I have one more day with the Summilux-SL 50/1.4, but I’d like to show a few shots and share some thoughts before I start my full review. I really hoped for a lightweight, small 50mm lens with a fast and reliable autofocus. Long story short, that didn’t happen. The SL 50/1.4 is only slightly smaller and less heavy than the mighty 24-90. Autofocus is quite reliable, but slow. There’s also a bright side: the lens renders terrific, is super sharp and has no lens errors.
I’m also playing around with the Novoflex EOS to SL adapter. Some Canon lenses really work, some don’t. More on that adapter soon on this website.
Super sharp, nice rendering wide open.Great for selfies as well.
I finally got my hands on the Leica Summilux-SL 50/1.4. Man, it’s a beast. It’s quite big and heavy, but first impressions are good. I’m taking it to two weddings (hope they’ll allow me to use the pictures as some of the guests are celebrities), a factory tour in Switzerland and some portrait sessions. This is not the typical street photography lens, but I’m sure it will shine for run and gun assignments and for portraits. I’ll also decide if this lens is good enough to replace my Noctilux.
I thought very long before I bought the Leica Noctilux. Although my business is good, I could live months without having to work if I didn’t buy it. But I see it as an investment: pure economically speaking (it doesn’t depreciate as much as money on the saving account does these days), but also photographically. With my flash-free wedding philosophy I can use every stop there is. Mind you, when I bought it, the M240 was the fastest camera in the ISO-department.
Yes, it’s a beautiful lens, but also very expensive and it will get damaged with use.
So while I’d like to use the Noctilux as often as I can, I also like to keep it in good condition, if I’d have to sell it one day. A beat up Noctilux will sell for much less cash than a Nocti in pristine condition. The funny thing is that the few minor scratches that my Nocti bear weren’t caused during use, but during getting it in and out of the safe, when putting my camera away on my desk, you know what I mean right?
You could (in theory) slap on and off your Nocti every time you use the lens. After use, you could put it in it’s protective pouch. But you’ll get tired of this and after a while, you’ll leave the 10K lens on your camera.
It costs roughly 1% of your lens. I’d say: best deal ever…
While I was raving about my Optech camera strap, I discovered another interesting product that I have been looking for a very long time: a neoprene protective lens pouch, also made by Optech. Lens pouches aren’t new, but the good thing about the Fold-over-Pouch is that you can slide it over your lens, when it is attached to the camera! There are no zippers, no buckles or anything that can damage your lens or your camera and sliding the pouch on is as easy as putting your lens cap back on.
Sliding the pouch on is as easy as putting the lens cap on…Nicely protected and still very easy to take off when you need to take that shot.
The ‘lid’ of the pouch is attached to the pouch and although this makes it look less sexy when it’s on your camera, it prevents losing the lid.
Another good thing about this lens pouch is that you can also store your precious Nocti in the pouch in a safe, a photo bag or anywhere, while keeping the ‘offical’ lens pouch also pristine.
Definitely a must-have for all Leica Noctilux owners! Check it out here. It costs roughly 1% of your lens. I’d say: best deal ever.
Of course, you can use this neoprene pouch for other lenses. They come in a lot of different sizes. For the Noctilux, the 303 fits like a glove. For other lenses, check out the product finder here.
Perfect for storing your Nocti. In a safe, a photo bag or anywhere else.
A few years ago, the Leica Summicron-M 28/2.0 ASPH was the fastest Leica 28mm you could get. Now that the Summilux 28 is also available, the 28 Summicron is nicely positioned between the 28 Lux and 28 Elmarit. While the 28 Cron has some features from both the 28 Lux and 28 Elmarit, it would be unworthy for the 28 Cron to be called a ‘compromise’. It is anything but a compromise.
Looking great with it’s all metal lens hood. Viewfinder blockage is OK, but worse than with the 28 ELmarit
First things first. Why would you need a 28mm lens at all, if you already own a beautiful 35mm lens? Long story short, here’s the answer to that question.
I think people have become more interested in the 28mm focal length because of the built in camera in the iPhone…
In addition to the article I referred to, I think people have become more interested in the 28mm focal length because of the built in camera in the iPhone. Up until the iPhone 6, every iPhone was equipped with a fixed 28mm lens. People got used to it and Leica was confident enough to bring out an expensive camera with a fixed 28mm lens: the Leica Q.
