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SLR Magic HyperPrime LM 50mm T0.95 Review

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D&A

Well-known member
"An eagerly awaited review of a new lens that's been generating a lot of buzz. We take an in-depth look at one of only six in the world currently. Long and short of it is - it's GOOD. For half the cost of the Noctilux, how does it compare? We'll answer that question and more."

SLR Magic HyperPrime LM 50mm T0.95 Review!
Michael, always great to read your reviews and perspectives! One thing that immediately stood out was your observation that the Leica 0.95 Noct edged out the Hyperprime in sharpness when both shot wide open? Unless I'm mistaken, from what I recall, those that had been fortunate enough to perform a similar test (formal or causal), thought the Hyperprime was actually sharper (particularly in the central part of the frame) than the Noct..and it seemed quite evident. I can only assume that each user/reviewer might have gotten a different sample of the Hyperprime to shoot with?

Which brings me to my second point which of course would be impractical to discuss at this early a date but....if what you and others have observed with regards to sharpness of both lenses shot wide open is accurate...namely some found the Noct was sharper while other observed the Hyperprime was sharper, I would wonder how much sample to sample consistency there might be in Hyperprime samples? No doubt some of the higher cost differences found in the Leica, is also due to sample to sample consistency. Whether one is paying $4,000 or $11,000 for a lens, the last thing they want to be concerned with, is if their sample is an optimal one.

Once the hyperprime is released, especially when larger production numbers of the lens is manufactured..one of the questions will be sample consistency, especially in terms of performance wide open. Just some thoughts of mine.

Dave (D&A)
 
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Vivek

Guest
What I find most fascinating about the SLR magic lens is the way they are introducing it.

For lens that claims to be the fastest prime in Leica mount, there is absolutely no official MTF data, no data on the color corrections, nothing. :bugeyes:

If they can not even do that why should I believe that they are capable of producing such a lens at all?
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
What would perhaps worry me is whether they will have QC. There are just a few out there which will have been tuned to perfection however when even Leica muffs it up sometimes with their lenses and canon is well known for it....
 

Double Negative

Not Available
Interesting insight, guys. Indeed, there are no formal specs (MTF, etc.) and the web page for the lens is... Rather bare.

As I pointed out in the review, my sample had a distinct front focus. I know it's not the body as I have no problems focusing all my other lenses (including the Noctilux). I had to focus bracket to find the right "fudge factor" and stopped down from there once more-or-less nailed. So there is certainly some possibility that the HyperPrime and the Noctilux test results could perhaps be better - as without "live view" and using an RF is subject to some error.

Also worth pointing out again that I had a pre-production lens (as did everyone else, there are only six in the world) and it was "well traveled." So it might not have been the ideal candidate. How the lens will do once in production, QC (and variation) and so on remains to be seen.

Like all the reviews at LVL, we'll be updating it with corrections, additional info and testing, etc.
 
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Vivek

Guest
DN, Apparently it is already on sale for $4288 (shipped) as a "made to order" item with certain waiting period for the lens to be made and delivered.

Quite fascinating, indeed! :)

Historically, Leica have not been kind to such third party offerings. Sigma made lenses for the R system and it stopped with one or two short lived zooms.

With the M mount patents being out of date, they can not do anything legally.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
Oh sure, it's been available on pre-order for a little while now. The lens is set to ship in late September some time. AFAIK, there are two options... "Biohazard green ring" or "stealth black ring" on the front. And of course the other mount(s). Not too sure of what the first production run will be in terms of numbers - but I'd say that depends entirely on the number of pre-orders. Right now it's still a matter of "building buzz." :)

As for Leica, yeah... Not sure what they could really do. Look at Voigtländer - they're selling well and have been for some time. I think the only thing they can enforce is the 6-bit coding patent... And why nobody else offers it (besides the fact that there are no third-party codes in the firmware, obviously).
 

Paratom

Well-known member
I find the Noctilux 0.95 allready right on the border being slightly big and heavy for the M9. First lens which made me use the M9-handgrip.
The Hyperprime being even bigger and heavier makes me believe that I find it too big and heavy.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
I find the Noctilux 0.95 allready right on the border being slightly big and heavy for the M9. First lens which made me use the M9-handgrip.
The Hyperprime being even bigger and heavier makes me believe that I find it too big and heavy.
Personally, I'd tend to agree. It also blocks the VF that much more. But both are pretty beastly. I prefer the Summilux most of the time.
 

zombii

New member
They told me that I would get mine in August. Needless to say, my fingers are crossed on all the points made in this thread.
 

