NB23 Posted December 13, 2016 Share #381 Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Its 'imperfect' optically wide open. I doubt a lens designer will appreciate this even though it represented a state-of-the-art design when launched.Today this is so irrelevant. The Q's lens goes through massive post processing corrections before showing up in the little screen. Today's wedding and fashion photography relies so much on PP that, frankly, a lens' performance has become a mere psycholigical thing, a bragging luxury that has nothing to do with purity or lens design as a pursuit of perfection. Take the best lens in the world (or a 100mm makro-planar) and give it to a wedding photographer worth his salt. The final image will be so deeply processed (masks, softening, shapening, filterized to death, liquified...) that any entry-level zoom would have been overkill, already. This is why I like and respect all the old time lenses, including the magical 75 summilux. That was a time when a design was worth something. Edited December 13, 2016 by NB23 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 13, 2016 Posted December 13, 2016 Hi NB23, Take a look here 75 Summilux. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pgk Posted December 14, 2016 Share #382 Posted December 14, 2016 Today this is so irrelevant. ..... This is why I like and respect all the old time lenses, including the magical 75 summilux. That was a time when a design was worth something. I think that you are missing the point. In the days when the 75mm Summilux was designed it represented a pinnacle indesign with the tools available then, which required placing the 'best possible image' on the film. From then onwards it would be degraded as it was reproduced or viewed. Today higher pinnacles can be reached but by different paths. The design parameters for the image which strikes the sensor are rather different in that they need to project the image in a different way and be free from aberrations which cannot be compensated for by software processing. That really should not decry the lens designer's abilities - but their design parameters have changed - and they still have to do a very good job indeed. What I don't care for is the desire for ever higher MPixels when at least some are 'wasted' by extrapolating images which are highly distorted although I do appreciate that this yield 'excellent' images. But gone are most optical characteristics of lenses because the goals are distortion free, high resolution files - about one of the only optical characteristics left from the lens is bokeh (which might explain why it is talked about much more). I too like the 75mm Summilux and try to achieve end results with the least interference possible (a higher dynamic range would be handy though). Designers like Mandler were I suspect 'intuitive' designers who 'understood' their 'art'. Today's designers probably work in very different ways and I wonder whether experience of the 'overview' is not as well appreciated as it was in the past? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 14, 2016 Share #383 Posted December 14, 2016 The 75/1.4 is a rather soft lens at f/1.4 to be honest but this softness is appreciated for some applications like portraiture. Same kind of lens as the 35/1.4 pre-asph from this viewpoint, with less flare though fortunately. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share #384 Posted December 14, 2016 When I bought my copy, I found sharpness disappointing. I sent it to Leica and it came back a new lens. I'm not sure what they did but I know there was a specific component they replaced and it was calibrated too. It came back a new lens and while it's not the sharpest wide open lens in the world I would say it has very good sharpness. It really depends on the light you are shooting in as well. Sometimes even the finest of skin pore detail looks very sharp and defined, other times it suffers from a bit of spherical aberration. This becomes useful to know when it does as you can really use it an advantage. But it's one of those lenses that with time you learn it's strengths and weaknesses and learn when to use it and when to stop down a little. Even at f2 it sharper and much easier to focus and at 2.8 it's truly amazing. But i use it at 1.4 a lot, when it suits and the resulting images are magical. It's certainly one of the most interesting lenses out there and stopped down it's one of the sharpest I have ever owned. I have shot many magazine covers with it. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldhrads Posted December 22, 2016 Share #385 Posted December 22, 2016 I took these a few years ago in Miami after I got my 75 lux and pushed myself to use it on other things than portraits. I think they came out well. It's a wonderful lens and although I don't use it that often I always appreciate having it! 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/173284-75-summilux/?do=findComment&comment=3172009'>More sharing options...
ldhrads Posted December 22, 2016 Share #386 Posted December 22, 2016 a couple of more 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! 1 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/173284-75-summilux/?do=findComment&comment=3172010'>More sharing options...
