Let's see your Leica 50mm Lux Pre-ASPH Photos!
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coelacanth
Ride, dive, shoot.
Domain of Karaage by Suguru Nishioka, on Flickr
M4-P, Lux 50 Pre-ASPH E46, Tri-X at 1250 - 1600 ish, Diafine. Scanned with X-E1, Elmar 50/2.8 via BEOON.
menos
Veteran
Beautiful Sug! … and it looks so clean for 1600
coelacanth
Ride, dive, shoot.
Thank you, Dirk. I'm new to Diafine but I like it. Lazy Boy's developer. I don't even use the Massive Dev Chart app or thermometer. I just use the chronograph on my wrist watch and just put A and B in at room temp while I sip some wine in the kitchen. 😉
music_healing
Well-known
Simple shot
Simplicity by William Jusuf, on Flickr
MP and Lux 50 Pre-ASPH on Tri-X and Rodinal
Sincerely
William Jusuf
Simplicity by William Jusuf, on FlickrMP and Lux 50 Pre-ASPH on Tri-X and Rodinal
Sincerely
William Jusuf
coelacanth
Ride, dive, shoot.
Quick charger for your brain by Suguru Nishioka, on Flickr
M4-P, Lux 50 Pre-ASPH E46, Tri-X at 1250 - 1600 ish, Diafine. Scanned with X-E1, Elmar 50/2.8 via BEOON.
jbhthescots
Well-known
New Look, Old Story
New Look, Old Story
M3, 1.4/50mm Summilux pre-asph v2, FP4+, Xtol
The backstory to this photo can be read on my blog by clicking here.
New Look, Old Story
M3, 1.4/50mm Summilux pre-asph v2, FP4+, Xtol
The backstory to this photo can be read on my blog by clicking here.
coelacanth
Ride, dive, shoot.
The one ring. Well, two, actually. by Suguru Nishioka, on Flickr
M4-P, Lux 50 Pre-ASPH E46, Tri-X at 1250 - 1600 ish, Diafine. Scanned with E-M5 Mk II, Elmar 50/2.8 via BEOON.
Roel
Well-known
Really nice shots which make me wonder if and how the Pre-asph 50mm 1.4 differs from my 50 summicron v4 (and summarit 50 mm 1.5) at comparable aperture. Would I gain primarily an extra stop of light and are the images comparable at the corresponding apertures? Some of the shots at 2.8 posted where just wonderfull. Should i start looking for the pre-ash 50 1.4?
Maybe some of you who have experience with both lenses could let me know their feelings.
Maybe some of you who have experience with both lenses could let me know their feelings.
mfogiel
Veteran
Anthony Harvey
Well-known
Brilliant portrait, Mfogiel!
jbhthescots
Well-known
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
M3, 1.4/50mm Summilux pre-asph v.2, FP4+, Xtol (1+1)
The backstory to this photo can be read on my blog by clicking here.
Tobacco Road
M3, 1.4/50mm Summilux pre-asph v.2, FP4+, Xtol (1+1)
The backstory to this photo can be read on my blog by clicking here.
coelacanth
Ride, dive, shoot.
agoglanian
Reconnected.
I've been wondering something along the same lines. I have two 50s, I like them both, I use them both, but I don't like having duplicate focal lengths personally. I don't care to have too much "choice" with regard to equipment as I find that it inhibits me with "what if" questions and hypothetical scenarios.
From what I can tell I would really like the rendering of the Pre-Asph Summilux, however, the Summicron I have currently does SO well stopped down (for landscapes) that I wonder if I'd be disappointed by swapping? My other main lenses are very modern / clinical but I don't really care, they look great to me.
That being said I do really like the rendering of my Pre-Asph 90mm, so...
menos
Veteran
Abram, I have tried lots of the different Leitz 50mm lenses, made over time and have used them mostly on digital M bodies, my favorites of those lenses also having seen some use on film.
I once wrote a blog post about the 50 Summilux pre ASPH being "the most beautiful Summicron".
I have used the 50/2 Summar, Summitar, Summicron v1 (collapsible), Summicron v4 (Canada tab) and v5.
