Very nice Andrew! That looks to be me in the first one.
edwardkaraa wrote:
I don't know about Leica but Zeiss calibrates lenses so that they reach infinity at f/5.6. Most lenses have some minor focus shift, so if the lens is calibrated to reach infinity at the infinity mark at WO, it will back focus at f/5.6-8, and you would need to pull back the focus. Basically at f/5.6-8, it will go beyond infinity as you describe it. So I agree with Zeiss not to allow the lens to reach infinity WO (many users complain about that but who shoots landscapes WO) in order to get the exact infinity stop focus at normal landscape shooting apertures....Show more →
Coincidentally Andrew and I had a discussion about shooting landscapes at infinity wide open during our photo walk in Toronto. I definitely have done it, in part because I know certain lenses such as the 50 Lux ASPH actually perform quite well in that situation. There is a different look to images shot this way. More vignetting, less clinical, more aberrations and imperfections. Not technically ideal, but it's also a usable solution for those times when shooting from a tripod or other support is impractical in relatively poor lighting conditions, but you still want the shot.
That's an interesting tidbit about Zeiss's optimizations. Might explain why my 50/2 won't reach infinity until about f/4 on the M9 but I can hit infinity wide open on a NEX (because of looser adapter tolerances, probably).
I can't say I have an issue with hitting correct infinity focus with the 21 Lux, SEM, 28 Cron 50 Lux ASPH or 90 Summarit. At least I haven't noticed it. After the first time I had the 50 Lux serviced by Leica it came back not able to reach infinity. I had it re-serviced and now no problem.
These are the last of my shots from the walk with Andrew. 50 Lux ASPH or 21 Lux. All shot at ISO 160 and pushed in post as needed:
Michael, nice portrait of your son again and I like the rendering of that lens.
Andrew, the third one is great and gives me a serious Noctilux envy. I also appreciate the temperance/good life photo. Which path did you and Ron choose?
Ron, nice set where #2 is a favorite and I like the combination of wide angle and narrow dof in #4.
I just got my film shots from FL trip developed locally. initially, I want send them out but decide avoid the hassle. and leave with low resolution scan 1800X1200. I almost decided to part with my M3 consider the cost of develop and scan cost about $13 per roll. but results are surprisingly good and keeper rate are very high to 'my standard'. However I will not overload this thread and only pick something align with standard of this thread.
Please don't mind I post M3 film shot in this thread. It is a Leica, a truly leica. If you really want to see Summicron35 8 element or 50rigid rendering, this is the platform they are designed for
All by 35cron Summicron. M3 tri-X 400. Manual exposure (of course) by sunny16.
St augustine, Castillo de San Marcos.
I was able to take only one shot by M9 before battery died.(But thanks for that as it actually do better with M3 than my M9 with 21biogon.) I took about 25 shots in this location within half hour before it is closed for that day.
Almost zero PP for all of them. not even tilt and crop. With results like this, I am serious consider develop at home and scan by myself.
rscheffler wrote:
I can't say I have an issue with hitting correct infinity focus with the 21 Lux, SEM, 28 Cron 50 Lux ASPH or 90 Summarit. At least I haven't noticed it. After the first time I had the 50 Lux serviced by Leica it came back not able to reach infinity. I had it re-serviced and now no problem.
Yeah, when I was at Steve Cameras's getting some other lenses worked on, Steve warned me about some of the older model Leica 35s, in regards to infinity on the M9, and I just smiled and told him that I'd keep that in mind, not telling him that I already had the 35/2 IV coming to me in the mail!
Steve said that most didn't notice the issue on film, but it's been more of an issue with digital M users. Sure enough, infinity was off when I received the lens, and DAG optimized it for f2 when I sent it to him for CLA, so it still focused well past infinity at f5.6. Still, without live view, it takes a bit of work to really determine how incrementally off things can be, and I have a feeling we'll start hearing even more about it, now that the M 240 has the capability to check focus with live view.
zhangyue wrote:
Almost zero PP for all of them. not even tilt and crop. With results like this, I am serious consider develop at home and scan by myself.
please do. I would love to see your work in the film thread.
I dont know if you've ever done it but it really couldn't be easier. X-Tol souped t-grained films scan so wonderfully, too. With the modern Leica and Zeiss lenses xtol 1:1 & acros is legitimately competitive with faster films in 645 which had you said to someone in the 80s would have met with laughter.
some of your shots there are just spectacular (I am thinking especially of the bird with your hand and the building in the frame, that's a really exceptional shot).
douglasf13 wrote:
Yeah, when I was at Steve Cameras's getting some other lenses worked on, Steve warned me about some of the older model Leica 35s, in regards to infinity on the M9, and I just smiled and told him that I'd keep that in mind, not telling him that I already had the 35/2 IV coming to me in the mail!
