Advice needed on 75 mm lens

[Jamie Roberts]

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Thanks, Jamie! I will check the lens again tomorrow. It seems brand new and in top shape, but I need to recheck. By the way, have you experienced any focus shift issues?

 

Jose,

 

Yes, from 1.4 to 2.0 there's definitely a shift of focal field as you stop down. Whether it puts your actual point of focus out of the focal field depends entirely on the way your body works with that lens. So for the premium price, I'd want to check that too...

 

For instance, on my M8, it's soft opened up but ok by f2, but on my recently calibrated M9 the same lens maintains its point of focus through the shift and out to infinity.

 

So it's tweakier for sure than the cron, but if you can check it and get a great one, you might really like it...

 

One things for sure; if Leica replaces it with a new model, it won't be cheap

[Paul Hart]

I had the Summicron and stupidly sold it when I ducked out of Leica stuff for a short time. I've now got the 75 Summarit-M, and am always amazed at its performance. From memory, Uncle Erwin rates it very highly also - I think he said it's almost as good as the Summicron, just the colour rendition that's not quite so good.

 

Here's a recent candid portrait with the M9+75 Summarit:

 

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[Jeff S]

Jose, if you don't need the extra half stop, the Summarit range is very underrated IMO. Don't be fooled into thinking that the lower price indicates deficient quality, at least none that you're likely to fret about in your prints. Here's one review that compares it to the Summicron...Summarit range

 

The good news is that all of the lenses discussed here are superb, and you'll likely become very fond of whichever one you choose. Don't sweat the decision too much. And, if you go for the Summarit, you might even be able to afford another lens. While I own the 75 Summicron, I wouldn't hesitate to consider the Summarit if I were just building a set of lenses.

 

Jeff

[Rick]

Thank you for the feedback, Rick. What an outstanding picture!

 

Part of my hesitation is price-related, as the price for the new 75/1.4 would be the same as for a new 75/2.0, and from the serial number it is was made in 1999 although already in Germany. So... about $2.7K seems a bit steep to me for this lens, at this time. If I could get it for less, say the $1.5K that you mention, I would not hesitate.

 

I've never told the story of that night at the Market when I took that picture. I was there with my wife and daughter. My wife got tired of taking pictures with her 5D2 and I took it and slung it over my shoulder for her. My wife and daughter went off shopping and walking on their own while I pretended to be HCB.

 

While I was standing waiting for the fish mongers to start throwing fish, this guy with a Canon 1D starts setting up a couple of tripods and mounts a couple 5D2's on them with flash. He spreads them about 20 feet apart and points them at the fish mongers and starts walking around taking pictures with this huge 1D and flash in hand, all the while the other two 5D2's are flashing away, pocket wizard synced, at the same thing he is shooting.

 

While this guy is moving through the crowd flashing away, his assistant walks over to me and looks at my wife's 5D2 and says, nice. I was standing there trying to catch the fish mongers throwing and catching fish with an M8 and 75Lux until, they showed up. I say back to him, "what are you guys doing?" He says, "I'm helping Peter with a project called The Decisive Moment Cubed." You can insert your own come-back line here because there are so many... I just stood there and looked at him.

[Bill W]

Jose,

Bottom line is that they are both great lens. I have owned both. I currently have the cron. The lux is heavy and the focus is a very long throw. While I really liked the lux I do not miss it. I have to admit I made money on the lux when I sold it.

[cliffp]

I have the 75mm Summarit and am very impressed with it. I also have the 35mm Summarit and that is also superb (I have several non 'budget' Leica lenses such as the 90AA F2, 28mm F2 and 50mm F2, so am familiar with that exquisite Leica look).

 

The Summarits are not only cheaper to buy new, they are also often available at bargain prices. I bought my mint 2 month old 75mm for £680 (new price is now mostly over £1000). A 3 month old 90mm Summarit sold for only £437 on Ebay this week.

 

Sean Reid has a comprehensive and characteristically excellent review of the 75mm Summarit.

 

One thing that would tempt me to have the Summicron version of the 75mm is its excellent reproduction ratio (1:7) which is good for close up shots of flowers etc.

[lars_bergquist]

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75 mm lux is classic, read LFI noctilux issue, it stated that 75 lux has similar design is the same like 50 noct 1.0. The character is almost the same.

 

Not true. The character of the image is somewhat similar, but the design is all different. The 1.0 Noct was the last instar of the hoary Xenon design from 1935, with its split rear element. The 75mm Summilux was a takeoff of the (also Mandler-designed) v.2 50mm Summilux. It is an interesting fact that today, the 75mm Summicron ASPH is a slightly simplified version of the design of the current 50mm Summilux ASPH.

 

This was possible because neither the old 75mm Summilux nor the current Summicron are telephoto lenses in the technical sense. They are long focus designs.

 

The old man from the Age of the 7.3cm Hektor

[lars_bergquist]

I owned the Summarit while I had a M8. Then I sold it because I have no use for the 75mm angle of view on the full format. But it is indeed a very fine lens and anyone who does like 75mm would do very well to consider it seriously.

 

The old man from the Age of the 7.3cm Hektor

[Ecar]

I'm also one of those Lux aficionados who will never let the lens go. It's bulky and heavy and has its quirks, but when you get it right, the character of the images it delivers is unique.

