[New test photos released] Leica Summicron 35/2 Eight Element copy made in China

[shawn]

I also very much appreciate that advice Raid...expect as I want to contribute images that can be seen at a reasonable size. I purposely took down my website as I have photographed well known international performers and too many images were lifted without authorization.

What I can't seem to figure out, is I can still right click on any of my Smugmug images and copy them. I thought that was not possible without permission in Smugmug. Have to find out how to put a stop to that.

Dave (D&A)

Yes, your pictures have to have the proper permissions if you link to them.

https://help.smugmug.com/share-my-photos-SJ4mxxD1NHM

Shawn

 

[D&A]

OK, lets try this one more time: With the help of everyone, I finally have my images posted here.

First image shows the cyan color cast in overcast shadow lighting.

The second image shows a simple color correction. It probably could have used a bit more warmth. For whatever reason, the replica lens in this lighting shows more cyan color cast than other lenses I've used on the M9 under identical lighting. Whether its the coating or something else, hard to say. Both images shot with lens wide open and no other corrections were applied to the RAW M9 file.

When time permits later this week, I'll show the corner flair I mentioned earlier.

Dave (D&A)

 

[raid]

Place

at the right of the link.

 

[taemo]

here's my M3 with the LLL 35mm f2. works great with the ITDOO hood especially since I also use it with a collapsible 50mm summicron.

finished shooting my roll shot with this lens, looking forward seeing the prints tomorrow and sharing it here.

 

[D&A]

Place

at the right of the link.

Wow, it worked!! Finally..after posting so many wasted posts, which I apologize for. Thank you Raid, Shawn, Jon and everyone else! As time permits, I can share both test images and other images taken with the replica lens. Again appreciate everyone's patience while I figured this all out.

Dave (D&A)

 

[raid]

I am glad that it worked, Dave.

 

[Doug]

Wow, it worked!! Finally..after posting so many wasted posts, which I apologize for. Thank you Raid, Shawn, Jon and everyone else! As time permits, I can share both test images and other images taken with the replica lens. Again appreciate everyone's patience while I figured this all out.

Dave (D&A)

Congrats on getting it to work, Dave... This is a pretty common question in RFF, so there's a sticky thread full of helpful suggestions in our Help / Feedback area, here:
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117509

 

[D&A]

Thanks Raid and Doug. For as many years I've been a member of RFF, I've always ran into technical issues in getting images to show up embedded into posts. Even when I tried simply to attach images that resided on my computer directly, it mostly failed, coming up with an error message. I go over info in help feedback area again. There's always something to learn.

Dave (D&A)

 

[teddy]

My new "Pimped Up" M2. The old leather has had it's day.
Leather is from HugoStudio - Vintage Brown. It is a great leather and cutout.

 

[Platinum RF]

Raid
You have both the original and replica. Does the original also have cyan cast on Leica M9?

 

[raid]

Raid
You have both the original and replica. Does the original also have cyan cast on Leica M9?

In sunshine neither lens has a color cast. I don't recall seeing such a blue cast in the Summicron.

 

[Ed Schwartzreic]

Thought I would look at how my 8-element prototype worked in close-up range, here on an A7r with a generic close focusing Leica to E-Mount adapter. Both images were made hand-held at f/8, at the closest the adapter would focus. Minimal level and brightness adjustments in PS.

_DSC4105 by woodswoman57, on Flickr

_DSC4108 by woodswoman57, on Flickr

Ed

 

[D&A]

In sunshine neither lens has a color cast. I don't recall seeing such a blue cast in the Summicron.

Very much agree with Raid. In sunshine or non shaded light, neither lens has shown a slight or somewhat cyan color cast. I could be mistaken, but in the time I had the Leica 8 element cron, I don't recall seeing a blue/cyan color cast in any circumstance from it, but that's from memory. Its important to note that the M9 does have a propensity to have a very slight cool, very slight cyan color cast in deep shadow light and possibly adds the propensity of the replica also have a slight propensity to do the same...the effect might be additive when the replica is used on a M9. If this unsubstantiated theory of mine is correct, the likelihood of seeing a cyan cast using the replica lens in conjunction with say a Leica M240 or even a M10 would be less or non existent (compared to using it on the M9, due to the somewhat different, slightly warmer color response of those cameras compared to the M9.

Dave (D&A)

 

[D&A]

Lovely dimensionality shown in those images Ed. Nicely done.

Dave (D&A)

 

[shawn]

Do you wear glasses? I ask, because I've read that some people just use the M3 w/ 50mm framing and look to the edge of the viewfinder to approximate 35mm. I wear glasses, so I don't really see past the edges of the 50mm frames.

