Leica R Series Lenses
p.217 #1Leica R Series Lenses
Xenon99, I ‘d recommend don’t sell E55 for E60. They are simply two different lens, behave differently, rendering differently, each has its own merit with its value. (I want add E60 with very BAD value/performance, hence I am holding back myself)
Jack, in terms of 58rokkor and 50lux E48/E55, Like Dreck said, I’d say I prefer what I get with 50lux for portrait. That lens perform very good at close distance at WO f1.4, I always feel it has more DOF than I used to from other fast lens I got. It has least ‘glow’ I have seen at close distance. I feel the image at f1.4 like shot at f2 or f2.8 just with less sharpness, the lens has deeper DOF, smoother focus transition make it quite tolerant focus error. For landscape, general portrait with some distance, 58 Rokkor is great lens from any angle to view it, it is not particular shaper than other fast lens such as Nikkor AIS, but it has consistent cross frame performance at f1.2, a rare species I’d say and at longer distance at f1.2, it sharp up quite noticeably. It is a great lens, a bargain at around $500 now. I wish I can use it with D700 to get a better parallel comparison results.
With saying that, I just bought back 50mm f1.2 AIS, I really miss it since sell it as I feel it is a very good lens at f1.2, in focus plain is well defined, and lots of ‘glow’ at OutFocus area, but not busy bokeh. Crazy sharp after f2.8. focus shift is minimal, well build with consistent performance stop down.
Now, let see value: at $500 Rokkor is good value, 1.2 AIS is pretty good, E48/E55 at around $1000 is reasonable too, it is a Leica with Lux name on it, what you expect. 50cron have similar merit of 50lux E48 with even better slow down performance, at $500-1000, another good value. The handling and build of Leica worth the prime for hobbyist IMO. The focus feeling is great/best with Leica R. Now, Let’s see 50lux E60, I am willing to pay $2000 maybe up to $2500 for its rendering, that is I feel its fair asking price over 50lux E55/E48, but at $4000, it is very bad position in performance/value land. You might be able to collect your money back once decide to sell it, but it is just not worth that much of money IMO. You can get 50lux M ASPH at around $3000.
The problem for me is I haven’t used enough 50 lens to claim are those really special
or I’d say I haven’t seen any ‘BAD’ 50mm lens yet. 50lux M ASPH, 50sonnar, 50cron M Rigid, ZF50planar, ZF50f2Macroplanar, 50lux R E48, 50cron R E55, 501.2 AIS, 50 1.8G…. they all pretty good one way or the other make me wonder that all prime 50 lens will be reasonable good. And any of them will give satisfied images. The render difference IS very subtle and is highly depend on scenario. I don’t want do A/B test as it will drive me crazy to analysis those subtle difference. But I shoot a lot, I see a lot from them at difference situation, so I get some general feeling about each lens. That is all my personal view, please take all comments with a grain of salts.
Sorry for the long post here.
BTW, lithos, Nikon's MF implement is much more usable than Canon. That is all I can say.
50lux R
All WOf1.4 with 6D
Jack, in terms of 58rokkor and 50lux E48/E55, Like Dreck said, I’d say I prefer what I get with 50lux for portrait. That lens perform very good at close distance at WO f1.4, I always feel it has more DOF than I used to from other fast lens I got. It has least ‘glow’ I have seen at close distance. I feel the image at f1.4 like shot at f2 or f2.8 just with less sharpness, the lens has deeper DOF, smoother focus transition make it quite tolerant focus error. For landscape, general portrait with some distance, 58 Rokkor is great lens from any angle to view it, it is not particular shaper than other fast lens such as Nikkor AIS, but it has consistent cross frame performance at f1.2, a rare species I’d say and at longer distance at f1.2, it sharp up quite noticeably. It is a great lens, a bargain at around $500 now. I wish I can use it with D700 to get a better parallel comparison results.