I do not very much like the modern Summicron optics (starting from v4 and still used in v5). This lens always had me feel something in the image is missing.
It is a sharp, contrasty, modern lens, which will not upset anybody - a bit like a Volkswagen Passat - it does what it is supposed to be doing and nothing more.
I am not a Passat person. I rather drive a more exciting automobile.
The pre ASPH Summilux has some flaws which the users who really like it over look - or if convenient have a second lens for - like a Summicron ;-)
The pre ASPH Summilux will never get as uniformly sharp over the frame as the Summicron (v4/ v5) at any aperture. I compared here a late Canadian 3Mio v2 pre ASPH, a silver chrome E46 and a black paint E46 against the two modern Summicron samples I owned. They all behave very similar.
You can try to stop down the Summilux to f5.6 or f8 and it's center will always be a bit sharper and better defined than the outer perimeter.
If critical architecture or landscape with large enlargements is your thing, the Summicron will lead to better results in sharpness.
Personally for me though sharpness is indeed important but not a primary characteristic of a lens I seek after - many lenses I truly enjoy are what people call "soft" or mediocre, but these do deliver something or other I like about a lens.
To me, the pre ASPH Summilux delivers a balance of just about perfect contrast, beautiful tones, a truly wonderful gentle rolloff from sharp focus to smooth out of focus backgrounds, that from the modern lenses (1980 and later) it is my preferred 50mm.
I would take ANY pre ASPH Summilux over a modern Summicron any day for that reason.
But then I do not photograph architecture or landscapes and certainly am not nitpicking on corner sharpness …
Here are some sets that may be possible to illustrate a little of the character between the two:
50/2 Summicron v5 silver chrome
(I should have never sold that lens, but it helped financing a medium format camera I really wanted more than keeping another Summicron):
portrait - gentleman in HK by teknopunk.com, on Flickr
The Summicron is really sharp - always.
50/1.4 Summilux E46 black paint:
candid portrait - old man by teknopunk.com, on Flickr
Look at the skin tones - this is very typical for the Summilux. Somehow it just takes the edge off the harsh look of the Summicron and seems to just produce nicer tones. You can see in the background that I probably stopped down to ~f2 here, one can therefore compare to the Summicron.
50/2 Summicron v4 (Canadian tab):
portrait - black frames by teknopunk.com, on Flickr
This is my perfect example for the look of the Summicron I do not like.
50/1.4 Summilux E46 black paint:
portrait - gentleman with sunglasses by teknopunk.com, on Flickr
This was shot in very similar lighting condition. The portrait of the young woman above done in morning light, chignon straight in her face, the portrait of the elderly gentleman in evening light at a very similar angle.
The Summilux shot has been done stopped down a little - maybe f1.8 - f2. The Summicron shot with the young woman above was at f2 and I used a 022 yellow filter (which brightened her skin tone)
I experiment always with new lenses how much I tend to filter them and generally keep a certain strength filter for certain lenses. With the Summicron I tried during that time to use yellow filters and didn't like the outcome much.
On my E46 Summilux, I basically keep a B+W 022 yellow filter on the lens at all times during day light - it is the perfect balance of tones and contrast to my eye with this lens and I hardly do any post processing on the resulting digital files.
With the Summicron I always had to make a great effort to get the look, as I want.
Here is one shot with the Canadian v4 Summicron I liked (I think it is much more the character of my subject than the lens' character in this case):
Leipzig portrait - gentleman with glasses beard and beret by teknopunk.com, on Flickr
Here is an example of the tonality, I like to achieve in a portrait. It is not easy to get this look, some lenses simply seem to deny my these tones.
The pre ASPH Summilux is among the very few lenses that really produce this very look (contrast, tones, skin tones):
portrait - chinese by teknopunk.com, on Flickr
I think it is this character of the pre ASPH Summilux why I love this lens so much and why I can completely over look it's negative characteristics (which in effect do no matter much to my photography, opposed to maybe a serious landscape photographer).
Personally I do love people. I do love the moment when one in a thousand portrait subjects seem to crack a little and reveal character, allowing a glimpse beyond the mask we wear in public everyday (I do 99% of my portraits with total strangers on the first few seconds upon seeing them the first time).
