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Hi Mark.

 

I bought it for my M8. This century. The local dealer had it for $2K and there was a Christmas special for 20% off of used equipment in the store. I asked if it included the Leica case? They said, why not. So, I picked up a boxed (never used?) Canadian 75 Lux that a collector traded-in to get a German version. So silly.

 

I just love this lens. I admit I should use it more. I can so understand why it was introduced with the M4-P as a fast reportage lens kit. I sometimes look at it and imagine the photo journalist of the time looking at all of the offerings up to that point and seeing the introduction of this kit (M4 + 75 Lux) and just going crazy for this fast, excellent Leica lens plus the M4.

 

Lastly, about that magic thing. I heard Jeff Bridges, the dude, talking about his WideLux camera a long while back when he introduced us to his collection of photos he made over his career with that camera . Jeff Bridges | International Center of Photography He said, with the WideLux, "you get a little bit more than you expect." (I bought a signed version of his book and it is one of my favorite photography books to date.)

 

Anyway. That is how I feel about the Leica 75mm Summilux. I'm always surprised. I get a little bit more than I expect. You've got a great lens there... magical.

 

RickWideLux

:

 

Rick

The German version is much better. I have a German one that I will trade you, but it will cost for the "upgrade".:D:D

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It arrived this morning! No humans around today for test portraits so this is the very first shot taken.....horse's teeth, spoonbill and platypus skulls at f1.4.

Externally the lens is in what appears to be pristine condition. There is one tiny bit of grot visible inside which will probably not affect image quality, but we shall see.

Everything is firm but not too much so, and it is lovely to focus, a lot easier than the Nocti 0.95. Continuing with that comparison it also feels appreciably lighter on the camera, lighter than I had expected.

The lens hood is also a big improvement on the one on my (late) Nocti 0.95 which always seemed slightly inadequate, was sort of floppy and never wanted to stay in the "out" position.

Obviously, for the price it was going to be a Canadian version, the serial # indicates 1982.

So far so good, I think I am going to enjoy this lens very much.

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I love mine - have fun with it.

 

The lenses I feel that little bit of additional affection for are all rather large - the 21 Summilux, the 0.95 Noct and the 75 Summilux. Maybe I'll give that combination a try on my next trip.

 

Keep posting pictures, and you impressions, Dee.

 

Cheers

John

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In my experience it is so much easier to get it still sharp down to 1/15 handheld than any other lens so much slower than 1/focal length. This combination of lens and body does indeed feel not that heavy, whether it is on an M6 and down or with M8 and up, but very stable. I guess this is a characteristic that Mandler did not foresee when he designed the lens.

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Thanks Rick,

good story.

 

 

Dee,

Elissa from Camera Clinic called me today. There are no coded flanges for the 75mm Summilux in stock in Germany at this time. So they will send the readjusted lens back to me to use until the part is in stock. I'll have it back next week.

 

Mark

 

Mark,

When I got mine last year I sent it in to Leica NJ (I'm in the US) and it took forever to get a flange from Germany

All done and coded at this point.

 

Love the lens

 

LDH

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Camera Clinic checked the focus which is spot on, and I got the lens back yesterday. Will send it back when they have the coded flange. Hand coded 'till then.

 

Went out to use it again yesterday. Glorious lens.

 

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~100% crop

Edited by MarkP
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An update for me - I just got my third 75 Summilux, when I realized (again) it could replace THREE of my current lenses (which I sold).

 

- 60 Macro R on a Canon 6D (the Summilux focuses just close enough for my studio needs, and does so on an M sensor without antialiasing filter, and provides easier viewing stopped down, where ttl viewing just doesn't cut it)

- 40mm Nokton f/1.4 (I need at least one f/1.4 lens for low light, and it makes more sense at the longer focal length, where shutter speed is more critical)

- 75 Summarit (nothing much wrong with it, but the 'lux is nearly two stops faster and focuses closer, and fills the same role as "short long lens" for documentary/detai work).

 

Plus, it is a better match with my other Canadian Mandler lenses (35 and 21) in color and character.

 

When I found one already coded (see posts above) and at a rational price (as 75 Summiluxes go), I just had to do it.

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An update for me - I just got my third 75 Summilux, when I realized (again) it could replace THREE of my current lenses (which I sold).

