Wedding with 50mm APO?

[dancook]

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Hi Dan,

 

I have the 1.4/50 Summilux ASPH , 2.0/50 APO Summicron, 2.8/50 Elmarit-M and a 1.0/50 Noctilux which was a gift from a friend who is a professional photographer :-).  I don't have any comparison people photographs. 

 

I don't believe that the technical perfection and huge cost of the 2.0/50 APO-Summicron justifies it's use as a wedding lens. I think it would be wasted money. My first choice for people is the Noctilux or Summilux.

 

Without hesitation, I now usually bring my Noctilux for 'people photos' such as family or friends wedding or 'functions', or even casual family get togethers. This is not necessarily to shoot at f1.0 as I am not a fan of the zero-depth-of field look, but that extra stop is there should I need it. Although the size and weight of the lens are inconvenient, there is a gentleness to the Noctilux photographs and colouring and backgrounds that I don't see with my other lenses.

 

I am not infrequently asked by people who know or care little about photographic equipment or technique, what on earth did I use to get those beautiful photographs of people at some family or friend's function when I've sent them the photos/files. Every single time they were the photos taken with that heavy old Noctilux.  

 

Have you considered an old Noctilux? Certainly cheaper than an APO-Summicron.

 

Regards,

Mark

 

Yes, I've considered the noctilux although i'd feel likely to get the 0.95 instead of the 1.0 - and all of a sudden you've changed my focus

 

heck yes... noctilux

 

I was selling 24mm 1.4 asph and 90mm 2.0 asph apo - I should get a nocti..

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[MarkP]

Yes, I've considered the noctilux although i'd feel likely to get the 0.95 instead of the 1.0 - and all of a sudden you've changed my focus

 

heck yes... noctilux

 

I was selling 24mm 1.4 asph and 90mm 2.0 asph apo - I should get a nocti..

 

Edited December 30, 2017 by MarkP

[MarkP]

Also shooting continuously while focusing leads to a higher hit rate. 

 

 

Someone once advised me that using brief burst shooting in these situations not only improves the focus hit rate, but gives a better hit rate of everyones faces better 'composed' for the photo. There's always someone with their mouth half open mid-sentence or masticating, or worse, the eyes-half-closed-and-rolled-up-in-their-head, mid-blink, Zombie-look.

Edited December 30, 2017 by MarkP

[B-A-C]

Your mileage may vary but the best wedding photos I've ever taken were with the Lux 1.4 ASPH.  Yes, even better than the 50 cron APO...

[LeicaR10]

Dan,  I think you will find each Leica 50mm superb for weddings, people and many other applications.  I have owned them all.  While the Noctilux is superb, It really depends on how much time you want to spend mastering focus with the Noctilux wide open.  If you shoot in continuous mode, your hit rate will improve.  (Overgaard would suggest this as well)  I have found the Noctilux to nearly equal the Lux at f/1.4 and slightly above, beyond f/2.8 both lenses are sharp.  The 50 APO will be sharp edge to edge.  Yet, IMO my clients often commented the images were too perfect.  So as you well know, each lens is designed to draw differently.  I use to shoot weddings with a Leica MM and M246, with the 50mm f/1.4, 50 f/2 and Noctilux f/0.95.  My clients liked the Lux images far more because it would draw uniquely and a way my clients liked.  As I mentioned before, the Noctilux takes time to master.  It works better with the SL for focus and ease of handling. I would suggest if you go the Noctilux way, that you master focus well before you venture into a wedding shoot.  Clients are often not too happy with too many soft looking images unless they want those type of images.  My suggestion is stick with your Lux and Q that you are mastering and ease off the GAS with the 50 APO or Noctilux.  Everyone has an opinion, this is mine based on many years of shooting weddings, portraits, landscapes and of owning way too many Leica cameras and lenses to think about.  Bottom line:  I suggest you continue mastering your current kit and wow your clients with your artistic interpretation of their special day. r/ Mark

[MarkP]

Dan,

 

obviously the 1.0/50 Noctilux renders quite differently to modern lenses which Its why I suggested it, and not necessarily for use wide open.  

 

There may not be that much difference in the look of the 0.95/50 Noctilux compared with the 1.4/50 Summilux ASPH to justify the purchase of the Noctilux unless you plan to shoot it wide open much of the time. So try it out first.

 

You may save yourself a lot of money and discover that the lens you have is indeed the best for your purpose. 

 

Mark :-) 

Edited December 30, 2017 by MarkP

[mls1483]

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My take on the APO is that it's great when you need total edge to edge sharpness and no distortion. Not the lens I'd choose for wedding work over any of the other 50mm options out there.

 

total edge to edge sharpness and no distortion, especially from f/2 to f/4.

