John Black wrote:
Not easy to find samples from this lens - Canon 100mm F2 Serenar LTM (M39 Screw Mount) on the Leica M9. All taken at F2:
Nice shots as usual John. I noticed that you recently sold a Nikon RF 105mm....can I assume that you prefer the Canon 100? I've been looking at both lenses, but there's not much out there to evaluate.
The Nikon 105/2.5 with the Contax mount and with the Amedeo adapter, it was a lot of machine between the lens and the M. I'd like to get a Nikon 105/2.5, but it'll be a LTM. If you google the Canon 100mm F2 Serenar, with some digging you'll learn (or maybe already know) that it's a Planar design. Do I really need to say anything else
I'm liking the lens, but the M9's color drives me crazy. I spend hours pushing those files and never get a color that I love, though, the Canon coloring is more pleasing to my eye. Then I should the 1Ds3 w/ 24-105L - and BAM! - there's the color I want. If somebody put the 1Ds3 sensor and circuits in a M9 body, I'd be one happy camper.
Anyway, the Nikon renders in a great way - more diffused on its bokeh. The Canon planar is very similar to Contax 100mm Planar, and (this is just guess) the bokeh from Canon has awesome micro-contrast --- I'm guessing it's due to leaded-glass. The wide-open sharpness is right up there with any modern lens. For landscapes, the 90mm Elmarit might resolve higher. The Canon 100mm Serenar loves portraits. And, I'm nailing focusing at F2 more often, more consistently than I do with the Contax 100mm F2 Planar on the 1Ds3. But..., always a but... framing 100 or 105mm on 90mm frame lines can be a guess at times.
I am very surprised to hear your colour comments, not so much that the M9 isn't exactly what you want, but that Canon is. I find Canon files decidedly fake-looking, especially the reds. I once took a photo of my daughter's fire-engine-red pushbike/scooter, and it came out almost fluorescent orange! I was pretty pissed, but thankfully, it was not my camera (5DII). The greens are also not right. Maybe you are just really used to Canon colours?
I think you have tried Capture One for the M9?
Btw, on the strength of the Zeiss 28/2 photos on your site, I am strongly leaning towards picking one up.
I use C1 on the M9 and the 1Ds3. The 28/2 ZE was a very nice lens, but it's not a focal length I use much on full-frame, so the lens was sold around a year ago. I use 35mm a lot on the M, but new 35 ZE is way too big for a walk-around lens. If it were smaller, I'd like to try one on the 1Ds3.
Like that one Paul, very nice softness. I am thinking of getting a copy of that lens for the NEX as higher focales seem the way to go to get nice blur. What's your overall impressions?