I don't wear glasses. I just compared my M3s framing vs the FOV of the 35mm on my M240 using the EVF. Even going edge to edge (which isn't really much beyond the framelines) on the M3 it is quite short of the 35mm FOV unless I really move my head around side to side on the m3.

The inside of the 50mm framelines on the M3 are *roughly* 2/3s of the FOV of the 35mm at about a 10' distance. With both eyes open you could try to approximate frame that way. If you use the top or bottom frame lines basically take the length of one side and extend that far out from the 50s to get around the 35mm FOV. Might be slightly too wide that way though so be a little conservative.

Shawn

 

[D&A]

The Images posted below are an example of extreme flare from the side of the replica lens. Please keep in mind the following:

1. How it compares side by side with the original 8 element under identical conditions, I cannot say nor would it be fair or accurate for me to do so.

2. This example of flare/glare is extreme. The sun on this cloudless near end of day, was moderately low in the sky and shining directly on the white color car that also had bits of chrome parts and glass windows. The first image was taken wide open at f2 and the second at f4. These are crops of those images directly taken from the RAW files without any adjustments. This is the right edge of the frame about 1/3 down from the top right corner. Straight out of the camera.

3. Another example of which I haven't posted yet from the replica are the upper two corners of an image taken with the replica lens with sunlight shining through a canopy of tree leaves. Wide open there is the characteristic astigmatism in the corners (lens shot wide open) and the sunlight also shows similar type flare/glare that these posted test images show accentuated by the astigmatism.

4. Lastly keep in mind that this is anything but criticism of the replica. People adore the images from the Leica 35mm f1.4 pre asph Lux and that lens wide open also displays many of these characteristics. It contributes (either wide open or stopped down a bit, the drawing of the lens and its desirable character.

Yet on the other hand, where very bright glaring light isn't a factor in the scene, the lens shot at f2 is remarkable for its superb resolution in the central part of the frame and at the same time exhibiting the well known desirable look that the Leica 8 element cron is known for. I'm just trying to illustrate situations where one should be aware when shooting with the replica (and possibly the original 8 element). Yes the lens had a deep vented hood and also a Leica UVa filter. I duplicated these results with or without the filter.

Dave (D&A)

 

[D&A]

These are taken from the top right hand corner of the frame. All comments mentioned in my previous post of the images of the white car, apply to these images, except sun was higher in the sky, lighting indirectly through the tree leaves. Camera/lens was not pointing directly at the sun. Left corners (not shown) exhibited the same findings.

First images taken at f2 with the replica lens and the second images take at f4. Both are crops.

Dave (D&A)

 

[D&A]

This last image was simply a test image taken with the replica lens at f2, Focus was on the stone on the left center of the image, so the background tree leaves are just out of the optimal depth of field and should be slightly soft. The very characteristic very high center resolution of the 8 element can be seen with a bit of softness in the corners. The lighting was moderately sunlit bright with quite a bit interspersed dark clouds that sort of diffused the light at time pic was taken. If you look very carefully at the very tip of the left hand corner, you can see a very small but noticeable prominent area (blob) of cyan through the leaves. It can also be seen prominently through the leaves near the top of two trees in distance in the center of the image. I've seen this phenominon before in some test images when cyan tinited clouds are behind tree leaves in subdued lighting. Of course a crop would show these areas prominently and a heavily overcast day would sometimes show clouds having a somewhat cyan cast when images are taken in shadow lighting lighting with the replica lens. Again this may be accentuated by the combination of the lens (coating?) along with the Leica M9 propensity to have a cool color cast when images are taken in subdued shadow light.

*** Note, this image can be clicked on (I believe and magnified) to inspect the entire image as well as that cyan upper right hand corner and the cyan near the top of the leaves of the two trees in the center background of this image. Note, this image's RAW file has been adjusted and sharpened...BUT not warmed up by slightly adjusting the color temp., which is needed. In addition, the deep saturation of colors such as the green grass and foliage is not represented what is seen of this image when opened in Photoshop on the same calibrated monitor as compared to what's seen of this posted image on RRF. Just wanted to note this but not sure of the reason why?

Dave (D&A)

 

[Erik van Straten]

This is of course not a lens designed for digital photography. Digital photography was not yet invented in 1958 when the lens was designed. It can be used on a digital camera, but then miracles can not be expected.


Erik.

 

[raid]

This is of course not a lens designed for digital photography. Digital photography was not yet invented in 1958 when the lens was designed. It can be used on a digital camera, but then miracles can not be expected.


Erik.

I agree with you all. This lens with its single coating and with its design was meant mainly for B&W film. It may do better with color film than with a digital sensor. My guess is that it will do well with a M 4/3 camera such as the Olympus PEN or even E-PL1.