Nikon, with Leica M glasses

[MichaelthePhotographer]

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On 3/24/2021 at 4:04 PM, Einst_Stein said:

The original question was about which non-Leica camera works better with Leica prime lenses, the particular concern is the popular standard to wide angle primes (28~50) . I had some experience with Sony but not Canon and Nikon. I am looking for opinions of various experiences. 

 

I did some tests using a Nikon Z5 and the Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH FL (11663) adapting the lens on the camera using Novoflex and FotoFox adaptors.

In my tests I found that the Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH FL is an incredible lens even when used on a low end mirrorless camera.  I'm not too worried about the vignetting as i plan on shooting this and the Leica APO-Summicron-M 90mm f2 ASPH that I also purchased all the way open.  Most of the imagery I will use these lenses for will likely never see f/8 or smaller.  

The reason for my tests was to decide if I will purchase Leica M Camera bodies to supplement my gear or adapt to Nikon which is where I currently have a substantial investment in lenses and other equipment.

For the photographs of people the aperture is set at f/1.4, for the grave marker the aperture is set at f/2.8.

No extra sharpening was added to the files.  These files were captured as Nikon NEF but I used the Monochrome setting in camera with a slight addition of a Green filter.  All the images were processed with Adobe Bridge using ACR.  I did add some contrast to some of the images but did it globally as I need to learn what lighting conditions give me my best results.

As far as I'm concerned I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I am with the results.

I await your comments.

 

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Edited May 2, 2021 by MichaelthePhotographer
additional information on digital processing

[Louis]

A very nice set. I am also doing lots of shots with Nikkor lenses on Leica T and CL, and although quite old, they work really nice!

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[werner__]

vor 8 Stunden schrieb Louis:

A very nice set. I am also doing lots of shots with Nikkor lenses on Leica T and CL, and although quite old, they work really nice!

I am also quite sure, Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses, is a very good camera equipment. To compare a Nikon and a Leica from the eighties of the last cenury, it`s not easy to say, which system is the better one

[Louis]

4 hours ago, werner__ said:

I am also quite sure, Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses, is a very good camera equipment. To compare a Nikon and a Leica from the eighties of the last cenury, it`s not easy to say, which system is the better one

As the matter of fact, I still have a rare and fantastic Angenieux 35-70mm zoom with a Nikon mount. It is too big and unbalanced to use it my small Leica aps-s. It is on a shelf and I am thinking of selling it.

[fotografr]

Your results are very good. The 35mm lens you used is an excellent performer. I think a warning is in order here. You already have one foot down the rabbit hole. If you purchase a Leica M body to go with your lenses you'll be all the way down and there's no climbing back out.

I noticed a couple of things in your comments that need clarification. You mentioned that you used the monochrome setting but also that the images were captured as NEF (Nikon Raw). A raw file would be unaffected by this setting. When you use the monochrome setting, only the jpeg is affected. The raw file would still open as a color image and would need to be converted. Perhaps you had your camera set to capture both NEF and jpeg?

The other thing that caught my attention was that you said you weren't concerned about vignetting because the lenses would be used wide open and never at apertures smaller than f8. Vignetting is most pronounced at the wide open apertures and diminishes as you stop down, not the reverse.

Cheers! 

Brent

Edited May 3, 2021 by fotografr

[Henry Taylor]

Very nice set -  I also  use my Leica lenses  with my Nikons. One lens in particular my 350 mm R which I had adapted to  the Nikon N Mount  and shoot it with my M600 at air shows. Works out better then my other Nikon lenses 

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[fotografr]

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9 minutes ago, Henry Taylor said:

Very nice set -  I also  use my Leica lenses  with my Nikons. One lens in particular my 350 mm R which I had adapted to  the Nikon N Mount  and shoot it with my M600 at air shows. Works out better then my other Nikon lenses 

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That's really, really sharp. You can almost read the pilot's name tag. 

I don't think I'd want to fly a plane with the huge letters, "ED" right below the cockpit. 😉 

[Henry Taylor]

2 minutes ago, fotografr said:

That's really, really sharp. You can almost read the pilot's name tag. 

I don't think I'd want to fly a plane with the huge letters, "ED" right below the cockpit. 😉 

Brent When I started using the R 350 the price was very reasonable but now so many people realize how great this lens is that the price has trippled

2 minutes ago, fotografr said:

That's really, really sharp You can almost read the pilot's name tag. 

I don't think I'd want to fly a plane with the huge letters, "ED" right below the cockpit. 😉 

 

2 minutes ago, fotografr said:

That's really, really sharp. You can almost read the pilot's name tag. 

I don't think I'd want to fly a plane with the huge letters, "ED" right below the cockpit. 😉 

 

[MichaelthePhotographer]

15 hours ago, Louis said:

A very nice set. I am also doing lots of shots with Nikkor lenses on Leica T and CL, and although quite old, they work really nice!

Thank you.

I know that some the older Nikkor lenses have very desirable "flaws" or so say the younger generation of up and coming photographers.  I too have collected some older Nikkor glass as well and am looking forward to adapting it and using it on mirrorless as well.  Currently, I'm primarily interested in getting the best bang for the monies invested with the ability to shoot wide open and these Leica lenses seem to rise up that level of quality.

