LLL 50mm f/1.2 ASPH "1966"

[Shab]

The poster clarifies that he bought his XF 1.2/56 R lens second-hand at a low price. Perhaps it's just damaged. Many moons ago, I bought mine new and it does not have this problem.

I have this lens also (I bought it some years ago) and I haven't seen "it" in my pictures...

 

[Freakscene]

The poster clarifies that he bought his XF 1.2/56 R lens second-hand at a low price. Perhaps it's just damaged. Many moons ago, I bought mine new and it does not have this problem.

The onion rings in the specular highlights are from the moulded aspherical element; if there is something optically wrong with the lens, in general it will make this less obvious, not more. There are scenes that emphasize it, particularly if you have specular highlights against a dark background. But several of my Fuji lenses at work do this. It doesn’t matter for my work photos, but my personal ones I want them to look how I want, not to just look good enough for the communications people.

 

[raid]

I will dig out my CV 50mm 1.1 and its brother, the 50mm 1.
Just curious how they differ:

 

[Duofold RF]

I will dig out my CV 50mm 1.1 and its brother, the 50mm 1.
Just curious how they differ:

excellent, please post the result. For BW, the 50mm f1.1 is an excellent lens, even the old 50mm f1.5 can have pleasant bokeh. The color reproduction is less desirable than Zeiss or Leica

 

[raid]

I am very satisfied with several "Brian Sonnar" lenses that I have. I really don't need or want any other lenses except for my curiosity on how good the new CV lenses may have become.

 

[Slumgullion]

Fitzgerald by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Jenny by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Mona by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

All: Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1

 

[Slumgullion]

Dad by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

No Clos Radio by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Barrels by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

All: Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1

 

[Evergreen States]

Dad by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

No Clos Radio by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Barrels by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

All: Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1

The combination of the bokeh and the field curvature seem to leave a pleasing thumbprint

 

[Evergreen States]

Mom, Gorcery Shopping by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1

Look how straight the line of the fluorescent light fixture is at the top. Almost no distortion!

 

[Slumgullion]

The combination of the bokeh and the field curvature seem to leave a pleasing thumbprint

Thanks! I like the rendering.

The field curvature and resolution drop-off away from center make it very difficult to use on a rangefinder. Makes me wish I had a digital Leica...almost.

 

[Slumgullion]

Look how straight the line of the fluorescent light fixture is at the top. Almost no distortion!

Don't tell anyone, but I corrected the distortion in that image.

In truth, the barrel distortion is true to the original Leica...and quite strong.

 

[Freakscene]

Don't tell anyone, but I corrected the distortion in that image.

In truth, the barrel distortion is true to the original Leica...and quite strong.

Thanks for clarifying that. I am not in the market for this lens, but it shows the LLL people have done a good job copying the original.

 

[Freakscene]

Thanks! I like the rendering.

The field curvature and resolution drop-off away from center make it very difficult to use on a rangefinder. Makes me wish I had a digital Leica...almost.

In a digital monochrome file you can more easily select a luminance range, apply a mask and blend to eliminate the onion rings. You can do it from scans, but it works less well on, just from experience. Of course with 400 or higher speed film you don’t usually have the resolution to show them. Just pandering to my own personal peculiarity, but the option is there.

 

[Slumgullion]

In a digital monochrome file you can more easily select a luminance range, apply a mask and blend to eliminate the onion rings. You can do it from scans, but it works less well on, just from experience. Of course with 400 or nigher speed film you don’t usually have the resolution to show them. Just pandering to my own personal peculiarity, but the option is there.

In truth, I can mostly live with the onion rings. I was more meaning the focus and recompose system of a rangefinder doesn't always agree with a lens that has such severe field curvature and focus fall-off. Through-the-lens systems on a digital Leica w/an electronic finder would yield better results (my Sony A7RII works, but the filter stack further exacerbates the curvature and weak edge performance).

The lens has its charms, but I think I need a break from it. I've been spoiled by the Voigtlander f/1 and it's more even performance.

Also, and unrelatedly, I have been working through a 100' roll of Fomapan 400 and I am very excited to move on from it. It has a flaw in the emulsion that runs horizontally through all 100'. Yes, I can clean it up, but It's harder to do that in some images...and it's been zapping my joy.

 

[Slumgullion]

In a digital monochrome file you can more easily select a luminance range, apply a mask and blend to eliminate the onion rings. You can do it from scans, but it works less well on, just from experience. Of course with 400 or nigher speed film you don’t usually have the resolution to show them. Just pandering to my own personal peculiarity, but the option is there.

And...just to freak you out (okokok...this is too much onion ring for me):

Jenny by Jim Fischer, on Flickr
Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1...handheld at 1/8 of a second.

 

[sojournerphoto]

And...just to freak you out (okokok...this is too much onion ring for me):

Jenny by Jim Fischer, on Flickr
Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1...handheld at 1/8 of a second.

They’re having a party in that one!

Just wanted to say that I’ve been enjoying your Foma 400 pictures.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

And...just to freak you out (okokok...this is too much onion ring for me):

Jenny by Jim Fischer, on Flickr
Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1...handheld at 1/8 of a second.

Nothing that a good Fortran program running scene segmentation, cell recognition, and smoothign algorithm could not fix.
Just like a piece of code my wife had me write almost 30 years ago for her 1MPixel microscope camera to do cancer cell recognition.

 

[Slumgullion]

They’re having a party in that one!

Just wanted to say that I’ve been enjoying your Foma 400 pictures.

Thanks! I like Foma 400…especially considering the price. I’ll probably buy another 100’ at some point. I’m just annoyed with it right now.

 

[dourbalistar]

And...just to freak you out (okokok...this is too much onion ring for me):

Jenny by Jim Fischer, on Flickr
Leica M5, LLL 50mm f/1.2 '1966,' Fomapan 400 @ 200, Xtol 1:1...handheld at 1/8 of a second.

Is that a burger joint sign in the background? I think that's where all the onion rings came from. 😆

 

[Slumgullion]

Is that a burger joint sign in the background? I think that's where all the onion rings came from. 😆

Hahahaha! It is. Well seen. In fact, I ate a hamburger right after I took this photo.