75mm lens quandaries

[Habbable]

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Hey all, I have a question about selecting a 75mm lens primarily for portrait use.

 

Admittedly, I'm new to taking portraits but I would like to start focusing on this in my photography. I'm considering 75mm since 90mm seemed a bit disconnected when I was taking pictures with any context and 50mm was seemingly invasive...maybe I need to work on that though or just crop.

 

This led me to try shooting with a 75mm Summilux and Summicron, each of which I liked for different reasons:

-The out-of-focus on the Lux is quite lovely, skin tones looked a little cooler than the Summicron (which I'm leaning toward liking).

-The Cron was great ergonomically and the rendering seemed like a cropped 50 Lux asph, maybe a bit sharper wide open.

Depending on the lighting during the day, some photos with the Lux had color fringing on edges, which may be a pain to deal with.

I shoot film and digital, but the test photos I took were strictly digital (m240).

 

However, shooting both lenses in lower light and slightly stopped down produced background lights that were neither round nor polygonal in shape, which was surprising at first until I actually looked at the aperture blade geometry on both lenses. I can post some photos if that is helpful, but I imagine that this is nothing new. This seemed a bit distracting to me in the sample photos I took, but maybe it was just unexpected.

 

While mulling over my test pics to see which rendering I prefer, I started wondering about the 75mm Summarit (f/2.4). Are the aperture blades straight or curved across the range, or do they also have some jaggedness (for lack of a better word) around f/2.8-5.6?

 

Since I often shoot in lower light, I would love to hear people's experiences with either lens and whether they are put off by non-symmetric shapes in background highlights. I've read a number of articles on Leica 75mm lenses (both on this site and others), and looked a pics on Flickr but I don't remember coming across this "issue". Perhaps the photos I saw across the internet were shot wide open at night.

 

I understand there may be other options out there for portrait lenses and it appears that new lenses may also be on the way, so general input/feedback is also appreciated.

 

Thank you for your input,

 

Feras

[hteasley]

Hey all, I have a question about selecting a 75mm lens primarily for portrait use.

 

Admittedly, I'm new to taking portraits but I would like to start focusing on this in my photography. I'm considering 75mm since 90mm seemed a bit disconnected when I was taking pictures with any context and 50mm was seemingly invasive...maybe I need to work on that though or just crop.

 

This led me to try shooting with a 75mm Summilux and Summicron, each of which I liked for different reasons:

-The out-of-focus on the Lux is quite lovely, skin tones looked a little cooler than the Summicron (which I'm leaning toward liking).

-The Cron was great ergonomically and the rendering seemed like a cropped 50 Lux asph, maybe a bit sharper wide open.

Depending on the lighting during the day, some photos with the Lux had color fringing on edges, which may be a pain to deal with.

I shoot film and digital, but the test photos I took were strictly digital (m240).

 

However, shooting both lenses in lower light and slightly stopped down produced background lights that were neither round nor polygonal in shape, which was surprising at first until I actually looked at the aperture blade geometry on both lenses. I can post some photos if that is helpful, but I imagine that this is nothing new. This seemed a bit distracting to me in the sample photos I took, but maybe it was just unexpected.

 

While mulling over my test pics to see which rendering I prefer, I started wondering about the 75mm Summarit (f/2.4). Are the aperture blades straight or curved across the range, or do they also have some jaggedness (for lack of a better word) around f/2.8-5.6?

 

Since I often shoot in lower light, I would love to hear people's experiences with either lens and whether they are put off by non-symmetric shapes in background highlights. I've read a number of articles on Leica 75mm lenses (both on this site and others), and looked a pics on Flickr but I don't remember coming across this "issue". Perhaps the photos I saw across the internet were shot wide open at night.

 

I understand there may be other options out there for portrait lenses and it appears that new lenses may also be on the way, so general input/feedback is also appreciated.

 

Thank you for your input,

 

Feras

I have the 75 Summicron and really couldn't be happier with it. It is a favorite portrait lens of mine. Just love the way it draws. The sharpness falloff is jut really great for close portraiture.

 

Sent from my SM-T820 using Tapatalk

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[Soden]

I have both the cron and lux. I had the f/2.5 but traded it for the f/2. My favorite is the Summilux, an amazing lens with Noctilux like rendering wide open and excellent sharpness and detail stopped down. I use the Summicron primarily as a travel lens as it's about the same size as the Summarit with the hood attached.

[wda]

Portraiture is not just about 'heads'. To show context you do not have to get too close, 2 meters or more works fine with a 50mm lens. I also use the 75mm Summarit, 1st version for a slightly tighter crop.

[erl]

I have the 75 Summicron and really couldn't be happier with it. It is a favorite portrait lens of mine. Just love the way it draws. The sharpness falloff is jut really great for close portraiture.

 

Sent from my SM-T820 using Tapatalk

I assume you meant 'focus falloff', not sharpness falloff.

Agree, a great lens, but does demand discipline in focussing.

