kivis Posted July 30, 2021 Share #1 Â Posted July 30, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) Can I live with a 50mm 'Cron f2 on my M-A instead of a "lux f1.4? I shoot strictly with 400 ISO film. Am I going to lose a lot of shots in low light w/o an F1.4 lens? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 Hi kivis, Take a look here Can I live with a 50mm 'Cron f2?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Tom Johnston Posted July 30, 2021 Share #2  Posted July 30, 2021 50 'cron all the way. a classic. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frame-it Posted July 30, 2021 Share #3 Â Posted July 30, 2021 38 minutes ago, kivis said: Am I going to lose a lot of shots in low light w/o an F1.4 lens? no 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 30, 2021 Share #4 Â Posted July 30, 2021 1 hour ago, kivis said: Can I live with a 50mm 'Cron f2 on my M-A instead of a "lux f1.4? Only if it is the silver chrome version! Just kidding. I survived 15 years with a Summicron 50mm only. Guess you can do it as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreasG Posted July 30, 2021 Share #5 Â Posted July 30, 2021 I use a 50mm Cron since 1986 and still use it today, never had a 50mm Lux and I never missed it. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham (G4FUJ) Posted July 30, 2021 Share #6  Posted July 30, 2021 A half stop difference. I'm sure you'll manage with 400ASA film! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helge Posted July 30, 2021 Share #7 Â Posted July 30, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) @kivisI don't think that available light will affect you really, using the Tri-X. However, I appreciate a lot the reduced depth of field at open iris, which is at 2 m distance for 2.0 (Summicron) at about 1,9m - 2.1m (~+-10cm) and for 1.4 (Summilux) 1,93m -2.07m (~+- 7cm). That might make a difference in some cases, in some not, that depends on your preferences (and sometimes too many pictures taken with open iris get boring). Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helge Posted July 30, 2021 Share #8  Posted July 30, 2021 (edited) vor 53 Minuten schrieb Graham (G4FUJ): A half stop difference. I'm sure you'll manage with 400ASA film! It's rather a full stop 😉 (between Summicron and Summilux) Edited July 30, 2021 by Helge 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted July 30, 2021 Share #9  Posted July 30, 2021 As side note, I'm happy to be able (rarely) to choose Summilux/Noctilux even when I fancy to use Tmax 3200 in not so dark event. Hand held, 1/15 s is NOT 1/60 s or 1/125 s when the subjects move faster than planned. I know, dof can be limiting factor, but from 10-15m, dof can be large enough for f/1.4/1.  That said, I'm happy to carry Summicron all day, or better now Summarit-M 2.5/50 😔. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
105012 Posted July 30, 2021 Share #10  Posted July 30, 2021 Think of the start of the Leica era: f3.5 and ISO 50 (Scheiner 23) films (often orthochromatic as well)! An f/2 lens and ISO 400 is luxury 😀 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Posted July 30, 2021 Share #11  Posted July 30, 2021 A Leica photographer would not go wrong having a 50mm Summicron as his only lens, IMHO.  Or, a 35mm Summicron. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted July 30, 2021 Share #12  Posted July 30, 2021 I bought my M4 & 50 Summicron in 1968-9 and used it for available light reportage work in college and later in very dim settings. For indoor sports I would use Tri-X at 1200 EI, developed in Acufine, but for most use 400 was fine. I've used that 50 Summicron as my main lens for over 40 years. After getting an M9 I added a new Summicron 50 for it. I used 50 f1.4 lenses on my SLRs, which made it easier to focus them in dim light - but with an M camera it isn't needed, and the M is easier to focus in dim light anyway. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kivis Posted July 30, 2021 Author Share #13 Â Posted July 30, 2021 THanks all. All good comments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted July 30, 2021 Share #14  Posted July 30, 2021 (edited) Had both a 50 Summicron and Summilux. Preferred the Cron for all of my shots. Thought the Lux would take care of lower light situations until I actually tried it in an important shooting session. Very disappointed. Subsequently used the Cron and sold the Lux. Never had any regrets. I guess I expected more than I was able to get out of the Lux. I do agree that the extra stop may be useful on a SLR if the viewing lens is manufactured to take advantage of a wider f stop, although many were made to a 2.8 or 2.0 aperture and didn't improve with a wider aperture. Edited July 30, 2021 by spydrxx 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted July 30, 2021 Share #15  Posted July 30, 2021 Cron is better lens for 99% of photos.  I could never find a Lux I liked until the current one came out.  Fantastic, but not a budget lens. Buy a current Cron if possible.  Collapsible is not the best.  Rigids are nice but old and have softish coatings.  Sharp at F2 is confined to center area and improved with each generation. APO 50 is super first class  and my best one.  In my experience, low light shots are rarely good as too much contrast is in scene Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted July 30, 2021 Share #16  Posted July 30, 2021 If you have primarily been a digital camera user, then indoors on film, you will struggle to keep the same level of shadow detail without adding an extra stop or so of exposure. Shadows block up with faster and/or pushed films and contrast rises, so unless that's the look you are after, a faster lens becomes worthwhile once the light levels get to where it is difficult to read newspaper text. On digital these days f/2 will cover almost any situation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceVentura1986 Posted July 31, 2021 Share #17  Posted July 31, 2021 My 50 Cron is easily my favorite lens. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colint544 Posted July 31, 2021 Share #18  Posted July 31, 2021 You can't go wrong with a 50 Summicron. An M camera handles perfectly when fitted with this lens. Fit the Summilux and the camera becomes front heavy, bigger, and there is more finder blockage. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muso Posted August 7, 2021 Share #19  Posted August 7, 2021 I love my 50 Summicron.  It's so good that it took Leica $5,400 to improve on it with the APO-Summicron 😉 But seriously, everything about this lens is superb - it's sharp, it's contrasty, yet it has a "look."  I can't say if you can live with it, but I sure can! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted August 7, 2021 Share #20  Posted August 7, 2021 Do Leica still sell plain Summicron-M 50mm new ? Not that I need one, having kept two'special editions' in silver chrome. I had some black units, sold them all to some young users at reasonable price to help them knowing the Summicron 50 wonder. my now two ... 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!  one can be used with my LTM Leica 😉  6 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  one can be used with my LTM Leica 😉  ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/323148-can-i-live-with-a-50mm-cron-f2/?do=findComment&comment=4252706'>More sharing options...
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