Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

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Archive 2007 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

jjlphoto
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p.2 #1 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

SoundHound wrote:
Remember that, in this digital age, the "Look" of these lenses as well as many other looks (film too) is possible with PS (color, contrast, etc).

Maybe, maybe not. With the advent of megapixels approaching or passing the 20 megapixel mark in a FF 35mm DSLR, the German optics are simply designed to deliver more lines per millimeter than other more mainstream lenses. We have yet to see those Leica and Contax lenses really shine.

Jul 18, 2007 at 11:22 PM

cogitech
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p.2 #2 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

jjlphoto wrote:
SoundHound wrote:
Remember that, in this digital age, the "Look" of these lenses as well as many other looks (film too) is possible with PS (color, contrast, etc).

Maybe, maybe not. With the advent of megapixels approaching or passing the 20 megapixel mark in a FF 35mm DSLR, the German optics are simply designed to deliver more lines per millimeter than other more mainstream lenses. We have yet to see those Leica and Contax lenses really shine.

Indeed. Soundhound aught to also be aware that there is more to a lens's "look" or signature than colour and contrast. Those are the least compelling aspects, for me, for exactly the reason that Soundhound speaks of; post-processing. One exception is my appreciation of lower contrast lenses. I see the advantage they offer in certain situations and the advantage happens during the capture, not in post. What is compelling for me is the "pattern of sharpness" in the DOF, combined with vignetting, bokeh, and plain old resolution, that can give a lens a look like no other. The Super-Takumar 50/1.4 offers plenty of this:

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Jul 19, 2007 at 02:25 AM

CMOS
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p.2 #3 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Neat shot. Doesn't look like anything I've seen come out of any Canon lens.

Jul 19, 2007 at 02:48 AM

Pixel Perfect
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p.2 #4 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Both my C/Y Zeiss 50 f/1.4 and 85 f/1.4 are superb lenses that easily rival my L glass for colour, contrast (even more so) and sharpness. I've stopped worrying about the 85 f/1.2L now. Both lenses are built like tanks, yet the 85 is only ~550g and cost me $500 and the 50 was a mere $145. If you have a 5D they work flawlessly. Next on my list is a WA Zeiss or Zuiko; a lot of Leica glass won't work on the 5D without some mods and some just won't work, unfortunately.

If people want I can post pics later.

Jul 19, 2007 at 02:49 AM

cogitech
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p.2 #5 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

CMOS wrote:
Neat shot. Doesn't look like anything I've seen come out of any Canon lens.

Thanks.

I forgot to mention that the only PP applied to the image is a bit of sharpening, a crop & border, and the lith conversion.

Jul 19, 2007 at 03:10 AM

mh2000
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p.2 #6 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

As much as I also love my Super-Tak, the Summicron gives amazing corner to corner sharpness even on FF and wide open... not to mention wonderful micro contrast and flare control... if sharpness, clarity and technical brilliance is your thing, the Summicron delivers. Bokeh is nice, but kind of clinical. The Super-Tak makes up for its shortcomings by offering romantic imaging when opened up and very competent, but not remarkable, performance stopped down... I personally go more for romance over technical brilliance... but that is mostly just me and what I shoot...

cogitech wrote:
mh2000 wrote:
I ended up prefering the more distinctive and classic look from my Super-Tak 50... but that is just a personal taste.

One more reason I haven't tried the 50 Summicron-R. The Super-Tak 50/1.4 is simply superb, with a signature like no other that I have used.

Jul 19, 2007 at 04:13 AM

EltonTeng
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p.2 #7 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

One word of caution, beware of the slippery slope ahead of you...

Since January of this year, I have picked up the following:

Contax CZ 28/2.8
Olympus OM 18/3.5
Contax CZ 85/1.4 (just got it today woohoo! doubles as soft focus @ large apertures)
Olympus OM 50/1.4 (serial #11xxxxx)
SMC Takumar 55/1.8.

Jul 19, 2007 at 04:44 AM

CGrindahl
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p.2 #8 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

The farther this fascinating thread goes, the clearer is the reality it belongs on the Alternative Systems thread. As a matter of fact, reading this prompts me to head over there...

