The 75mm Focal Length

[rsolomon]

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I have the 75 cron, awesome lens.  Love pairing it with my 35 cron or 24 Elmar for street... or whatever really.  For me  the EVF  provided significant increased focus hit rate... I went for the 75 vs 90 for size and weight - if your walking the streets or hiking for hours I think you will find this distinction important.

as for are build and image quality - to me the 75 is tops in both categories. 
 

there was a recent thread on cracking of rubber material inside the mount area... I do not have this, I did have some dust which had to be removed by leica. I don’t know if either of these are typical. I can say hat  I have many years enjoyment from this lens,  when I analyze my favorite photos a good deal are from the 75 cron 

 

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[epand56]

I use (and love) a Voigtlander Color Heliar 75/2.5 LTM that is a small lens but a great performer in spite of the ridiculous price.
Is a sharp lens, not easy to find. With the correct CV adapter the lens it's even been 6bit coded and the camera detect it as a Summarit 75/2.5

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[Jeff S]

7 hours ago, stephengv said:

I also have a 28/35/50 kit. Can the 75mm complement this?

Whatever works for you. No rules.

Jeff

[MrFriendly]

1 hour ago, rsolomon said:

there was a recent thread on cracking of rubber material inside the mount area... I do not have this

It's not rubber.

Take a peace of clean paper towel or a QTip and gently wipe the inner black ring.  What do you get? 

Mine:

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[louys]

I find the 75mm Summarit goes well with the Elmarit 28mm. Between them they cover the range between medium telephoto and medium wide. The Summarit is an enjoyable lens to operate and provides excellent results (when, that is, I manage to get the variables of exposure, focus, etc., right).

[rsolomon]

Thanks, tried with the q-tip and did get something....

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[Likaleica]

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9 hours ago, stephengv said:

Why do you say it is as sharp as the APO-Summicron?

 

I did a lot of testing of the two lenses, comparing on same cameras on a tripod, same exposure settings etc.  Then I looked at them on the monitor and I made prints.  I might could convince myself of a difference on the monitor because I knew which was which, but when I shuffled the prints I could see no difference.  Who cares if one looks sharper or slightly more contrasty on a 29 inch monitor viewed at 200%, and there is no difference when viewed on a smartphone screen, which is probably where 99% of photos are viewed.  

The Apo-Summicron is a beautiful lens, but it is heavier and the floating element can go out of adjustment.  The Summarit has survived falls with me off my bike and other mishaps.  The Apo-Summicron required a trip to the factory after an 18 inch drop onto dirt (fell out of my camera bag when it tilted over).   The Summarit is much lighter, and the throw is less.  

Finally, here are the MTF curves for both at their wide open apertures with the Apo-Summicron on top.  In fact, at f/5.6 the Summarit edges out the Apo-Summicron.  

So, personal experience and Leica's own MTF charts indicate that the two lenses are comparable.  Unfortunately, they stopped making the Summarit line.  Maybe we can convince them to start it back up again, even if in Portugal.

To your original question, the 75mm focal length was for many years my favorite focal length and rarely came off the camera.  I'm now mostly using the 50mm lens.  75 is a great focal length for landscape and a useful lens for street when you want to maintain some distance from your subject.  

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Edited January 3, 2021 by Likaleica

[adan]

12 hours ago, Jeff S said:

I like the 75mm focal length............ but never liked the 75mm frame lines on an M.

I know a lot of other people also say this, but I have never understood it. Can you (or someone) explain why?

The 75mm frames are more complete (in that they define the picture corners, unlike the 50 or 90 frames*) and are generally the most accurate overall. Except in the M8.

I can see that people who mostly use a 50mm might find the 75 lines inside the 50 frames irritating or distracting. Which is one of many reasons I don't use a 50 at all. But there is no similar distraction inside the 75mm lines.

__________________

*except the pre-M4-P 90mm lines, which were more like today's 75mm lines - a dashed box that extends to the corners. Beautiful!

[adan]

Speaking of 75mm Summarit resolution (and "eyelash DoF" ) - here is a full crop from my portrait on the previous page. Which was taken at close to f/2.4., at just under 1m. )

Note teardrop.

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[lct]

9 minutes ago, adan said:

I know a lot of other people also say this, but I have never understood it. Can you (or someone) explain why? [...] 

I can see that people who mostly use a 50mm might find the 75 lines inside the 50 frames irritating or distracting. Which is one of many reasons I don't use a 50 at all. [...]

Your own words. The 75mm frame lines are so distracting that we (at least i) find 50mm photography painful with them. Being my favorite focal length i stopped buying film M cameras after the M4-2 until the M6J was launched. No wonder why i prefer the R-D1 and the M8.2 to the M240 from this viewpoint. 

[oldwino]

Where does the new-ish Voigtlander 75/1.5 fit into all of this? 

[Jeff S]

1 hour ago, adan said:

I know a lot of other people also say this, but I have never understood it. Can you (or someone) explain why?

The 75mm frames are more complete (in that they define the picture corners, unlike the 50 or 90 frames*) and are generally the most accurate overall. Except in the M8.

I can see that people who mostly use a 50mm might find the 75 lines inside the 50 frames irritating or distracting. Which is one of many reasons I don't use a 50 at all. But there is no similar distraction inside the 75mm lines.

__________________

*except the pre-M4-P 90mm lines, which were more like today's 75mm lines - a dashed box that extends to the corners. Beautiful!

I also don’t like eggplant or licorice.  Could relate to early experiences.  With 46 years having a 50 on one camera or another, I quickly leaned to ignore the 75 lines when I got my first M and 50 Summicron about 10 years thereafter.  
 

