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Leica 80 1.4 R, 75 1.4, or best medium tele portrait lens?

ropo54

By ropo54
in Leica M Lenses

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ropo54

ropo54

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Has anyone used the 80 1.4 R, or the 75 1.4 lens on the SL 601?

 

Would appreciate any thoughts or comments on the 80 1.4 R, the 75 1.4, or any other recommended medium telephoto lenses to be used on the SL.

 

(I see there are some nice recent comments about the Sigma 85 1.4).

 

Thanks,

Rob

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otto.f

otto.f

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In my experience the R 80 is just a bit softer in contrast/sharpness and a bit heavier and bulkier and not in a way that it would give a better counterweight to the SL body than the 75 M. The 80 has a rubber focus ring, which can come loose in 37 years of use. And it can come 3 times cheaper than a mint 75, which probably holds its value a bit better

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rpittal

rpittal

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Attached are two I took this week in Havana with my SL and 75Lux, both at 1.4 (great to have the fast shutter speeds!). Very nice rendering, I think, but not tack sharp (that requires closing down a couple of stops, but was trying for subject isolation. Much sharper full size before size reductions.

Regards,

Bob

 

 

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John Black

John Black

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The 90/2 APO, 75/2 APO and 75 Lux have different looks, so which is "right" for you will depend on what you're looking for.  My $.02 -

 

90/2 APO

Good all-arounder, very sharp at F2, bokeh is okay'ish - sometimes a bit harsh, very sharp lens - no doubt.

If buying for a mix of landscape and portrait, this lens would be my pick.

 

75/2 APO

Very quick transition from in-focus to out-of-focus, use it mainly at F2-2.8, mostly portraits, can exhibit central veiling.

If just buying the lens for portraits, this lens would be my pick.

With its .7 meter min focus distance, can push the bokeh envelop a bit more.

 

75 Lux

Sharpness at F1.4 can be a mixed bag, definitely not a ASPH/APO look.  Due to focus shift, tricky lens on a M, easy on a SL.

Heaviest lens of the bunch.  Alot of CA in the bokeh.

Not my favorite lens of three, but it has its "look".  

If you like the "Mander" look, you'll love this lens.

If prefer the ASPH / APO sharpness, the 75 Lux might cause some grief (at F1.4 to F2.8)

 

If using on the SL, I'd suggest expanding your search circle to include the Contax 100mm F2 Planar.  Mint is ~$750-900 and an adapter costs ~$100 (Kipon makes a nice one; Novoflex is nice of course, but costs ~$200).

 

If just for portraits and wanting to stay with Leica, the Leica 90mm F2 Summicron-M (pre APO, E55) is a nice portrait lens too.  It's a nice midpoint between the Mandler look and the ASPH / APO sharp lenses.  They are ~$900'ish used.

 

You have no shortage of options :)

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otto.f

otto.f

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The 90 Apo I had was not sharp close-in - i.e. at the distances for head and shoulders portraits. Not saying that's bad, but close in is not where this lens shines

Never seen this with my 90apo

 

I see a 75 still as a sort of 50 and use it as such. A 90 is a whole different story

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LocalHero1953

LocalHero1953

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The 90 Apo I had was not sharp close-in - i.e. at the distances for head and shoulders portraits. Not saying that's bad, but close in is not where this lens shines

Never seen this issue! I find it scarily sharp close in, but needs careful RF focusing when wide open.

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ropo54

ropo54

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The 90/2 APO, 75/2 APO and 75 Lux have different looks, so which is "right" for you will depend on what you're looking for.  My $.02 -

 

90/2 APO

Good all-arounder, very sharp at F2, bokeh is okay'ish - sometimes a bit harsh, very sharp lens - no doubt.

If buying for a mix of landscape and portrait, this lens would be my pick.

 

75/2 APO

Very quick transition from in-focus to out-of-focus, use it mainly at F2-2.8, mostly portraits, can exhibit central veiling.

If just buying the lens for portraits, this lens would be my pick.

With its .7 meter min focus distance, can push the bokeh envelop a bit more.

 

75 Lux

Sharpness at F1.4 can be a mixed bag, definitely not a ASPH/APO look.  Due to focus shift, tricky lens on a M, easy on a SL.

Heaviest lens of the bunch.  Alot of CA in the bokeh.

Not my favorite lens of three, but it has its "look".  

If you like the "Mander" look, you'll love this lens.

