RDJ Posted February 19 Share #1 Posted February 19 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) I have a mint code 11118 50/2 that produces very nice images at f/4. I’m thinking of buying a Rigid V2, 11817 or 11819 for improved aperture handling, f/2.8 image clarity close up while retaining the smooth background blurs of the collapsible. I want a lens with medium contrast to match my 35/2 V2 and a tele-elmarit 90/2.8. I’m not interested in a rigid with closeup glasses. The V3 11817s are available in excellent condition and price. The earlier rigid type 2 is hard to find with clean glass. V4 with tab is reported to have a modern contrast. I read the 11817 has higher center perceived sharpness over V2 but how does it perform close in at 4 ft? What lens is recommended? Edited February 19 by RDJ Clarity Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 19 Posted February 19 Hi RDJ, Take a look here Which Mandler 50mm for portraits at 4-5 ft.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Almizilero Posted February 19 Share #2 Posted February 19 vor 53 Minuten schrieb Al Brown: The awesome 50mm for portraits at this distance is the king, 50 lux pre-asph v2. I second that. Stumbled upon it at a Leica Store and the search for “my” 50 was over. Instant love! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
st4u Posted February 19 Share #3 Posted February 19 (edited) A full-body portrait of a different kind... Summilux 50mm pre E46, aperture 1.4, SL 601, just out of the box, 2023 Oct 28th, Tuzla, BIH 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! additonally: CANON Dream lens 0,95 converted to M, but take care for getting good lenses... regards Chris Edited February 19 by st4u Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! additonally: CANON Dream lens 0,95 converted to M, but take care for getting good lenses... regards Chris ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419359-which-mandler-50mm-for-portraits-at-4-5-ft/?do=findComment&comment=5759849'>More sharing options...
Vanillasludge Posted February 19 Share #4 Posted February 19 In my experience all of the Summicron lenses perform particularly well in close distances. My favorite is the v3, followed by the v1 for black and white images. Sorry I don’t have a portrait unless you count the cute face of an old truck. V3 at full aperture, probably around 6ft. best wishes 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! 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419359-which-mandler-50mm-for-portraits-at-4-5-ft/?do=findComment&comment=5759871'>More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted February 19 Share #5 Posted February 19 (edited) I find portraits at that distance too difficult. If any part of the body is significantly closer to the camera than normal it gets bigger e.g. shoulders. And after a while looking at just faces shot that close up, you begin to notice noses out of proportion to ears, and an impression of 'fatness' to the face, etc. It's a particular portraiture style - as valid as any other, of course - which I don't find attractive. I have no problem with 50mm at greater distances; I had the 50mm Summilux-M pre-asph v2 for a while, but I prefer 35mm and 75mm - I sold it for lack of use. Edited February 19 by LocalHero1953 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted February 19 Share #6 Posted February 19 (edited) 12 hours ago, RDJ said: [...] I want a lens with medium contrast to match my 35/2 V2 and a tele-elmarit 90/2.8. I’m not interested in a rigid with closeup glasses [...] As for the Summicron 50/2 DR, you don't need its goggles on digital in LV mode. It is a sharp lens on closeups though and it cannot fit all digital bodies. Otherwise i'd vote for the Summilux 50/1.4 v3. I have a v2 too but i find the 1m MFD too limiting. My other votes would go for the Sonnar 50/1.5 if you can manage its focus shift or the Nokton 50/1.5 SC v2. BTW i understand that you don't like it but some of my favorite portraits have been shot with the Summicron 50/2 v4 at f/2. I have good memories of the Summicron 50/2 v3 too but it is a lens i used too long ago to be sure. We have good colleagues here who like it much though. Edited February 19 by lct 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexffm Posted February 19 Share #7 Posted February 19 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, it's not a mandler but from my point of view an interessting lens. The Summicron 50 riged (11818R). __________________________________________________________________________________________________ I dug out the old Summicron 50 riged (11818R) and took a few pictures on the M11M. Only minimally edited... Part of the Gutenberg monument on Goetheplatz in Frankfurt, Germany. M 11 Monochrom with Summicron-M 1:2 /50 V2 (riged) from the year of my birthday (1968), ISO 125, f2, 1/350 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419359-which-mandler-50mm-for-portraits-at-4-5-ft/?do=findComment&comment=5759923'>More sharing options...
