Longer lens for portraits.

[glassportal]

Hi guys,
Im in love with some of Jeanloup Seiff's portraits (portraits in general really) and only have a 35mm lens for the moment. Ive been trying to get an intimate feel like this but i have a feeling its a far longer focal length. Bar the obvious that he's an incredible photographer, what recommendations do you guys have for a <$1000 portrait lens for my M6. Im assuming this is a 50 or 90mm. I know he usually shoots wide but i don't think this is it.

 

[mfogiel]

This actually looks like a 135mm. In any case I would recommend another solution, namely an SLR, as this way you gain three advantages in one shot:
- you can easily focus on any part of the frame - important when you need to focus close on the eye
- you have a much better vision of the image, as you always fill the frame
- there are some great portrait lenses out there on the cheap

If you want to stick to Leica glass, which I personally like a lot, particularly the Mandler era lenses, my recommendation would be to choose from the following:
- Summilux 50/1.4 1st or 2nd version ( not the last one)
- Summicron R 50/2 1st version
- Macro Elmarit 60/2.8 any version that suits your camera
- Summilux 80/1.4
- Summicron 90/2 as above
- Elmarit 135/2.8 1st version
- Elmarit 180/2.8 1st version

The first versions of these lenses were less sharp but had better bokeh. The Summicron 50 is optimised for wide open, so it's a better choice for portraiture.
As to the body, there are 2 good choices:
- Leica R4s2
- Nikon F2 or better still F3HP+DK17M and you will need to Leitax your lenses. I would begin with the Summicron R 90/2 - beautiful bokeh wide open, nicely sharpens up by f4.0 for a more "hard" look.

Summilux 80/1.4 on Nikon FM3A

20155207 by marek fogiel, on Flickr


A cheaper solution would be a Nikon body+ Nikon lenses. In this case the above mentioned F3 with a 105/2 DC would be my choice.

 

[Keith]

Shooting portraits with a rangefinder can be tricky IMO. At close range wide open your focus point is very important and with an RF your constantly setting and resetting your composition depending what your focus point actually is. That said for your budget I'd be going for the 90mm Summicron ... earlier version.

 

[leicapixie]

My favorite lens was a 90mm Tele-Elmarit and my present 135mm Tele-Elmar.
I use my 50mm Collapsible Summicron and CROP.
This really is my preferred solution.
Less to carry and choose.
SLR means my "F"s and 105mm f2.5.
Also use a diffusion filter or stocking(Not pantyhose) on SLR.

 

[Rico]

The more portraits I take, the longer focal length I prefer. The pic shown by OP is probably 135mm, and I really like the Tele-Elmar. I do not subscribe to the half-an-eye-socket-in-focus school of portraiture, so 135/4 is no problem. My longest M lens is the Telyt 280/4.8: technically part of the M system by way of a Visoflex mirror box. Because of critical focus, even @ f/11, I actually prefer a DSLR approach. Modern amenities:

Classic rendering:

I paid $160 for this Mandler marvel. 🙂

 

[Keith]

Longer lenses for portraits have one disadvantage in my opinion. Once you get up around 100mm you start to lose contact with your subject and your in danger of losing the intimacy of the photograph itself. Of course this is subjective depending on what you actually want from a portrait.

 

[Rico]

Not a problem for models and performance artists. 🙂 For family and friends, I agree that certain subterfuges are helpful, either to loosen them up or to distract them. This can include some rockin' music (for my 9-year old daughter), or a friend to provide personal interaction. In the latter case, you are aiming to extract yourself from the loop, and make the portrait session closer to candid photography. A further variation is putting the camera on a tripod, and moving yourself closer with a remote in hand. You would then rely on AF or zone-focus.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Guessing that the eyes were the point of focus and that the DoF is about 4" in front (eyes to hair on shoulder), we now have to measure the distance away for that framing with (say) 90 and 135mm lenses. Then the 4" in front gives us the aperture and we can all stop wondering.

