Lens addiction... Leica R Summicron 50/2

[tiziano]

I did it again... I was not able to resist...
I saw, in my preferred shop, an almost brand new Leica R Summicron 50/2... I couldn't resist....
Now it's here on my desk, looking at me... and waiting for the Leica R - EOS adapter from China...
I think I have a serious drugs problem....

[coreypolis]

congrats.

I had the opportunity to use the f/1 noctilux, and man it was impressive.

[tiziano]

Thanks Corey,

I have read about it in some of your posts...
You should feel guilty for my drug problems... It's your fault too! :D

[Raymate]

congrats . look foward in hearing your views on how it performs. Some pics is you have chance would be great

[tiziano]

congrats . look foward in hearing your views on how it performs. Some pics is you have chance would be great

Thanks Ray. I'll do that as soon as I get the adapter. It's frustrating to have a new lens and not being able to play with it... :(

[foxbat]

You've bought a good one there. Together with its larger brother (the Summilux 1.4) it's regarded as one of the finest 50's ever made. I've found it to be flawless in build and performance. To give you an idea of the performance you can expect, here's an ordinary handheld shot at f/2.8 on my 1DMK2:

http://www.aprd31.dsl.pipex.com/tmp/jo1.jpg

And here's a 100% crop. The resolution and micro-contrast is amazing.

http://www.aprd31.dsl.pipex.com/tmp/jo2.jpg

[tiziano]

Thanks Foxbat!

Actually what happened was that, after seeing your shots above on "Manual Focus Forum", I noticed the lens in the shop... And then I checked the serial number... and it was higher then 2876401... and I couldn't hold myself... :)

[cjm]

hmm I wonder if I could adapt my Rollei lens to a EOS mount? I think its FP mount. Mine is a 50mm f1.8 lens.

[KevC]

Wow. Now I want Leica glass. But everything is way more expensive than my whole outfit together! Hahaha. What is the cheapest Leica glass I wonder....

[lensview]

And here's a 100% crop. The resolution and micro-contrast is amazing.



Good grief, that is amazing !
What would be the best sort of Leica R-EOS adapter on the market today ?
Would that adapter work equally well with 20D as well as the 5D ?

[Raymate]

jesus... how, where and cost... I want one, will it work on a 350D

[Lightstream]

How much did you pay for it? This is DEFINITELY not your cheap glass.....

[tiziano]

Good grief, that is amazing !
What would be the best sort of Leica R-EOS adapter on the market today ?
Would that adapter work equally well with 20D as well as the 5D ?

jesus... how, where and cost... I want one, will it work on a 350D

From what I have found out, this lens will work on all the EOS bodies. It actually depends from the lens, and not from the adapter. This pdf below will tell you which lens will work on which EOS body:
http://web.mac.com/tinyproductions/iWeb/Main/Images/Canon_Leica_Table.jpg

I understand that the best adpters shoud be the ones from Novoflex, but they are very expensive. I have bought the chinese version below... :)

http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7600254224&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

For the lens, as I said above, it looks new, and, from the serial number, it was built after 1997. I paid for it 290 Euros.

[lensview]

From what I have found out, this lens will work on all the EOS bodies. It actually depends from the lens, and not from the adapter. This pdf below will tell you which lens will work on which EOS body:
http://web.mac.com/tinyproductions/iWeb/Main/Images/Canon_Leica_Table.jpg

I understand that the best adpters shoud be the ones from Novoflex, but they are very expensive. I have bought the chinese version below... :)

http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7600254224&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

For the lens, as I said above, it looks new, and, from the serial number, it was built after 1997. I paid for it 290 Euros.

Thank you Tiziano, and wish you good luck and a lot of super images with your precious new lens.

[tiziano]

Thank you Tiziano, and wish you good luck and a lot of super images with your precious new lens.

Thanks! I'll do my best...
And, for sure I need some luck... I have learnt that, for making good shots, equipment is 10%, and the photographer is 90%... :lol:

[lensview]

Thanks! I'll do my best...
And, for sure I need some luck... I have learnt that, for making good shots, equipment is 10%, and the photographer is 90%... :lol:

I bet you have learnt that from Nicolo Pagainini, that great Italian artist and photographer .:lol: :lol:

[Lightstream]

290 euros sounds pretty good.. less than what I've seen other Leica glass go for. Though I am so lazy, manual focus and manual stop down aperture is enough to put me off ;)

All the best with your new glass!!

[tiziano]

All the best with your new glass!!

Thanks Lightstream!

