erl Posted November 7, 2011 Share #21 Â Posted November 7, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) My only supermodel portrait was done on a Noctilux at f1.0. Â The pic worked because of the model, not because of the lens! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 Hi erl, Take a look here 50mm quandary for portraits?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
viboons Posted November 11, 2011 Share #22 Â Posted November 11, 2011 I have 50mm f1.4 v1, 50mm C-Sonnar and 50mm f2.0 latest one. I like the wide open of 1.4 but some time I do not like the oof background. C-Sonnar optimized at f1.5 is good at 1.5, sharp enough and good oof most of the time but the next aperture workable ,without focus shift, is f5.6. When 1.4/1.5 is not require, I like f2.0, fast to focus and small. They all have different look. I had 50mm f1.4 asph for a short period and returned it to the shop because it need calibration and still wait for the replacement. However; to little time with the lens to say anything about. Â If I have to keep only one 50mm, it would be the 1.5 because of my M8 crop factor and I have 35mm f1.4 FLE. This may be different if I shoot FF. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
horosu Posted November 11, 2011 Share #23  Posted November 11, 2011 The C_Sonnar is super for portraits. It is never razor sharp, just mellow. I like it a lot   This was wide open, at 1/45 sec   This one at f8 and strong backlight I also have a Summilux ASPH LHSA, but I intend to sell it, as I like the C-Sonnar too much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted November 11, 2011 Share #24 Â Posted November 11, 2011 I wonder if the OP has gone into orbit? It often surprises me when a question is posed without further comment. Maybe OP is a super holiday out of reach of the internet. It can happen! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Posted November 12, 2011 Share #25 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Could it be time for the old Vaseline trick? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillD Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share #26 Â Posted November 12, 2011 First of all, thank you for all of those of you who responded with your thoughts, recommendations and even photos. Â Secondly, wow, I knew that I would get a wide range of points of view (lens discussions have a habit of generating such responses, but hey that's part of the fun in exploring this area), but I never knew it would cover such a range... Â From "it's all down to the craftsman", in which case why do so many people have a range of 50mm lenses or others? To my favourite in that I should upgrade my 'model' to a younger version....not sure the wife will approve of that, but it did make me smile! I'm not convinced about leaving it all to Lightroom, but this wasn't something I initially considered so thank you for the suggestion. Â I don't think I need to stretch to a Noctilux and the very heavy price tag, but I could be tempted by the Summilux ASPH simply because of the rave reviews. However, I think I'm more torn between an older Lux or Cron (but which one), or maybe the Zeiss C Sonnar if I was to go new. Â In the meantime, I'm going to keep reading the various reviews and try to review a few more samples of images taken with the above. Â Thanks again to all, and do feel free to keep on sending in your suggestions, however varied! Â Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Posted November 12, 2011 Share #27 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) After I bought the summilux asph 50mm there was no way back. . Â indeed. The best lens ever ????? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillD Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share #28  Posted November 16, 2011 There's a great thread over on the M9 forum about 'the best portrait lenses', and some great shots too.  http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/209053-best-portrait-lens-m9-suggestions.html  Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelly Posted November 21, 2011 Share #29 Â Posted November 21, 2011 The Voigtlander Nokton 50mm 1.1 has given me some fine artistic portraits especially wide open I find the rendering to be very flattering. Its not as sharp as a Leica but I find I am drawn to shots taken by this lens and it has it's own special glow My particular lens happens to be calibrated well and I always find focus spot on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted November 21, 2011 Share #30 Â Posted November 21, 2011 You have no quandary. Are you looking for pre-approval for your images because you chose the "right lens"? Cohorts? Â Make pictures and let them speak for you. Decide for yourself by experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brill64 Posted November 21, 2011 Share #31 Â Posted November 21, 2011 And any hack can use PhotoShop to add fuzz to a face and remove warts from it. A craftsman, on the other hand, knows how to use his tools to serve his purposes. In the past, the hack's father and grandfather used soft-focus lenses to put the hackery into the picture. Â or like miroslav tichy (1926-2011), sand the front element before coating with toothpaste? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brill64 Posted November 21, 2011 Share #32 Â Posted November 21, 2011 My particular lens happens to be calibrated well and I always find focus spot on. Â most m-mount copies are and will at f1.1, less so between f2.8-5.6 where they begin to back focus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelly Posted November 21, 2011 Share #33  Posted November 21, 2011 most m-mount copies are and will at f1.1, less so between f2.8-5.6 where they begin to back focus  I guess I was lucky with my lens as focus is accurate at those apertures too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamiji Posted November 22, 2011 Share #34 Â Posted November 22, 2011 I have an opportunity to obtain a 50mm Lux Version 1. I wonder if it's not too soft? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmond_terakopian Posted November 26, 2011 Share #35  Posted November 26, 2011 Here's a portrait taken on a 50mm f0.95 Noctilux ASPH, wide open:  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!  Edmond Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  Edmond ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/165611-50mm-quandary-for-portraits/?do=findComment&comment=1853946'>More sharing options...
WillD Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share #36  Posted November 26, 2011 Here's a portrait taken on a 50mm f0.95 Noctilux ASPH, wide open: Modaview | Flickr - Photo Sharing!  Edmond  I love the depth of field Edmund, great portrait.  Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted November 26, 2011 Share #37  Posted November 26, 2011 or like miroslav tichy (1926-2011), sand the front element before coating with toothpaste?  During the 'pictorialist' era, there were many other methods in use:  • Vaseline on the front lens • Tying gauze over the lens • Using a pinhole 'lens' • Kicking one leg of the tripod during the exposure  not to speak of the printing methods used, like gum printing, that were designed to remove 'vulgar' fine detail and veiling the image in 'artistic' fuzz.  The old man from the Age of the Neue Sachlichkeit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmond_terakopian Posted November 26, 2011 Share #38  Posted November 26, 2011 I love the depth of field Edmund, great portrait. Will  Thanks :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted November 26, 2011 Share #39  Posted November 26, 2011 Here's a portrait taken on a 50mm f0.95 Noctilux ASPH, wide open: Modaview | Flickr - Photo Sharing!  Edmond  Edmond, with such shallow depth of field sharpness, I notice that your subject is virtually full face on. While it makes an effective picture, meeting your editorial needs, do you find that is the best technique with a fast lens? Even at f/2 I find an oblique angle causes one eye to be sharper than the other if the face is not more-or-less full-on. It is a question of balance, I know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmond_terakopian Posted November 26, 2011 Share #40 Â Posted November 26, 2011 Edmond, with such shallow depth of field sharpness, I notice that your subject is virtually full face on. While it makes an effective picture, meeting your editorial needs, do you find that is the best technique with a fast lens? Even at f/2 I find an oblique angle causes one eye to be sharper than the other if the face is not more-or-less full-on. It is a question of balance, I know. Â A very good point. It's a question of using any lens to achieve the result needed. There's a tendency to shoot Noctiluxes and Summiluxes wide open for everything, just because one can. I've seen many good pictures ruined by this approach. Aperture should always be chosen as an aesthetic consideration and never an economical (I paid extra for this so I will use it) or purely technical (it is designed to, so I will use it) one. In this shot I think it works as she is pretty square on. Loosing the foreground and background was also pretty essential. I have on other portraits closed down to f8 or f11 on the same lens. Still stunning results, but shot with aesthetic reasons :-) Â Cheers, Â Edmond Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.