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farnz

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A few in low light high ISO last night (a meet up following a visit to the HiFi show !), in the following order 35 Summilux Aspherical , 35 Summaron f2.8, 50 Summilux Version II

 

Straight B&W jpg's so would look better if I processed RAW

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Hugo Meyer Kino Plasmat 75mm f1.5 + Leica Monochrom

Jeff,

 

You are extending our knowledge in astounding ways. Thank you so much for posting here and please don't stop!:) I'm particularly interested to see how your M-Monochrom performs with the diverse lenses you have access to.

 

Pete.

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Nice ones IWC, look plenty good to me! The Summilux II has a nice rendering I think. How did you find the Summaron? And did you use the M9P for these?

 

Philipus, tks for the comments, yes M9-P, straight jpg's.

 

I am still getting to understand and experiment with the Summaron, fist impressions are sharp but not overly sharp, seems to work well in low light and high ISO, somehow quite filmic. The out of focus is very gradual with a bit of life and very soft with the right shot. Not overly 3D but very classic. I am liking it more and more as I use it. I'll keep you posted with my thoughts fro what they are worth !

 

A few with high ISO again straight jpg (sorry for being lazy), top and bottom 1600 ISO, middle 1000 ISO all f2.8

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Cat :D

 

with M9 / Visoflex / Bellow / Preminar (Zeiss-Ikon) f4,5 / 13,5cm from 1915-1930.

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The best is naturally to inspect the lens personally (flash light test, take a few shots if you have a digital body, check mechanics, check for oil on blades etc). But if that isn't possible, it is good to buy from someone who offers a reasonable return privilege or warranty. Usually that means well-known dealers.

 

Here's one of the Hektor 2,8 f6.3 on my M6TTL BP (iPhone 4S, Mpro, apologies for the camera shake).

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Another shots using the below set up :

 

Ross London Xpress 3" f/1.9 + S2 body.

 

Really like the skin tone from this lens.

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Jeff,

 

You are extending our knowledge in astounding ways. Thank you so much for posting here and please don't stop!:) I'm particularly interested to see how your M-Monochrom performs with the diverse lenses you have access to.

 

Pete.

 

Hi Pete :

 

Thank you for the supports as well. I am happy to share my photos here with you all. I am also happy that I found a group of people that are interested in these old lenses. It's great to see how they perform with the new technologies.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

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I agree with Pete, it's really great to see results of lenses one has only heard of, let alone barely seen. Btw would you be able to post an image or two of the S2 with these lenses mounted?

 

Dirk, did you use a Red Scale Elmar for the portrait of the man with the beard? Seems very sharp indeed.

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I agree with Pete, it's really great to see results of lenses one has only heard of, let alone barely seen. Btw would you be able to post an image or two of the S2 with these lenses mounted?

 

Dirk, did you use a Red Scale Elmar for the portrait of the man with the beard? Seems very sharp indeed.

 

Hi Philipus :

 

Here is the set up of this Ross London Xpress 3" f1.9 + S2

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

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One more set up using Angenieux S3 75mm f1.8 + S2

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Edited by JeffoJeffo
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Another shots using the below set up :

 

Ross London Xpress 3" f/1.9 + S2 body.

 

Really like the skin tone from this lens.

 

Jeff, these are most beautiful tones, a beautiful subject and a wonderful portrait!

I am indeed seriously confused, why of all the photography involved manufacturers, Leica is not offering a contemporary second range of optics with the beautiful tonalities, lower contrasts and wanted optical flaws, that makes certain vintage lenses so beautiful.

 

Am I the only one, who has not the slightest interest in the newest optical achievements from Leica?

 

I indeed respect them and have an admiration of the needed perfectionism and motivation, to pursue the goals, Leica wants to achieve with every generation of optics, but how indeed is it possible, that only this one aspect of scientifically correct optical evolution is pursued, while people, who love this beautiful classic look have no other chance, as find among the vast selection of classic lenses the few, that speak to the eye and the heart?

 

With every new lens, I fall for and buy, I am feeling being let down by Leica - a cold shiver, followed by disinterest and nonuse of the expensive item.

Such inexpensive and simple optics, like a 50 years or more old Japanese rangefinder lens by contrast let's my heart jump, every time, I have it on the camera and see the difference in rendering …

 

 

I agree with Pete, it's really great to see results of lenses one has only heard of, let alone barely seen. Btw would you be able to post an image or two of the S2 with these lenses mounted?

 

Dirk, did you use a Red Scale Elmar for the portrait of the man with the beard? Seems very sharp indeed.

 

Philip, this is a standard issue coated post war Elmar, no red scale sample.

It is the only Elmar, I have tried so far and I am impressed by it's performance for such an very old and simple design.

This is a lens, I always come back to, when I need a reality check after being lured in gear dreaming and lens lust. It is not much more, one ever needs, to create photographs. Why all the longing for multi thousand EUR investments in latest optical wonders from Solms, if you can have the lens, that made the factory famous for a mere few hundred EUR or less …

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I've been on the road for a week or so, here's couple of shots.

 

Skye, Chicago

 

Leica M9, f2/35mm Summicron lens, 2nd version.

 

8009357947_e83e6b4cfa_b.jpg

L1012272.jpg by COOP666, on Flickr

 

Superdawg, Chicago

 

Leica M9, f2/35mm Summicron lens, 2nd version.

