imperfiction Posted August 6, 2011 Share #1 Posted August 6, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I know, i know - sharpness isn't the most important aspect of making photographs but if one is paying a premium for a lens, it better be good :-) I recently acquired a 50 Summilux ASPH and I've been testing it. I find it truly exception wide open at close distances but once the distance exceeds 3 meters, I find that the quality decreases drastically - even a cheap Summicron C 40 surpasses it on all apertures (I make it sound as if the Summicron C is a poor quality lens but it is stellar in many ways actually). I've been wondering if this is part of the quality of the lens or if perhaps my M9 and the Summilux need calibration? Here are a few pictures of the same scene at the full scope of full-stop apertures starting f1.4, f2, f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11, and f16. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 6, 2011 Posted August 6, 2011 Hi imperfiction, Take a look here Summilux 50 ASPH Sharpness. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
lct Posted August 6, 2011 Share #2 Posted August 6, 2011 Just a focussing problem at first glance. You will see than the wall in the background is sharp. Your lens and/or body needs calibration. More probably the 50/1.4 if your other lenses are OK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
denoir Posted August 6, 2011 Share #3 Posted August 6, 2011 Assuming you focused on the sign, your lens or body or both need calibration. If your other lenses focus correctly with your M9, then it's probably the lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbonthemoon Posted August 6, 2011 Share #4 Posted August 6, 2011 You should have told us what you was focusing on. If it was the sign, your lens suffers from dramatic back focusing. The only reason of the sign getting sharper is widening of DOF at small apertures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted August 6, 2011 Share #5 Posted August 6, 2011 Wow, they are way off if you focused on the sign. The Summilux should be optimally sharp around the f5.6 area. But its not even close to being in focus, nor any part of the image sharp. The f16 shot is sharper, perhaps due to DOF. Somebody has either installed a lens element backwards, or your testing proceedure is suspect. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imperfiction Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted August 6, 2011 Indeed I was focusing on the sign. Thanks a lot for the feedback - I'll continue testing it and most likely will be sending it off for calibration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbonthemoon Posted August 6, 2011 Share #7 Posted August 6, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Actually, I cant imagine lens backfocusing that bad. What is it? 5-10 meters? OP are you sure you know to focus with rangefinders? Lining up two images and etc? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imperfiction Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted August 6, 2011 Actually, I cant imagine lens backfocusing that bad. What is it? 5-10 meters? OP are you sure you know to focus with rangefinders? Lining up two images and etc? Hope you are just pulling my leg ;-) I know very well how to focus. and yes - it was about 10 meters away (almost close to invinity as a matter of fact - and even at infinity, the focus is smuggy. I'll give Leica a call on Monday - how long does it take to have a lens and/or body calibrated (in Germany) in your experience? I read some posts here that it can take up to a month or two. I might need to splurge for the Fast services if that's indeed the waiting time... a bit of a bummer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted August 6, 2011 Share #9 Posted August 6, 2011 Indeed I was focusing on the sign. Thanks a lot for the feedback - I'll continue testing it and most likely will be sending it off for calibration. I had hesitated to reply earlier as it was not clear (!) what you had focussed on. I had initially assumed it was the sign but it is so out-of-focus that I had my doubts. As others have commented, the name of the bar in the background is more in focus than the sign. Have to agree with others re a serious lens problem. Hope it is fixed soon! PS - you wrote "acquired the lens" - is it new or secondhand? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imperfiction Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted August 6, 2011 PS - you wrote "acquired the lens" - is it new or secondhand? Second-hand. Can one find these new anywhere? :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted August 6, 2011 Share #11 Posted August 6, 2011 Second-hand. Can one find these new anywhere? :-) Yes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
matlep Posted August 6, 2011 Share #12 Posted August 6, 2011 Second-hand. Can one find these new anywhere? :-) Depends on where you look ;D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holybasil Posted August 6, 2011 Share #13 Posted August 6, 2011 Second-hand. Can one find these new anywhere? :-) Then call the guy that sold it to you and tell him you want your money back or him to pay for the calibration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted August 7, 2011 Share #14 Posted August 7, 2011 Before you send your lens in check that there's nothing obstructing the lens's focussing mount (the lens collar that moves in the curved cut out on the rear of the lens when the focussing ring is turned) or the focus follower (the wheel at the top of the camera's lens mount). The focus is so far out that I'd immediately suspect that something mechanical is causing it. There's a possibility that the focus follower isn't engaging properly with the focussing mount after the lens is mounted. This can be visually checked with a film M by setting the shutter speed to B, holding down the shutter release, opening the back door and watching the focus follower move as you turn the lens's focussing ring. It's a bit more difficult with a digital M though. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted August 7, 2011 Share #15 Posted August 7, 2011 Another 50/1.4 asph with focussing issues...... This seems to be a regularly reported problem..... this lens seems very critical and if not adjusted to digital tolerances can cause focusing issues.. If you have other 50+ lenses with no problems it needs to go somewhere to be checked and calibrated Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JATA Posted August 12, 2011 Share #16 Posted August 12, 2011 I have the same problem with my 50 summilux asph and 50 summilux pre asph on my M9. But not my 28mm summicron. It is not uncommon. There seem to be issues with the M9 focusing faster lenses at mid distance wide open and up to about f5.6. It is most likely the M9 rangefinder that needs calibrating It's just a simple case of sending your kit to Solms and getting it all calibrated. They told me to expect a 20 day turnaround. That's what I am about to do. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicashot Posted August 13, 2011 Share #17 Posted August 13, 2011 Imperfiction, If you didn't realize the camera/lens has backfocused it does make me question your ability to focus correctly. How new are you to M cameras? It does take some getting used to. Make sure you check the focus scale from time to time when focusing to double check you are at least in the ball park. It is not uncommon to make such mistakes when new to M cameras. If you are focusing correctly, the chances are that it's probably your camera and not your lens but there is only one way to find out. if you don't want to send the camera away, do some troubleshooting at a local store with other lenses and try your lens on other bodies. If you find it's your camera there is an easy way to correct it yourself. i won't say how, but if you search it's not hard to find. Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted August 13, 2011 Share #18 Posted August 13, 2011 The focus is so far out that I'd immediately suspect that something mechanical is causing it. Thats what I think as well Pete, its not just a bit of back focus that the camera or lens needs adjusting for. Its a fundamental problem. Put another way I doubt a Leica lens could be intentionally adjusted enough (from good to bad) to replicate the problem. Even if focusing was out by five or six inches (a gigantic discrepency) the sign would still have had some part in focus or nearly in focus. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imperfiction Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share #19 Posted August 13, 2011 Thank you all for the feedback. The lens has been returned to the seller by now. I am quite familiar with rangefinder, focusing and I doubt there are any issues with my camera - I deliberately checked it with my other lenses at the same distances and my Elmarit 90 was tack on fully open at all distances. And 90mm lenses are sensitive enough to pick up on any small discrepancy between the lens and camera calibration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted August 14, 2011 Share #20 Posted August 14, 2011 The idea that there is some kind of generic designed-in lack of sharpness un the Summilux-M 1:1.4/50mm ASPH struck me as dubious. So I took my M9 with the lens attached out on my balcony. Below it (I live on the third floor) some of my neighbours' cars are parked. I attach three pictures: (1) The breathtaking view, un-cropped. Taken at f:1.4 (2) A crop from the same frame. (3) A corresponding crop from the next frame, taken at f:4, no change of focus. Focus is on the licence plate of the Volvo. Case closed? The old man from the Age of Evidence Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/158766-summilux-50-asph-sharpness/?do=findComment&comment=1764958'>More sharing options...
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