Soft artsy (Pre asph.) look - What lense to pick?

[Tragardh]

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My first Leica lense is a 50mm Summilux pre asph(E46)

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/50mm_f/1.4_Summilux-M_III

 

More than any other lenses I have had (Nikon!) in my life, this seems more like a paintbrush, creating a very artistic look in the pictures, and I'm not just talking bokeh here, it is really different and I love it. It is however time for me now to look further into what else Leica can offer in this art direction.

 

My experience, knowledge and cash is limited, maybe I can ask for some inputs before investing in my next adventure.

 

So fare I havn't tried too many lenses yet. Just now, and for a few days ahead, I am lucky to try out a wonderful Summicron 28mm asph.

Wav - this is a super-duper lense, very crisp and clear, compared to my lovely old-timer. And I am tempted. 

 

I imagien a 28mm would be a right combination (to a 50mm) but does this Summicron 28mm "do art" the same way? I have no doubt the images will be amasing. Also a 75mm. or 90mm. is somthing I consider at one point.

 

 

Thank you for your time.

[a.noctilux]

To be direct I would say something that appeared to me with time.

No lens do "art": the artist choose the lens "palette" to help him doing "art" (or what he/she consider as "art" ).

 

Long history short : as user of Summicron-M 2/28mm (first version for years), it may be first class combo to Summilux-M 1.4/50 (E46).

People change so am I.

 

Even if I keep those two (as long as other lenses for periodic use), now my preference goes to lighter/smaller combo good enough for my daily photography.

Now Summarit-M 2.5/50 and Elmarit-M 2.8/28 Asph. are my go-to daily lenses for my M.

And sometime if it matter I have also along the lightest but very nice Macro-Elmar-M 4/90.

 

As side note, yesterday at "Fête des Associations à Montpellier", I had the three small lenses 28/50/90 with me along M240, but only used the 50mm Summarit-M .

[a.noctilux]

A sample from Summarit-M 2.5/50mm | M (typ 240) | 200 ISO | yesterday afternoon | zero PP if possible

 

1

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[lct]

The Summicron 28/2 asph (v1 or v2) won't give you the same kind of IQ as your 50/1.4 pre-asph i'm afraid. It is a modern "asph" lens with perhaps a bit lens contrast than some others but i'm not sure a serious review would confirm that. If you want to retrieve the same kind of IQ as your Summilux you will get it, and even more, with the Summilux 35/1.4 pre-asph (code # 11870) for instance. Or perhaps with an Elmarit 28/2.8 v3 (11804) but i have no experience with the latter. No problem at 75mm with the Summilux 75/1.4 (11814) which matches both Summilux 50/1.4 pre-asph and 35/1.4 pre-asph with no problem at all.

[a.noctilux]

Second take...seconds later

 

2

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[Ernstk]

As already mentioned, you would probably like the Summilux 35/1.4 pre asph...

 

Ernst

[Tragardh]

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Thanks for the response so fare.

[Tragardh]

To be direct I would say something that appeared to me with time.

No lens do "art": the artist choose the lens "palette" to help him doing "art" (or what he/she consider as "art" ).

 

Long history short : as user of Summicron-M 2/28mm (first version for years), it may be first class combo to Summilux-M 1.4/50 (E46).

People change so am I.

 

Even if I keep those two (as long as other lenses for periodic use), now my preference goes to lighter/smaller combo good enough for my daily photography.

Now Summarit-M 2.5/50 and Elmarit-M 2.8/28 Asph. are my go-to daily lenses for my M.

And sometime if it matter I have also along the lightest but very nice Macro-Elmar-M 4/90.

 

As side note, yesterday at "Fête des Associations à Montpellier", I had the three small lenses 28/50/90 with me along M240, but only used the 50mm Summarit-M .

 

By art I mean something like this.

 

I have uploaded a few examples, to point out this soft, undefined IQ, not really sharp images though. Have in mind that some of the pictures are taken from a car, through a windshield.

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/gallery/album/5691-summilux-50mm-pre-asph/

[lct]

Sounds like this great little beast is made for you (35/1.4 # 11870)

 

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[pico]

https://www.l-camera...-50mm-pre-asph/

 

I think there is something wrong with the lens.

[Tragardh]

I think there is something wrong with the lens.

 

oh!? 

 

Please explain this for me in details, thx.

[pico]

oh!? 

 

Please explain this for me in details, thx.

