Leica 50mm summicron
For me, those images are still unsurpassed in timeless portrait photography. When I use a Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 lens, I envision the principles that make photographs timeless. Have you heard of Hurrell? If you have not, you should look him up and see how he photographed to bring the best features of Hollywood stars.
#Leica 50mm summicron professional#
I love using Leica lenses because of their color which from a professional point of view is a matter not measured by cents and dollars but by the appeal of the photographs. They both have a place in my arsenal of instruments. I have used Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 APO lens and Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 lens on many of my travels and project. It can also serve as an instrument with which you can craft your version of your story. While having a Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 APO lens will not make you a better photographer it may help you to appreciate the beauty of the images that can be achieved with this lens. The point I am trying to make here is lenses, and the choice of medium and the lens whether it is a 35mm film, medium format digital or a large format plate or a wide angle or a telephoto lens are as important as the photographer who uses them. If it comes to comparing image quality from lenses, I suggest we look into Ansel Adams photographs shot on large format film. They are entirely different lenses and serve my needs on various projects. For example, I own two Leica Noctilux-M 50mm lenses one from Dr.Mandler’s era with a maximum aperture of f/1 and one that is the latest with f/0.95 designed by Peter Karbe. It will not be the lens of choice for everyone because each photographer has a preference for a particular focal length, speed even may choose to use a different version of the same lens. Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 APO lens is my choice of today’s technology because it represents my style of photography. Today, as photographers our tools are better than ever. Some photographers like Bill Cunnigham use the same lens and camera for decades without deviating from their set modus operandi. Most professionals shoot photographs using with what they have developed a relationship with, it is often the lens with the camera body being upgraded over the years. I use it on a Nikon Df, but also tested it on a Z7 with very good results.It is important to remember that Cartier-Bresson did not have the most “correct” of lenses to capture his legendary photographs nor did Steve McCurry who never honestly bother with the specifications of his lenses but more so in the way they rendered images. Needless to say, manufacturing quality is on a par with all other Leica, focus action is smooth, etc.īottom line, it is one of my most used "fifties". There is also some minor color shift on stopping down, for unclear reasons. The only downside is, the coatings are not very effective, so the lens is prone to flare or contrast loss on backlit scenes. The diaph has 6 blades "only", but these are slightly rounded, and bokeh (which is only partly dependent on diaph shape) is better than with most other fifties, Noct excepted. Night shots look good, with no disturbing artefacts. The lens is well-corrected (low distortion too) without being "clinical". It may be a coincidence, but the rendering is remindful of the Cosina-Voigtländer Apo Lanthar 180/4 which is however a true APO. It is sure no APO, but chromatic aberrations are kept low, probably a benefit from Lanthanium glass (50% of the mass.). Sharpness is already pretty good wide open over the whole field. This lens has an exquisite rendering, very detailed and not very contrasty (very different from Zeiss in that respect). It takes some time to get used to "counting the clicks" for setting the aperture, and some time to get used to the reverse diaph and focus operation (compared to Nikkors).
#Leica 50mm summicron manual#
It is fully manual there is no coupling whatsoever via the Leitax mount. I am a fan of fifities and have more than a dozen, all Nikon F mount or converted, most are 50mm, three are 58mm (Noct, Voigtländer, and Helios). I do have a "second version" Summicron-R.