50 summilux black paint

[rover]

This is all happening LIVE Sparrow, no problem.

And may I add, I am very close to starting my motions to purchase a 50 Lux. I know I will be happy with the pre asph version, and I think if prices look good I will go for a more recent 46mm threaded lens. Cosmeticly the black paint version is a beauty, but depending how much funds I raise I may go with the standard version.

 

[egpj]

Well, back on topic, 50mm lenses are evil! Now turns off thread subscription and runs for the photo gallery. 🙂

 

[rover]

Well, back on topic, 50mm lenses are evil! Now turns off thread subscription and runs for the photo gallery. 🙂

They are evil, but oh so wonderfully evil. I have to sell a couple to get this one, and I have made my choice based on all of the images I have seen in the galleries here and elsewhere. So, yes, off to the gallery, and avoid the classifieds as best you can.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[rover]

Joe used to have a shoe box full of 35mm lenses.

 

[egpj]

35's are evil as well. I have serious lust for the BP 35 Summicron. As soon as the toy fund is rebuilt there is one on my future. :Angel:

 

[rover]

get your funds fast, I may have your 35 summicron for sale soon.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Joe used to have a shoe box full of 35mm lenses.

I thought he hadn't warmed up (heh) to the 50mm; last thing I heard, he tried, but wasn't convinced. He likes his 25mm far better now, doesn't he?

I love my 50's, and that CZJ 85mm f/2 ::drool:: I think only the Canon 85 f/1.5, if as light and compact as the 135 f/3.5, would be ... ::wiping drool::

But fast 50mm lenses are my catnip 😉

 

[peter_n]

[snip] I am very close to starting my motions to purchase a 50 Lux. I know I will be happy with the pre asph version, and I think if prices look good I will go for a more recent 46mm threaded lens.

You're OK with the attached hood? 😱

 

[rover]

Better than the focusing tab on the beloved 35 summicron.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Evil is spreading from my 50 lux to 35mm.

I've developed a bad GAS to trade my 35 'cron for a 35 'lux (any version), simply because of my perceived Need for Speed - probably a wrong perception.

I am fighting this GAS by thinking about all the good things my 35 'cron had done for me... and there is no way I can get rid of the old companion 'cron.😀

Don't trade it Jackson ... I looked at your gallery, and you've done some excellent work with that lens in low-light conditions 🙂 I particularly like the lamp post in winter shot.

 

[Turtle]

whats being going on here? I normally cause trouble and all this happened without me being involved? How unfair!

Magus and Xray both have a point and there is room for both.

As for the cold question of which lens is 'better' optically, it is a truth that exists independent of any opinion when it somes to resoulution and contrast at least. Whether an individual can extract that extra performance is a different issue. To be able to comment on the comparative aspects of lenses you do not need to be a master photographer, but to be able to comment on whether it matters to a person considering such a choice, you do need to be credible. These are two quite seperate issues which tend to blend together in most discussions.

A person who is a poor photographer may be able to say, er, yes lens X is sharper than lens Y but if the images are poor that improvement is not going to help them. That improvement in performance may be exploitable by a better shooter but the original comments by the 'poor phototgrapher' were still correct. I say this not because I know anything about Magus's image making ability, but simply because a 'non-'master's' comments cannot be dismissed simply because they are not living off their art. The key issue is whether the prson making the comment is credible and that to me means objectivity not artistic merit.

Xray is quite right in that these differences in lens performance are often rendered irrelevant by the photographers role in all of this, but the thing with lenses 'assessment' is that it is an 'all things being equal (incl the user) the better lens produces technically better results regardless of what you think of the final image!

I find it amusing that so many obsessive Leicaphiles are terrible photographers but that does not mean that they are not genuinely using the best gear - different issues!