 

8009364982_1accce6e2f_b.jpg

L1012318.jpg by COOP666, on Flickr

 

In the canyons, somewhere in Nevada

 

Leica M9, f2/35mm Summicron lens, 2nd version.

 

7999802072_00a8082c36_b.jpg

L1012023.jpg by COOP666, on Flickr

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Jeff, these are most beautiful tones, a beautiful subject and a wonderful portrait!

I am indeed seriously confused, why of all the photography involved manufacturers, Leica is not offering a contemporary second range of optics with the beautiful tonalities, lower contrasts and wanted optical flaws, that makes certain vintage lenses so beautiful.

 

Am I the only one, who has not the slightest interest in the newest optical achievements from Leica?

 

I indeed respect them and have an admiration of the needed perfectionism and motivation, to pursue the goals, Leica wants to achieve with every generation of optics, but how indeed is it possible, that only this one aspect of scientifically correct optical evolution is pursued, while people, who love this beautiful classic look have no other chance, as find among the vast selection of classic lenses the few, that speak to the eye and the heart?

 

With every new lens, I fall for and buy, I am feeling being let down by Leica - a cold shiver, followed by disinterest and nonuse of the expensive item.

Such inexpensive and simple optics, like a 50 years or more old Japanese rangefinder lens by contrast let's my heart jump, every time, I have it on the camera and see the difference in rendering …

 

 

 

 

Philip, this is a standard issue coated post war Elmar, no red scale sample.

It is the only Elmar, I have tried so far and I am impressed by it's performance for such an very old and simple design.

This is a lens, I always come back to, when I need a reality check after being lured in gear dreaming and lens lust. It is not much more, one ever needs, to create photographs. Why all the longing for multi thousand EUR investments in latest optical wonders from Solms, if you can have the lens, that made the factory famous for a mere few hundred EUR or less …

 

Hi, Menos :

 

I fully agrees with you. I have almost full range of Leica lenses but I have not touch them for a long time. Shooting with Leica lenses, I can expect how the photo will comes out (not talking about compositon, etc..) I refer to the taste and mood. However with the old lenses, I really don't know what it can offers until I press the shutter. The modern lenses are too perfect (guide by computers and banch marks) but our eyes doesn't lies...so you will see the differences that old lens are more fun in terms of contrast, tone and rendering. I am still fastinated by them, the manufacturing optical flaws becomes the signature of each old lens.

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Well, if Leica came out with an IR version of the M Monochrom I would buy one with the APO Summicron.... for work.

 

But at home, I tend to use older lenses. The exception is the C-Sonnar, lives on the M8.

 

This is one of my first outings with the M8, and a 1939 Sonnar T 5cm F1.5. At F4.

 

8021390089_4d5384ffd4_b.jpg

1939_sonnar_LeicaM8 by anachronist1, on Flickr

 

 

8021469785_78063825c4_b.jpg

nikki_tireswing_f4 by anachronist1, on Flickr

 

My oldest fully coated Sonnar is from 1936. The coatings hold up amazingly well.

Edited by brianv
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tele-elmar 135mm f/4 1965 vintage (based on s/n) with m9, quick street focus .... hard to get just right, but when you do it is a very rewarding lens on m9 and m4 (little easier to focus on m4, or so it seems). on 23rd st in manhattan .... ps, great thread, hope it just keeps going and going ...

 

 

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I am not certain, but I would wager to 90%, that this is shot with my 35/2 UC-Hexanon.

As the company doesn't produce rangefinder cameras anymore and the UC-Hex is a limited run production, long out of the shops, I hope, it's fine, to post it here.

 

I certainly love the look of this lens, among my absolute favorite 35mm lenses (and way above any Leica samples at that):

 

8022106890_068bb3b5cb_c.jpg

couple on electro bike by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

 

… and another with the UC-Hex:

 

8022098900_5cc4f3f589_c.jpg

men sorting fruits and meat by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

 

… and one more:

 

8022116000_6220c5e186_c.jpg

facade structures by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

 

Where does the UC hex stand for me?

 

It's more compact, even then the black Canon 35/2 LTM (another favorite of mine).

It's the best made 35mm rangefinder lens, I have the pleasure, to use so far (yes, it is better made, than any Leica 35mm Summicron).

It is similar in sharpness and detail to the nicest of the Leica Summicron lenses.

It has a slightly different contrast character and tonality from Leica lenses.

I would state it to be a cross between a pre ASPH Summilux, ASPH Summicron and version IV Summicron in contrast and tonality.

 

It has the beautiful slightly lower contrast and slightest bit of softness wide open, that I like so much, but get's contrasty and very modern for a non ASPH lens, right from 1/2 stop closed (setting it apart from the pre ASPH Leica lenses).

It has the most modern look from wide open of all the non ASPH 35/2 lenses, I have used so far (it should be the dream lens for everybody, who prefers non ASPH lenses, but likes a rather contrasty look).

 

It is extremely forgiving in strongly backlit scenes (absolute opposite of the pre ASPH Summilux here).

 

It never completely clips the blacks, like the latest ASPH Leica lenses do (which is, why I absolutely love this lens).

 

AND: it has a background rendering among the smoothest of them all (no way, to argue, which of them has the smoothest in fact ;-)

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