Fav 50 for Monochrom

[algrove]

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[sm23221]

There's no reason to be terrified. I collapse it all the time and have never had a problem - it really is safe!

 

I'm sorry, I was referring to the M9 and MM (which is really an M9 too).

[Bill W]

I have three 50's. APO, Noct & Lux. My APO does not flare and I have tried to make do so. It does not seem to have the silver rings that other have talked about.

[algrove]

Bill, there is not ONE piece of silver down inside if looking from the front element?

[gpwhite]

Yes, very strange situation. The one I am using now seems to have one very very thin silver ring way down deep inside and no others. So far so good, but then I am not one to often shoot in a way that could induce flare either.

 

Lou, I guess the operative element in your report is "the one I am using now," :)

 

You also have a 50 APO without such eccentricities, right?

 

My 50 APO, may fav lens, has its share of odd rings, but no one is going to fiddle with it (even though Leica e-mailed to offer repair). All of this said, I think my Noct 0.95 might be my MM + 50mm choice because it draws in a way that uses so many tones the MM can render.

 

Peter

[friedeye]

This is an innocent and worthy question - although it prejudices answers to lenses owned, and is highly subjective. Obviously the APO wins on technical merit, but I favor the votes toward the Jupiter 3 and more character oriented selections. The MM is a brilliant camera with amazing resolution - I personally favor giving that clean, clinical sensor a little dirt.

[MarkP]

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I personally favor giving that clean, clinical sensor a little dirt.

 

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[Bill W]

Bill, there is not ONE piece of silver down inside if looking from the front element?

I was reading this thread last night and got our my 50 APO and looked at it as best I could and did not seen any silver. Maybe I need to do is in daylight outside or any other suggested manner. I have taken a couple of hundred shots with it in all kinds of lighting and could only produed flare when you would expec it.

[menos I M6]

50 Summilux E46 + yellow filter

[Tonki-M]

50 Summilux E46 + yellow filter

 

which Summilux, Dirk? there's quite a few with E46.

[menos I M6]

which Summilux, Dirk? there's quite a few with E46.

 

There is only two 50 Summilux optical designs, produced in E46 filter

- the 50 Summilux pre-ASPH in E46 filter size (last pre ASPH version, existing in either black anodised finish, silver chrome finish or black paint finish with cosmetic differences to the standard version).

This is generally referred to as the 50 Summilux E46.

 

- the 50 Summilux ASPH - the current version with floating rear group and ASPH design

This is generally referred to as the 50 Summilux ASPH

 

The one I like most with the Mono currently is the first one, the last non aspherical optical design.

It is by far not as sharp or balanced as the current version but this makes out it's character and the is the reason, why I highly prefer it over the ASPH.

[algrove]

50 Summilux E46 + yellow filter

 

Dirk

 

Do you mostly prefer this lens for portraits or other uses?

 

Guess a green filter would be good for older mens faces.

[asiafish]

50mm lenses on the M Monochrom are a lot of fun. I currently own three and enjoy them each greatly. The modern (non-APO) Summicron is a great match for the MM sensor with its outstanding sharpness, micro contrast and ultimate resolution. The vintage Sonnars (1937 CZJ and 1963 Jupiter 3) are both lower contrast and have more character, but somehow just render in unique and beautiful ways on the M Monochrom. I couldn't possibly pick a favorite, though the Jupiter 3 has probably captured most of my favorite M Monochrom images and is the one I use the most.

 

FWIW, my two Sonnars are both ringers. The Jupiter 3 was shimmed for Leica and then tuned to my Monochrom for close focus, wide-open by Sonnar guru Brian Sweeney. My Zeiss Jena Sonnar was originally a Contax mount, converted to LTM, shimmed and the optimized for my Monochrom for close focus, wide-open again by Brian Sweeney. I look at both of them as essentially hand-crafted one-off optical jewels.

 

First here are a few with my 1963 Zomz Jupiter 3 5cm f/1.5 (pre-war Zeiss Sonnar knock-off) with yellow filter. Minimal post.

 

L1000664-Edit by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

L1000706-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

L1000037-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

[asiafish]

And next the real thing. M Monochrom with 1937 (uncoated) Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm f/1.5 Sonnar with yellow filter. Minimal post.

 

L1001067-Edit by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

L1001034-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

L1001040-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

[asiafish]

And finally my modern 50. M Monochrom with 50mm f/2 Summicron (current version, non-APO) and yellow filter, minimal post. This is the only Leica lens that I purchased new and is my general use lens on the MM.

 

L1000206-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

L1000847-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

L9999724-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

L9999666-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

[asiafish]

This is an innocent and worthy question - although it prejudices answers to lenses owned, and is highly subjective. Obviously the APO wins on technical merit, but I favor the votes toward the Jupiter 3 and more character oriented selections. The MM is a brilliant camera with amazing resolution - I personally favor giving that clean, clinical sensor a little dirt.

 

Nothing dirty about a good Jupiter 3, and nothing clinical about the M Monochrom sensor. M Monochrom images I find are flat out-of-camera, but put a yellow or orange filter in front of your lens and they really come to life. Even using very minimal post (boost black point in LR and add a touch of structure in Silver Efex) really makes the MM files pop regardless of whether I use a clean (50 cron non-APO current version) or dirty (1937 Sonnar, 1963 Jupiter 3) lens.

[batmobile]

50 ZM planar. If you want 'sharp' and F2 is fast enough, one could not possibly need more. Sure, the 50 APO may give more on paper, but not that will matter a damn to real photographs. The 50ZM was great on film, but on the MM you really see what it can do.

[platypus]

50 ZM planar. If you want 'sharp' and F2 is fast enough, one could not possibly need more. Sure, the 50 APO may give more on paper, but not that will matter a damn to real photographs.

 

After I read this it left me wondering what your definition of "real photographers" might be......just curious.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[menos I M6]

Dirk

 

Do you mostly prefer this lens for portraits or other uses?

 

Guess a green filter would be good for older mens faces.

 

It's my general use 50mm but I like it for portraits a lot.

I formerly used mainly a Noctilux f1 as my general purpose 50 but I really don't like the aperture shaped highlights, it produces stopped down between f1.4 − 2.8 (which is my mostly used range with the Mono nowadays).

 

The E46 is gentler and has the benefit of close focussing and a slightly lower weight in the bag (I use a black paint version, which is made of brass, hence heavy).

 

The drawing of the E46 has some similarities with the Noctilux - it has a similar look (minus the strong vignetting cutoff) wide open and sharpens up in the center a lot when stopped down.

 

One thing, the E46 is not good at is getting finest detail into the corners - even stopped down to f5.6 or f8 it's corners will draw soft (not ideal for architecture, if corners are important - a current Summicron is A LOT better for this).

[asiafish]

And again the M Monochrom with my trusty 5cm f/1.5 Jupiter 3, red filter, ISO 320 and minimal post.

 

All things considered (including my 1937 Sonnar), this is probably my favorite lens for use on the M Monochrom.

 

L1001289-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr