open81 wrote:
I found in another thread that you were getting rid of your other Leica portrait lenses - the 90/2 and the 90/2.8. After seeing the performance of the 80/1.4, do you still like it better than the other two?
I am only selling one of the 90s, not both. I just don't need three lenses in that space, four if you count the Canon 100 USM Macro.
I have had the 80/1.4 only one day, but I did take rather a large number of different shots with it yesterday, and I still have more testing to do. First of all, I couldn't say why, but I find it much easier to focus than the 90/2, which is in turn easier to focus than the 90/2.8 (for me). This might change when I get my Proscreen (where is that @£$%ing thing?). The Lux just kinda snaps into focus in a very narrow space. Having said that, I did manage to get some improperly focused shots with it, so it is clearly no fix-all.
Secondly, stopped down, the Lux is very sharp everywhere. I need to test it directly against the other two lenses at f/2.0 and f/2.8 respectively, as well as lower, to see if it catches up. I suspect it doesn't catch up completely, but it might be sharp enough that I only need to carry one lens in some situations.
At the moment I am leaning towards selling the 90/2, which kinda splits the advantages and disadvantages of the two others. The Lux is really special, and has an odd kind of glow at f/1.4 around high-contrast areas. It is not a softness as such... Perhaps one could compare the look a little to the Canon F/1.0 lens, if you have ever seen results from that, although that lens does get a little unsharp wide-open. The narrow depth of field is gorgeous, although in some pictures it started to look a little strained. I need to learn how to use this lens the best, that's for sure. It is not just a question of putting it on and snapping away. There are parameters.