rosuna Posted December 8, 2009 Share #41 Posted December 8, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Funny, the back focus on my 35 Lux Asph was noticeable on my M8 (but I didn't like 35 on the M8 anyway so rarely used it except when I needed the 1.4) doesn't really seem to be a problem with the M9, at least in real world use. I ran some ruler tests and it was really difficult to tell if it was back focusing or not. Must be down to the FF and the way depth of field works compared to the crop sensor. That is good news for me because I also have a 35mm Summilux with backfocus (on a M8 camera) and focus shift. The only explanation is that Leica has revised the rangefinder for the M9, or has changed the calibration criteria. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 8, 2009 Posted December 8, 2009 Hi rosuna, Take a look here "New" 35 Lux?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Mokkacream Posted December 8, 2009 Share #42 Posted December 8, 2009 Andreas, You are escalating here.... its like the cold war. I want a new 35 lux, but why not a 135 lux and a 15mm lux..? if we are going to start preordering on rumors, lets cover the bases. . just joking ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrism Posted December 8, 2009 Share #43 Posted December 8, 2009 That is good news for me because I also have a 35mm Summilux with backfocus (on a M8 camera) and focus shift. The only explanation is that Leica has revised the rangefinder for the M9, or has changed the calibration criteria. ...and the bad news is that all those lenses that were right on will now front focus! Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted December 9, 2009 Share #44 Posted December 9, 2009 ...and the bad news is that all those lenses that were right on will now front focus! Chris It depends on the speed of the lenses... Slower lenses may not be affected at all. Lenses with the same luminosity will be all affected. But I also had a Noctilux and it had backfocus as well, and also the Summilux 75. And the same goes for two friends with several fast lenses (Noctilux, Summilux 75, Summilux 50, Summilux 35, Summicron 90...). All of them had backfocus problems at medium-short distances. I think the problem was general with the M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted December 9, 2009 Share #45 Posted December 9, 2009 That is good news for me because I also have a 35mm Summilux with backfocus (on a M8 camera) and focus shift. The only explanation is that Leica has revised the rangefinder for the M9, or has changed the calibration criteria. Well, everyone's mileage may vary. I think it's mostly due to the fact that the image is blown up a lot less - both due to the lack of crop factor and almost twice the megapixels. My 50 pre-asph Lux doesn't seem to back focus as much anymore as well. I also find that the M9 files are a lot more forgiving of oof areas. More film like I guess, and take to a bit of extra sharpening better so a seemingly oof area pops into focus with just a bit of sharpening. Stands to reason - more sensor area and more mp equals more room to breathe, so to speak. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah_addis Posted December 9, 2009 Share #46 Posted December 9, 2009 That is good news for me because I also have a 35mm Summilux with backfocus (on a M8 camera) and focus shift. The only explanation is that Leica has revised the rangefinder for the M9, or has changed the calibration criteria. I'm no expert on optics or physics, but I don't think this is the case. First of all, as is often discussed, backfocus and focus shift are two totally different things. Backfocus is a calibration issue. If your lens focuses in back of the intended focus point wide open, then your camera and/or lens may need adjustment, and this can be easily done by Leica or other service people. Focus shift is when the focus point moves as you stop a lens down to smaller apertures. The consensus seems to be that the 35 'Lux ASPH does suffer from this, but that if it is adjusted properly it can be minimized. I tested mine on my M8 before the M9 came in, and again on the M9, and I got similar results. Wide open, my lens has a TINY amount of front-focus. Not enough to affect picture quality in practice. As I stop down, the focus does indeed shift backwards, but the focus point always falls within the DOF. Once you get down to F5.6, it's not an issue at all because of DOF. With a larger sensor you will 'enlarge' the photo less for a given print size. So therefore focus may be a bit less critical. As an extreme example, I've had 8x10in negatives that were out of focus by a bit but printed very well even at 16x20in. Larger formats are more forgiving, so this may be why people are noticing the focus shift less with the M9. I rarely used the lens with my M8 since I didn't care for the effective focal length, but on my M9 it performs very well. It's a beautiful lens and I really don't think I'd upgrade. In fact with my M9 and its better high-iso performance, I mostly use my 35 Summicron Asph and save the 'Lux for wedding or portrait work when I want less DOF and maybe a softer look. A 35 Noctilux may be interesting for shooting in the dark...but I'd hate to see the price and size! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted December 9, 2009 Share #47 Posted December 9, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thank Noah. I meant to say "focus shift." I always get confused by that one. None of my lenses exhibit back focus on the M9 as far as I know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissah Posted December 9, 2009 Share #48 Posted December 9, 2009 I have heard that it will be a 135 Noctilux f0.95. Included in the price will be a free golf trolley to carry it around with. A bit like the Zeiss 1700mm f4. Look at the size of the attached Hassy V! Wilson this isnt getting enough love! melissa Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah_addis Posted December 9, 2009 Share #49 Posted December 9, 2009 I have heard that it will be a 135 Noctilux f0.95. Included in the price will be a free golf trolley to carry it around with. A bit like the Zeiss 1700mm f4. Look at the size of the attached Hassy V! Wilson No one is excited about the 135 f0.95 since it needs to be stopped down to F4 on the M9 for sharp results:D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamriman Posted December 12, 2009 Share #50 Posted December 12, 2009 Wilson, My Summilux ASPH LHSA has noticeably softened its focusing mechanism in the near end after 1.5 years of pretty intensive use. It is the lens I shoot with in 80% of cases. Horea I recently got a black paint one. It is one of Leicas most beautiful lenses ever IMO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyspedden Posted December 12, 2009 Share #51 Posted December 12, 2009 I'm not sure if I agree with you about there being a glaring hole or indeed...a need for a 28 Summilux. There exists, as you know, a Summicron and an Elmarit, at a focal length of 28 there simply isn't a need for anything faster. The most recent 24 and 21 Summilux' are great but not superior to their Elmarits counterpart (I have all the aforementioned) other than for bragging rights and one could even argue that for what one gives up in size/weight, the extra two stops aren't worth it. Now an updated 35 Summilux which is an EVERYDAY standard lens that one can practically do everything with due to it's incredibly low distortion and without focus shift...now we're talking ~allabouttheglass However it is the same old story as with the 75 Lux and the 50 Lux. You get a gain in overall sharpness (particulaly out to the corners) but you give up certain drawing qualities that makes the lens special. I spent a week with the m9 and both the 50 lux and the 50 lux pre-asph. I actually loved both lenses and found images that needed the characteristics of one or the other. The differences between the two 50 lux versions are far less than say the differences (wide open) between the 75 cron and the 75 lux. I for one absolutely love the 35 lux asph. I don't imagine I will ever buy a sharper but more clinical version of that lens. Now I may be wrong but i doubt it. Same for the 28 cron. Except for marketing purposes many of the lenses in the leica stable are already better than anything on the market and Leica should have another production run of the venerable 35 lux asph ready to go. JMHO and YMMV woody Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 13, 2009 Share #52 Posted December 13, 2009 [quote=woodyspedden;1152918 I for one absolutely love the 35 lux asph. I don't imagine I will ever buy a sharper but more clinical version of that lens. Now I may be wrong but i doubt it. Same for the 28 cron. Except for marketing purposes many of the lenses in the leica stable are already better than anything on the market and Leica should have another production run of the venerable 35 lux asph ready to go. JMHO and YMMV woody Woody, The main problem is the bitter jealousy of others targeted against those of us, who have been lucky enough to have acquired a good 35 Lux;-}} If Leica have solved the inconsistency in production of the 35 Lux, then all is well and a further production run makes sense. If they have not solved it, then I don't imagine they could risk continuing to irritate some customers with frankly, poor lenses. Even the occasional poor one will make waves. I would be sad if the new 35 Lux, assuming there will be one, ends up drawing like the 50 Lux, as it is not to my personal taste, although I am sure it would be to others'. If they bring out a 28 Lux, I hope it will not have the CA/sensor blooming issue that the 21 and 24 Lux seem to have, in backlit pictures on the M9. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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