Paul J Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share #61 Posted March 6, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) I agree Paul. While I love wide open and most ultra fasts are a bit on the soft side (wide open that is) which I can live with, it needs to razor sharp stopped down. I was under the impression the lens was so I will check this out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 6, 2012 Posted March 6, 2012 Hi Paul J, Take a look here 75 Summilux. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
egrossman Posted March 6, 2012 Share #62 Posted March 6, 2012 Guys. This is not my experience at all. Wide open this lens tends to be soft in a way that is very flattering for portraits. Edge sharpness of features such as around the eyes, mouth, etc. but very flattering drawing of skin and great bokeh. Stopped down beyond 2.8 I would argue that this lens is just as sharp as the 75mm Summicron APO in center, although not in the edges of the frame. A lot of people have difficulty in accurately focusing this lens given the razor thin margin for sharp focus. I personally use a 1.4x magnifier, but to each his own. Erik 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted March 6, 2012 Share #63 Posted March 6, 2012 I took mine out for the first time on Monday. Wide open, against a strong light, I got a lot of purple fringing, and it seems soft (questionable focussing). At f/4, mine is tack sharp. My first impression is that this is as sharp as the Summicron at f/2.8 and above, but softer wide open. I'm very much looking forward to using this lens more. The one problem with it is that the mount needs replacing - it won't lock in. So it will go to Solms later this year. So far, great lens, and very sharp. Cheers John Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgray Posted March 6, 2012 Share #64 Posted March 6, 2012 Mine was pretty sharp (as in I wouldn't call it soft) around f/2.8 and it got very very sharp somewhere around f/4-f/5.6. It is soft and low contrast wide open. That being said, the manner in which it was soft and low contrast was very pleasing, particularly for portraits as others have pointed out. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stanjan0 Posted March 6, 2012 Share #65 Posted March 6, 2012 John, I was just reading this thread and your post caught my eye, I see you shipped your lens to Germany, how long do you think it will take your lens to reach Solms Germany by mail from NZ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted March 7, 2012 Share #66 Posted March 7, 2012 About a day or so to clear customs here, two days to Germany by courier, then a couple of days to clear customs in Germany. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted March 10, 2012 Share #67 Posted March 10, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) This is minimum focus on a M9 with a V2 Made in Canada 75 Summilux: 75 Summilux - portrait by teknopunk.com, on Flickr I love mine, especially for it's very smooth (but detailed) rendering from wide open on, but as I have quite a few very fast short telephoto lenses around 90mm, I largely prefer to shoot them over the Summilux. The issue with the 75 Summilux is indeed it's very short focus throw for such a fast lens with such a close focus range. The older, but similarly spectacular black Canon 85 ƒ1.8 LTM and 100 ƒ2 LTM Sonnar lenses are often picked over the Summilux. They have a very beautiful rendering for portraits, quite similar in some characteristics to the Summilux, but of course a very different background rendering as of it's Sonnar design. I wish, there was a Summilux 75 design with longer focus throw and proper frame lines for 75mm and I would definitely use it more. The photo above is one of an experimental series, I took close up with an ~80ish focal length at very slow shutter speeds in an effort to find out, if handholding a Hasselblad V body with 80 Planar could make sense or not. I proceeded not long after this shot and added a Hasselblad - I largely prefer now to use the 6x6 format and 80mm lens for portraits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
billib Posted March 10, 2012 Share #68 Posted March 10, 2012 This is minimum focus on a M9 with a V2 Made in Canada 75 Summilux:I wish, there was a Summilux 75 design with longer focus throw and proper frame lines for 75mm and I would definitely use it more. Hi menus, I'm curious what you considered improperabout the frame lines for 75mm in your M9? I use a 75mm Voitlander External Viewfinder but its just for convenience. Thanks!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted March 10, 2012 Share #69 Posted March 10, 2012 Hey Billi, the 75mm frame lines are naturally very close to the 50mm frame lines. Due to the fact, that the 50mm frame lines are more dominant (try it out - close your eye, open it - see, your eye focusses on the 50mm frame first), I am constantly framing with the 50mm frame lines. The missing corners don't help much in this regard. The 75mm focal length is one, I therefore shoot more slow and contemplative, which is not my style. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