The pre ASPH Summilux somehow allows me a better chance to get there more often.
Just for fun, here is a street portrait of the very earliest Leitz 50/2 lens - made with a very nice copy of an uncoated 5cm Summar:
portrait - two women - fashion by teknopunk.com, on Flickr
This is an example why I couldn't ever have only one single lens per focal length - these lenses all have so extraordinarily different character, that one really has to have them all ;-)
… or at least die trying to have had tried them all until boxed up and buried.
I once wrote a blog post about the 50 Summilux pre ASPH being "the most beautiful Summicron".
I have used the 50/2 Summar, Summitar, Summicron v1 (collapsible), Summicron v4 (Canada tab) and v5.
I do not very much like the modern Summicron optics (starting from v4 and still used in v5). This lens always had me feel something in the image is missing.
It is a sharp, contrasty, modern lens, which will not upset anybody - a bit like a Volkswagen Passat - it does what it is supposed to be doing and nothing more.
I am not a Passat person. I rather drive a more exciting automobile.
The pre ASPH Summilux has some flaws which the users who really like it over look - or if convenient have a second lens for - like a Summicron ;-)
The pre ASPH Summilux will never get as uniformly sharp over the frame as the Summicron (v4/ v5) at any aperture. I compared here a late Canadian 3Mio v2 pre ASPH, a silver chrome E46 and a black paint E46 against the two modern Summicron samples I owned. They all behave very similar.
You can try to stop down the Summilux to f5.6 or f8 and it's center will always be a bit sharper and better defined than the outer perimeter.
If critical architecture or landscape with large enlargements is your thing, the Summicron will lead to better results in sharpness.
Personally for me though sharpness is indeed important but not a primary characteristic of a lens I seek after - many lenses I truly enjoy are what people call "soft" or mediocre, but these do deliver something or other I like about a lens.
To me, the pre ASPH Summilux delivers a balance of just about perfect contrast, beautiful tones, a truly wonderful gentle rolloff from sharp focus to smooth out of focus backgrounds, that from the modern lenses (1980 and later) it is my preferred 50mm.
I would take ANY pre ASPH Summilux over a modern Summicron any day for that reason.
But then I do not photograph architecture or landscapes and certainly am not nitpicking on corner sharpness …
Here are some sets that may be possible to illustrate a little of the character between the two:
50/2 Summicron v5 silver chrome
(I should have never sold that lens, but it helped financing a medium format camera I really wanted more than keeping another Summicron):
portrait - gentleman in HK by teknopunk.com, on FlickrThe Summicron is really sharp - always.
50/1.4 Summilux E46 black paint:
candid portrait - old man by teknopunk.com, on FlickrLook at the skin tones - this is very typical for the Summilux. Somehow it just takes the edge off the harsh look of the Summicron and seems to just produce nicer tones. You can see in the background that I probably stopped down to ~f2 here, one can therefore compare to the Summicron.
50/2 Summicron v4 (Canadian tab):
portrait - black frames by teknopunk.com, on FlickrThis is my perfect example for the look of the Summicron I do not like.
50/1.4 Summilux E46 black paint:
portrait - gentleman with sunglasses by teknopunk.com, on FlickrThis was shot in very similar lighting condition. The portrait of the young woman above done in morning light, chignon straight in her face, the portrait of the elderly gentleman in evening light at a very similar angle.
The Summilux shot has been done stopped down a little - maybe f1.8 - f2. The Summicron shot with the young woman above was at f2 and I used a 022 yellow filter (which brightened her skin tone)
I experiment always with new lenses how much I tend to filter them and generally keep a certain strength filter for certain lenses. With the Summicron I tried during that time to use yellow filters and didn't like the outcome much.
On my E46 Summilux, I basically keep a B+W 022 yellow filter on the lens at all times during day light - it is the perfect balance of tones and contrast to my eye with this lens and I hardly do any post processing on the resulting digital files.
With the Summicron I always had to make a great effort to get the look, as I want.
Here is one shot with the Canadian v4 Summicron I liked (I think it is much more the character of my subject than the lens' character in this case):
Leipzig portrait - gentleman with glasses beard and beret by teknopunk.com, on FlickrHere is an example of the tonality, I like to achieve in a portrait. It is not easy to get this look, some lenses simply seem to deny my these tones.
