to 75 or not to 75

[Nemo]

The Summilux 75mm is out of production now.
The second hand copies have disapeared. It was easy to find one at interesting prices, but actually it is difficult, and the second hand prices have increased.
The last time I seen one, in a German shop, the price was 2,000 euros (taxes of 19% not included; second hand, mint condition).
The Noctilux is even worse because it is listed but the price is absurd.
To find and buy one of these lenses isn't easy or cheap.

 

[usccharles]

what do you guys think about the 75cron compared to the lux?

Cron is cheaper and much smaller to carry around, right? how big is the difference is DOF with these two lenses? i'm guessing since its telephoto, even the cron will have very slim depth of field.

any picture examples?? 😀

 

[StuartR]

Charles, there are a number of example threads about the difference between the 75 cron and lux. I suggest you check them out. I am not trying to be a search engine Nazi, just to tell you that the threads are already out there with a lot of example images. I have both the 75 summilux and the 75 summicron. They are two of my favorite lenses. To assign human characteristics to lenses, well the 75 summilux is very romantic and the 75 summicron is very exacting. The lux has a very smooth, lovely quality like your noctilux, the 75 cron is still smooth and lovely, but exceedingly sharp, even wide open. Basically, the 75/2 does not change regardless of aperture. The 75 lux gets glowy in the highlights wide open, but becomes extremely sharp when stopped down. The 75 cron is much easier and more enjoyable to handle. The 75 lux is a large, heavy lens, but there is a beauty in its heft and large front element. Both of them seem to be put together better than many of Leica's other lenses.

For full disclosure, however, I will say that I have not been using these lenses as much on the M8 as I thought. I prefer their perspective on film, so I have been using 50mm lenses on the M8 more often, as they are like the 75's on film.

Here are a few samples (trying to find ones I have not posted...which is hard!):
These are all on film unless noted.
Lux:

Cron:

 

[usccharles]

beautiful examples Stuart. thank you.

i no longer know what i want anymore... :bang:

so many great lenses, not enough money, and too much time to think about them.

i'm maybe leaning towards the 75cron, after seeing some of your examples above. the bokeh is very nice and i'm loving the sharpness of the focused areas.

but then again, every cron i've ever purchased, i've alwasy sooner or later replaced it with the Lux or wider of the same focal length. its like an addiction these f-stops 😱

so 75 lux/cron..... i'm going to drink on this tonight. there is a shop near me with a pretty mint condition lux and cron available right as i speak. so its making this very hard.

🙂

 

[StuartR]

Go out and shoot them both. That is the best way to tell. Honestly, from f/4 and up they are very similar, so if the difference in look from f/1.4 to f/2.8 are important to you, make the decision on that, but if not, just get the cron because it really iseasier to use, lighter, more compact and it is among the most technically perfect lenses Leica has made. Believe me, I agonized over this too, but I finally decided that they were both worth keeping. I am very happy that I could afford to keep both and I was lucky that I got my summilux for 1500 dollars back when it was the only 75mm lens.

 

[andcolorII]

I did an entire family portrait shoot today w. my friend's M8 and my own 75 lux. Bad me indoors at 2.8 and below - my focus was waaaay off, and it is quite difficult to frame the picture if you are in close. The frame lines are a tease....I find one must compose and stay put once the sweet spot has been found.

I do need a diaopter thingy for this camera.

I'm not finished editing and don't want to show clients just for the fun of it but if I did it right this should give an idea of the 75 in action.

 

[SteveT]

I have both 75s. The StuartR analysis is dead-on about the difference in photo quality. I'd make my decision this way: for your shooting, do you want to carry the lux with you? It is way bigger and heavier than the cron. When I'm shooting around town and i have my camera bag, i'll take the lux. But if I'm traveling, or shoving lenses in my pockets, I always and only take the cron. With the easily adjustable iso on the m8, you don't crave that extra stop as often as when you had iso 200 or 400 in your camera five shots into a roll and were stuck with a cron shooting with a little longer shutter speed than idea. 640 and even 1250 are so acceptable on this camera that I get by fine with the cron. So - if you like the more romantic look and are using it in a way where you don't mind the weight - get the lux. Otherwise, get the cron. Also, the cron can focus closer than can the lux, and that is a big advantage.

 

[SteveT]

I have both 75s. The StuartR analysis is dead-on about the difference in photo quality. I'd make my decision this way: for your shooting, do you want to carry the lux with you? It is way bigger and heavier than the cron. When I'm shooting around town and i have my camera bag, i'll take the lux. But if I'm traveling, or shoving lenses in my pockets, I always and only take the cron. With the easily adjustable iso on the m8, you don't crave that extra stop as often as when you had iso 200 or 400 in your camera five shots into a roll and were stuck with a cron shooting with a little longer shutter speed than idea. 640 and even 1250 are so acceptable on this camera that I get by fine with the cron. So - if you like the more romantic look and are using it in a way where you don't mind the weight - get the lux. Otherwise, get the cron. Also, the cron can focus closer than can the lux, and that is a big advantage.

 

[Nemo]

The cron can focus 5cm closer. That is not a significant difference.

 

[Rob-F]

I don't understand the comment, above, that the 75 Lux is best used wide open. I use it wide open when I need f/1.4, and I'm glad to have that option. But stopped down to f/5.6, the 75 Lux is outstanding! It is at least as sharp as my 90mm APO ASPH Summicron. I posted some photos and 100% details a while back, over on the Photo.Net Leica forum. I'll post a link if a get time, later. Or just use the search. Althought the lens is heavy and bulky, and I am not so young any more, it is still within acceptable limits. It is not a lens I would part with! The 90AA would go first. Recommended!

 

[Nemo]

I posted some photos and 100% details a while back, over on the Photo.Net Leica forum. I'll post a link if a get time, later.

I am very interested in these tests...