Though I am so lazy, manual focus and manual stop down aperture is enough to put me off ;)

Actually, this is one of the main reasons why I buy manual lenses: having to work more on aperture and focus forces me to think more on what I am trying to achieve. (Provided I have enough time for playing around... )

[Lightstream]

Thanks Lightstream!



Actually, this is one of the main reasons why I buy manual lenses: having to work more on aperture and focus forces me to think more on what I am trying to achieve. (Provided I have enough time for playing around... )

That's cool :)

Some folks find they work better that way, for me I use zoom lenses and AF, and I frame the shots in my mind while walking way before I even bring the camera up to my eye. "Full time framing" works pretty good too.

[tiziano]

I had the opportunity to use the f/1 noctilux, and man it was impressive.

Hi Corey,

Here is a mint f/1 noctilux, on sale for Euro 1500.
But, I'm not going for it! :p

http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&item=160030487772&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

[homera1]

Wow that picture is amazing in sharpness.. I am gobsmacked.... the 100% crop looks as good as a normal shot with my 24-70 L .......

I have had a look on ebay and there are loads of Leica lens.... what are the different types Summicron, Summilux,noctilux is the R important or can it be an M etc?

if that is the quality of image you can expect then I need to add one to my arsenal...... :-)

is there a 135ish version for portraits and how does it compare to the L?

[tiziano]

Wow that picture is amazing in sharpness.. I am gobsmacked.... the 100% crop looks as good as a normal shot with my 24-70 L .......

I have had a look on ebay and there are loads of Leica lens.... what are the different types Summicron, Summilux,noctilux is the R important or can it be an M etc?

if that is the quality of image you can expect then I need to add one to my arsenal...... :-)

is there a 135ish version for portraits and how does it compare to the L?

I am not qualified to answer to these questions... I'm still waiting for the adapter for trying my first Leica lens... :)

Anyway, from what of I have read around:
- It seems that some of the Leica lens are world champions
- there is no adapter Leica M -> EOS, only Leica R.

[homera1]

Cheers Tiziano.. that is one piece of the puzzle....

post some pictures when you get the adapter, I would love to see um :-)

[tiziano]

post some pictures when you get the adapter, I would love to see um :-)

Me too! :D I'll sure do that!

[condyk]

Lovely sample shot. Leica are King of Kamera stuff for sure. One day all my Canon stuff will go and I will buy a Leica digital.

[hmv]

Hi Corey,

Here is a mint f/1 noctilux, on sale for Euro 1500.
But, I'm not going for it! :p


That's a beast of a lens, but it won't mount on an EF camera ... no 'M' lens will, only the 'R' lenses.

[coreypolis]

Hi Corey,

Here is a mint f/1 noctilux, on sale for Euro 1500.
But, I'm not going for it! :p

http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&item=160030487772&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

nice

hmm, I can still get 20% off a m7 or mp from my old school. what mount is the new leica digi ;)

[foxbat]

nice

hmm, I can still get 20% off a m7 or mp from my old school. what mount is the new leica digi ;)The DMR is an 'R'. The M8, which is so beautiful it hurts, is an 'M'.

[SJK]

Can you tell me how these lenses will work on a Canon mount. Do you adjust the aperature on the lens and then the shutter speed will be set auto or will the Leica lense only work by setting both manual?

[Raymate]

How do you know what lens to try after this thread was started I have been looking at Leica lenses and it's a mind field of options. One would assume the lenses are like Canon some are better than others.

Can anyone that is useing Leica on Canon digital give us more tips or guide us to some site with info.

Seeing that shot the details is what I want to achive, can all Leica lenses give images that clean and sharp?

[hmv]

Can you tell me how these lenses will work on a Canon mount. Do you adjust the aperature on the lens and then the shutter speed will be set auto or will the Leica lense only work by setting both manual?

Same as all non-EF lenses on an EF body ... they work in Av mode or M. In AV mode set the aperture to maximum, focus, reset the aperture to what you need and shoot. The body will set the shutter speed to what it thinks is appropriate.

Sounds more difficult than it is.

[tiziano]

Can you tell me how these lenses will work on a Canon mount. Do you adjust the aperature on the lens and then the shutter speed will be set auto or will the Leica lense only work by setting both manual?

You can use either M or Av. In Av, you set the aperture manually, and the camera will automatically set the shutter speed.

Edit: Ohoh ... I was one sec late! :)

[SJK]

Yes please. My dad has an r3 or r4 that has been sitting in a closet with 3 lenses (all practically unused) for like 25 years. I wonder if I shold go check out that bag.

[tiziano]

Yes please. My dad has an r3 or r4 that has been sitting in a closet with 3 lenses (all practically unused) for like 25 years. I wonder if I shold go check out that bag.