The pre ASPH Summilux is among the very few lenses that really produce this very look (contrast, tones, skin tones):
portrait - chinese by teknopunk.com, on FlickrI think it is this character of the pre ASPH Summilux why I love this lens so much and why I can completely over look it's negative characteristics (which in effect do no matter much to my photography, opposed to maybe a serious landscape photographer).
Personally I do love people. I do love the moment when one in a thousand portrait subjects seem to crack a little and reveal character, allowing a glimpse beyond the mask we wear in public everyday (I do 99% of my portraits with total strangers on the first few seconds upon seeing them the first time).
The pre ASPH Summilux somehow allows me a better chance to get there more often.
Just for fun, here is a street portrait of the very earliest Leitz 50/2 lens - made with a very nice copy of an uncoated 5cm Summar:
portrait - two women - fashion by teknopunk.com, on FlickrThis is an example why I couldn't ever have only one single lens per focal length - these lenses all have so extraordinarily different character, that one really has to have them all ;-)
… or at least die trying to have had tried them all until boxed up and buried.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Dirk, have you ever tried for portraits the Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8 (introduced in the 1990's)? I would very much like to hear your opinion on this lens.
Erik.
Erik.
agoglanian
Reconnected.
Dirk,
Thank you so much for the intelligent and detailed response, I found it to be immensely helpful! I wish I did more portraiture, but frankly I think I'm just too introverted. I'll keep trying! I have personally been happy with the results I've achieved with my 50 Summicron (v5) thus-far, previously my 50mm was the Zeiss Planar which I also enjoyed quite a bit.
My second 50 currently is the CV 50 Nokton 1.5 which from what I understand renders pretty similarly to the Pre-Asph Summilux. I enjoy the lens, it works just fine for me, but I think what I need to do is evaluate what really matters to me in a lens. I do appreciate lenses with character, I've found I subconsciously am more drawn (Aesthetically) to images that may have some imperfection, which comes from having spent so many years chasing technical perfection. A great example from my time with Canon was when I switched from the 35mm f/1.4L to Sigma's 35mm f/1.4 Art lens, it was clearly a sharper and more technically precise lens, but it totally lacked the look of the 35L. I completely regretted swapping, despite the excellent quality it produced.
The reason I don't like to have multiples, or too many options in general is very much a personal one. It's silly to say, but I struggle with making concrete decisions sometimes, and when it comes to image making I am trying desperately to not get hung up on the gear aspect as much anymore. I want to simplify my life as much as possible because then I just get out there and create, instead of fretting at home over which lens(es) to bring with me. I'm also not really of the financial stand-point presently to justify having multiple versions of the same focal length. Maybe in the future, but for me and my present budget, any Leica purchase is a calculated one. But with all gear in general, I have been trying to force myself to sell anything I don't actually "need" to shoot with.
Anyways, I've digressed this thread enough, I really like the look of the Pre-Asph Lux, so I will keep it on my radar, but for now I may just sell my Nokton and only use the Summicron. I just like having one fast lens for when the light gets really low...
Thank you so much for the intelligent and detailed response, I found it to be immensely helpful! I wish I did more portraiture, but frankly I think I'm just too introverted. I'll keep trying! I have personally been happy with the results I've achieved with my 50 Summicron (v5) thus-far, previously my 50mm was the Zeiss Planar which I also enjoyed quite a bit.
My second 50 currently is the CV 50 Nokton 1.5 which from what I understand renders pretty similarly to the Pre-Asph Summilux. I enjoy the lens, it works just fine for me, but I think what I need to do is evaluate what really matters to me in a lens. I do appreciate lenses with character, I've found I subconsciously am more drawn (Aesthetically) to images that may have some imperfection, which comes from having spent so many years chasing technical perfection. A great example from my time with Canon was when I switched from the 35mm f/1.4L to Sigma's 35mm f/1.4 Art lens, it was clearly a sharper and more technically precise lens, but it totally lacked the look of the 35L. I completely regretted swapping, despite the excellent quality it produced.
