New overgaard page - Leica M9 in Los Angeles and Leica M9 "best practice"

[mby]

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Ahh, good news Michael. Regrettably my flight tomorrow was too early to make the limited window that Heathrow will be open, and the next open slot was Saturday. Now I have to hope that the volcano/weather cooperates on Saturday. Sigh. I wish I had my M9 with me!

 

Jeff

 

Very good, hope that it works out for you.

 

Just looked up the DNG v1.3 specs at http://www.adobe.com/products/dng/pdfs/dng_spec_1_3_0_0.pdf where the compression methods are defined on pages 15f.; doesn't look esoteric to me...

 

Best regards,

Michael

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[jbgeach]

Overgaard - great page. Good insight, great pics.

 

However, f/4 has the same DOF on a f/1.4 or f/4 lens. Period. That being said, I am with you, if you don't shoot a lot at 1.4 save some money and buy an f/2 or f/2.8.

Also, many lenses have an improvement in the bokeh with stopping down, there may be less out of focus area, but it often has a better feel to it.

[Overgaard]

Godo to hear about the Adobe compression and compatibility with other RAW developers. I'll have a look into it in some weeks when I get time to play around with it. There's other RAW developers and there's a speed issue by using compressed/non-compressed DNG in the Leica M9.

 

In general I'm for uncompressed all the way as one might need those data in future technology. There's no doubt future screens and printers will be capable of showing more bits and all.

 

Fine with the airport photos. We should start an airport/flying thread with images. But it's fine with being stuck in this thread for now. Heard today that there's a law in Europe that the airline companies must supply accommodations and food for persons stranded. So that is good news in the midst of it all. Now we just need free WiFi and M9 support included in that package ;-)

[Overgaard]

Overgaard - great page. Good insight, great pics.

 

However, f/4 has the same DOF on a f/1.4 or f/4 lens. Period. That being said, I am with you, if you don't shoot a lot at 1.4 save some money and buy an f/2 or f/2.8.

Also, many lenses have an improvement in the bokeh with stopping down, there may be less out of focus area, but it often has a better feel to it.

 

I've heard good things about bokeh and all when stopping down but have never shot a Noctilux beyond 1.0 and 1.4. So I'll try and make some test shots tomorrow from 0.95 and all the way. Will be interesting.

[jbgeach]

Some vocal photographers would have you believe that the best way to evaluate bokeh is shooting a lens wide open, that is, at its widest aperture. It turns out that this is DEAD WRONG. While wide aperture lenses throw the background out of focus, it is also the widest of apertures that reveal most of a lens’ problematic aberrations, making bokeh hard to evaluate in this circumstance. In my correspondence with Mike Johnston, he mentioned that the “bokeh king” Summicron actually has rather bad bokeh when shot wide open at f/2.0. Per Johnston, it takes stopping down the lens a bit to reveal the lens’ inherently beautiful bokeh and gentle transitions in out-of-focus rendering. Thus, it may be best to shoot the bokeh king at f/4 to f/5.6 to reveal its charms, NOT f/2!

 

What is Bokeh? Over 50 Lenses rated for their out of focus blur. | STEVE HUFF PHOTOS

[jaapv]

Some vocal photographers would have you believe that the best way to evaluate bokeh is shooting a lens wide open, that is, at its widest aperture. It turns out that this is DEAD WRONG. While wide aperture lenses throw the background out of focus, it is also the widest of apertures that reveal most of a lens’ problematic aberrations, making bokeh hard to evaluate in this circumstance. In my correspondence with Mike Johnston, he mentioned that the “bokeh king” Summicron actually has rather bad bokeh when shot wide open at f/2.0. Per Johnston, it takes stopping down the lens a bit to reveal the lens’ inherently beautiful bokeh and gentle transitions in out-of-focus rendering. Thus, it may be best to shoot the bokeh king at f/4 to f/5.6 to reveal its charms, NOT f/2!

The (difference in ) bokeh is created by the aberrations in the unsharp zone. So it is counterproductive to stop a lens down to reduce exactly those aberrations. It will reduce the various bokeh effects of the different lenses to a common denominator, which is exactly opposite to the effect we want to see.

[winmore]

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Quote: " ....the one I've used for 95% of my photos since December is the old chrome 1962-model of the Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0..."

 

I am close to adding an M9 to my M4, and am planning, at least initially to use my older 35 1.4, 50 2 and 90 2.8 from the late 60's, early 70's. I was disappointed to be informed by Solms that, "we are not able to code these lenses for optimal using the lenses on your new M9 camera. Bayonet and focusing mount on these lenses are one unit and cannot be changed. You can use the lenses mechanically, that will be no problem. We can still service the lenses in our workshop on optical and mechanically functions or do a simple CLA."

 

Can I ask what service, if any, you have found needed for your 50 2? I intend to try each of my lenses on an M9, but would value your comment on your experience.

