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75mm Summilux - your experience and thoughts


mikeamosau

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75/1.4 is indeed a special lens. I admit, ever since moving to Fujifilm GFX, I have had some serious thoughts about selling my whole M system. But whenever i see some of my 75 Lux images I keep having second thoughts about that. I have the version II and honestly the size and weight does not bother me. But indeed focusing with a rangefinder wide open is really difficult and that is really a bummer. Now imagine if we had a digital rangefinder patch M camera, where you would nail focus 5/5 times with the 75/1.4 wide open.. now that'd be something...

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75/1.4 is indeed a special lens. I admit, ever since moving to Fujifilm GFX, I have had some serious thoughts about selling my whole M system. But whenever i see some of my 75 Lux images I keep having second thoughts about that. I have the version II and honestly the size and weight does not bother me. But indeed focusing with a rangefinder wide open is really difficult and that is really a bummer. Now imagine if we had a digital rangefinder patch M camera, where you would nail focus 5/5 times with the 75/1.4 wide open.. now that'd be something...

 

I really think the M75 Lux is something worth keeping the M system.

I do use live view when I need to focus at 1.4, at my old age and weakened eyes.

 

Just posted my photo of M75 lux in M10 column today a few minutes ago.

 

Perhaps if I can get extra fund, I will like to explore the very ex M75 Noct.

No experience and no funding to talk about it now.

 

Benedict

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Someone wants to buy my 50 Noctilux 0.95.

 

I have to 50 Summilux-M and the 50 Summilux-SL, and the 75 Summilux.  I like the rendering of each for different reasons, but I am finding that where I was using the Noctilux on the SL, I now use the Summilux-SL.  I could trade the 50 Noct for the 75 Noct (still with a painful premium for the difference).  Or, I could just sell the 50 Not, and hold the money for whatever M camera is coming that I might like ...

 

Generally, selling a lens for a camera is a bad idea, I think.  Decisions, decisions ... what would the rest of you do?

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If you decide to trade the 50 Noctilux for the 75 Noctilux then you might as well sell the 75 Summilux, too. The only reason I’m keeping the 50 Noctilux is because I use the M10 a lot and I love the colors it produces stopped down a bit. Having said that, the 50 Noctilux hasn’t been on the M10 since the 75 Noctilux arrived, mainly because I love the reach.

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Here's one for scenery.

I still love mine.

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Edited by mikozia
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Generally, selling a lens for a camera is a bad idea, I think. Decisions, decisions ... what would the rest of you do?

Take pictures. Add something (camera or lens) if if can help me achieve some significant goal(s) picture-wise. No need to sweat it unless and until that happens. And sell something if after some prolonged period it has not contributed. Simple.

 

Jeff

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Someone wants to buy my 50 Noctilux 0.95.

 

I have to 50 Summilux-M and the 50 Summilux-SL, and the 75 Summilux.  I like the rendering of each for different reasons, but I am finding that where I was using the Noctilux on the SL, I now use the Summilux-SL.  I could trade the 50 Noct for the 75 Noct (still with a painful premium for the difference).  Or, I could just sell the 50 Not, and hold the money for whatever M camera is coming that I might like ...

 

Generally, selling a lens for a camera is a bad idea, I think.  Decisions, decisions ... what would the rest of you do?

Agreed,I traded 50/0.95+90/2 Apo +significant cash to trade up to Noctilux 75;IQ is much better than 50mm lens;i suspect,next 35mm or 50mm noctilux would incorporate the recent advancement in optics

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  • 1 year later...

Hey all, I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these amazing 75s. I've got a couple options, a Leitz version made in 1980 or a late model that's 6 bit coded. They're both in near mint condition and come with original boxes and accessories. Are there really any differences between these two, other than the 6 bit coding?

Any help is appreciated!

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3 hours ago, hedkase said:

Hey all, I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these amazing 75s. I've got a couple options, a Leitz version made in 1980 or a late model that's 6 bit coded. They're both in near mint condition and come with original boxes and accessories. Are there really any differences between these two, other than the 6 bit coding? [...]

