M9 + lenses test book available

[yanidel]

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For those that speak French, an ebook (247 pages) on the M9 and tests of 90 lenses is available for purchase here:

 

IziBook.eyrolles.com : Le Leica M9 - 90 objectifs présentés et testés - Du mythique système M aux réglages du boîtier, de la prise de vue au post-traitement des images - De Jean-Marie Sepulchre (EAN13: 9782212853674)

 

I have no connection with the seller (Jean-Marie Sepulchre) except that I met him and lent him two lenses for the tests. He is a great and passionate guy that already wrote many books on photography and is very familiar with lenses tests.

Apparently, he will release en English version later on, though it seems tests will cover only Leica lenses (Zeiss, Voigtlander are included in the French version). The might also be a paper version later on in French. Some extracts are available for viewing at the link above.

I guess this is great news for all the people facing though decisions on lenses purchases and definitely bad for gas ...

[lct]

Just ordered it. Interesting indeed. Aside from the M9 itself, some old and rare lenses like Elmarit-C 40/2.8 are tested but the Elmarit-M 21/2.8 asph is missing for some reason. OoF rendition seems to be ommitted as well. Clear and short comments of DxO graphs seem to be the forte of the author. Did not find any focus shift in the titanium version of the previous 35/1.4 asph BTW, contrary to black anodized and aspherical models. Quotes Erwin Puts, Ken Rockwell, Stephen Gandy and French forums amongst his sources but neither Sean Reid nor the LUF or dpreview.com. Would deserve an English translation including Leica and non-Leica lenses IMHO. FWIW.

[Fotomiguel]

It looks very nice and interesting. Thank you very much.

[Ario Arioldi]

Just downloaded, thanks for the hint.

Cheers,

Ario

[markowich]

Just ordered it. Interesting indeed. Aside from the M9 itself, some old and rare lenses like Elmarit-C 40/2.8 are tested but the Elmarit-M 21/2.8 asph is missing for some reason. OoF rendition seems to be ommitted as well. Clear and short comments of DxO graphs seem to be the forte of the author. Did not find any focus shift in the titanium version of the previous 35/1.4 asph BTW, contrary to black anodized and aspherical models. Quotes Erwin Puts, Ken Rockwell, Stephen Gandy and French forums amongst his sources but neither Sean Reid nor the LUF or dpreview.com. Would deserve an English translation including Leica and non-Leica lenses IMHO. FWIW.

 

i totally agree with him on the titanium 35mm LUX.

peter

[yanidel]

One good surprise is that my 60mm Hexanon 1.2 performed better than both the Nocti F1 and F0.95 (sharpness, CA, distortion, vignetting). It is actually the sharpest lens at F1.4 of all lenses tested (it even beat the 50mm Lux Asph).

A gem I tell you, a gem

[wlaidlaw]

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i totally agree with him on the titanium 35mm LUX.

peter

 

The "Titanium" lens is identical to the chrome lens. They are both brass bodies just with different metallic finishes applied. I don't know if the Leica finish is a true titanium finish, which can be applied in various ways (splutter deposition, sintering or thermal spraying) or just a titanium containing paint. There have been arguments going backwards and forwards for years about the chrome versus the aluminium alloy 35 ASPH Lux and focus shift. It was interesting to read M. Sepulchre's comments on the 35 Lux. There is the school who claim that the internal element carrier is the same for both brass and aluminium lenses and the outer barrel can make no difference. The opposite argument is that on this forum at least, those of us who are lucky enough to have the chrome or titanium 35 ASPH Luxes, are very happy to demonstrate with any test you can devise, that the focus shift is reasonably well controlled and does not dip out of the DOF, like many of the black lenses. The Leica fairy must have touched those lenses with her magic wand.

 

Wilson

[barcoder]

I also would like an English translation. The summary, translated from French to English using Google translate, seems like a very good companion for any M9 owner.

[pascal_meheut]

I also would like an English translation. The summary, translated from French to English using Google translate, seems like a very good companion for any M9 owner.

 

A translation should come soon. It will be a shorter version though and I'm not sure all the tested lenses will be in it.