While the 28 Lux might be slightly heavy for a trip where every gram counts, the 28 Cron is still light weight enough if you want that extra stop over the Elmarit. But it’s not just the extra stop. Especially with wide angle lenses, an extra stop makes a huge difference in terms of depth op field. When you get close, the difference between the 28/2.8, 28/2.0 and 28/1.4 are huge, as can be seen here.
Great sharpness, but even at this distance there’s some separation from the background.
Build quality and ergonomics
So let’s get started. Of course the 28 Cron feels extremely well built. One of the details that I like is the metal hood that is perfectly aligned with the lens. You really get a sense of ultimate quality when you take the hood on and off, when turning the focus ring and when clicking the aperture ring. It is just beautifully made.
You can see the separation here even better. The blocks in the foreground are nicely out of focus.
While I like the small size of the 28 Elmarit, I might prefer the slightly larger size of the Cron, because this decreases the risk of accidentally putting your finger in front of the lens. But I do prefer the lighter weight of the 28 Elmarit. Having said that, the 28 Cron is only slightly heavier and bigger than the 35 Cron, a standard lens considered by many Leica users.
I might prefer the slightly larger size of the Cron, because this decreases the risk of accidentally putting your finger in front of the lens…
Ergonomics are good: the focus ring is smooth, the aperture is not too smooth to be accidentally shifted. The focus ring is tabbed, which makes focusing quick and easy and which makes shooting from the hip and focus-guessing even easier.
Check out these nice transitions.
Sharpness, bokeh and rendering
Sharpness wise, the 28 trio doesn’t leave anything to be desired. The 28 Cron also performs flawless. Wide open, it is tack sharp in the center and stopping down improves sharpness just a bit. Corner sharpness is also excellent. In fact, when used at f4, it’s pretty hard to see the difference between the Elmarit and the Summicron. When you get close up and open the aperture, the difference is very obvious though.
@f2crop @f2@2.8@ f4
Although bokeh isn’t the number one reason to buy a 28mm lens, it is in fact a major distinctive factor to buy the 28 Cron instead of the 28 Elmarit. With the 28 Cron it is possible to (slightly) blur the background to make your subject ‘pop out’ a little bit. The 28 Lux is much better at this job, but that comes with a price. Bokeh is neutral and quite nice.
If you get close up and open up your aperture, you can create completely different images than you would with the 28 Elmarit…
This is also where the major difference with regards to rendering counts. If you get close up and open up your aperture, you can create completely different images than you would with the 28 Elmarit. You can play a bit with transitions from in focus to out of focus. For wedding photographers, this is a big bonus. These nice transitions generally create a more romantic look than images with a large depth of field.
No distortion at all. Good news for architecture shooters.
Conclusion
As I wrote before, the 28 Cron is not a compromise between the 28 Elmarit and the 28 Lux. It’s a one of a kind lens with its own signature. Though I’d say that signature is more similar to the 28 Elmarit than the 28 Lux.
The Leica Summicron-M 28/2.0 ASPH is probably the lens with the broadest range of photographers who could use this lens. Landscape shooters will love the corner to corner sharpness and the relatively low weight. Architecture shooters will appreciate the distortion free (yes, it’s really that good) rendering. Photo journalists will love the fact that it opens up to f2 as will wedding photographers. Videographers will love the rendering and look of this lens, but the tab will make it impossible to use a follow focus ring.
Photo journalists will love the fact that it opens up to f2 as will wedding photographers…
If I had to buy one of the 28mm lenses from Leica it would be this lens. Or the Summilux. But for an outdoor trip I’d get the Elmarit. Oh man, they’re all good.
Selfie in winter times.One from the series that I did with all three Leica 28mm lenses.Again, get close up and create a (more or less) shallow depth of field.
A nice tool for street shooters. Light, small and even the extra stop might come in useful.
I just got back from a short trip to one of the best canoeing areas in my home country. It was perfectly quiet, partly because the weather forecast wasn’t really promising. I took the Leica SL, the CV 15/4.5 V3, the Summicron-M 35/2.0 ASPH and my recently acquired Summicron-R 90 with me.
Another nasty storm coming in. No photoshop! With the CV 15/4.5 v3
The SL hasn’t replaced my M, but it’s getting more user time than its smaller brother. For quick and easy editorial portraits, I bring my SL and Noctilux, which is an excellent combo for working fast and reliably. Nailing focus with anything wider than 2.0 and with a focal length of 50mm or longer is just easier with the SL.
