Hi, new here, I took my Light Lens Lab Panchro out for my second testing session, I’m really liking the lens more than I thought I would or more so as much as I hoped I would. It’s a great package in term of rendering and checks almost all the marks for me.
Sonnar-7 wrote:
Hi, new here, I took my Light Lens Lab Panchro out for my second testing session, I’m really liking the lens more than I thought I would or more so as much as I hoped I would. It’s a great package in term of rendering and checks almost all the marks for me.
Great samples! I'm still resisting getting this lens, but my will is getting weaker from the samples posted here.
Haha! Thank you. I was really excited when they announced it, I thought it might be too close to a few lenses I already owned but I can see it has its own rendering.
Which lenses do you think it’s close to? The 50/2 Rigid seems sharper. Perhaps the 50/1.5 Heliar @f/2?
Sonnar-7 wrote:
Haha! Thank you. I was really excited when they announced it, I thought it might be too close to a few lenses I already owned but I can see it has its own rendering.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Which lenses do you think it’s close to? The 50/2 Rigid seems sharper. Perhaps the 50/1.5 Heliar @f/2?
I’m quite new to the Leica system and I have not yet tested any Summicron, the Heliar quite intrigued me and I might purchase it at some point, there was an hesitation for me budget wise between the Heliar and the Panchro but the samples of the Panchro won me over.
The lenses I own I thought the Panchro might be redundant with were my Topcor S 5cm f2 and my Nikkor 5cm f1.4, I had owned for a short time a Summarit too but so far the Panchro offers me a package I find unique among those lenses.
Regarding the sharpness, I need to test it more but I don’t think it will be very sharp, the photos in the cathedral are more blurry than they should for I forgot to adjust my iso properly.
A few more shots from the other day and a some from my first test, they might not be very interesting but some exhibit part of the character of the lens.
There the bokeh balls that I think are a big part of the rendering of the lens, small and round that travel the length of the picture, the word cinematic has been thrown a lot at this lens but, it can be said that it cannot be part of the character of the lens but only obtained by the framing and the grading but I think a few characteristics of a glass can enhance a film/cinematic look, that linear and horizontal lecture of the bokeh is interesting.
On another note they have a harsh outline which I like generally speaking as an effect of a lens.
And some more of the glow, that one taken at f2 with a Nikon Z6 on the first day of the test, with the more rapid shutter I was not constrained by f4 with such a harsh light.
Another test @ f4 on SL2S. Tried to focus on diagonal window brace with the 3 nails in it. In fact I tested about 9 different lenses on this same shot. BEST=APO 90 SL, but almost the same APO 35 SL. Panasonic 70-200 f4 with and without 1,4x quite good. Biggest surprise was the 7Artisans 35 in L mount but an APS-C lens configuration. Did not tell SL2S it was an APS-C lens so I got full resolution, but the corners have a slight vignette which actually looks just fine in this scenario. Also tried M 24/1.4, M 50 0.95 and M 50 1.2. Of these 3 M lenses I hit focus the best with the M 50 1.2. Shot most images on all of the above lenses at 1/500 or 1/1000 minimum SS with lenses mostly wide open.
Updated report on my replacement SP II with regard to the central blue haze issue when stopping down. Not good news, I’m afraid.
I was able to very easily remove the built in UV filter using a lens spanner wrench. But it was so loose, I think you could use two toothpicks, one on either side with the tips in the grooves and turn the ring to unscrew it.
Removing the UV makes no difference to the blue haze flare issue at smaller f-stops. I also more carefully tested my replacement and discovered this central haze appears at a much wider f/stop than has been reported. To test, go outdoors to a shaded area with aim the center of the frame on a dark object (at a tree trunk for example). Turn up the exposure about a stop over normal so you can see detail in the dark area. The blue haze appears as early as f/4. At f/4-5.6, it is diffuse and harder to recognize, but if you move the camera left and right, you can see the lighter central area follow. It doesn’t become a blue “spot” until about f/11.