I also own a Summarit 75 - a very fine lens, with a sharper, more clinical rendering. I tested it alongside the Cron and, to my eyes, it's optically on par with the Cron at the same aperture - although possibly one notch below in terms of construction/mechanics. As a matter of fact, the aperture ring of my Summarit got loose after some (limited) usage and had to be fixed by Leica under warranty.

I find that this set up gives me a lot of flexibility at this focal length.

If I had to keep only one, it would be the Lux, but they are not in the same price league.

Perhaps you can get a better deal on the Lux and squeeze in a used Summarit too?

[misha]

Jose,

 

I am selling my coded 75/2 lens at a very reasonable price. PM me if interested.

 

misha

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MISHA FRIEDMAN

[Jose_Salcedo]

Here's a recent candid portrait with the M9+75 Summarit:

 

What a beautiful portrait! The lens shows a beautiful rendition.

[Jose_Salcedo]

Jose, if you don't need the extra half stop, the Summarit range is very underrated IMO. Don't be fooled into thinking that the lower price indicates deficient quality, at least none that you're likely to fret about in your prints.

 

Thank you very much for the sound advice, Jeff!

[Jose_Salcedo]

Jose, I am selling my coded 75/2 lens at a very reasonable price. PM me if interested.

 

Just sent you a PM, misha. Thanks.

[Jose_Salcedo]

Jose, Bottom line is that they are both great lens. I have owned both. I currently have the cron. The lux is heavy and the focus is a very long throw. While I really liked the lux I do not miss it. I have to admit I made money on the lux when I sold it.

 

Thank you very much for the advice, Bill. That is precisely my current inclination - go with the newest Cron - but I have been able to lower the price on the Lux significantly, dangerously close to the point where a "no" can be difficult to say... and the lens is really brand new. What the heck... I just sold some of my remaining Nikon stuff and life is so short that I may end up with both!...

[luigi bertolotti]

Well, Jose.... unless you ordered your 75 in the meantime ... given that the Summarit 75 has been mentioned (and me too have it - for M8 - supersatisfied), a strange advice has came to my mind, just to make a diversion...

1) You are tempted by Summilux, and I can understand it... enjoying an very shallow DOF can be very pleasant, sometimes.

2) Money is a serious matter... most of people can't say "I buy both Cron and Lux !"

3) There are lot of old Leitz lenses that are a very enjoiable, and a pleasure to handle...

 

So.. why not buying a Summarit 75 AND a good Summarex 85 1,5 ? Can be that you spend about the same... and get an excellent 75, fully usable at 2,5, plus a fantastic oldtime item which, in the right light conditions, you can use as a special portrait lens wide open.

I have one, and even if didn't get an UVIR filter for it like to use it expecially for BW... not to mention that when stopped down it's sharp as many 90s of years after (more than my Tele Elmarit 90, for instance); consider also that it is a sort of gem as for aesthetics. Is not too difficult to find, but conditions MUST be good... can be a pleasant chase.

Edited April 17, 2010 by luigi bertolotti

[Jamie Roberts]

Thank you very much for the advice, Bill. That is precisely my current inclination - go with the newest Cron - but I have been able to lower the price on the Lux significantly, dangerously close to the point where a "no" can be difficult to say... and the lens is really brand new. What the heck... I just sold some of my remaining Nikon stuff and life is so short that I may end up with both!...

 

Live a little, and at least try the Lux. If it works on your body and matches your focus ability and shooting style, you'll sell the cron. If it doesn't, you'll love the cron and you can sell the lux.

[Jose_Salcedo]

Well, Jose.... unless you ordered your 75 in the meantime ...

 

Thank for the advice, Luigi. Yes I ordered the Cron asph a couple of months ago and it will arrive by the end of May, approximately, but this Lux came along unexpected in the last couple of days while I am stranded in Brussels without planes to leave, and thus my doubts and questions. I can cancel the Cron order at any time, no problem, the dealer is friendly and will sell it easily.

 

I am not familiar with the lens that you suggest but will look into it. Thanks!

[neli]

the 75 cron is on my M very often, my kit is usually 35 lux, 75 cron, 135 apo. ithe 75 cron has (very nice) bokeh, it has sharpness, it has perfect focussing, short focus throw. lovely. the 75 lux (which belongs to my brother) has magic.

then again, there isn't a leica lens i don't like. i use the 40-C extensively, how can you go wrong with a leica lens?

you probably have another few years to buy a 75 cron from anywhere. a new 75 lux is already very rare and no signs of a new one coming, so, if i had the choice, i'd go for the lux, see how i like it and trade for a cron if i don't, won't be hard to do i think.

weight, well, i don't mind the apo telyt at all. leica really doesn't weigh much.

[neli]

i ment of course, "see how YOU like the 75 lux", ahaha.

seriously, if you don't take the lux you could let me know, i'm not allowed to use my brothers lenses very often. he is older than me.

i'm thirty five and a half, though, and responsible enough to own a 75 lux.

what a weird post :-(

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[Jose_Salcedo]

i ment of course, "see how YOU like the 75 lux", ahaha.

seriously, if you don't take the lux you could let me know, i'm not allowed to use my brothers lenses very often. he is older than me. i'm thirty five and a half, though, and responsible enough to own a 75 lux.

what a weird post :-(

 

Thanks for the suggestion, Neli! I will check the 75 Lux again tomorrow as I need to make a final decision by then. Will post what happens.