The SL hasn’t replaced my M…
On this trip, I switched a few times between 15 and 90mm. With the M, I’d have to use an external viewfinder (either an optical one or the Visoflex). With the SL, it’s just switch and go. Another key feature for me is the perfect interval timer, which is also present on the M10 now, but lacks on the M240.
My place for the night: Leica SL with 90 Cron RThe magnificent interval timer on the Leica SL did its job again. CV 15/4.5 v3.
Some people have asked me if I will make a full switch towards the SL system, but the answer is ‘no’. I think for my type of photography I prefer the M system in most situations. Weddings for example, at least in my documentary style, are much better suited for a small, light weight, non-obtrusive camera like the M. Also, for weddings I use the 35mm focal length quite a bit and focusing a 35mm lens is still quicker on the M. Focusing a 50mm is also easier on the M, but more reliable on the SL. In a week or so I’ll shoot a wedding where I’m going to use both the M240 and SL at the same time.
Shot against the sun. The 90 Summicron-R gets a little softer, but still plenty detail.
For my outdoor photography however, and for my headshot work, the SL is a better choice than the M, even though the SL is maybe slightly too heavy for trips where every gram counts. The feature that made me purchase the SL (and not -yet- the M10) was video. On outdoor trips, I like to have the ability to shoot stills and video with the same camera and this also saves a lot of weight. But I also have assignments where I have to produce short videos in high quality. The 120 frames per second feature of the SL is so good that even pro-cinema shooters bought the SL for this reason.
The 120 frames per second feature of the SL is so good that even pro-cinema shooters bought the SL for this reason…
I’ll be posting more thoughts on the SL vs M system. I’m also very curious about the Sony A9, but pictures of the camera show the usual clutter of buttons everywhere. Interface wise, I don’t think it will be much better than the A7-series. Build quality wise and EVF-wise it will probably outperform the A7. At least Sony has a nice range of AF zooms and primes, something Leica doesn’t have for the SL. I’d like to see a few small and lightweight AF primes and I’m curious what the SL Summicron lenses will be like.
Thunder storm coming in. Luckily the SL is weather sealed. The 90 cron isn’t though.
The Leica Summarit-M 75/2.4 is the last lens of the Summarit-M range that I tried for a few weeks. I was already familiar with the ‘old’ Summarit 75: the 2.5 version, which I really like. To be honest, I didn’t really notice any difference between the new and old Summarit 75. In my usual shots with Fowly I noticed a slightly better center sharpness in the newer version, but I have to say that my tests are not scientific in any way. I never judge a lens in how it performs in clinical tests, but how it renders in the real world. Rendering wise, I don’t see a difference.
The 75 Summarit leaves little to be desired…
But that isn’t a bad thing, because the 75 Summarit leaves little to be desired. I’ve used this lens for many years now and I once upgraded to a Summicron 75 but regretted it, because I didn’t like it any better than the Summarit, while it was much more expensive. I traded it again and got my old Summarit back.
The 75/2.4 is pretty much all you need in a 75mm lens.
Build quality and ergonomics
As you know the Summarit range is built pretty well. It will probably be a lot harder to break than you might think. The only downside is that the rubber focus ring feels quite a bit less solid than the regular metal focus rings do. The rubber ring will get grey-ish and dirty with use, so it doesn’t get much better. Personally, I don’t really like the chrome version, because the black rubber focus ring makes it look like a cheap kit lens for a Canon camera.
It will probably be a lot harder to break than you might think…
Setting up a big, big Christmas tree. A 75mm gives a little extra reach over a 50mm.
Aperture ring is good: not too stiff, not too smooth. The focus ring is also smooth, but the focus throw is way too short, much like the older version of this lens. If you’re using live view, you can see the image ‘pop’ in focus after the tiniest adjustment on your focus ring. In real life action it is not very easy to make these adjustments in a quick and reliable way. A short focus throw also means that if you’re off on your lens scale, you’re off quite a bit in reality. Add to that that the focal length isn’t cooperative regarding depth of field and the result is a lens that needs proper handling and quite a bit of practice. Or you can rely on the old method of stopping down to increase depth of field.
The focus throw is way too short…
A perfect lens for a landscape photographer: plenty shaprness and good rendering.
So what does this mean for real life use? If you know the weakness of this lens, you can anticipate. I don’t use it to shoot a wedding couple walking down the aisle, but I do use it for headshot assignments where I need something longer than 50mm. I also use it on weddings if I need a bit more reach than the 50 that I use most of the time. I’ve also used it on a race track where action is extremely fast, but where I can anticipate my focus.