 

I'll skip the comments for this one. While I understand the pictures were likely made with a Summilux lens, the camera does not appear to have been a Leica. Correct me if I'm wrong. I would be more comfortable if I were certain it was a Leica full-frame image.

[Tragardh]

I'll skip the comments for this one. While I understand the pictures were likely made with a Summilux lens, the camera does not appear to have been a Leica. Correct me if I'm wrong. I would be more comfortable if I were certain it was a Leica full-frame image.

 

You are right. The Summilux is mounted on a Lumix G4.

 

I am still currious on this topic you brought up, given the fact that when this old-school lense is mounted on a M8, there is some really peculiar things going on. In some cases, when shooting portraits heads can change shape, clearly becomming broader, more square, as if the lense and the house-mecanics doesn't compute correct.

[pico]

You are right. The Summilux is mounted on a Lumix G4.

 

I am still currious on this topic you brought up, given the fact that when this old-school lense is mounted on a M8, there is some really peculiar things going on. In some cases, when shooting portraits heads can change shape, clearly becomming broader, more square, as if the lense and the house-mecanics doesn't compute correct.

 

With a 50mm lens the shape of an object, for example a face, might be distorted at minimum focus - 3' or so. It occurs because closer objects are rendered larger. Noses right up front are usually too big. This occurs even though the 50mm lens at minimum focus is longer than 50mm. It's one argument for using longer lenses for such.

 

The in-lens mechanic are not to blame.

[farnz]

Tragardh,

 

To find examples of the lenses that will produce the types of pictures that you're looking for you might like to have a browse through the View through older glass thread.

 

Pete.

[jaques]

many of the older pre-asph lenses will produce 'glowy' images.

 

the collapsible summicron 50:

 

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the summilux 35:

 

 

 the 28mm Elmarit

 

 

Noctilux f1

 

 

 

 

 

[russell]

The best match for look/rendering is the 28mm Elmarit v3.  I have that and the 35mm pre-asph Summilux (stolen).

[Tragardh]

With a 50mm lens the shape of an object, for example a face, might be distorted at minimum focus - 3' or so. It occurs because closer objects are rendered larger. Noses right up front are usually too big. This occurs even though the 50mm lens at minimum focus is longer than 50mm. It's one argument for using longer lenses for such.

 

The in-lens mechanic are not to blame.

 

Thank you very much for carefully explaining me this isssue. It makes sense.

The grotesque definition really occurs when I streatch fare to fit in a person into this narrow M8 halfsize chip, image packing thing (?)

As soon as the action happens a little further away, I am good and very impressed with the M8.

 

So this again, calles for a 35 or 28 to make it up, and I wouldn't experience the same issue right?

[anickpick]

The best match for look/rendering is the 28mm Elmarit v3. I have that and the 35mm pre-asph Summilux (stolen).

Whom did you steal it from?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[adan]

Leica lenses that will tend to match the rendering of the pre-ASPH 50 Summilux (some already mentioned)

 

28mm Elmarit v.2 (even more so than v.3, which is sharper, but still has gentle contrast)

35mm pre-ASPH Summilux (poster child for soft and glowing)

35mm Summicrons v. 2/3/4

50mm Noctilux f/1.0

75mm Summilux (at f/1.4 - gets quite sharp and "clean" stopped down)

90mm Summicron pre-APO

 

The 1980 21mm f/2.8 pre-ASPH might qualify on full-frame cameras, since its corners get soft and glowy - but not so much on cropped sensors (M8 or Lumix).

 

The dividing line between the older 50-Summilux-pre-ASPH "look" and the modern crisp sharp contrasty APO/ASPH 28 Summicron look is the transition from the original Wetzlar/Canada factories and optical designers to Solms/new Wetzlar factories and designers. That did not happen overnight, so approximately between 1980 and 1990, in terms of the date of lens design. Many older designs were manufactured or still for sale new as late as the late 1990s (35 f/1.4 pre-ASPH) or the 2000s (75 Summilux) or even today (the current 50 Summicron non-APO design dates to 1980!).

 

The earliest "modern-28-Summicron-look" Leica M lenses were the 50 Summicron of 1980, the 90 Elmarit-M (based on a 1980 R design), the 28mm v.4, and the 35 f/1.4 ASPH (the brief 35mm Summilux "Aspherical" has a look all its own).

 

Moving away from Leica-made lenses that will fit on an M - the Cosina Voigtlander original 28mm f/1.9 has some of the "glow" of the pre-ASPH 35/50 Summiluxes, at least at f/1.9.