With saying that, I just bought back 50mm f1.2 AIS, I really miss it since sell it as I feel it is a very good lens at f1.2, in focus plain is well defined, and lots of ‘glow’ at OutFocus area, but not busy bokeh. Crazy sharp after f2.8. focus shift is minimal, well build with consistent performance stop down.
Now, let see value: at $500 Rokkor is good value, 1.2 AIS is pretty good, E48/E55 at around $1000 is reasonable too, it is a Leica with Lux name on it, what you expect. 50cron have similar merit of 50lux E48 with even better slow down performance, at $500-1000, another good value. The handling and build of Leica worth the prime for hobbyist IMO. The focus feeling is great/best with Leica R. Now, Let’s see 50lux E60, I am willing to pay $2000 maybe up to $2500 for its rendering, that is I feel its fair asking price over 50lux E55/E48, but at $4000, it is very bad position in performance/value land. You might be able to collect your money back once decide to sell it, but it is just not worth that much of money IMO. You can get 50lux M ASPH at around $3000.
The problem for me is I haven’t used enough 50 lens to claim are those really special
or I’d say I haven’t seen any ‘BAD’ 50mm lens yet. 50lux M ASPH, 50sonnar, 50cron M Rigid, ZF50planar, ZF50f2Macroplanar, 50lux R E48, 50cron R E55, 501.2 AIS, 50 1.8G…. they all pretty good one way or the other make me wonder that all prime 50 lens will be reasonable good. And any of them will give satisfied images. The render difference IS very subtle and is highly depend on scenario. I don’t want do A/B test as it will drive me crazy to analysis those subtle difference. But I shoot a lot, I see a lot from them at difference situation, so I get some general feeling about each lens. That is all my personal view, please take all comments with a grain of salts. Sorry for the long post here.
BTW, lithos, Nikon's MF implement is much more usable than Canon. That is all I can say.
50lux R
All WOf1.4 with 6D
Sep 19, 2013 at 12:27 PM
p.217 #3Leica R Series Lenses
Michael, you should come down to Texas and I will let you try my OM50/2 Macro. I think you would like it a lot.
BTW, can anyone give me the low down on the cheap Leica R bodies? Im considering one to go with my 60/2.8 ME. I might be picking up a 5DII around Christmas depending on things but I need a FF stopgap until then. I don't want to spend more than a few hundred, past that I'd rather just buy another M. Since I have a 2-Cam lens, what are my best options between Leicaflex, SL and SL2? Probably the SL? or I could get a Leitax kit for F3.
BTW, can anyone give me the low down on the cheap Leica R bodies? Im considering one to go with my 60/2.8 ME. I might be picking up a 5DII around Christmas depending on things but I need a FF stopgap until then. I don't want to spend more than a few hundred, past that I'd rather just buy another M. Since I have a 2-Cam lens, what are my best options between Leicaflex, SL and SL2? Probably the SL? or I could get a Leitax kit for F3.
Sep 19, 2013 at 03:49 PM
p.217 #4Leica R Series Lenses
zhangyue, love the rendering/bokeh in that last one
Sep 19, 2013 at 04:05 PM
p.217 #5Leica R Series Lenses
Philippe, nice composition
Michael, as usual very nice portraits of your kids.
Here's one from yesterday. Was visiting Colorado Springs and headed to Garden of the Gods for a sunrise shoot. The more I use the Leica 28 R, the more I fall in love with it.
Michael, as usual very nice portraits of your kids.
Here's one from yesterday. Was visiting Colorado Springs and headed to Garden of the Gods for a sunrise shoot. The more I use the Leica 28 R, the more I fall in love with it.
Sep 19, 2013 at 04:50 PM
p.217 #7Leica R Series Lenses
zhangyue wrote:
^^beautiful!^^^
+1, Manu and thanks for comment!
^^beautiful!^^^
+1, Manu and thanks for comment!