Sharpness, bokeh and rendering
A long time ago I did a headshot assignment for a very big company. I had to shoot more than fifty persons in three days. Some photographers will shoot them all in one day, but I believe in the added value of being able to spend time getting to know my subjects. Some people need 29 minutes to ‘defrost’, meaning that I have one minute to take their head shot. Others need only a few minutes, meaning that I have a lot of time to take better shots.
Nice bokeh, don’t you think? Being able to get close makes all the difference.
Anyway, I used my M9, 75/2.5 Summarit, one flash, a big reflector and a black background for the whole job. Some people came back telling me they loved my pictures so much, but a few middle aged women also came back, telling me there was something wrong with the pictures. They looked much older on the pictures than they did in the mirror.
It is so bloody sharp that it will make middle aged women want to kill you…
This is what the Summarit 75/2.4 can do. It is so bloody sharp that it will make middle aged women want to kill you. I’m serious. I had to retouch a lot of pictures to get rid of the wrinkles and other things people don’t want in their faces. With daylight, this effect diminishes, but flash is brutal, even when it’s soft and has a big, soft modifier.
I had quite a bit of purple fringing, but this was due to the nature of this picture. Nothing to worry about.
So yes, the Summarit 75/2.4 may be a little too sharp for some things. But landscape shooters won’t complain about this. Nor will a documentary shooter. Also for weddings, this lens is pretty much all I need in a short tele.
Also for weddings, this lens is pretty much all I need in a short tele…
Bokeh is quite nice and quite creamy if you get close enough to your subject. It has improved compared to the old 75, not because the optical formula has changed, but because the minimal focusing distance has been decreased from 90 centimeters to 70 centimeters. Actually, this is one of the reasons why it might be worth the upgrade from the old 75.
Rendering is – of course – very modern, with high micro contrast. Transitions aren’t really spectacular, but still very nice. Rendering wise, the Summicron is much more exciting with faster and more interesting fall off into out of focus areas.
Wide open @ 2.4And a crop. Click on it to check out its incredible sharpness.@2.8And @f4. There’s no need to stop down for sharpness. At least not in the center
Conclusion
Would I recommend this lens? Yes, I certainly do. If you’re looking for a lens that is slightly longer than your 50mm, but not as long as your 90, this is a lens you should take into consideration. It is light weight, quite small, very, very sharp, has a nice rendering and is quite affordable. If you’re going to use it for portraits mostly, be aware that it might be too sharp and that the focus throw is very short. With the improved live view on the M10, this shouldn’t be a problem. On the SL, it also works like a charm.
Compared to the old 75/2.5, the new 2.4 version has a much shorter minimal focusing distance, seems to be slightly sharper and is a tiny bit faster on paper. I didn’t see any difference at all in exposure with the 2.5 and 2.4 version, but your mileage may vary.
Another example of the nice rendering of this lens.And one more close-up
Contrary to what some reviewers claim, this lens is NOT an aspherical lens. Not that it really matters, but I thought you should know.
I just read an interesting article on PetaPixel about why Leica users should carry their camera always on their shoulder, no matter how cold, hot, cold, dry conditions are. The author claims he has taken his M240 everywhere and always on his shoulder.
While I enjoyed the read and while I agree on taking your camera with you at all times, I’d recommend to bring your Leica M in a bag. There are a few simple reasons for this.
The rangefinder is susceptible to impacts. Yes, the Leica M is built like a tank. The rangefinder mechanism is NOT. I’ve walked around a lot with one M in my hand and another one on my shoulder. The chances of hitting something (door post, chair, wall, whatever) with the M while carrying it on your shoulder are substantial, especially when you’re in a hurry. I don’t care about scratches, but I do care about a rangefinder that is out of whack. In that case sending it to Germany is the only real solution.
Condensation. I’ve also shot my M in hot, cold, humid, dry and sandy conditions, but I always brought a bag. When you’re shooting in the cold and enter a building, condensation will occur. The visible part of this process occurs in the viewfinder, where it is only annoying. But it also happens on the electronic circuits. If you bring a bag, you slowly ‘warm up’ the camera and prevent condensation.
Rain. The M isn’t waterproof. And even though the M10 has more waterproofing than the previous versions, lenses aren’t waterproof either. Water and cameras aren’t a good combination. Bring a good bag and take the camera out for a shot. It’s not that much work anyway.