Jul 19, 2007 at 05:15 AM

Grandin
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p.2 #9 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

I really wish the OP would post some examples of how the mentioned glass performs on Canon dSLR, the thread is somewhat pointless without examples (especially so when direct comparisons are made to Canon glass). I also own and have owned some exotic glass on adapters for using on both crop and FF, but its not something that I would recommend to people in general on the Canon-mount SLRs board.

Could some moderator please move this thread to the Alternate Systems board.

Jul 19, 2007 at 07:11 AM

cogitech
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p.2 #10 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

My vote goes to leaving the thread where it is. This is pertinent to Canon shooters, as the OP said, because it is all about how adaptable the EOS mount is. Considering how incredible the results can be with many of the Alt. lenses, I think every Canon shooter really aught to know what is out there. If people see this thread and want to know more about adapting specific lenses, which ones are the best, which are the best values, etc. then they will undoubtedly head on over to the Alternative Systems board.

There seem to be two camps in the Alt. arena; a)those who love to spread the word because they are blown away with the quality and/or value that can be realized and b)those who would rather keep it to a dull roar for various reasons, including: 1) a desire to control demand for the lenses (and, hence, price), 2) plain old elitism.

Jul 19, 2007 at 12:28 PM

thirteen
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p.2 #11 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

SmegHead wrote The reason I posted it here is it's relavance to Canon shooters specifically because Canon is the only system I know of that can adapt easily to all these alternative lens's. And when I get home and post some pics to show a comparison to Canon glass specifically.

I fully agree.
As a Canon owner I find this info very useful. I look forward to any pics that SmegHead posts to support his opinion.

Jul 19, 2007 at 01:32 PM

jweaver
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p.2 #12 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Interesting thread. Thank you for putting it here. I never would have seen it in the other forum. Sometimes we should chill, this was useful here, so all of the Wrong board posters should just take a breath.

Jul 19, 2007 at 02:35 PM

mh2000
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p.2 #13 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

yup, I agree... all the little self-appointed policemen should just get over themselves...

Jul 19, 2007 at 02:45 PM

SmegHead
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p.2 #14 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Thanks for all those that support putting this thread here.. I really didnt mean to cause such an uproar but you have to admit, if this thread was in the Alt lens forum, it DEFINATELY wouldnt have had 5 pages of responses because people over there already know this stuff. I wanted to share my new experience as a Canon shooter to other canon shooters who may not have even known its possible to use these great old lens's. When I first joined this forum I didnt even touch the Alt board because I thought "well.. I shoot canon.. I dont shoot alternative lens's.. so there's no point even reading that board".. so I hope I've maybe introduced a few people that didnt know the SHOULD be looking at the alt board as well to the amazing flexability of the EOS system..

Finally.. some pics, not the greatest artistic wize but I hope they demonstrate my point.. both lens's at f3.5.. (metadata on the leica shot will show 2.0 because that's what my AF confirm chip reports) the canon bokeh is almost hexagonal and brighter at the edges, while the Leica you can barely tell where one highlight begins and the other ends.

Canon:

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Leica:

Jul 19, 2007 at 06:10 PM

SmegHead
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p.2 #15 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Just a little more info.. the canon lens I shot this with is the 50mm mkII.. and yes .. as it's been said before.. the canon DOES have better saturation and is probably a little sharper.. BUT it's the pleasing bokeh of the Leica that I'm trying to demonstrate.. every tool has a job and every job a tool

Jul 19, 2007 at 06:15 PM

AGeoJO
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p.2 #16 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

I am not trying to be a PITB here but I noticed a few things (judging only by the small size of web images, of course

):

- The image taken with the Leica appears to be a tad softer either due to camera movement (did you use a tripod for both shots?) or slightly out of focus. Not sure which. Being able to focus correctly on a crop camera is one of the pitfalls, BTW. Yes, you can change your focusing screen more easily on a 1D type camera than on the crop camera although it is also available from a third-party supplier.