Sep 20, 2013 at 12:11 AM
p.217 #8Leica R Series Lenses
^^ 
Leica 90/2 APO Nikon 800e
Edited on Sep 20, 2013 at 05:02 AM · View previous versions
Leica 90/2 APO Nikon 800e
Edited on Sep 20, 2013 at 05:02 AM · View previous versions
Sep 20, 2013 at 04:53 AM
p.217 #10Leica R Series Lenses
Lieutenant Z wrote:
+1, Manu and thanks for comment!
+1!! Amazing shot. Love the contrast between the earth on the left and the green on the right.
zhangyue wrote
^^beautiful!^^^+1!! Amazing shot. Love the contrast between the earth on the left and the green on the right.
Sep 20, 2013 at 03:12 PM
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p.217 #11Leica R Series Lenses
thank you for the kind words folks. Here's one from the same location with my favorite 100 APO macro.
Sep 20, 2013 at 10:38 PM
p.217 #12Leica R Series Lenses
Michael: as usual great shots. I liked the mood in the 3rd one.
DocsPics.: fantastic flower shot. beautiful contrast and detail. Loved the film-like tones
Manu: Beautiful shots both. I'm waiting for the 100 as well. Hope to get it soon..
DocsPics.: fantastic flower shot. beautiful contrast and detail. Loved the film-like tones
Manu: Beautiful shots both. I'm waiting for the 100 as well. Hope to get it soon..
Sep 21, 2013 at 10:17 AM
p.217 #13Leica R Series Lenses
DocsPics: great detail and tones in the flower shot. Well done !
Sep 21, 2013 at 11:55 AM
p.217 #14Leica R Series Lenses
Picture This! - gorgeous capture of GoG. I've really been eyeballing the 28 - what model of 28R is that?
Dave
Dave
Sep 21, 2013 at 12:10 PM
p.217 #15Leica R Series Lenses
thx Manoj and dbehrens. I have a couple more from the series. Will post another tomorrow
Sep 21, 2013 at 11:47 PM
p.217 #16Leica R Series Lenses
LZ - great composition. Again, it's great that you got into Leica-R and contribute to this thread!
Michael, Manu - fantastic shots as always.
Manu, I wouldn't agree more about Elmarit-R 28 v.II E55; it's a superb lens for *scaping.
Just got back from a couple days trip to British Columbia wine country and have to say that Elmarit-R 28 had equal use with Zeiss 28/21. I am pooped after a long drive but here are few quickly processed shots.
Merritt, BC:
Michael, Manu - fantastic shots as always.
Manu, I wouldn't agree more about Elmarit-R 28 v.II E55; it's a superb lens for *scaping.
Just got back from a couple days trip to British Columbia wine country and have to say that Elmarit-R 28 had equal use with Zeiss 28/21. I am pooped after a long drive but here are few quickly processed shots.
Merritt, BC:
Sep 21, 2013 at 11:50 PM
p.217 #17Leica R Series Lenses
WW1 German military cemetery, near Verdun, R 50 Summicron :
Sep 22, 2013 at 12:40 AM
p.217 #18Leica R Series Lenses
Lieutenant Z wrote:
WW1 German military cemetery, near Verdun, R 50 Summicron :
nice!!
WW1 German military cemetery, near Verdun, R 50 Summicron :
nice!!
Sep 22, 2013 at 08:02 AM
p.217 #19Leica R Series Lenses
Jack, very pleasing shots from BC with great color. Hard to pick between them.
Philippe, #2 & 3 from your set above is top notch.
Philippe, #2 & 3 from your set above is top notch.
Sep 22, 2013 at 10:26 AM
p.217 #20Leica R Series Lenses
Another from my sunrise series, Garden of Gods
Leica Elmarit R 28 II
Edited on Sep 22, 2013 at 11:51 AM · View previous versions
Leica Elmarit R 28 II
Edited on Sep 22, 2013 at 11:51 AM · View previous versions
Sep 22, 2013 at 10:27 AM