Can I live with a 50mm 'Cron f2?

[kivis]

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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?

[Tom Johnston]

50 'cron all the way. a classic. 

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[frame-it]

38 minutes ago, kivis said:

Am I going to lose a lot of shots in low light w/o an F1.4 lens?

no

[Studienkamera]

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.

[AndreasG]

I use a 50mm Cron since 1986 and still use it today, never had a 50mm Lux and I never missed it.

[Graham (G4FUJ)]

A half stop difference.  I'm sure you'll manage with 400ASA film!

[Helge]

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@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).

 

[Helge]

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

[a.noctilux]

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 😔.

[105012]

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 😀

[Danner]

A Leica photographer would not go wrong having a 50mm Summicron as his only lens, IMHO.  Or, a 35mm Summicron.

[TomB_tx]

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.

[kivis]

THanks all. All good comments.

[spydrxx]

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

[tobey bilek]

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

[FrozenInTime]

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.

[AceVentura1986]

My 50 Cron is easily my favorite lens. 

[colint544]

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. 

[Muso]

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!

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[a.noctilux]

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 ...

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one can be used with my LTM Leica 😉