 

Cheers Ron

[Overgaard]

My 50/2 was at Leica for CLA but I skipped it as they said they did not have spare parts for this. So I simply use it as it is, with stiff and uneven focusing. But it works well, I got used to this lens' odd things.

 

I've used a manual coding kit with a marker. But often the coding is worn off when you change lenses, so mostly I use manual lens setting on the M9.

 

When people say "that is not a new camera, eh?" and smile at me, I tell them the camera is brand new from September last year but the lens is from 1962. Only once in a while I realize that the lens is in fact 48 years old, mostly I just consider it one of my older lenses that went from one M4 camera to another M.

 

But they're really old, actually, so be happy they fit and don't blame Leica that they don't service them 100%.

[winmore]

Thank you Thorsten. I look forward to trying my old lenses on an M9 shortly. My 50/2 is very silky in its focus movement. Now, if the files are anywhere near the excellent quality you achieve I will be a happy Leica user once more.

 

Cheers Ron

[chris_tribble]

My 50/2 was at Leica for CLA but I skipped it as they said they did not have spare parts for this. So I simply use it as it is, with stiff and uneven focusing. But it works well, I got used to this lens' odd things.

 

Thorsten - if you can live without the lens for a week or to, then Malcolm Taylor might be able to sort it our for you - he has a a shedful of Leica bits and is a great craftsman. If you're interested I'll PM you his details (he doesn't use email )

 

Best...

[Overgaard]

Please do. The M9 has to be CLA'ed at the Leica Mothership anyways.

[winmore]

Thorsten - if you can live without the lens for a week or to, then Malcolm Taylor might be able to sort it our for you - he has a a shedful of Leica bits and is a great craftsman. If you're interested I'll PM you his details (he doesn't use email )

 

Best...

 

Hi Chris

 

Would you mind sending me the contact details for Malcolm. I too may well use his services for my older lenses.

 

Many thanks Ron

[alexanderruas]

thanks so much for your articles on your site! very inspiring!

I'm looking to get a 50/2 or 50/1.4 and have been looking at a few older ones. Does the fact that you can't focus closer than 1 meter bother you?

It seems that the newer models focus at 0.7 meters....

I do a lot of my portraits with my 50mm..... I think it might bother me..

 

alexander

 

My 50/2 was at Leica for CLA but I skipped it as they said they did not have spare parts for this. So I simply use it as it is, with stiff and uneven focusing. But it works well, I got used to this lens' odd things.

 

I've used a manual coding kit with a marker. But often the coding is worn off when you change lenses, so mostly I use manual lens setting on the M9.

 

When people say "that is not a new camera, eh?" and smile at me, I tell them the camera is brand new from September last year but the lens is from 1962. Only once in a while I realize that the lens is in fact 48 years old, mostly I just consider it one of my older lenses that went from one M4 camera to another M.

 

But they're really old, actually, so be happy they fit and don't blame Leica that they don't service them 100%.

[Overgaard]

It usually works as you can crop away. And the out of focus and bokeh is beautiful at 1 meter f/2.0. I guess it's a small disadvantage that comes with that type of lens.

 

But I do love 0.7 meter near focus on the newer lenses - and I'm a bit disappointed the new 0.95 Noctilux does not go nearer than 1 meter.

[Ecar]

Hi Chris

 

Would you mind sending me the contact details for Malcolm. I too may well use his services for my older lenses.

 

Many thanks Ron

 

Another option would be to contact Peter at CRR Luton - a very competent and pleasant person to deal with.

 

CAMERA REPAIRS & RESTORATION - LUTON , ENGLAND

 

Forget using email - it doesn't work. Better call him.

I just sent him 3 old lenses for CLA (including coating of my grandfather's 1933 Summar). But you have to be prepared to wait - they seem to have loads of work...

Hope this helps.

[Peter Lea]

Malcolm Tayor responds more quickly and works more quickly than CRR in Luton. Best Peter

[winmore]

Contact details for Malcolm Taylor please - anyone?

 

Thank you Ron

[k-hawinkler]

Contact details for Malcolm Taylor please - anyone?

 

Thank you Ron

 

Leica FAQ - Where can I get Leica repairs done?

 

Name Malcolm Taylor

Location Upper Lye farm, Aymestrey, Leominster

Herefordshire HR6 9SZ, England

Tel: +44 (0) 1568 770542

Info Leica M & LTM repair wizard, apparently even restores cameras for the Leica Museum(!)

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Overgaard]

I've heard good things about bokeh and all when stopping down but have never shot a Noctilux beyond 1.0 and 1.4. So I'll try and make some test shots tomorrow from 0.95 and all the way. Will be interesting.

 

I've made an updated Noctilux f/0.95 page with a series of shots from f/0.95 to f/16.

leica.overgaard.dk - Thorsten Overgaard's Leica Pages - Leica 50mm Noctilux-M ASPH f/0.95 - Leitz 50mm Noctilux-M f/1.2 and the Leica 50mm Noctilux-M f/1.0 samples and article