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Advice on 75 mm lens


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wparsonsgisnet, those pictures are a really nice contrast between those 2 focal lengths. And, that is exactly why I returned my 75. Too hard to focus and too similar in focal length to my 50.

 

But, I had a hard time returning it because I loved it for its DOF and bokeh. It was a fantastic lens. In a 2 lens kit with a 50 and a 28, it just didn't make sense as the next choice. I also figured I could snag a 1.4 lux that would have some advantages over the 2.0 cron I returned... like cheaper and short DOF and great bokeh.

 

Just curious, did you have a 90mm to try?

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Auni, my 90 'cron resides with my #1 son in Cal------a. It was recently CLA'd and the improvement was terrific, but it's hard to focus as well.

 

The difficulty of focus and the narrow dof are why I didn't use the 75 during the game. Incidentally, this is my first game where I tried to use the 75. In previous game situations, I used the 50 'lux-a and the 35 'lux-a, but without stopping down (not enuf light). 'Course in a professional stadium (read: college sports arena), there was enuf light to stop down to 2.8.

 

So, I don't have the 90 at hand, but it's even softer than the 75 'lux. I wouldn't want it for this purpose. It's a 50-year-old lens, after all. Takes nice portraits, tho.

 

I think these pix are ok. I'm working with some from the end of the game and I've got some nice action shots.

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I think they look great. Those that like the softer focus and the isolation of subjects are going to like the 75-lux. Those that like the bright, contrasty, crisp, and wider DOF are going to love your shots with the 50-lux... that would be me and I love that 50-lux.

 

For someone who has several lenses (you not me yet) I think that having the 50 lux for something like this and the 75-lux for portrait is about perfect.

 

ps. I'm realizing the 75-lux is a classic gem. Hope to have one in my bag someday.

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Hi, Bill. I'd love to see some action shots. I remember last winter there was some discussion of shooting basketball from courtside and RobSteve showed shots using a Noctilux in which he follow-focused as the players drove to the basket. Did you try to follow, or focus on the floor and shoot when the players got there?

 

scott

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Safe the money and get yourself a Voigtlander 75/f2.5 Color Heliar.

Outstanding lens. Better than Summarit and easily competes with Summicron.

No brainer.

 

PS: Since it's a screw mount lens, it's easily coded if you prefer so. Yet at this focal length you won't need to.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Absolutely. I don't often use the 75, but the Heliar does the job nicely when needed. Looking forward to seeing how it performs as a 150 on my G1.

 

large.jpg

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Hi, Bill. I'd love to see some action shots. I remember last winter there was some discussion of shooting basketball from courtside and RobSteve showed shots using a Noctilux in which he follow-focused as the players drove to the basket. Did you try to follow, or focus on the floor and shoot when the players got there?

 

scott

 

Scott, I prefocus, or else I zone focus. My first time shooting a soccer game, I got right next to the goal -- and, of course, got nothing, because everyone was *always* out of focus.

 

At the next game, I put myself along the sideline and choose a focus location. This means I did get some shots; about 1/2.

 

In the case of the game last nite, I stayed focussed on the net and closed down to 2.8 so I'd have a little dof. The focus point was about 25 feet, so the dof is pretty good.

 

With regard to the Nocti, I used one for several years and often shot from the wings using it, again prefocusing. I have a special shot of the bride, in the air, in a leap, that is dear to my heart. I can't believe how many shots with tri-x at iso 400 and 1/250 I shot at f1.0. Now, I'm at iso 1250. How nice having that speed in my pocket...er, side pouch.

 

Yeah, I remember RobSteve's shots. The are terrific.

 

BTW, did you get your "Many Eyes?"

 

Regards,

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I have the 28cron and the 50 lux and had a 75 cron. It is just too close to the 50 IMHO. If you had a hard time focusing the 90 then the 75 won't be a lot easier. That was my experience.

 

Mine was different - I struggle with the 90 Elmarit with the 1.25x magnifier, but get a lot of keepers with the 75 Summicron, which I think is my favourite lens. But I rarely shoot the 50 FL so it was worth the money for me.

 

75 Summicron:

 

407407933_tmGpF-XL.jpg

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akiriax... nice shot. But that is a portrait shot set up with lots and lots of time to get the focus right. I had no trouble with that either. But, when shooting the 75 cron around as a candid lens in a room full of people I found it a little hard to focus quickly even with the 1.33 magnifier. Just liked the 50-lux much more.