ldhrads Posted December 22, 2016 Share #387 Posted December 22, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) 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! 3 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/173284-75-summilux/?do=findComment&comment=3172011'>More sharing options...
otto.f Posted December 22, 2016 Share #388 Posted December 22, 2016 Its 'imperfect' optically wide open. I doubt a lens designer will appreciate this even though it represented a state-of-the-art design when launched. I use it at 1.7 like all my other Summiluxes modern or not, and they all grow dramatically towards perfect at that aperture. Karbe may find what he likes but his 50 and 35 FLE Summiluxes are imperfect at 1.4 too imho Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 23, 2016 Share #389 Posted December 23, 2016 [...] Karbe may find what he likes but his 50 and 35 FLE Summiluxes are imperfect at 1.4 too imho All lenses are imperfect at full aperture of course but as far as Summilux lenses are concerned, 50/1.4 asph and 35/1.4 FLE are much sharper than 75/1.4 at f/1.4 to be honest. Full apertures is where Karbe lenses do shine compared to the otherwise excellent designs of his predecessor. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted December 23, 2016 Share #390 Posted December 23, 2016 All lenses are imperfect at full aperture of course but as far as Summilux lenses are concerned, 50/1.4 asph and 35/1.4 FLE are much sharper than 75/1.4 at f/1.4 to be honest. Full apertures is where Karbe lenses do shine compared to the otherwise excellent designs of his predecessor. Karbe has a lot more computer power and availability of viable aspheric elements, though I'm not so sure about glass types, than designers like Mandler, who did an extraordinarily good job given the constraints of his day. That said, imperfections do add character and they do keep people on this forum busy discussing them . 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwj Posted December 23, 2016 Share #391 Posted December 23, 2016 Karbe has a lot more computer power and availability of viable aspheric elements, though I'm not so sure about glass types, than designers like Mandler, who did an extraordinarily good job given the constraints of his day. That said, imperfections do add character and they do keep people on this forum busy discussing them . What would we talk about if everything was perfect! Complain about the price I suppose Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted December 23, 2016 Share #392 Posted December 23, 2016 What would we talk about if everything was perfect! Complain about the price I suppose Like the APO-50 ;-) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwj Posted December 23, 2016 Share #393 Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) Like the APO-50 ;-) Don't forget we spent at least 12 months talking about the APO flare issues on top of the price! Edited December 23, 2016 by michaelwj 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted December 29, 2016 Share #394 Posted December 29, 2016 It's certainly one of the most interesting lenses out there and stopped down it's one of the sharpest I have ever owned. I have shot many magazine covers with it. Just to reiterate this. Its easy to think of this lens as a 'one trick pony' - a portrait lens usable wide-open to soften images or slightly stopped down to crispen everything up. But well stopped down its rendering is superb but not as 'clinically' biting as the Summicron. A very good all round lens IMO. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted December 30, 2016 Share #395 Posted December 30, 2016 What would we talk about if everything was perfect! Complain about the price I suppose I rather think it's the other way around, I see people complaining about the perfectness of lenses and I do that too, e.g. in case of the Summicron75 (and I'm sure I'll meet booh booh calling having said this) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NB23 Posted December 30, 2016 Share #396 Posted December 30, 2016 Help me out, what's this month flavour? Clinical or unclinical? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted December 30, 2016 Share #397 Posted December 30, 2016 Exactly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwj Posted December 30, 2016 Share #398 Posted December 30, 2016 I rather think it's the other way around, I see people complaining about the perfectness of lenses and I do that too, e.g. in case of the Summicron75 (and I'm sure I'll meet booh booh calling having said this) booh booh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted December 30, 2016 Share #399 Posted December 30, 2016 Help me out, what's this month flavour? Clinical or unclinical? Depends whether you can see, use and reinforce lens characteristics to suit specific subjects. If you can't then its entirely irrelevant ..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2016 Share #400 Posted December 30, 2016 Help me out, what's this month flavour? Clinical or unclinical?Perfect question for the end of the year Have another great one and very many good ones afterwards, Nenad! And thanks for your unique and outstanding photography here and on instagram. Cheers, Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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