I just hope it was 35mm film and not cropped.

Regards, David

 

[michaelwj]

Hi,

Guessing that the eyes were the point of focus and that the DoF is about 4" in front (eyes to hair on shoulder), we now have to measure the distance away for that framing with (say) 90 and 135mm lenses. Then the 4" in front gives us the aperture and we can all stop wondering.

I just hope it was 35mm film and not cropped.

Regards, David

I would t be sure, I was under the impression he did most of his studio work with a blad.
If I remember correctly he used an M with a 21 and a rolleiflex in his early career, and at some point swapped the rolleiflex for a hasselblad.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Personally, I like 50mm on M as portrait lens. DR and close-up attachment will get you close.
But honestly, if you are into portraits like this, skip Leica. Cheap tele zoom lens will do the same, but without Leica difficulties.

 

[David Hughes]

Yes, and less sharp: oops! I meant softer...

Regards, David

 

[FPjohn]

Good advice above. Consider the Voigtlander Color Heliar 75mm f/2.5 or any of the 90mm Elmars as well. Both are great complements to a 35mm as a simple kit.

yours
FPJ

 

[Abbazz]

Jeanloup Sieff is famous for his pictures taken with a 21mm Leica lens. But he also used various cameras and lenses. I believe his famous portraits of Jane Birkin might have been taken with a Rolleiflex or Hasselblad 6x6 camera (Sieff was a great fan of Avedon). Just look at the amount of detail in the picture:

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Yes, and less sharp: oops! I meant softer...

Regards, David

I just looked at family close up portraits my wife took with cheap kit zoom lens on film EOS.
I wouldn't call it softer. Sharp enough, with all details.

But, 75mm on M6 would be nicer to use 🙂 .

 

[BillBingham2]

I'd look around for a nice manual Leicaflex (SL2) and a couple of lenses. I'd pick a 90 and a 180, but that's me, I grew up with an 85 and a 200. Stick with the Leica SLRs so that your aperture and focus go the same direction as your M.

You can do longer glass on an RF, but the focus is more accurate with an SLR on long glass. I found that trying to do everything with one type of camera was problematic, I eventually switched to a Nikon RF and Nikon SLR for my system. Could have moved to Leica SLRs but I had to much history with my Nikkormat and the glass to change.

B2 (;->

 

[ferider]

For the M6, look for a 75, this will fit the OP example. There are some great lenses out there for not much money (the 2 CV lenses are superb).

But to be honest, with a fast AF SLR you'll get more keepers. I love my RF tele lenses, in particular on the M3. But my Maxxum 9 with 85/1.4 runs circles around it. And you can buy the combo for not much more than an equivalent RF lens.

Roland.

 

[David Hughes]

I just looked at family close up portraits my wife took with cheap kit zoom lens on film EOS.
I wouldn't call it softer. Sharp enough, with all details.

But, 75mm on M6 would be nicer to use 🙂 .

Hi,

You should hear what my wife has to say on the subject. On second thoughts, you'd be shocked so I won't recommend it.

Regards, David

PS But mostly I use the CL's 90mm or else the Jupiter-9 but never anything more wide or new.

 

[presspass]

As to focus and re-focus issues, as the model moves, move with him or her. Simply moving your head back or forward will keep the eyes in focus. As to SLR/rangefinder selection, use what you're most comfortable with. The classic portrait lens is an 85 or a 90, and there's some great glass available for the Ms. That includes the tiny and very nice LTM Elmar with an adapter. Whatever you pick, shoot a lot.

 

[Daryl J.]

Used 2,5/75mm Summarits are dropping into that price range for Exc++/near-mint copies.

Or you could spend roughly the same on a 12 back/500CM/150mm Sonnar setup in the Hasselblad range and be done with it.

 

[asiafish]

Get the cheapest, oldest 90mm Elmarit or, better yet, Summicron you can. These are BEAUTIFUL portrait lenses.