- I believe, the Canon 50mm MkII is not known to have a good bokeh rendition. I am not sure about the number of aperture blades and the shape they create if stopped down (it looks like it has 5 blades and the shape is pentagonal). The rounder the shape the more pleasing the bokeh, in general. My point is, maybe it would be a little bit more fair to compare the two with a 50mm f/1.4.

Jul 19, 2007 at 06:47 PM

RGS65
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p.2 #17 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

The background looks like butta on that Leica.

Jul 19, 2007 at 07:01 PM

SmegHead
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p.2 #18 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

true.. I'm deffinatly not saying this is a scientific comparison.. and yes.. the leica IS a tad softer.. definatly. I did the comparison with the 50mm MKII for two reasons.. one.. its what I have :P and also because the two lens's are closer in price.. I paid $119 for my 50mm MKII and $200 for the Leica used.. and the 50mm f1.4 is about $479 here in canada... so I thought it was pretty fair comparison. And I do agree with AGeoJO there are definatly canon lens's that will give a similarly pleasing bokeh.. but they're more expensive $300-$500 for the 50mm 1.4 or the 85 1.8.. or in the thousands for the 50 and 85L's. Plus manually focusing is much nicer on the Leica (though I havent tried the L's)

Jul 19, 2007 at 07:03 PM

Hammerli
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p.2 #19 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

mh2000 wrote:
yup, I agree... all the little self-appointed policemen should just get over themselves...

How ironic; if people were self-policing we wouldn't have alternative lens threads in the Canon forum when there exists a forum specifically for this kind of posts. Suggesting that the inclusion of Canon references is justification is a slippery slope; what Leica lens can't (and hasn't been) compared to a Canon alternative? There is a reason the appropriate forum is called the Alternative Digital Systems & Lenses forum.

Jul 19, 2007 at 07:04 PM

mh2000
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p.2 #20 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Canon is a system. People don't blast people that ask about using Pocket Wizards and stuff with their Canon gear, do they? They don't blast people asking about Metz or Sigma... those aren't Canon brands either. Heck, we probably need 3rd party lenses in Canon mount forum as well, right?

Jul 19, 2007 at 07:38 PM

jweaver
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p.2 #21 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Just relax, man. It will be alright. Some here do not check that board at all. I know I could not care less about Pentax or Konica so i would not even think to look there, so it is a boon. If you do not care to read these posts, you could just move on. Sometimes the tone here is pretty negative and it does not have to be that way. If you are troubled that this is on the wrong board, boycott the thread...

Jul 19, 2007 at 07:56 PM

Emile Gregoire
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p.2 #22 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

Jesse, love the image of the Leica - thanks for sharing. However I can hardly believe it has been shot at the same aperture as the Canon image, seeing the DOF is totally different. Size of the OOF highlights is totally different as well - different shape is what could be expected but twice the size is doubtful. Are you sure it was shot at f/3.5?

Jul 19, 2007 at 09:07 PM

mh2000
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p.2 #23 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

a number of Canon lenses tested against a Summicron 50 and others:

http://www.markhahnphotography.com/russian/f28_lens_tests/normal_lens_tests28.htm

Jul 19, 2007 at 09:17 PM

fourfa
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p.2 #24 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

I'd agree - there's no way those two shots were made at the same aperture. look at the blur gradient in the leaves.

Jul 19, 2007 at 09:26 PM

AGeoJO
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p.2 #25 · Another Leica convert (PICS ADDED at page 5)

In addition, it is also possible that the plane of focus on the Leica shot fell a little bit in the front of the red fruit (berry?), rendering the bokeh softer/smoother than if the focusing plane was exactly on the fruit itself. Nothing behind the berry is in focus on that image. The image taken with the Leica, for my taste, is a little bit too soft and definitely not characteristic of a Leica fingerprint had the focus been right on the money, uh, I mean, the berry

.

Edited by AGeoJO on Jul 19, 2007 at 02:09 PM GMT (Reason: typo

)

Jul 19, 2007 at 09:39 PM


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