75mm Summarit results

[hlockwood]

The title overstates the reality, but I thought I'd offer some very preliminary comments about this lens.

First of all, it feels very good on the M7; it's light weight and relatively small. In contrast, I haven't yet gotten comfortable with the 90mm cron

First negs (XP2@320) I examined were tack sharp (10x loupe) and quite contrasty (which I like.) I know that you Leicaphiles look for a signature in a lens. For this lens it may simply be "sharp and contrasty." I found the same to be true of the 90mm cron.

Focus ring is deep and smooth - a pleasure to use.

I haven't shot much because I only got the hood 2 days ago, and with all the snow here in the Boston area I thought glare was inevitable. I'll test this shortly.

I've attached the first shot (no hood) I took as I stepped out of the camera shop. It's not meant to be art, just an idle shot.

The 8x print I made from this shot is technically gorgeous in tonal range and sharpness. Only processing was B and W points in Levels, no crop and some usm (50, 0.5, 0).

[I also mentioned in a previous post that I shot the USAF target wide open, and resolving the finest detail, 0.5mm, at 4 feet was not a challenge.]

Harry

 

[sepiareverb]

Wow. Confirms what I've seen from the press tests. Look at those bricks right out to the corners! Thanks Harry. Keep 'em coming. This may be Leicas best recent move.

 

[Leicabug]

I wish for more publicity for these new lenses as Leica need to sell more of these to survive. Anyone know whether US price will increase in Jan for these lenses?

 

[MCTuomey]

IQ looks very good indeed (as much as can be gleaned from the web). the size and handling seem to make it more likely you'll use it, harry, no? looking fwd to your thoughts once you have a chance to shoot more.

 

[venchka]

Just guessing, the lens was stopped down a bit? Maybe 5.6? For technical reasons, don't you know.

Hmmmmm...Bubba being one of the few M5s with the 75mm framelines. I'd have to sell my 75, 85, 90 & 135 lenses. Hmmmmmmmm...

 

[hlockwood]

Just guessing, the lens was stopped down a bit? Maybe 5.6? For technical reasons, don't you know.

Hmmmmm...Bubba being one of the few M5s with the 75mm framelines. I'd have to sell my 75, 85, 90 & 135 lenses. Hmmmmmmmm...

You're probably quite close. Dumb of me not to have made a note of it, but, you know, excitement of a new toy.
I should add that when I shot the USAF pattern, I could see the defects in the lines adjacent to the 0.5-mm space. So, I'm pretty confident this lens performs well at full aperture. I should probably do the brick wall at f/2.5 as well, to see corner to corner performance. Will do soon.

Harry

 

[sepiareverb]

Ah Wayne you have a 75 enabled M5 too? When & where?

 

[venchka]

M6 Framelines in an M5

M6 Framelines in an M5

Ah Wayne you have a 75 enabled M5 too? When & where?

DAG did the work 18-24 months ago before I bought the camera. It has the 28/90, 35/135, 50/75 framelines.