I may get a 50 lux asph eventually with another body as part of the LHSA MP3 kit as it is cheaper (buying grey) to do this than buying a MP, Leicavit and the same lens. I also look fwd to handing it to my sons along with my other 'enduring' kit. I fully expect it to be better at f1.4 than my current f2 planar 😉 I know apart from the extra stop it will not be significantly better in practical terms if at all. I however will be buying it for that extra stop and because I want one cos they look nice. I will then proceed to use the hell out of it.

I quite like my images. I like the sharper ones better too even when it is imaginary!

 

[ghost]

exploiting....extracting...yada yada yada. what happened to plain old, honest ENJOYing? after a certain, fairly accessible point, it's just icing on the cake.

 

[Turtle]

Yes I agree Ghost, but for some the camera part is as much a pleasure as the photography part. I have heard the horror stories from those whon have gone to camera clubs thinking they were concerned with photography! Some just love the lens testing and analysing microcontrast X degree off centre under flourescent versus moon light and there is nothing wrong with this. Their findings may not matter to us but that is our call. I dont get p1ssed that 'weird' people look into the dull stuff for me as occassionally i just happen to need their help on something. Its a community and it takes all sorts. Often they help make my decisions all the easier as at least objective testing aims to remove variables so you can rely on something. We all have different interests.

Our not feeling that differences are important does not change whether these differences exist or not. I largely agree with you, but that does not change the answer to the question, only our inclinaion to give a toss. The two very different things. This was not a thread about whether optical performance matters to photographic art fopr petes sake. It was a question about whether the 50 1.4 is a good performer at wide apertures only some seem to be intent on telling the asker (indirectly) that they should not care. They have every right to ask the question and expect direct helpful answers (whether we think he should care or not), not smoke.

Changing the subject a wee bit, what does a black 50 Summilux ASPH weigh? The Leica site has the black chrome at over 300 grams (it does not stipulate but I assume this weight is for the balck aluminium one)...does that mean the BP brass version is over 400!!?? Crickey. Thats another issue

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[x-ray]

My argument comes down to whether the persom shooting can make an true judgement of a lens if that shooter can't make photographs that reflect the true quality of a lens. If the shooter isn't a good technician then it might be that persons lack of technique rather than a failing of the lens. If you can't technically execute a photograph well then you can't evauate a lens. I too often see images that show the problem with the lens is not the lens but the photographer. This is what I'm getting at. I particularly remember one illustrating the virtues of the 35 summilux pre asph. It was a photo looking across the side of an old brick castle or building looking into a valley on a very flat overcast day. The contrast of the image was very low and the image wasn't particularly sharp especially at the corner. That person raved about the summilux which immediately told me they didn't know a fine quality image from a poor one. If you can't produce a fine image whether a master piece or not you can't truly evaluate the quality of a lens. It's not creativity it's technique and the ability to know the quality of an image when one sees it. You can't evaluate anythign based on flawed data, the photograph.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[Turtle]

I still want one as I have heard the 50 ASPH has significantly better sychronous polychromatic micromodulation than the ZM Planar I currently own. My images could definitely benefit from an improvement in this regard😉 I am still convinced of imminent photographic greatness so I will clearly be able to retrospectively justify my ridiculous excesses.

 

[35mmdelux]

Evil is spreading from my 50 lux to 35mm.

I've developed a bad GAS to trade my 35 'cron for a 35 'lux (any version), simply because of my perceived Need for Speed - probably a wrong perception.

I am fighting this GAS by thinking about all the good things my 35 'cron had done for me... and there is no way I can get rid of the old companion 'cron.😀

The 35mm Summicron is one of the best lenses ever - the epitimy of Leica - AND if traded should only be traded for a 35mm Lux Aspherical.

 

[ghost]

turtle, i was responding to x-ray's comments. who's imagining things, now?

while we're on the subject, isn't it odd to be concerned about the optical quality of a lens from the premier camera lens manufacturer? if it's not good enough for you, you're out of luck! if the lens in question was...$20, i would understand.