Jeff

Edited January 3, 2021 by Jeff S

[adan]

1 hour ago, oldwino said:

Where does the new-ish Voigtlander 75/1.5 fit into all of this? 

Where would you like it to fit?

The Nokton f/1.5 is actually the 75mm I am using right now (and in my examples on the previous page, produced the top two pictures).

My sample, at least, is a weird "compilation of greatest hits - and bombs" from all of Leica's 75s (except the Noctilux, which I have never tried).

The weight of the Summarits (more or less = 335g sans hood and caps), the speed of the Summilux (almost), the clarity of the APO-Summicron (at some distances and apertures). More CA (red fringes) wide-open than the APO or Summarit, less than the Summilux (or a 90mm Summarit).

Except that it varies a lot depending on focused distance and aperture. For example, at f/1.5 and long distances it captures amazingly crisp fine detail, but as one focuses closer (especially below 2m), it gets more and more "Summiluxy" and dreamy. But stop down a half-stop (f/2.0) and it crispens up a lot even at 0.7 meters.

But I don't know how well it would handle that tight portrait of the little girl at f/2.4 - no such subject available for the time being.

The corner sharpness generally lags the Leicas a little at most apertures I've used (coma) - but I don't shoot much below f/6.8, so my experience there is incomplete. It did match the 75 Summicron close-up at f/16 (max. DoF under studio flash), but at that point, diffraction is going to equalize most lenses anyway.

It has some barrel distortion - and possibly due to that, it also frames a bit wider than the APO-Summicron, perhaps 1.5% all around. At least at 3m/10feet.

The color rendering is more like the post-2000 Leica lenses (a bit pinker/redder than the slightly cyan/green Summilux or other 1980 Mandler designs).

In general use across various picture types, I find the package of traits to be at least as useful as this or that Leica 75, while the Leicas pull ahead for certain specific situations. It is the old problem of "a jack of all trades vs. a master of one." I tend to need the former rather than the latter - but it will take me until Covid goes away to really put the 75 Nokton through all its paces.

I posted some of my early test samples (with comments) here a couple of months back:

 

[olegn]

On 1/3/2021 at 10:09 PM, adan said:

Speaking of 75mm Summarit resolution (and "eyelash DoF" ) - here is a full crop from my portrait on the previous page. Which was taken at close to f/2.4., at just under 1m. )

Note teardrop.

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If only drop... I can see watches on your hand

[Ko.Fe.]

On 1/3/2021 at 3:53 AM, stephengv said:

I also have a 28/35/50 kit. Can the 75mm complement this?

Why not. And don't forget 90mm as well. And then go over end. Get 21mm.

This is the only way to know for sure where you like it. 

I had 90mm twice and sold. I had 50 so many times and let go all Leica made ones. Just keeping old FSU and Canon one to not so often use.

I use 21mm more often. Can't get used to 28mm. Also had all kind of 28mm and sold.

If I would have more money I would just keep 21, 28, 35, 50, 75 and 90. To compliment it big!

[g2van]

I tried very hard to bond with a 90mm but it was difficult for me so now I've gone to the 75 - maybe I need to up my game for the 75 frameline before I can go back to the 90.

Before my 90, I tried the 75/1.4 - but I didn't really bond with it but now I have the Voigt 75/1.5 and it's really nice and seems easier to focus accurately - it's tiny and light.

For it's price, weight and IQ, I think the Voigt 75 is the best 75 for me. I tried my friend's 7Artisans 75/1.25 but it was way too big and heavy and not the look I was looking for.

 

 

[stephengv]

On 1/4/2021 at 2:22 AM, Likaleica said:

I did a lot of testing of the two lenses, comparing on same cameras on a tripod, same exposure settings etc.  Then I looked at them on the monitor and I made prints.  I might could convince myself of a difference on the monitor because I knew which was which, but when I shuffled the prints I could see no difference.  Who cares if one looks sharper or slightly more contrasty on a 29 inch monitor viewed at 200%, and there is no difference when viewed on a smartphone screen, which is probably where 99% of photos are viewed.  

The Apo-Summicron is a beautiful lens, but it is heavier and the floating element can go out of adjustment.  The Summarit has survived falls with me off my bike and other mishaps.  The Apo-Summicron required a trip to the factory after an 18 inch drop onto dirt (fell out of my camera bag when it tilted over).   The Summarit is much lighter, and the throw is less.  

Finally, here are the MTF curves for both at their wide open apertures with the Apo-Summicron on top.  In fact, at f/5.6 the Summarit edges out the Apo-Summicron.  

So, personal experience and Leica's own MTF charts indicate that the two lenses are comparable.  Unfortunately, they stopped making the Summarit line.  Maybe we can convince them to start it back up again, even if in Portugal.

To your original question, the 75mm focal length was for many years my favorite focal length and rarely came off the camera.  I'm now mostly using the 50mm lens.  75 is a great focal length for landscape and a useful lens for street when you want to maintain some distance from your subject.  

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Thank you for this. can you show the comparison shots with the 75 apo and the 75 summarit 2.4? If possible, thank you. 

[stephengv]

On 1/4/2021 at 3:09 AM, adan said:

Speaking of 75mm Summarit resolution (and "eyelash DoF" ) - here is a full crop from my portrait on the previous page. Which was taken at close to f/2.4., at just under 1m. )

Note teardrop.

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Wow. this is really sharp. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[lct]

DoF rendering of 75/1.4 v2 and 75/2 apo. Déjà vu sorry but useful IMO.

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[pippy]

25 minutes ago, lct said:

DoF rendering of 75/1.4 v2 and 75/2 apo. Déjà vu sorry but useful IMO.

Very interesting.

Out of curiosity; was the focus point at minimum focus and (pardon my ignorance) is the min/focus the same for both lenses?

Philip.