Mhhh.... Luky guy... you HAVE to check his bag!
Only... be careful at not getting caught... A man who has a Laica R and three lenses, may kill for defending them! :lol:

[SJK]

Will the display show the correct aperature and shutter speed?

[tiziano]

No, no aperture. Only shutter speed.

[SJK]

2 more questions. Do you set aperature on the lens and will you get a manual (green dot) notification that you are in focus.

[tiziano]

2 more questions. Do you set aperature on the lens and will you get a manual (green dot) notification that you are in focus.
No, with a standard lens adapter you get no confirmation.
There is a special adapter with a chip, that keeps the electronic focus confirmation, that I use for my M42 manual lens, but I was not able to find one for the Leica adapter.

[foxbat]

Can anyone that is useing Leica on Canon digital give us more tips or guide us to some site with info.OK... Here's the basics.

You can only use 'R' lenses. 'M' lenses are designed for rangefinder cameras and cannot be adapted. You need an adaptor. Leica adaptors are physically quite thick and so are easy to manufacture. I got all 3 of mine from kawaphoto on ebay and each lives permanently on the lens with a Canon end cap on it.

Focusing is fully manual unless you buy one of the new adaptors that will provide AF confirmation. With these new adaptors your wrist becomes the AF motor and the camera will light the green AF confirm light when focus is achieved. Aperture control is manual, you shoot in 'Av' mode and let the camera choose the shutter speed or you can of course use 'M' mode and do your own exposure calculations.

There are some issues with mirror clearance with the 5D and some of the very wide lenses. The oversized mirror in the 5D will hit the back of some of the very wide lenses. The Leica List (http://www.pebbleplace.com/) (select "Leica Blog") documents all Leica lenses and whether they are known to be OK with a particular Canon DSLR.

Rather than list every focal length and which revision is the one to go for I'd encourage anyone that's interested to ask over at the FM alternative forum (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/55). There's a lot of people there who've been there done that and are happy to help you not make expensive mistakes.

[tiziano]

How do you know what lens to try after this thread was started I have been looking at Leica lenses and it's a mind field of options. One would assume the lenses are like Canon some are better than others.
Can anyone that is useing Leica on Canon digital give us more tips or guide us to some site with info.
Seeing that shot the details is what I want to achive, can all Leica lenses give images that clean and sharp?
Hi Ray,
I just found this interesting comparison, that answers to some of your questions about lenses quality:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/fastlensreview.shtml

Have fun!
Tiziano

[Raymate]

Thank you guys for that info. in the next few months i shall get a 50mm to start with

[tiziano]

ok. I finally got the Leica->EOS adapter. It works beautifully....it has the focus confirmation too... And I consider these first shots astonishing!

I think that this will be my standard lens from now on.

These shots are jpg straight out of the camera. Only resize to 800x533, jpg compression PS level 8 for the full ones, while the 100% crop is saved at PS level 12.

Both were shot wide open @2.

image 1
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a135/tiziano_bruno/Lenses/_MG_0709s.jpg

100% crop
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a135/tiziano_bruno/Lenses/_MG_0709c.jpg

image 2
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a135/tiziano_bruno/Lenses/_MG_0725s.jpg

100% crop
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a135/tiziano_bruno/Lenses/_MG_0725c.jpg

[coreypolis]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/viperx27/biggthumpup.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/viperx27/bowdown.gif

[SJK]

tiziano,

Which adapter brand did you get?

[tiziano]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/viperx27/biggthumpup.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/viperx27/bowdown.gif

:lol: :lol: :lol:

tiziano,

Which adapter brand did you get?

This one:
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=018&item=280029536705&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

[jcw122]

foxbat...it took me forever to find this thread again...I still can't get over how sharp that photo is....absolutely amazing, sharpest picture I've ever seen.

[nikontos]

Hi, Tiziano, beautiful pictures, I especially like the apples! I am looking for the summicron as well. Could you please give the link for the adaptor you use? regards ed

[tiziano]

Hi Nikontos,

Welcome to this forum.
You will find that any of these adapters will do:
http://shop.ebay.it/items/_W0QQLHQ5fAvailToZ101QQ_sopZ2?_nkw=LEICA+CANON+ADA PTER+-AF+-M39&_nd1=0&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=LEICA+CANON+ADAPTER+-AF&_osacat=0
I always buy from Hong Kong or China, as these adapters are cheaper. I believe they are all done by the same manufacter, as they are all the same. I prefer those without the AF chip, which I find to be misleading.
Cheers.
Tiziano