 21 mm is "too wide". On the topic of the 75mm APO - the lens is bitingly sharp; great for fully/half body portraits (I recall an LFI feature about a year ago where a photographer used his 75 APO to take portraits of sadhus in India, with his M9 - great pictures), but it is very unforgiving for portraits of people with less then ideal skin (older ladies won't praise you for taking their portraits with it). The lens also has rather short focusing throw and requires good eyesight/perfectly calibrated rangefinder to use it to its full advantage.

In fact I'm thinking in terms of combination as you said. 35+75 or even 28+75.

True that 21 is a very difficult FL.

Thanks

[erudolph]

I agree with Peter Branch and albireo_double, that the 21mm adds something different.  I would rent or borrow one to see how you get along with it.  They are both great lenses.

[pgk]

75mm and 90mm are virtually the same.  Crop a file from the 75 and in the vast majority of cases it will be indistinguishable fro a file taken with the 90mm.

 

However a 21mm, (or better still an 18mm), is very different to a 28mm.

First bit I thoroughly disagree with. The 75/2 is outstanding and in a different league to the 90 E-M (itself a very good lens) and a great compliment to the 21SE.

 

That said, I'd probably say the 21 would be the best one to buy first because it 'fills a gap' in your line up.

[mandelbrot]

Indeed I found a used copy for 75 . For 21 I would have to buy a new one. I prefer to go for a 75now and wait for a 21 used.

[uhoh7]

75mm and 90mm are virtually the same.  Crop a file from the 75 and in the vast majority of cases it will be indistinguishable fro a file taken with the 90mm.

 

However a 21mm, (or better still an 18mm), is very different to a 28mm.

+1 not to mention that while SEM on an M body is an incredible UWA setup and produces very distinct stuff,the 75 APO is hard to tell from the 350USD CV 75/2.5 and the CV is half the weight. The Summarit 75 is also outstanding.

Edited July 2, 2015 by uhoh7

[Peter Branch]

I'm happy to agree that the 75mm f/2 Summicron is indeed a very good lens which outperforms the 90mm Elmarit.

 

Which tends to reinforce my point that owning both is probably not an optimum way to invest capital. 

 

Since it seems that the OP has now bought a 75mm in such circumstances I'd be tempted to sell the 90mm Elmarit and use the funds to purchase an ultra wide such as the 21mm.

 

I know I am not alone in believing that if the intent is to go ultra wide then there is a lot to be said for the 18mm over the 21mm.

[pgk]

I'm happy to agree that the 75mm f/2 Summicron is indeed a very good lens which outperforms the 90mm Elmarit.

 

Since it seems that the OP has now bought a 75mm in such circumstances I'd be tempted to sell the 90mm Elmarit and use the funds to purchase an ultra wide such as the 21mm.

Now I made that assumption; suffice it to say that I own both again. 15mm is, IMO, significant .

 

..... the 75 APO is hard to tell from the 350USD CV 75/2.5 and the CV is half the weight. The Summarit 75 is also outstanding.

IMO the 75/2 outperforms any other lens of its focal length - caveat being that it needs to be adjusted properly to ensure optimum performance. My first copy was nothing special. My current copy is superb.

[DMJ]

.........My first copy was nothing special. My current copy is superb.

 

I agree. Sent mine to Leica & came back 'special'.

[LeicaFFM]

Get the SEM 21mm. It is so different to anything else you own.

[uhoh7]

Now I made that assumption; suffice it to say that I own both again. 15mm is, IMO, significant .

 

IMO the 75/2 outperforms any other lens of its focal length - caveat being that it needs to be adjusted properly to ensure optimum performance. My first copy was nothing special. My current copy is superb.

I don't doubt the 75/2 is the best 75 ever made. I'm just saying, outside f/2, it will be hard to see, compared to how the SEM 21 smokes the other UWAs.

 

Sean reid had a big test with the CV 75 vs Leicas, and that was his conclusion. I use the CV when on the move, because it's tiny and very light, and I use the 75/1.4 for fancy stuff

[pgk]

I don't doubt the 75/2 is the best 75 ever made. I'm just saying, outside f/2, it will be hard to see, compared to how the SEM 21 smokes the other UWAs.

70~80mm has long been a 'hot spot' of lens design and there are a lot of good lenses around these focal lengths out there. For size and aperture the 75/2 is outstanding IMO and its superb stopped down too. I'd say its performance compares well with the 21 SE and they are good companions for when absolute clarity is important. I'm not talking test pix here but in real usage (provided that is, that the lenses are correctly adjusted) and I have images from both lenses which still amaze me in terms of what is resolved.

[CheshireCat]

The 75 Cron is basically a little longer 50 Lux.

21mm adds a whole new perspective

Edited July 4, 2015 by CheshireCat

[rsolomon]

This is like asking us if you should get a new home theater system or a new watch. Without knowing your real interest I would go wide with the 21

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Mornnb]

I don't think you need a 75mm if you also have a 50mm and 90mm.

 

21mm has never been ultra wide enough for me. The 15mm Voigtlander is about right, I recommend you consider the 15mm Voigtlander or the 18mm Super Elmar, more flexible you can always crop.

Edited July 7, 2015 by Mornnb