100mm Summicron or 45mm Elmarit?

[albertknappmd]

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I have the 100 mm and it has a learning curve.

While a few examples have true back or front focusing issues, I found that the main threat is low light.

For one reason or another, the low light AF is not as good as full light.

Having learned this, I am more aware and since I have a prism VF screen, I am very very attentive and will correct manually.

Result is rare missteps!

Its bokeh is amazing and I use this lens frequently...

Albert

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[albireo_double]

Another vote for the 120 APO. You will probably find it even cheaper second hand than the 100. Its bokeh is as amazing as that of the 100 - perhaps a bit different but still amazing.

I have the 100 and can confirm what Albert says above - it is tricky in low light. My copy also hunts for focus even in good light, more so than all the other S lenses (but when it settles, it is accurate). Yes, the bokeh is great, even though I almost never use it wide open - when the model moves or I move by a tiny bit, the picture is out of focus (way easier to use any mirrorless camera with CDAF/eye focus in these wide open portrait scenarios). As for the 45, it is very very good but also big and heavy for what is a "bread and butter" focal length. Personally, I tend to use the 35 more often (and there are plenty of them on the s/h market) but that is of course a question of preference. I have done trips with the 35/120 combo which covered most situations splendidly. But of course, a 45/100 pair would have done a great job, too. But then your 70 would end up staying at home.

It is way too easy to spend money on desirable but unnecessary gear (I am as guilty as anyone). If you are not sure, then perhaps buy neither lens now and make the decision later. Your 70 will cover most 45/100 situations easily.

[ZHNL]

I think 100mm Cron S approaching Leica S auto focus limitation. It is mostly a manual lens for me in most portrait situation,  same with 120mm as well for portrait. The focusing is so slow and sloppy with 120. (100mm seems faster but accuracy suck) Even minor movement will keep S busy for another few sec for lock focus if you are in AFC. You for sure will miss moment if you rely on AF during wide aperture shooting. I'd rather use manual focus anyway for nominal distance portrait, just fire a few to catch the moment.   or use AFS, use your body or manual focus to adjust minor distance change between you and your subject. 

For landscape shots,  they both perform fine but you still need to watch out focus error carefully.  

Edited December 4, 2018 by ZHNL

[Daedalus2000]

I follow your work and I am a big fun. Honestly I do not see anything from the 100mm that justifies the expense for your work. Your subjects have usually strong characteristics/expression/colourful clothes etc, so I think you need good sharpness to show us this. The bokeh is not really that important imho. If I were you I would explore a different focal length, either the 120 APO which will give you sharpness and isolation, or the 45mm that will allow you to explore the context more.

 

[hoppyman]

9 hours ago, Agent M10 said:

The 100mm is an 80mm in full frame. The 120mm is a 96mm. The 100mm will give you a more natural look in portraiture than the 120mm. And that's why Leica touts the 100mm specifically for portraits. That's not to say the 120mm can't be used for portraits. But the 120mm will give you a slightly more compressed look.

As a practical matter, I don’t consider the focal length difference effect significant, unless you were setting up a comparison with identical parameters? Just so many variables possible in what and how you shoot. From my very limited try of the 100 it’s capable of great sharpness and micro contrast. At the same time the 120 can deliver pleasing bokeh as well if you want it.

both can demonstrate the tiniest of DoF if used that way

[geetee1972]

After careful reflectin I have decided to send the Summircon-S back. While it is quite spectacular, it's not different enough to warrant the outlay. This is something many of you have already pointed out and it's because of your advice that I've been able to reach my own balanced conclusion. So thank you all.

[hoppyman]

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shall we next hear that you got the 45 instead then? 😉

[geetee1972]

6 hours ago, hoppyman said:

shall we next hear that you got the 45 instead then? 😉

Quite possibly!

[tom0511]

if you dont feel sure what you want I would rather try to resist GAS and concentrate on what you have.