 

From f/4 onwoards, the Planar 50mm f/2 ZM is also a good option, but below f/4 the APO Summiron is definitely sharper (across the wohle frame!). Since f/2 is already very sharp, it is also superior to the Summilux stopped down to f/2.

 

The APO Summicron 50mm f/2 is just almost perfect: Very sharp across the field, very well corrected, no field curvature, no distortion - and very small and quite light (i.e. portable). There are other very good lenses, even better and faster ones like the Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 or th Otus 55mm f/1.4, but they are also much bigger and heavier. The APO Summicron 50mm is the true spirit of the M system, I think.

 

Howvever, the Summilux 50mm also has advantages:

- One stop faster (more separation potential, better availble light capability)

- A special character and rendering. Some people like this, others do not. Most people will notice though the pop wide open (due to field curvature I think).

 

The Noctilux 50mm f/0.95 even adds a stronger signature. It has a very creamy bokeh and of corse excellent separation wide open (use ND filters for daylight).

 

 

Leica itself (i.e. Peter Karbe) states that the APO Summicron "adds and substracts" nothing, it is a neutral reporter. So, you have to decide if you want to have a clear look or add character, this is just a matter of taste.

 

Optically the APO Summicron 50mm is just excellent (mechanically I would stiffen the aperture ring). I think it is as perfect as a lens can get (in such a small package).

[mls1483]

Apart from my rather technical statement and specific to wedding phtography: I would prefer the Summilux 50mm as standard lens, maybe in combination with Summilux 28mm (moving scenes, more background inlcusion) and the APO Summicron 90mm (portraits). For low light (church) and slow situations (e.g. at the altar) the Noctilux is just a dream, because of its very special look and its creamy bokeh. I used it a lot in churches, in fact it is my standard lens there. With the SL and its terrific view finder (incl. magnification), focussing is quite easy. You need some practice, however, and for moving scenes (walking to the altar) I would not recommend it.

 

All of the above lenses have a very special character. For weddings I would prefer all of them over the APO Summicron-M 50mm. For very fast scenes, you also may want to consider AF or use a 21mm lens Summilux 21mm or CV Ultron 21mm f/1.8) hyperfocally.

[Wonzo]

Here`s an example with the APO (M10), fully open. 

 

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[Wonzo]

In my opinion there is no 50mm lens as sharp as the APO at f/ 2.0.

[dancook]

Here`s an example with the APO (M10), fully open. 

 

APO.jpg

 

Thanks, though it does look like focus has landed on the far side eye.

[Wonzo]

Thanks, though it does look like focus has landed on the far side eye.

 

True, this is what happenes, when you shoot wide open. 

On the following picture you can see the focus on the left eye ...

 

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[frame-it]

50 lux f1.4

 

night ISO 800

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[frame-it]

50 lux f1.4

 

night ISO 800 or 1600 cant remember

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[frame-it]

the 1st b&w profile portrait missed focus on her face went to her hat..thanks to my burning cigarette...i find the 50 summilux very fast to shoot with at night

Edited December 30, 2017 by frame-it

[james.liam]

I’ve owned the Summicron v.5, Summikux and APO. If I were shooting weddings, the extra stop and just a hint of glow wide open suits that setting. If I were using a Monochrom, I might even opt for the Canon 50/1.4 LTM. The APO is too precise and unforgiving for a wedding shoot, IMHO.

[mls1483]

In my opinion there is no 50mm lens as sharp as the APO at f/ 2.0.

 

There is an interesting review on the Red Dot Forum, claiming that the Summilux-SL 50mm is "the new standard":

 

https://www.reddotforum.com/content/2017/03/leica-summilux-sl-50mm-f1-4-asph-review-a-new-standard/

[mls1483]

In my opinion there is no 50mm lens as sharp as the APO at f/ 2.0.

 

Maybe more precise: For the M system.

 

With larger and heavier lenses like the Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 or the Otus 55mm f/1.4 better correction of aberrations is possible. The MTF of the Summilux-SL look very promising, and it is one stop faster. However, lookinbg at the size and the weight, the SL system is nothing to carry around for a whole day, at least not for me. Moreover, there are many very sharp lenses around nowadays, but only few have a great bokeh and are portable.

 

So, you are correct, if you look at the whole package.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[MarkP]

May well be, howecver it's a big heavy mother of a lens.

[dancook]

I used the 50SL for a while, here's some from a wedding.

 

Annoyance I had was a combination of the slower than average focusing combined with contrast detection AF - in dim lighting where 1.4 should shine, I just struggled to get focus sometimes. So I replaced it with a 50mm 1.4 leica-m, manual focus only right.. but at least I know where I'm at with that lens.

 

50mm SL by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

50mm SL by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

50mm SL by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

50mm SL by dancook1982, on Flickr