 

- 60 Macro R on a Canon 6D (the Summilux focuses just close enough for my studio needs, and does so on an M sensor without antialiasing filter, and provides easier viewing stopped down, where ttl viewing just doesn't cut it)

- 40mm Nokton f/1.4 (I need at least one f/1.4 lens for low light, and it makes more sense at the longer focal length, where shutter speed is more critical)

- 75 Summarit (nothing much wrong with it, but the 'lux is nearly two stops faster and focuses closer, and fills the same role as "short long lens" for documentary/detai work).

 

Plus, it is a better match with my other Canadian Mandler lenses (35 and 21) in color and character.

 

When I found one already coded (see posts above) and at a rational price (as 75 Summiluxes go), I just had to do it.

 

Sounds very sensible. Selling the others will probably go a fair way to offsetting the cost of the 75 Summilux, especially with you working in the industry.

I'm still deciding about what to do with my 2.0/75 Summicron.

 

Which 21 and 35 are you planing to match it with?

I think I'd like to pair mine with a 28.

I have the Summicron ASPH which although a modern lens I think would be sympathetic with respect to it's character.

Edited by MarkP
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Yep - still using that 21 - what paint (whitewash, actually) was left in the knurling of the focus ring after surface cleaning is still fading away slowly.

 

35 v. 4 pre-ASPH Summicron.

 

Both (along with the 75) were introduced almost simultaneuously in or around 1980, when Leitz Canada was struggling to prove the M line was still viable.

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Yep - still using that 21 - what paint (whitewash, actually) was left in the knurling of the focus ring after surface cleaning is still fading away slowly.

 

35 v. 4 pre-ASPH Summicron.

 

Both (along with the 75) were introduced almost simultaneuously in or around 1980, when Leitz Canada was struggling to prove the M line was still viable.

 

Thanks. Is the 35/2.0 v. 4 P/N 11310?

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FWIW the 75mm Summilux is my only Leica lens that is dead-on for focus on the M9. The other which is within a couple millimeters upon the subject is not a Leica, but a masterfully converted Canon f/.095 to M-mount.

 

The rest, all Leica, are acceptable, not perfect. I am happy.

 

 

 

Sent from my Etcha-sketch.

Edited by pico
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Hey MarkP- WOW. Your photos are so nice... color, composition, tone, OOF smoothness, sharpness and feel is just so good.

 

The dude was right when he said, you always get a little bit more than you expect (with the 75 Summilux).

 

RickDude

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Andy,

as you are our resident Mandler-era lens expert, and because I greatly respect your opinion, may I re-ask you a question before I buy anything?

 

Others with experience of this generation of lenses please feel free to comment.

 

I'm really enjoying the 75 Summilux and I want to pair it with a wider lens that delivers similar rendering and colour - probably a 35 (less likely a 28). This is for digital use.

In these focal lengths I have the 35 Summiux ASPH (FLE) and 2.8/28 Summicron ASPH which are an entirely different species.

I have no experience with other Mandler lenses except for the 1.0/50 Noctilux which is not wide enough and the 2.0/40 Summicron.

 

You suggested the v4 35 Summicron, which is the lens you use.

Is the the best 35mm Summicron to match with the 75 Summilux, and what are your thoughts on the Mandler 35 Summiluxes (and the 2.0/40 Summicron, and the difference in rendering between the two)?

 

Regards,

Mark

Edited by MarkP
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Hi, Mark! Yes, I'd agree that among 35s, the v.4 is the best pair with the 75 Summilux. Other wides from the same tree are the pre-ASPH 21 I use, and also the v.3 28mm Elmarit.

 

All of those came out of Walter Mandler's computer within a couple of years of each other.

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Thanks for your reply Andy.

 

I had just checked to see whether you had posted yet.

I'll start looking around for a pre-ASPH 35 Summicron.

 

I've just compared the 75 Summilux with my little 40 Summicron - almost identical colour rendition but does not resolve detail like the 75 (accepting its so much wider). This, that I want a lens just a little wider, and the quite marked vignetting at 2.0 limit's its usefulness for me (but it's great on the CL), thus my interest in the 35.

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Really nice thread

 

Here is my contribution… or comparison…

 

Summilux 75 at almost nearest distance

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APO-Summicron at about 1.5m distance

 

Since I own both I have to save money for the Monochrom…

Perhaps the APO will go? I have learned the last days that the Apo is very sensitive for backlighting. Much more than my Summilux.

Both shot with the M(240).

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