[phongph]

Hi Habbable!

1. I have got M35 Lux Fle, M50 Apo, M75 Lux and SL 24-90 (often shoot at 90) with SL 601, M10.

I like M75 to shoot the portrait since its ratio.

2. Images from M75 Lux look some magic, Mandler design, nice skin tone & bokeh, not very sharp at WO and suite for portrait. Images from M75 Apo look clean, mordern, very sharp at WO and not as my taste. The other prople may like M75 apo!

It will be your taste to select M75 Lux or M75 Apo. Both lens are the very good lens for portrait!

Have a nice day!

Thanks!

[Habbable]

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Yah, no complaints about the summicron or summilux rendering, just different...

 

I guess the question I'm getting to is whether the non polygonal bokeh balls (I was trying to avoid using this term) distract from the pictures you take, or if it's just avoided by shooting wide open and dealing with limited depth-of-field.

 

Cheers

[Soden]

Portraiture is about heads. The rendering of faces is the most important whether you include context or not. To my eye the 75 focal length gives the best look. The 90 seems a little too drawn and the 50 seems a little too plump, though it's subtile.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Soden

[wda]

The OP mentioned portraits with context, which includes information about environment. A pianist at a grand piano, or a blacksmith in his forge, for example. A 50mm or wider is needed for this type of portraiture.

[onasj]

If you were not in a rush, you could wait for the 75/1.25 noctilux-M, supposedly to be released within the next four months.

[M9reno]

I have long considered a 75, but the decisive factor holding me back can be summed up as: framelines.

 

1. Leica cameras previous to the M4-P do not have the required framelines. This includes all my preferred Leica models.

 

2. Cameras since the M4-P have 75mm framelines that to me look vestigial.

 

3. Leica's usual viewfinder magnification 0.71 falls short of what is needed to focus a 75mm f/1.4 properly at full aperture. Workarounds like magnifiers are available but seem a pain.

 

All of the above make the 75mm focal length for the M series appear an afterthought by Leica.

 

I adopted a practical solution a few years ago: got into the R system and tried the Summilux 75's twin brother, the 80 Summilux. A perfect solution to all my issues.

[luigi bertolotti]

....you could wait for the 75/1.25 noctilux-M, supposedly to be released within the next four months.

 

... I tend to think it will reveal no more than a supposition... at least as a RF coupled lens.

[Musotographer]

I have long considered a 75, but the decisive factor holding me back can be summed up as: framelines.

 

 

I adopted a practical solution a few years ago: got into the R system and tried the Summilux 75's twin brother, the 80 Summilux. A perfect solution to all my issues.

 

+1

I had a Summilux 75, coded, which I used on my M9P - wonderful lens, but its frame lines in the RF are lousy, and it is difficult to achieve precise focus - e.g. the eye(s) in a portrait - wide open without an EVF.  So in preparation for moving to the M10 I sold it and bought the 80 Summilux-R for half the price; the results from it are just as magical and I find it preferable ergonomically. The only downside is that you cannot use it without Live View - but for me that is a small price to pay as I tend to use an EVF for portraits anyway.

[wda]

I agree that framing is imprecise, unless you have full frame and EVF. I find it so much easier with my MP 240 and the EVF

[Peter H]

I'm not a great fan of the ultra-shallow depth-of-field portraiture that some people love, so it's a matter of personal taste.

 

For my purposes the Summicron, whilst capable of beautiful performance wide-open when required, is in every respect the better choice compared with the Summilux which I sold years ago and have never missed.

[Ecar]

I see what the OP means regarding jagged blade edges. Although I never found this to be objectionable, my 75/1.4 has these.

I also have the Summarit 75/2.5 (and the same should apply to the 75/2.4): no jaggies.

AFAIC, I prefer the Summilux for portraits. I find the Summarit too sharp for this purpose.

In the 90mm FL, the Summicron pre-ASPH is also a great choice IMO.

Other options include the "vintage" 85mm FL. In particular, the Canon 85/1.8 is a wonderful portrait lens, relatively modern for its age.

[lct]

[...] shooting with a 75mm Summilux and Summicron [...] in lower light and slightly stopped down produced background lights that were neither round nor polygonal in shape [...] I started wondering about the 75mm Summarit (f/2.4). Are the aperture blades straight or curved across the range, or do they also have some jaggedness (for lack of a better word) around f/2.8-5.6? [...]

 

I have not my 75/2 with me here but i usually get round bokeh balls with both my Summilux 75/1.4 and Summarit 75/2.5 at f/2.8 and f/5.6 in the background . Showing your pics might help.

[Paul J]

Personally speaking, one of my favourite ever lenses is the Summilux. It is quite remarkable.

 

If you like it I would get one before the rising prices make it unobtainable.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Paul J

[NB23]

What's the question exactly?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[LocalHero1953]

I find highlights and the artificial shapes they create to be artificial, unattractive and distracting from the subject of the portrait, whether they are round or polygonal, and so try to avoid them.