[MichaelthePhotographer]

7 hours ago, werner__ said:

I am also quite sure, Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses, is a very good camera equipment. To compare a Nikon and a Leica from the eighties of the last cenury, it`s not easy to say, which system is the better one

I will agree with you that Nikkor lenses and Nikon cameras have made some notable and very high quality equipment.  I will also agree that the Leica film gear that I used early in my career (30 years professional) as I started in the early 80's was outstanding; but unfortunately it was difficult to afford early in my career.

I'm looking forward to learning which Leica equipment will give me the unparalleled quality I want for my imagery going forward.

[MichaelthePhotographer]

2 hours ago, Louis said:

As the matter of fact, I still have a rare and fantastic Angenieux 35-70mm zoom with a Nikon mount. It is too big and unbalanced to use it my small Leica aps-s. It is on a shelf and I am thinking of selling it.

I owned an Angenieux 35-70mm as well for a number of years prior to Nikon finally getting theirs out.

[MichaelthePhotographer]

3 hours ago, fotografr said:

Your results are very good. The 35mm lens you used is an excellent performer. I think a warning is in order here. You already have one foot down the rabbit hole. If you purchase a Leica M body to go with your lenses you'll be all the way down and there's no climbing back out.

I noticed a couple of things in your comments that need clarification. You mentioned that you used the monochrome setting but also that the images were captured as NEF (Nikon Raw). A raw file would be unaffected by this setting. When you use the monochrome setting, only the jpeg is affected. The raw file would still open as a color image and would need to be converted. Perhaps you had your camera set to capture both NEF and jpeg?

The other thing that caught my attention was that you said you weren't concerned about vignetting because the lenses would be used wide open and never at apertures smaller than f8. Vignetting is most pronounced at the wide open apertures and diminishes as you stop down, not the reverse.

Cheers! 

Brent

Thank you for the compliments.

Yes that Leica 35mm Summilux-M is one excellent lens.  I'm finding that even after 30 years in the business to be as precise as possible these lenses have a learning curve.  

You are also correct about the NEF and the Monochrome setting made in camera as the Monochrome setting only affects the jpeg; but what I did do with the contrast globally was match the color NEF file to the jpeg for my final image.  I'm sure that if I work with the Adjustment Brush in ACR I can selectively make the image pop more but these tests are just the beginning as I've only had this lens for about a month and finding subject matter to do tests with is difficult with the pandemic.  

You are correct as well regarding the vignetting of this lens; but this is part of the character of the lens, and I love that character.  I want my background to be as swirly as possible so I'm not going to shoot these lenses any lower than f2.8 unless I'm in the studio using studio lighting and even then if I do stop down I'll use ACR to drop in a slight vignette.  

I want my imagery to be high quality and I'm happy to continue this dialogue as it will help me understand the system better. 

Thank you very much for your input, I appreciate the feedback.

Edited May 3, 2021 by MichaelthePhotographer

[fotografr]

Michael, is your primary interest now b&w photography or do you go back and forth?

[MichaelthePhotographer]

1 hour ago, fotografr said:

Michael, is your primary interest now b&w photography or do you go back and forth?

Personally I prefer B&W because that's what I grew up on.

Unfortunately when I started shooting for clients 80% of what I did; I did for the money with the balance for the love of the art which there wasn't a lot left at the end of the day.

Moving forward I will go whichever direction my future clients want me to go when I'm able to start shooting for myself again.......which I'm precluded from doing until March 2, 2022 because of contractual obligations and the retirement that the pandemic "forced" upon me.  Once that contract concludes I'm going to hit the ground running which is why I'm biding my time waiting to see what works best for me from these tests I'm doing now.  Additionally I will have a retirement (from being the in-house photographer of 20 years) for which I will be able to afford to be very selective in which work I'm interested in taking.  

What's your photographic passion?

[fotografr]

18 minutes ago, MichaelthePhotographer said:

Personally I prefer B&W because that's what I grew up on.

Unfortunately when I started shooting for clients 80% of what I did; I did for the money with the balance for the love of the art which there wasn't a lot left at the end of the day.

Moving forward I will go whichever direction my future clients want me to go when I'm able to start shooting for myself again.......which I'm precluded from doing until March 2, 2022 because of contractual obligations and the retirement that the pandemic "forced" upon me.  Once that contract concludes I'm going to hit the ground running which is why I'm biding my time waiting to see what works best for me from these tests I'm doing now.  Additionally I will have a retirement (from being the in-house photographer of 20 years) for which I will be able to afford to be very selective in which work I'm interested in taking.  

What's your photographic passion?

Your story is a lot like mine. I shot professionally for nearly 40 years and had to shoot color because that's what clients demanded. My preference now is b&w, but I've been shooting both since retiring. If I had to choose one or the other, it would definitely be b&w. 

[MichaelthePhotographer]

5 hours ago, Henry Taylor said:

Very nice set -  I also  use my Leica lenses  with my Nikons. One lens in particular my 350 mm R which I had adapted to  the Nikon N Mount  and shoot it with my M600 at air shows. Works out better then my other Nikon lenses 

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

Great shot!

[Henry Taylor]

11 hours ago, Louis said:

As the matter of fact, I still have a rare and fantastic Angenieux 35-70mm zoom with a Nikon mount. It is too big and unbalanced to use it my small Leica aps-s. It is on a shelf and I am thinking of selling it.

Great Lens Louis I sold mine too

By the way when I got out of the Marine Corps (1956) I bought my first reflex an Exakta XV with two Angenieux lenses, a 35mm  and a 90mm with a Steinheil  55mm. Wish I keep them  

Edited May 4, 2021 by Henry Taylor
added more

[stuny]

A very nice set.