 

I understand that this lens(focal length) was used for years as a reportage lens and it got a lot of great portraits of famous people. You and a lot of other people seem to do fine with this lens. Maybe with more experience I'll have an easier time with it when I come back to it in the future.

 

Also, on a FF-M I think it will be fantastic for me as I like the 50mm on my M8(x1.33) so much.

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here's some frames made with M8 + 75 Summilux @ 1.4.

It should speak to why this is one of my fav's.

 

 

I would have gone for the 75 APO but I wanted the extra stop...

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Another 75 lux lover here. Nice shots Jesse, I also do a lot of dungeon band shooting but needing the extra light is not the only reason I let my 75 cron go and kept the lux. The lux has a signature at 1.4 and 2 that is special and unique.. By 2.8 it is very much like the cron, with more contrast, punch and saturation, but I usually go for the less contrasty. dreamier look of the lux opened up. best...Peter

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Now's a good time to get into the game with a 75. I personally own a 75 'lux and 75 summarit. I have not had experience with the summicron. I can tell you that the Summarit is an adept performed for most applications and is small and definitely travel worthy. Technically, it's a beautiful lens.

 

The Summilux, on the other hand, is a true masterpiece due to its low light capacity and unique signature with portrait shooting. Personally, I think it's one of the most unique glass available for modern 35 mm photography and versatile.

 

It seems that a few of these have just come on the used market (maybe the economy), so now may be a good time to pick one of these up, as they were much rarer (and more expensive). My understanding is the the 75 'cron is a "technically better" lens (whatever that means), in terms of controlling aberration and in terms of sharpness, but stopped down, the lux is a great performer. Plus you get better low light capacity for equal or better pricing. Plus, the summarit has been remarked upon as having similar sharpness and quality of image as the cron at a much cheaper price.

 

So my recommendation, in summary

1. Get the Summilux if you like a signature look or want the best low light capacity

2. Get the Summarit if price is an option

3. Get the Summicron if you want the best technically performing lens

 

From your comments regarding function over pixel peeping/Erwin Putz evals, I would suspect that the benefits of the Summicron may not be needed your everyday photography needs, but truly, only you can know that.

 

If you had to push me, I'd say: GET THE LUX....GET THE LUX...GET THE LUX = )!

 

Best,

Ashwin

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I had the 75 "cron for a short time. I loved the short re designed focus "throw". I loved the quality of the lens. Images were superb.

I hated ...... really hated ... the stupid picture corners in the finder the 75 gets. I found composition difficult. And sometimes I forgot a 75 was on the camera and framed with the 50mm lines.

If only Leica would have a better framing formula for the 75 .....

Maybe others can get used to the picture corners .... I can't see how.

Faced with the idea I might have to buy an external finder, I decided to bail out.

 

My 50 "cron is on "in a way" a 75 for me.

 

just some feelings on the 75 not in any way advice

 

Rafael

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Actually it's interesting that Rafael mentions the 75 'cron's short focus throw (90 degrees turn of the lens barrel from infinity to .7 meters).

 

This is actually, IMHO the worst feature to the lens (and also applies to the Summarit).

 

A short focus throw means a big shift in focus for very small movements of the focus ring, and I have personally determined that this is why I have such unpredictable focus issues with the 75 ASMA, whereas I have fewer problems with an old 1980 90 f/2, even though it has less DOF, because it also has a full 180 degrees of travel to focus from infinity to 1 meter.

 

Even my 50mm f/2 has a longer focus throw (110 degrees roughly) than the 75s 90 degrees.

 

Breath hard on the 75 'cron's focus ring and it will move enough to noticeably defocus the image. Frustrating - because it is a very nice lens otherwise, but ends up being a $3295 mediocrity in the majority of pictures. I know - I've bought and then dumped this lens at least 6 times since it was introduced.

 

Otherwise I agree with Rafael - the 50 and 90 have better framelines than the 75, and on the M8, "50 is the new 75".

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akiriax... nice shot. But that is a portrait shot set up with lots and lots of time to get the focus right. I had no trouble with that either. But, when shooting the 75 cron around as a candid lens in a room full of people I found it a little hard to focus quickly even with the 1.33 magnifier.

 

Well, true - there was no pressure but it was just a quick shot of my wife across the table in a restaurant while we waited for the bill, so not really set up.

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I think I've shown this one before, but here's what the Summicron 75, wide open, produced for me from 10 rows up in the stands at the Barnum and Bailey circus:

 

87275075.jpg

 

(it's also in the "any Eyes" book. I found a paperback copy, delivered all the way to Jerusalem, on our return here this fall.

 

scott

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