Steve said that most didn't notice the issue on film, but it's been more of an issue with digital M users. Sure enough, infinity was off when I received the lens, and DAG optimized it for f2 when I sent it to him for CLA, so it still focused well past infinity at f5.6. Still, without live view, it takes a bit of work to really determine how incrementally off things can be, and I have a feeling we'll start hearing even more about it, now that the M 240 has the capability to check focus with live view.
Having checked thru the few shots that I have from my V4, I can say that it has no issue with correct focus at close up and infinity, wide open, at F/5.6 or stopped down. The lens performs as it should.
It seems to me that if a lens reaches infinity incorrectly wide open, then it is out of adjustment. It could be the rangefinder mechanism is out in the middle distances, and I understand that this can be quite common. I have also heard from various repair people that the focusing ramp on older lenses may have been filed, as a cheap way to mod a lens to a particular body.
When you talk about focusing past infinity, I am assuming that you mean that your lens is achieving infinity focus prior to the infinity mark. If this is so, is the lens focus at its minimum distance short as well? This would indicate that the mount is out and should be replaced? Perhaps a trip to Leica for coding and repair might be in order, it would be interesting to see if they can fix it.
Andrew Gough wrote:
Having checked thru the few shots that I have from my V4, I can say that it has no issue with correct focus at close up and infinity, wide open, at F/5.6 or stopped down. The lens performs as it should.
It seems to me that if a lens reaches infinity incorrectly wide open, then it is out of adjustment. It could be the rangefinder mechanism is out in the middle distances, and I understand that this can be quite common. I have also heard from various repair people that the focusing ramp on older lenses may have been filed, as a cheap way to mod a lens to a particular body.
When you talk about focusing past infinity, I am assuming that you mean that your lens is achieving infinity focus prior to the infinity mark. If this is so, is the lens focus at its minimum distance short as well? This would indicate that the mount is out and should be replaced? Perhaps a trip to Leica for coding and repair might be in order, it would be interesting to see if they can fix it.
I already got rid of the lens, because two of the best Leica repair guys in the country indicated it was pretty normal behavior, and I needed to sacrifice a bit of f2 infinity performance for f5.6 performance, like Edward mentioned about his Zeiss lenses. Are you sure your lens couldn't be a little sharper at f2 and infinity? How do you know it doesn't come up slightly short?
It's possible that even my current 35 ASPH exhibits similar issues, but to a lesser degree, because I haven't noticed it. Focus shift is seems to be an issue, even with these Summicrons, although not to the degree of other fast lenses.
douglasf13 wrote:
I already got rid of the lens, because two of the best Leica repair guys in the country indicated it was pretty normal behavior, and I needed to sacrifice a bit of f2 infinity performance for f5.6 performance, like Edward mentioned about his Zeiss lenses. Are you sure your lens couldn't be a little sharper at f2 and infinity? How do you know it doesn't come up slightly short?
It's possible that even my current 35 ASPH exhibits similar issues, but to a lesser degree, because I haven't noticed it. Focus shift is seems to be an issue, even with these Summicrons, although not to the degree of other fast lenses.
p.s. I even tried a second mount, and same issue....Show more →
Not sure what to say. Perhaps is a wear function? I can tell you that I do not have these issues with my copy. But as I said it is a late german version in new condition, chrome.
My 35mm summicron asph is also very accurate again with no focus shift. It is a new lens though.
zhangyue: loving your day to day shots and stuff with the m3
Ron: Absolutely love the set and the docks, especially the first and last
joakim: great light and wonderful contrast
Andrew: that first shot of the tree is amazing.
Gary, great timing on #1
Really busy few weeks at work, but made some time today to go check out the new M at The Camera Store and do a photo walk on the way. Very impressed with the M. ISO 6400 looked great, seemed very responsive, and shutter sound is awesome.
Michael, I really like the first one in your film set and also the last one.
Jabberwockt, well done. Great 3D effect in that photo, I assume you used a ND filter?
Gary, great job with the 90 cron. The first one is probably the best but I like the second one because it looks like they are up to something...
Ryan, interesting fish-eye photos. The first fish-eye really works for me and I also like the man with the coffee mug
So many great images in this thread, as always. This thread that is responsible for me dipping my toe in the Leica bath.
For reasons of laziness and simplicity, I'll comment only on jojomon's last post - I absolutely love the alleyway 'stealth-lady' with flowers!
Perhaps like Andrew G I will end up selling my Contax N lenses (even the one I bought from him ) and get out of the DLSR game, however that is not a conceivable option for me just now, so I enjoy my modest M8, CV 35/1.4 and my indulgence, a coded 50 Cron Type IV.
These taken on a national charity motorcycle ride happening all over Australia today. It was in aid of depression, often called 'The Black Dog' over here, so it's apt that I spotted these working dogs outside a country pub.
The bikes are not as cool as the one shot by deang001