The reason I don't like to have multiples, or too many options in general is very much a personal one. It's silly to say, but I struggle with making concrete decisions sometimes, and when it comes to image making I am trying desperately to not get hung up on the gear aspect as much anymore. I want to simplify my life as much as possible because then I just get out there and create, instead of fretting at home over which lens(es) to bring with me. I'm also not really of the financial stand-point presently to justify having multiple versions of the same focal length. Maybe in the future, but for me and my present budget, any Leica purchase is a calculated one. But with all gear in general, I have been trying to force myself to sell anything I don't actually "need" to shoot with.
Anyways, I've digressed this thread enough, I really like the look of the Pre-Asph Lux, so I will keep it on my radar, but for now I may just sell my Nokton and only use the Summicron. I just like having one fast lens for when the light gets really low...
menos
Veteran
Hey Erik, unfortunately I have never once handled or owned the modern 50/2.8 Elmar.
During my time of collecting lenses (which is largely over now), I falsely had little interest in this lens, as my focus was very much on fast, older lens designs.
Now I really wish I had picked up a black copy of the modern Elmar along the way, as it would truly make a great lens to pair with the 90/4 Macro Elmar and the 35/2 UC-Hex I like so much.
I have this lens still on my wish list and someday with the right deal at the right moment I will buy one of these.
I hear mostly good things about it and would like to find out myself.
Abram, I fully understand your view and you would not believe what pains I go through when packing my camera bag for the day ;-)
My usual approach is to pack two bodies and always more lenses than I need to. I then will go out and will spend some time changing lenses a lot until the right feeling tells me which two lenses will be it for the day - I then will largely stick with those two lenses, but it always takes some work to find out which ones.
Some of the lenses I really like, I even keep redundant copies, which differ ever so slightly from each other, so I simply cannot get myself giving them away 😱
Regarding your conundrum, it seems you are really happy about your 50/2 Summicron, and by the sound of it you shouldn't think about replacing it with another lens.
If keeping your Nokton (which I hear is a wonderful lens in it's own right) is not a valid option, a pre ASPH Summilux surely is not an option as well.
Even the lowest priced ones are far more costly then the excellent Nokton.
As I described, to my eye it also is not a lens that replicates a late Summicron as of it's different character at same aperture (for some people that difference is so minor that it can, others as myself rather favor the Summilux' character, so it can as well).
If you have a need for a low light lens next to your Summicron there are few alternatives below the budget of a 50mm Nokton.
One of those options would be a Russian 50/1.5 Jupiter, adjusted to your specs, but that is an entirely different beast.
Regarding your description of your 35mm change in Canon SLR glass - I completely understand your thoughts there and think very similar (currently trying to re-buy a lens I once had and foolishly sold - an older version of the Nikkor 85/1.4, which I simply prefer over it's newer, optically cleaner lens)
I hope you will come to a good conclusion - maybe just use the Nokton solely for a while and see if you are missing anything, the Summicron would do different. Good late Summicron samples are a plenty and can easily bought back should you find out it is indeed the one you cannot live without.
coelacanth
Ride, dive, shoot.
I'm aware this is Lux thread but let me leave one portrait with the modern Elmar-M.
Thinker on the train by Suguru Nishioka, on Flickr
I am a big big fan of this lens. Modern coating but has a hint of classic rendering, with nice 3D look, not by shallow DoF, but by how the lens renders.
OK I'm gonna post a Lux Pre-ASPH shot to undo my violation to the thread. 😉
Suzi Qte by Suguru Nishioka, on Flickr
I've had v4 and v5 Summicrons and ASPH Lux before my Pre-ASPH Lux. Summicron is sharper across the frame (Lux is pretty darn sharp in the middle) regardless of aperture to me. And has the Summicron look. Lux ASPH is a marvel of fast 50mm with modern and creamy rendering without going harsh. I feel Pre-ASPH Lux has a charming character while not going too "gothic" nor modern. I'd personally pick Elmar-M and Lux Pre-ASPH instead of one Summicron. If I can ever have only one 50mm to do all, Summicron might be the choice although black E46 Pre-ASPH Lux is surprisingly easy to carry daily everywhere.