billib Posted March 10, 2012 Share #70 Posted March 10, 2012 The problem I have is I'm dyslexic. Whenever I'm tired or in a hurry or distracted, I easily forget which frame lines are which. I've resorted to jotting down the frame line info onto a post-it note and sticking it somewhere handy. My problem isn't the proximity of the frame lines but my brain. Ha, ha, ha, ha. It sucks being me sometimes. I've recently bought a labeler. My plan is to print out small labels with various info and stick them in convenient places. No fuss, no muss, just shooting pleasure. Before my "post-it note / labeler" idea, I was trying to think of a way to have the lens mm info engraved onto the frame line plate in the camera. I know it sounds crazy to most but you do what you must to make it work. Anyway, thanks for your response! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted March 10, 2012 Share #71 Posted March 10, 2012 Billi, that sounds bad :-( But no worries about labeling stuff - I myself do this a lot. I have yellow 3M tape, which I will write short notes on and stick to my camera or lens as a reminder. When going out to shoot, wanting to concentrate of a certain thing, like skewed frames, filling the frame with a certain focal length or just something, I want to concentrate on, you mill find a small note on my camera. This doesn't really work with the darned 75mm frame lines - best receipt would indeed be, to dedicate one Leica body to the 75 Summilux, match the RF perfectly, remove the 50mm frame lines and shoot it just with the 75mm. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted March 10, 2012 Share #72 Posted March 10, 2012 The issue with the 75 Summilux is indeed its very short focus throw for such a fast lens with such a close focus range. [...] I wish there was a Summilux 75 design with longer focus throw ... Seems you're confusing the Summilux with the Apo-Summicron. The Summilux's focus throws is just fine ... maybe a tad long but that still is far better than too short. It's the Apo-Summicron 75 mm Asph that has a focus throw so absurdly short it's almost unusable. ... and proper frame lines for 75 mm and I would definitely use it more. If your Summilux 75 mm does not bring up the proper framelines then I guess it's time for a trip to Customer Service. Or maybe it's the camera? But if it brings up the 50+75 pair of framelines with any 50 mm or 75 mm lens then the problem sure is in the lens. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2012 Share #73 Posted March 10, 2012 Seems you're confusing the Summilux with the Apo-Summicron. The Summilux's focus throws is just fine ... maybe a tad long but that still is far better than too short. It's the Apo-Summicron 75 mm Asph that has a focus throw so absurdly short it's almost unusable That is also my experience with the 2.0/75 at less than 2m, where I prefocus and move closer or further away. That's why 2/90Apo owners prefer that lens with it's longer focus throw, despite the superior close-up performance of the 2/75Apo. As far as the 1.4/75 is concerned, I owned one and did not like it, neither on the M9 nor on the NEX. Leica should bring out a new improved version, that can keep up with the old design of the Canon 1.2/85 or Contax 1.4/85, not to mention the Contax 1.2/85 or the new Nikon 1.4/85. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted March 10, 2012 Share #74 Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) Considering your original question (I did not read the whole thread) I'd say that the choice is between Summilux 75 and ASA 90 indeed, when selective focus is important for you and that the Summicron 75 should be decided upon in relation to the Summilux 50. I own the ASA 90 after two times 75lux with two times regret of selling, but at long last I am very very happy with the 90 and regret the selling of my 75 less and less. Have been looking and testing a third 75lux, but it is hard to find one that is not back- or front-focusing on a digital M. The 90 is more selective in its focus and just has more bite than the 75lux. The 75cron is more a standard lens and has of course not that much background blur which is so nice with a 90. FWIW Edited March 10, 2012 by otto.f Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #75 Posted March 10, 2012 Hi, to the owner of this lens, can you please report on focus shift? I've just read that this lens suffers from focus shift and it's hard to get a sharp image. Any experiences here? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted March 10, 2012 Share #76 Posted March 10, 2012 A bit, but not as bad as the pre-FLE 35lux. I could live with it, not with the 35lux Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted April 3, 2012 Share #77 Posted April 3, 2012 Sorry to resuscitate this thread but, in case anyone had missed it, there's a Summilux 75 (2nd ver) at Westlicht's May auction (Lot 183): WestLicht Photographica Auction Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 3, 2012 Share #78 Posted April 3, 2012 I would not buy it at the estimated price - at least not to use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted April 3, 2012 Share #79 Posted April 3, 2012 Phil, hi Do you know how the bidding works and charges etc. Only speaking English, I guess might be a problem Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted April 3, 2012 Share #80 Posted April 3, 2012 I've been wondering this myself (not that I'm looking to buy at the upcoming auction, though). I'm sure they can receive bid in English because the site does exist in English too, see here. WestLicht Photographica Auction You'll have to register to bid. Westlicht is run (or something) by Leicashop in Vienna. I've received very good assistance from Leicashop (esp Jo Geier actually) when I've bought from them. So go ahead and bid Edit: I just discovered that the premium is 13% (which in my rather limited auction experience is rather low). 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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