If prefer the ASPH / APO sharpness, the 75 Lux might cause some grief (at F1.4 to F2.8)

 

If using on the SL, I'd suggest expanding your search circle to include the Contax 100mm F2 Planar.  Mint is ~$750-900 and an adapter costs ~$100 (Kipon makes a nice one; Novoflex is nice of course, but costs ~$200).

 

If just for portraits and wanting to stay with Leica, the Leica 90mm F2 Summicron-M (pre APO, E55) is a nice portrait lens too.  It's a nice midpoint between the Mandler look and the ASPH / APO sharp lenses.  They are ~$900'ish used.

 

You have no shortage of options :)

 

 

John,

 

Thank you for that nice summary. I also went to your site and enjoyed reading your lens reviews.  For those who might be interested (and I hope you do not mind):

 

 http://www.pebbleplace.com/reviews/rangefinder/leica_50mm_noc_asph/index.html

 

I remain more undecided than ever, lol, but not for wont of reading opinions!

 

Thanks again,

Rob

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uhoh7

uhoh7

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The 90 Apo I had was not sharp close-in - i.e. at the distances for head and shoulders portraits. Not saying that's bad, but close in is not where this lens shines

 Exactly, plus it's a monster, like the 75 Lux, which is over sharp for portraits by F/2

 

The gold standard is the pre-asph 90 cron. Not too heavy either. 

 

The old RF nikkor 85/2 is also excellent. 

 

I use 75 Lux all the time, but I consider it a reportage lens, except WO. WO your DOF is 0. Fuzzy nosed portraits don't appeal to everyone. The 75 APO is technically great, but also brutal on faces. The Lux does have very nice bokeh, as do the 90s. The 75 APO not quite, but not terrible. 

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  • 2 months later...
a.noctilux

a.noctilux

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I tried out a 75 summicron, but ended up selling it and buying a APO 90 summicron asph.  Much happier and am really enamored by the 90mm.

 

What you didn't like in Apo-Summicron-M  2/75mm ?

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ropo54

ropo54

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I wish that I could be more precise: for me, the 90mm's images just seem to be more dynamic. 

 

I cannot point to any particular fault of the 75.  The IQ was just fine. The closer focus capacity was better, too. But, I really am having fun with the 90mm, while the 75 left me non plussed.  (It may just be that I have a noctilux and found that I always opted for it over the 75, but that is not necessarily so with the 90mm. Perhaps it was that the 75 was just too close in focal length to 50mm?) 

 

I apologize for not being able to elaborate with more specific comments.

 

Rob 

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a.noctilux

a.noctilux

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Rob, thanks for your reply, it's very clear that you don't like the 75 field of view and not the Apo-Summicron 75mm lens.

 

My wife likes this field of 75mm on her M8 (about 100mm in FF, before that she used to Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8/100mm on R system).

 

Myself, the field of 50mm has been my favorite for decades, and even if I can choose two 75mm (one Summilux and my wife's Apo) I prefer going to 90mm when needed.

 

Maybe because since M4-P, the 75mm frame lines come with 50mm's, so changing lenses (50 to 75) don't change those frames ;) .

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ropo54

ropo54

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Rob, thanks for your reply, it's very clear that you don't like the 75 field of view and not the Apo-Summicron 75mm lens.

 

My wife likes this field of 75mm on her M8 (about 100mm in FF, before that she used to Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8/100mm on R system).

 

Myself, the field of 50mm has been my favorite for decades, and even if I can choose two 75mm (one Summilux and my wife's Apo) I prefer going to 90mm when needed.

 

Maybe because since M4-P, the 75mm frame lines come with 50mm's, so changing lenses (50 to 75) don't change those frames ;) .

 

I am using the M lenses on a SL 601, so frame lines would not have been the issue.

True, absolutely no gripes with the 75mm lens.  (Though I admit I am tempted to find a 75 1.4 nonetheless, for the character of that lens :)).

Your conclusion on field of view is likely correct!  

Thanks, Rob 

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  • 1 month later...
henning

henning

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I don't have an SL, but for portraits I prefer the 90/2 pre-ASPH, Elmarit-M and thin Tele-Elmarit in that order over the 75/1.4 or f/2.

 

I sold the 90AA as it had focussing cam problems that no one was able or willing to solve, and I never liked either its rendering or close in reduction of resolution at close distances. The 90/4 macro does sharp more harmoniously for my liking.

 

As other have pointed out, the super thin DOF of the Summilux is just too thin most of the time, and at f/2 or f/2.8 there are (and lighter) better options with a lot less focus shift. In some cases it's outstanding, though. 

 

The 75/2 isn't bad at all, as long as high resolution is desired. Its overall rendering is generally very pleasing.

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