Biotar Posted February 19 Share #8 Posted February 19 vor 6 Stunden schrieb Al Brown: The awesome 50mm for portraits at this distance is the king, 50 lux pre-asph v2. +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
3D-Kraft.com Posted February 19 Share #9 Posted February 19 I would use a 75mm lens for portraits (but for mor than half body shots 50mm is also ok). If 50mm, my favourite is the 50/1.0 Noctilux. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 19 Share #10 Posted February 19 (edited) 28 minutes ago, 3D-Kraft.com said: ...If 50mm, my favourite is the 50/1.0 Noctilux... For portraiture? At f1.0? I'm not sure any sitter would feel flattered with the results... Philip. Edited February 19 by pippy 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
costa43 Posted February 19 Share #11 Posted February 19 I have the 50mm Summilux pre asph and it does a fine job with portraits but if you want the best then the 75mm Summilux by Mandler is the all time classic portrait lens full stop imo. Check the thread out on here, some lovely photos. It carries the same optical formula as the Nocti f1 I believe. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 19 Share #12 Posted February 19 5 minutes ago, Al Brown said: ...Of course the Noctilux can do well at other f-stops... Absolutely! The 50mm Noctilux series are fine lenses and can do most things well but if the Noctilux is only going to be used for portraiture at apertures below f1.0 why should the OP consider buying one in the first place? Oddly enough through having done some studio test-card shots today I'd quite like to see how my 1953 50mm f1.5 Summarit (M) would handle portraiture. The 'torture-test' results in terms of resolution from f2.8 down were supremely surprising to put it mildly! Philip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapbook Posted February 19 Share #13 Posted February 19 vor 2 Stunden schrieb pippy: The 'torture-test' results in terms of resolution from f2.8 down were supremely surprising to put it mildly! 👍 I love this lens for black-and-white-portraits (though it is no Mandler-lens) . Claus 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 19 Share #14 Posted February 19 (edited) 3 hours ago, Al Brown said: ...Of course the Noctilux can do well at other f-stops, exactly the reason why I got its superior version, the Nokton 50/1.0... Your comment had me thinking about 'Not-Quite-a-Noctilux' options and I do very much like the rendering which can be achieved with the (much-reviled-hereabouts 😸) 7 Artisan 50mm f1.1 lens. Here is a - very informal! - 'portrait' snap taken at near-MFD at f1.4 (camera was an M9-P if that matters); 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! Philip. Edited February 19 by pippy 10 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Philip. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419359-which-mandler-50mm-for-portraits-at-4-5-ft/?do=findComment&comment=5760200'>More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 19 Share #15 Posted February 19 1 hour ago, Scrapbook said: 👍 I love this lens for black-and-white-portraits (though it is no Mandler-lens) . Claus Thanks for your recommendation, Claus, as your comment will definitely spur me on to trying it out for myself. No; it's certainly not a Mandler lens! The Summarit's optical design actually dates back to (the 26th December) 1930 and was created by an optical designer working for Taylor, Taylor and Hobson who was named Horace William Lee. Interesting story about the history of the Summarit and its ancestor the Xenon and how - and why in 1936 - Leitz licensed the optical design from TTH at that particular moment in time... 🙂 Philip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
3D-Kraft.com Posted February 20 Share #16 Posted February 20 (edited) vor 19 Stunden schrieb pippy: For portraiture? At f1.0? I'm not sure any sitter would feel flattered with the results... Usually more than with more narrowly stopped down apertures. Depends on environment and taste. vor 16 Stunden schrieb pippy: Here is a - very informal! - 'portrait' snap taken at near-MFD at f1.4 (camera was an M9-P if that matters) Two persons in front of a plain white background indeed do not require f/1.0. In these situations I tend to stop down to f/2 or f/2.8. Edited February 20 by 3D-Kraft.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 20 Share #17 Posted February 20 8 hours ago, 3D-Kraft.com said: Usually more than with more narrowly stopped down apertures. Depends on environment and taste.... Two persons in front of a plain white background indeed do not require f/1.0. In these situations I tend to stop down to f/2 or f/2.8. My comment regarding the Noctilux was actually to do with the question asked by the OP in post #1 where they are specifically asking for recommendations for a lens to be used for Portraiture. I agree completely that in certain situations and under certain circumstances a Noctilux can be used to create wonderful portrait photographs but, at the same time, it could never be recommended as a general 'Go-To' for such a purpose. Not if used at f1.0 (or whatever) and if a smaller aperture is to be used then a Noctilux is not going to be the best option - in terms of a prospective purchase - anyhow. For the OP (IMO; YMMV) a v3 / v4 Summicron would be a far better choice. It would be sharper, smaller, lighter, have no finder-blockage and would also cost a fraction of the price into the bargain. As far as the snap posted earlier is concerned I reasoned that to get all eyes 'sharp enough' f1.1 wouldn't be sufficient hence the f1.4 as mentioned in the post; those extra few centimetres of D-o-F do matter. Philip. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmknoble Posted February 23 Share #18 Posted February 23 Since the OP asked about Mandler lenses, then I will +1 the Noctilux 1.0 and 75 Summilux. The OP asked about 4-5 feet, and did not specify wide open. Shooting either of these lenses +1/2 f/stop still provides very nice out of focus areas and the thin DOF is a wonderful portrait lens if focusing on the eyes. The entire face does not need to be in focus, nor the hair to the back of the head. So it is also correct that it depends exactly on what style you want. Mark Mann uses the Leica S 120mm lens at f/2.5, wide open and gets very thin DOF portraits. He also makes a great living at it, so the DOF is still a choice. The rigid 50, even at f/2.8 is still very soft and at close ranges, typically needs f/4 or more. That is true of many of the earliest versions of 35 and 50mm lenses. The close range was improved as time went on. IMHO. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDJ Posted April 19 Author Share #19 Posted April 19 I ended up buying a DR. I could not be happier with its sharpness and OOF qualities. Of course a longer focal length would be better for portraits but I am limiting myself to a 50mm. The image below was at f/2.8. 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! 6 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419359-which-mandler-50mm-for-portraits-at-4-5-ft/?do=findComment&comment=5788664'>More sharing options...
105012 Posted April 19 Share #20 Posted April 19 Good choice, the early Summicron's are very fine portrait lenses (in addition to general purpose), in my experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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