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

[russell]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

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.

 

Yes, these all fall into a similar class.  My point is that after having owned most of the Mandler lenses at some point, the closest fingerprint that I've seen within that class is the 28mm Elmarit v3.  I haven't tried the v2.

My 50mm pre-asph Lux is a newer v3.  Perhaps that makes a difference as it's relatively contrasty and not as soft as the earlier Mandler's I've used.

 

Of all the lens I own, this would be the last I'd let go.  They hit a sweet spot with this one.

[adan]

You are quite right that the v.3 28 shares a lot of the Mandler Look (color, contrast) with the 50 Summilux pre-ASPH 2/3 - the v.2 28 is just even dreamier and "artier" (bluntly - fuzzier) yet, due it being Leitz's first attempt at a retrofocus wideangle design for the M (to clear the M5 metering arm). Especially in the corners, which never really tighten up to a sharp image, at any aperture.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[padam]

I love the Summaron 28 LTM, it simply has a pleasant look, distinctive flaring, low distortion, sharp enough and it just nice to use, 'take-it-everywhere' size.

But the limited light gathering ability means it does not play too well with a body that is not good at high ISO and the 1m MFD can be annoying sometimes.

And of course it is not easy to find in the first place in good nick, and the new one costs way, way more.

[Tailwagger]

Have both the 28mm Elmarit v3 and the Summilux 35mm. Love them.  But you  if you're looking for something more akin to painting, you might also consider some of the pre-1960s glass. At this point, I only have experience with a 1959 Summarit 50 1.5, but it has can produce a rather ethereal look, given its lower contrast ethic.

[exile]

Pretty much anything in Leica screw mount (ltm) shot wide open will give you one version or other of that older arty look.

I have a Jupiter 3 (50mm f1.5) that is very cute and works fine with an ltm to M mount adapter.

I think there are 35mm sonnar designs that will give you the low contrast gentle rendering wide open and still sharpen up nicely when stopped down a little if you need some more extra definition for landscape or street photography. You can pick these up very cheaply. The down side of these old lens designs and single coated / uncoated glass is their acute susceptibility to flare. However they are usually smaller and lighter than modern designs so make a great second lens for your pocket.

[Tragardh]

I have uploaded a few samples of the 50mm. Summilux v.3 (pre ASPH), mounted on a M8

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/gallery/album/5693-m8-50mm-f14-summilux-m-iii/

[pop]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

How do I upload photos to the forum?