Theft. When traveling, it’s wise to hide your Leica when things get nasty. Walking around in Buenos Aires with a camera on your shoulder is a pretty good recipe to get robbed. Bring an inconspicuous bag, like a Billingham Hadley small.
I know from my own experience that shooting a camera that is at hand is easier than shooting with a camera that sits in a bag. But unless you want your M to visit Germany a few times a year, I dare to say that’s it pretty unwise to leave without a bag. Mind you, I’ve taken my M on alpine climbs, on wild rivers in a canoe and in humid Cambodian jungle, but ALWAYS in a bag. You can open the bag, you know, and take your camera out and take any shot you like.
If there’s any risk of taking a swim, better a bring a waterproof bag
Here in hot and humid Cambodia after a day of tomb raiding. Note the bag on her shoulder.Not the best conditions for a camera (or a person) but a bag makes things safer AND enhance the chances that I can keep taking pictures during the rest of the trip.
If you’re still not convinced you should bring a bag, there’s another solution. This is it. It’s called the Leica X-U.
Another camera where you don’t have to be afraid of mechanical impact and moist is also available. It’s called the Leica SL. This lens however is pretty far from waterproof. The native SL lenses are much better in that regard.
While I was going through a huge set of pictures for a presentation at Kanoshop, one of our sponsors that we had on our canoeing trip of last year, I ‘rediscovered’ a few pictures of Swedish lakes.
Leica M9 with Zeiss ZM 35/2.8
We spent a few months on and around lakes, but the last month of our trip, we had more interesting light compared to the first months. This isn’t strange, because the first part of our trip was dominated by the polar nights, where it didn’t get dark at all.
There is something about lakes in the arctic regions. I can’t tell what it is, but it feels a bit mysterious. In combination with the clouds it can feel like you’re living in a hyper realistic painting. And sometimes it feels like you’re part of a Jimi Hendrix song, even more when you’re on the water and all kinds of psychedelic patterns can be seen on the surface.
Leica M9 with Zeiss ZM 35/2.8Leica M9 with Zeiss ZM 35/2.8
On trips like these, nothing beats the Leica M(whatever which version). Working with a tiny camera and a handful of light weight, compact lenses, changes everything. With the essential functions all within reach, the M can be used with gloves on and in all kinds of situations. Even in a floating, small canoe.
Leica M240 with Zeiss ZM 35/2.8Leica M9 with Zeiss ZM 35/2.8
Working from a canoe is actually a bit harder than it seems. Even without any wind, a canoe is always drifting off in some direction and you can’t really adjust for that by moving your own body. Kneeling a canoe puts yourself in a more or less fixed position. Taking a shot means paddling the canoe in the right direction, storing your paddle, quickly grabbing your camera and taking the shot.
Lensculture published a blog with a link to a very interesting E-book from Magnum. The 60 pages PDF is filled with short stories, quotes, tips&tricks and -of course- photo’s. You can download it for free with this link.
With the Leica M240 I had three choices with regards to releasing the shutter button: just press it myself (which I used most, for obvious reasons), use the self timer in either 2 or 12 seconds mode, or use a cable release. None of these features worked in situations where I needed more time than 12 seconds, or wanted to be further away from the camera. This is why I don’t have a single photo of me and my wife in our canoe when we headed for Norway and Sweden last year.
While all Sony A7 users could control their cameras with an app on a smartphone, Leica users were left to work with the standard self timer solution. But then the SL came out. One of the additional features in the drive mode menu was ‘interval’. If you never missed it, you’ll probably won’t use it, but for me, and other outdoor photographers, this is a key feature.
How does it work? Very simple: you just select ‘interval’ in the drive mode. Directly underneath this menu is the ‘interval’ setting. You enter the menu, set the delay time (the timer, so to say), the number of pictures you want to take and the amount of time in between these pictures. Absolutely terrific! Now you can do time lapses and take pictures of yourself in your canoe/car/bike/plane/T-rex/whatever. It works better than using the app for your camera and you can focus on doing what you want to be documented in stead of staring on your phone.
The M10 has the same function and I’d recommend to give it a try.
The picture above is a very good example of what the interval setting can do. I set up the camera, set the delay time to one minute, the interval time to one second and the amount of pictures at 50. I hit the shutter, had enough time to get in my canoe, paddled to the area where I wanted to be and moved my canoe in a variety of positions. the result isn’t worse than what another photographer would get when he or she would be on shore with a camera.