Optics are the same but the early copy (11814) has no built-in hood if it is from 1980 and its dedicated 12539 hood (pic) is rather bulky and can be expensive on the s/h market.
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/12539

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4 hours ago, hedkase said:

Hey all, I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these amazing 75s. I've got a couple options, a Leitz version made in 1980 or a late model that's 6 bit coded. They're both in near mint condition and come with original boxes and accessories. Are there really any differences between these two, other than the 6 bit coding?

Any help is appreciated!

Don’t buy it unless/before you tried it, preferably with your own digital M. Many copies are not completely satisfying with focusing. The 75/1.4 is on the brink of what’s possible with a rangefinder, so it has to be adjusted real precise. I would never buy such a lens from a webshop for instance. 

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Unless the 6-bit coding was a DIY job, chances are the lens was calibrated by Leica. I'd go for the later copy, but the advice given above regarding hands-on testing and/or ability to return it if something is wrong would take precedence over any other consideration.

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On 4/18/2018 at 1:46 PM, adan said:

 

However, the 75 f/1.4 @ f/2 is sharper than the 90/2 v3 at f/2. Erwin Puts' recommendation was get the 75 lux over the 90 'cron v.3 if you are getting it for use wide-open - and get a 90 Elmarit if you don't need f/1.4 or f/2 anyway (he was not a fan of the 90 f/2 v.3).

 

Anyway - I got a 75 Lux when I acquired my first M9 - to get back some of the tight framing of the cropped M8 view, and to get the extra speed with the ISO-limited CCD.

 

It was love-hate: loved the imaging, the "Mandler 1980" cyan color bias, the speed, and the close-up capability - hated the weight and size (and the price). Now that I have an M10, the 75 Summarit f/2.4 is much lighter and smaller, focuses to the same close range, and thanks to the 2-stop boost in ISO, works in the same dim light as the Summilux @ f/1.4 on the M9.

 

(But don't take that as recommending the Summarit over the Summilux - that is just what works for me. The Summilux is still unique in many ways the Summarit can't match - f/1.4 backgrounds, color rendering)

 

My experience is that 75 Summiluxes that have been 6-bit coded by Leica (with a full recheck of the optical/focus system after adding the coded mount) tend to behave better in focusing precision and overall IQ. If the one you have found does not have 6-bit coding already, I would consider having that done just for the "blessing" by Leica's techs - Add $300 US or equivalent.

 

The attached is one of my last 75 'lux images on the M9 (a 6-bit-coded copy) - @ f/1.4 and 1/1500th sec. Full image and cropped detail. For an upcoming story on a Colorado river. The high contrast of the situation "burned through" the dreamy overlay of the 75's spher. aberration @ f/1.4 and revealed quite a lot of underlying sharpness.

 

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When I bought the 75 summilux, I went it in to Leica NJ for 6 bit coding.  Honestly at the time I didn't have the Leica savvy to really get the lens, but I knew I wanted it 6 bit coded.  Turns out it took a long time to do since it had to go to Wetzlar.  They wont code them in NJ, needs extensive work to do apparently.  I really do enjoy this lens and often will mount it just to make sure it gets used. Whenever I do, I"m happy with the outcomes.  I also have a 90/2 V3. It gets a bad rap, but it's a sweet lens also.  Unfortunately due to weight, I'll grab the old thin TEM.

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  • 4 weeks later...

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/09/mtf-tests-of-the-sigma-35mm-f1-2-dg-art/

mtf test comparison with the sigma 35 1.2. (Sigma wins.)

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On 8/16/2019 at 3:06 AM, lct said:

Optics are the same but the early copy (11814) has no built-in hood if it is from 1980 and its dedicated 12539 hood (pic) is rather bulky and can be expensive on the s/h market.

Fortunately there is, or was, a decent Chinese replacement for the shade, not a replica, better.

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7 hours ago, jrp said:

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/09/mtf-tests-of-the-sigma-35mm-f1-2-dg-art/

mtf test comparison with the sigma 35 1.2. (Sigma wins.)

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Ummm - why are you comparing a 75mm lens to a 35mm lens?

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