So essentially this is an f/2-2.8 lens if you don’t want to have loss of central contrast. I suppose the effect from f/4-5.6 could be a “look” since in essence it lightens the image in the center 1/3 of the frame and can highlight a central subject. But from f/8-f/22, it is image-ruining IMO. I think this is directly tied to the particular version of the SP II they decided to emulate and/or the fact that they scaled up the image circle to cover full frame versus the original S35 coverage and did so without proper testing for internal flare issues caused by the scale/size changes.
highdesertmesa wrote:
Updated report on my replacement SP II with regard to the central blue haze issue when stopping down. Not good news, I’m afraid.
I was able to very easily remove the built in UV filter using a lens spanner wrench. But it was so loose, I think you could use two toothpicks, one on either side with the tips in the grooves and turn the ring to unscrew it.
Removing the UV makes no difference to the blue haze flare issue at smaller f-stops. I also more carefully tested my replacement and discovered this central haze appears at a much wider f/stop than has been reported. To test, go outdoors to a shaded area with aim the center of the frame on a dark object (at a tree trunk for example). Turn up the exposure about a stop over normal so you can see detail in the dark area. The blue haze appears as early as f/4. At f/4-5.6, it is diffuse and harder to recognize, but if you move the camera left and right, you can see the lighter central area follow. It doesn’t become a blue “spot” until about f/11.
So essentially this is an f/2-2.8 lens if you don’t want to have loss of central contrast. I suppose the effect from f/4-5.6 could be a “look” since in essence it lightens the image in the center 1/3 of the frame and can highlight a central subject. But from f/8-f/22, it is image-ruining IMO. I think this is directly tied to the particular version of the SP II they decided to emulate and/or the fact that they scaled up the image circle to cover full frame versus the original S35 coverage and did so without proper testing for internal flare issues caused by the scale/size changes....Show more →
Thanks for the extensive checking. Completely killed this lens for me. Which is good because I should stop buying stuff!
In fairness, from f/2-5.6, the reduction of central contrast from the blue haze effect is not observable in most situations. I have to look for it specifically in shadow areas and only when exposure is raised above normal levels.
highdesertmesa wrote:
In fairness, from f/2-5.6, the reduction of central contrast from the blue haze effect is not observable in most situations. I have to look for it specifically in shadow areas and only when exposure is raised above normal levels.
I noticed some blue haze flaring with the lens when I took photos with it but just treated it as an effect of the lens in those direct light situations, I like some flare quirks, the blueish teint of the shadows in those situations was pleasing to me, but after reading your post and learning more about it I tested it a bit just now.
Starting at f8 there is indeed some internal blue reflection that is not so pretty but I must admit that with my lens up to f5.6 I find the blue flare quite pleasing. It happens in the shadows and only if a direct light is nearby. But yeah, starting to 8 until 11, it’s a bit messy if those conditions are in place.
Thanks for the without filter experiment, I wondered if the blue teint of the flare was due to the screw in filter and was about to ask Light Lens Lab if they would make a spare accessory with an orange cast.
I still like that lens for now and wouldn’t throw it away yet.
Edit: I made some more tests, in extreme condition, targeting a strong light it does worsen at f4. It can go from pleasing flare to bad internal reflection with a small movement. Maybe the lens would fit my Z6 more than my M9 to be able to control the effect with Live view.
algrove wrote:
So far no blue haze when using on my M11 nor SL2S. Could be there but I don't see it. Could an M9 be part of the issue?
f/22 should show a noticeable light spot with a blue tint in the center of the frame. Showed for me on two copies each on a different camera, one on the GFX 50SII and one on the SL2.
highdesertmesa wrote:
f/22 should show a noticeable light spot with a blue tint in the center of the frame. Showed for me on two copies each on a different camera, one on the GFX 50SII and one on the SL2.
OK, but I would never shoot at f22. I bought it for f4 maximum use and when I can hit focus f2 preferable.
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