D&A

Well-known member
Nope, site's not down?

They've increased the price apparently!
Just out of curiosity, are they going to honor the original price for those that pre-ordered?

One thing I noticed in your review DN, is the bokeh in your sample seemed to be less "tame" than those previous images posted elsewhere with other pre-production samples. Did you get the same feeling? Although I suppose highly unlikely, I wonder if there are slightly different prototypes that intensionally have something a bit different about some of them. Past images showed a somewhat smoother OOF areas and from the number of images posted, these differences didn't appear to be due to subject or type of background. Just an observation.

Dave (D&A)
 

Double Negative

Not Available
Yes, those that pre-ordered are among the first production batch. This new price applies to the second/new/future orders.

I did notice a bit more of the "swirly bokeh" in my samples, yes. Quite curious. Of course, I'm a fan of the look, but clearly that's not what people generally want. You can get vintage/classic lenses that do this (albeit not at f/0.92, heh) for much, much less.

I've been meaning to get more sample shots but I've been swamped and the weather's been crap 'round here for the last couple of weeks. I did have two opportunities (events) but to be honest, I didn't want to rely on the HyperPrime - it front focuses. Also the reason I haven't done the planned shoot-out yet... It wouldn't be... "Fair."
 

D&A

Well-known member
Yes, those that pre-ordered are among the first production batch. This new price applies to the second/new/future orders.

I did notice a bit more of the "swirly bokeh" in my samples, yes. Quite curious. Of course, I'm a fan of the look, but clearly that's not what people generally want. You can get vintage/classic lenses that do this (albeit not at f/0.92, heh) for much, much less.

I've been meaning to get more sample shots but I've been swamped and the weather's been crap 'round here for the last couple of weeks. I did have two opportunities (events) but to be honest, I didn't want to rely on the HyperPrime - it front focuses. Also the reason I haven't done the planned shoot-out yet... It wouldn't be... "Fair."
Thanks for all the info...and tell me about the weather we've been having on the east coast...in terms of outdoor shooting/testing.

From your initial test shots with the hyperprime and those I've seen from others (with different samples of the lens), I wouldn't even have known they were the same lens....with regards to a number of obvious characteristics, it looks so different than the rest. Up until you posted yours I felt I had as good a handle on the optical signature of the lens (without actually having one to shoot with) , since most previous posted images at various f-stops looked quite similar (and of course very different than either the 0.95 Noct or the f1 Noct. Then I saw your images and from what i've seen so far, it appears quite different. Whether its the front focusing, I don't know, but it's something more..and the bokeh is just part of it. Interesting to say the least.

Dave (D&A)
 

Double Negative

Not Available
Ahh yes, you're on the right coast as well. Yep, wet, cool, basically crap. Ugh.

I didn't get technical with it and shoot any rulers, but I know what *I* focused on - and can see what *IT* focused on instead... There's also a slight looseness to the rear barrel/cone. It's clearly a well-traveled lens, having gone from HK to Seattle to me and there's a distinct possibility that there's some stuff not quite up to snuff with it.

I mentioned this to Andrew, and in the end things were dragging out - so I released the review with a disclaimer. I was hoping to swap the lens with a fresher copy but that will take additional time (and expense) for shipping - but Andrew hasn't even gotten back to me yet and it's been a while. I know he's busy, but...

Suffice it to say, I'm sticking with my Nocti. ;)
 

ashwinrao1

Active member
Yes, those that pre-ordered are among the first production batch. This new price applies to the second/new/future orders.

I did notice a bit more of the "swirly bokeh" in my samples, yes. Quite curious. Of course, I'm a fan of the look, but clearly that's not what people generally want. You can get vintage/classic lenses that do this (albeit not at f/0.92, heh) for much, much less.

I've been meaning to get more sample shots but I've been swamped and the weather's been crap 'round here for the last couple of weeks. I did have two opportunities (events) but to be honest, I didn't want to rely on the HyperPrime - it front focuses. Also the reason I haven't done the planned shoot-out yet... It wouldn't be... "Fair."
I've notice the same deal...more harsh bokeh and more CA, but it may be subject matter shot and user identifiable error. The version(s) that I shot at Huff's workshop in LA were amazing, and I need to use my production copy more to fully ascertain such matters...but it's been something I have been wondering about...
 
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