Straight Blades in Leica M lenses

[LichtUndDunkelheit]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

As a rule, Leica M lenses seem to have straight blades. Is there any particular reason for that ?

 

Everybody else has nowadays curved blades so bokeh balls stay round. If you really stop them down you get to the point at which the blades turn straight, but thats sunstar time.

 

For example Voigtländer even makes VM lenses for Leica M and SL lenses for Nikon (and in earlier time also Canon, Pentax, Minolta). The VM lenses have 10 straight blades, while the SL lenses have 9 curved blades - exactly like Nikon lenses (some Nikon lenses have only 7 blades).

 

Its just confusing why Leica differs in this area, and I dont understand why.

 

[Advertisement]

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

[lct]

I don't know but a reason may be that some photogs are not fond of round bokeh balls. I would miss the hexagonal ones of my Elmar 50/2.8 for instance.

 

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[cp995]

Straight blades and even numbers result in great sunstars

[colint544]

Modern Leica lenses seem to have fewer aperture blades than the old lenses do. Perhaps it's cheaper to build them that way?

 

As for straight-edged blades, check out the ones on the 35mm Summaron. They curve the other way - looks like it could bite!

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[a.noctilux]

Modern Leica lenses seem to have fewer aperture blades than the old lenses do. Perhaps it's cheaper to build them that way?

 

As for straight-edged blades, check out the ones on the 35mm Summaron. They curve the other way - looks like it could bite!

 

I learned to avoid those settings, as when close a bit more, the Summaron 2.8/35 aperture blades get rounder.

 

Odds things, on my Noctilux 1.0, Summilux 75mm, and some other maker lenses, this "Ninja Stars" aperture can be seen at some settings and not other.

[colint544]

Yes, they only make that odd shape either side of F4, but it's certainly distinctive

[evikne]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I hate such "ninja star" shaped bokeh balls. I get them even with my modern Summilux-M 50mm ASPH. So I always shoot fully open in situations when I suppose they will occur. 

[LichtUndDunkelheit]

Straight blades and even numbers result in great sunstars

The best sunstars I've ever seen from any lens are from the Nikkor AF 180mm f2.8, which has 9 aperture blades (they're still straight though, since its an older lens).

[Hannes Lummes]

It seems to me that one of the reason for any type of aperture blades is how the aperture closes with even spaced movements of the aperture ring. Many modern Leica lenses have slightly inward curved shapes, like LUX50.  Look at Cosina lenses OTOH: The blades are usually straight for a rounder aperture, but the result is that the movements of the aperture ring are not equally spaced. Obviously a compromise.
 

[cp995]

The best sunstars I've ever seen from any lens are from the Nikkor AF 180mm f2.8, which has 9 aperture blades (they're still straight though, since its an older lens).

 

Did you ever see CV Sunstars?

 

Btw. 9 Blades (odd number) give 18 star rays - Not very nice ...

Even numbers give the same amount of rays as blades!

Edited May 30, 2018 by cp995