[Dougg]

I have been fortunate to have a bunch of Pentax 67 lenses and an adapter... (45, 55, 75, 90, 100macro, 105, 120 soft, 135macro, 165, 200, 300) So I could relax and use various of these lenses on the S2 over time to determine favorite focal lengths. I so seldom find use for the longer focal lengths that using the Pentax lenses as needed will be fine. Having the excellent P67 45 and 55mm, I was pointed to the Leica 35 as a fine compact useful choice. It turned out I liked the 100 & 105 for walk around as well as the original 70mm, not too close for me. So I got the 100 Summicron, and feel well-satisified with the 35, 70, 100 combination. I don't carry all of them at one time, usually choosing one appropriate for what I have in mind. This method may be useful to others with a more limited selection of "alien" lenses, just pick a couple of likely prospects and the adapter and go shoot!

_Doug_

[Photon42]

On 12/13/2018 at 1:53 PM, geetee1972 said:

Quite possibly!

I told you ... 😂😂😂

[geetee1972]

So I rented a copy of the 45mm over the Christmas period; two days rent gave me a week of use and this was more than enough to confirm that I neither want nor need the 45mm.

Indeed, the whole process has served to confirm that i only need/want one lens at one focal length (or the equivalent FOV), that being ~50mm. I also spent the day with my 70mm Summarit on the beach in Blackpool (how do you explain Blackpool to someone who is not British?) and was just so excited by the results (have a look on the S-Image thread) that any desire for the 100mm melted away.

[HuntingSand]

vor 20 Stunden schrieb geetee1972:

So I rented a copy of the 45mm over the Christmas period; two days rent gave me a week of use and this was more than enough to confirm that I neither want nor need the 45mm.

 

What swayed you if I may ask? I've been looking at the 45 for a while, it's a very fine lens, optically, from what I hear, but a beast to wield, and maybe too fast for its own good (not sure about that one, but making it a tad slower would have exponentially reduced its size perhaps). Anyway, I went the Contax to S adapter route and (for now) use the 645 Contax Distagon 55mm f3.5, a small and flexible lens I can only recommend.
T
(P.S.: Nobody understands Blackpool outside the UK 😊 )

[geetee1972]

4 hours ago, HuntingSand said:

What swayed you if I may ask? I've been looking at the 45 for a while, it's a very fine lens, optically, from what I hear, but a beast to wield, and maybe too fast for its own good (not sure about that one, but making it a tad slower would have exponentially reduced its size perhaps). Anyway, I went the Contax to S adapter route and (for now) use the 645 Contax Distagon 55mm f3.5, a small and flexible lens I can only recommend.
T
(P.S.: Nobody understands Blackpool outside the UK 😊 )

What swayed me was just not needing the 45mm, at least not on a medium format camera. Maybe I could make use of it, but it would be just that, making use of it because I had it. For everything I focus on, the 70mm is a perfect length and on the very rare occassions I might want a MF 45mm I can always get a manual focus lens from Hasselblad or Pentax.

[Daedalus2000]

On 1/2/2019 at 7:47 PM, geetee1972 said:

So I rented a copy of the 45mm over the Christmas period; two days rent gave me a week of use and this was more than enough to confirm that I neither want nor need the 45mm.

Indeed, the whole process has served to confirm that i only need/want one lens at one focal length (or the equivalent FOV), that being ~50mm. I also spent the day with my 70mm Summarit on the beach in Blackpool (how do you explain Blackpool to someone who is not British?) and was just so excited by the results (have a look on the S-Image thread) that any desire for the 100mm melted away.

I think the 70mm is the right lens for you and your images are an inspiration for the rest of us to master the lens as well.

With respect to Blackpool, maybe this series will help someone get a glimpse of what Blackpool is all about?

http://www.dougiewallace.com/blackpool/

 

Edited January 5, 2019 by Daedalus2000

[ropo54]

8 hours ago, Daedalus2000 said:

I think the 70mm is the right lens for you and your images are an inspiration for the rest of us to master the lens as well.

With respect to Blackpool, maybe this series will help someone get a glimpse of what Blackpool is all about?

http://www.dougiewallace.com/blackpool/

 

Great portfolio!  Blackpool is quite the place. Thanks for sharing.

Rob

[HuntingSand]

Am 5.1.2019 um 10:30 schrieb Daedalus2000:

I think the 70mm is the right lens for you and your images are an inspiration for the rest of us to master the lens as well.

With respect to Blackpool, maybe this series will help someone get a glimpse of what Blackpool is all about?

http://www.dougiewallace.com/blackpool/

 

Appreciate the link to the Blackpoolian page, Kostas. Raw stuff, that. 
Thomas