Allen, I love the Viking in the first shot (yes, I know the horned helmets aren't true Viking)! The 2nd and 4th contemplative character shots are a complete contrast to the 'acidic' guy in #3.
Ron, sorry to heat about your lux. I don't buy into sending lens and body together. A lens should work well with all reasonably calibrated bodies. Besides, the lens focuses beyond infinity, which is a physical problem with the lens not the RF cam. It has not been well collimated. I would send it back to them immediately. In my experience they will always try to find excuses, and argue it's not their fault, so it's better to just send it without asking for permission.
Great to see you around again Ron! Looking forward to the pics from your trip. Yes, my kids have sprouted big time in the last 6-9months. They eat like a horse but don't put on a pound of weight. Maybe it's all the hiking we do.... One more (5 shot HDR) with the ZM35/1.4.
Allen - had a good chuckle when I saw the first one! Love the tattoo guy too. Great set!
Thanks Gary. I've been lurking and busy with work, and as is my habit, procrastinating getting a real start on a month's worth of travel photos...
edwardkaraa wrote:
Ron, sorry to heat about your lux. I don't buy into sending lens and body together. A lens should work well with all reasonably calibrated bodies. Besides, the lens focuses beyond infinity, which is a physical problem with the lens not the RF cam. It has not been well collimated. I would send it back to them immediately. In my experience they will always try to find excuses, and argue it's not their fault, so it's better to just send it without asking for permission.
Thanks Edward. I agree entirely. I tested the lens thoroughly on the M240 alongside other lenses from my inventory and it is the only one that focuses past infinity. Of course, it didn't do this prior to the recent servicing. Additionally, my M240 was RF calibrated by Leica NJ back in November. For that procedure, the camera went through the mandatory standardized M240 inspection for a number of parameters, including lens mount to sensor distance (if my understanding is correct), and apparently was OK.
I suspect the Lux (and perhaps many from Leica) is extremely sensitive. This time they replaced the entire focus mount, which includes a new focusing cam. The focus feel is now reassuringly tight, whereas before it was too fluid. But while one aspect was fixed, another (infinity focus and RF calibration) was broken. I would send it back without asking, except it will be an out of pocket international shipment. With warranty work Leica NJ provides prepaid shipping, even from Canada. I told them the problem and that I want it fixed. They replied that the chief tech wants to see the camera with the lens. I protested that I can't be without the camera. I haven't heard from them since. Maybe I should have followed Gary's lead and sent it to DAG in the first place! Maybe I should send it to DAG instead.
If I didn't like the lens so much, I'd just get it fixed and sell it. But in my recent testing to determine the problem, when it was correctly focused, it still smoked the ZM50/2 and CV50/1.5. If anything, it's got me thinking about the 50 APO as a potentially less problematic replacement (though the price ).
If anything, I'd like to see Zeiss follow up the ZM35/1.4 with a new 50 in the same spirit... either f/1.4 or f/2.
Well done Ron. I have done quite a few of these types of shots but none have turned out as nice as yours. I will try it again once we have some nice fall colors here...
Gary, yes it's not a new technique. I think the first time I saw it was in a Freeman Patterson book my mom gave me when I was in high school. Though back then, this kind of experimentation could quickly become costly with film and processing costs. Hooray for digital!
Ron - yes, Freeman (and also Andre Gallant) have experimented quite a bit with that technique. I attended one of their presentations a few years back and they discussed their technique a bit. Freeman has quite a few good books and I own a couple...
Rocky - very nice!
More with the Monochrom, what's a good abbreviation for it. I've used m246 but I don't really like it, maybe MM2 is better? Anyway first with the 28 Cron and second with the 50 Lux.
I have been hanging around here for several weeks looking through all 1,192 pages of this thread, and I must say I am impressed and inspired by the quality of photographs posted here. I hope you will allow me to join in the fun, starting with a couple of shots of a vintage 1971 MG owned by a friend. I had the opportunity to photograph this great car earlier this week, using both my M240 and M246 (Monochrom), but with the same lens, a 35 Summilux f/1.4 ASPH. I would be interested to get your impressions and opinions of one vs. the other.
Personally, I am loving the Monochrom, but wondering if it is a lasting love, or simply a fascination with the new and different. Only time will tell, but in the meantime, I am having fun with it.
Hi Robert, welcome to the thread! I can't believe you read through all the pages!
My preference is the B&W. It feels bolder and the car stands out more. Maybe the color of the car is too subtle for the color version? If it more vibrant, it probably would have helped it stand out more.
Robert (from Alberta ) - nice contrast in these. How do you stop down the aperture of the 20/1.8 since it's an aperture-less G lens? (I see the M246/MM2 is not immune from massive dust particles, along the lines of the M240...)
Joakim - particularly like the layers in the second image, and nice chance for a self portrait, too.
Rocky - great set, really like the first one of the girl and waterfall. Third is interesting too.
A few more to wrap up the blur series.. came across a couple fallen trees that had interesting positioning (IMO), but again, the harsh light resulted in very busy looking scenes when photographed normally...
M240 & 28 Cron x2, ZM50/2 x2
And one of the nearby marsh area. I like the effect in the near tree branches and leaves. Kind of like a flash with dragged shutter effect. Shot with the 28 Cron.
One more (5 shot HDR) with the ZM35/1.4.
Your ZM 18 and 35 shots are just awesome! 
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