Monochrom Lens Preferences

[KurtKamka]

Now that some photographers have been shooting with the Monochrom for a few months and others are slowly joining the ranks, I thought that I'd start a separate thread to inquire about which lenses people are enjoying most on their MM.

I know that it's a subjective discussion, but I thought that I'd ask if the MM has changed what users are shooting with compared to their experiences with the M8, M9 or film M ... especially as people begin to think more in terms of a black and white only output.

So here are a couple of questions:

1) What lens do you find you are using the most with the MM? Is it different from the main lens you've used with other M cameras? If so, why?

2) Is there a lens that you've used with the Monochrom that has surprised you for the better? For the worse?

3) With the detail that the MM sensor provides, do you have any initial impressions as to which lenses you like best with the Monochrom (Noctilux, lux, cron, summarit, old, new)?

4) Are you using filters?

While I'm not looking to generalize any standard perceptions, I think it's interesting to hear what others are finding/seeing/feeling as it might help others shape their lens choices should they be thinking about acquiring an MM.

 

[xdayv]

Kurt, this is a nice (and helpful) thread that I'll be following. I can't really give my input on this as I only have the 50mm summilux asph, which have been great btw... I have had some success using the Hoya R72 IR filter.

 

[Paratom]

Since getting the MM I have used the 28/2.0asph a lot, and also the 75/2.0

I use yellow filter allmost allways.
Specially the 28 Summicron asph seems to fit the MM very good. its not super contrasty but with very good resolution.
Also I find the little wider FOV of 28mm fits my understanding of b/w quite good. (I cant tell you what I exactly mean).
In low light I like the Nocti without filter.

 

[Petster]

Good questions Kurt. I think it really depends what you are looking for in your final images. It also really depends on the subject. What I have experienced and what Ashwin nicely written down here is that the "not that perfect", soft lenses have the most character. But I guess this is a very subjective thing. I love to shoot with the f/1 Nocti and I'm currently grabbing some older glass and will give it a try. But sometimes, when shooting technical stuff I like the sharpness of the f/2 Summicron. So it all depends. (I know that does not help)

Fact is that some of the lenses on the Monochrom have a different character as on the M9.

Before buying I would loan some lenses and give them a try.

 

[wentbackward]

Kurt,
#1, 50 Lux ASPH or 50 Lux Pre-ASPH, same as M6/M9

#2, The old 50mm collapsable Elmar-M, it's stunning with a real classic rendering. I think the many more aperture blades and old coating lets more wonderful things happen.

An E58 f1 noctilux which does wonderful things but makes you a bit nauseous in the end. Some fellow LF devotees suggested they should give up their 10x8's when they saw it. Like the 50 Elmar-M, some stuff goes on that you don't see on the M9.
(yeah I seem to have a 50mm fetish going on)

#3 The latest glass is just amazing if you're after insane detail. 90 Cron ASPH, 50 Lux ASPH, 28 Cron all are fantastic.

I have yet to try the Zeiss glass like a ZM 28/2.8, I can only imagine it will blow your socks off.

The MM gives you so much, that the above is far too general a summary. There are many many subtle and not so subtle things going on that you probably don't see on digital anywhere. Likewise there's a ton of stuff that just doesn't happen in B&W, which would otherwise cause terrible problems (like shooting portraits under sodium vapour street lamps at 1000ISO is virtually noiseless) so you tend to use lenses in different scenarios to film/M9. You'll also be able to stop down a lot more in low light and keep a high shutter speed, so again you get a different look. Just too much to summarise, at least for now.

 

[algrove]

How about the 180/3.4 APO-Telyt-R?

 

[ashwinrao1]

So here are a couple of questions:

1) What lens do you find you are using the most with the MM? Is it different from the main lens you've used with other M cameras? If so, why?

2) Is there a lens that you've used with the Monochrom that has surprised you for the better? For the worse?

3) With the detail that the MM sensor provides, do you have any initial impressions as to which lenses you like best with the Monochrom (Noctilux, lux, cron, summarit, old, new)?

4) Are you using filters?

1. Let me chime in with my opinion. First off, I find myself having most enjoyed more classic lenses (or lenses that render classically) on the MM, compared to more modern asph glass on the M9. I find that I have most enjoyed 2 lenses on the MM, the rigid 50 mm f/2 Summicron (version 2 of the Summicron lineage) and the 90 mm f/2 APO cron. Both were "long left behind" lenses on the M9, but have been reborn on the M. I find the asph glass to be hypercontrasty and brittle sharp at times with regards to images produced by modern glass. The older glass seems to render gentler contrast fall offs, pleasing OOF, and a rendering that takes better advantage of the MM's tonal landscape (at the sacrifice of critical sharpness, which has rarely been necessary for BW street work, where lens character adds a bunch instead)

2. For me, the biggest surprise as been the 50 mm f/2 rigid cron and 90 mm v2 cron. Both are fine on the M9, but both blow my mind on the MM. Both are reasonably priced on the used market as well, and neither an arm nor a leg needs to be spent to pick these lenses up. IN particular, the 90 'cron v2 (E48) becomes a instant fav portrait lens. The other lens that I have really enjoyed on the MM is the 50 C-Sonnar, and I can't disregard that th 35 Summarit shines as well...

3. Generally, older, lower contrast lenses with high microcontrast have appealed to me most: hence, 50 rigid cron...Also, the summarit line seems to do quite well, and I have enjoyed my use of the 35 summarit on the lens. Of note, these slower lenses gain new use due to the MM's impressive high ISO noise performance.

4. I have a set of 39 mm and 46 mm filters (R, G, O, Y). I also have a few soft focus (softar filters) to play with to tone down modern glasses, while keeping sharpness.

Hope that helps, Kurt!

 

[ashwinrao1]

Gotta agree with wentbackward that the modern lenses offer insane detail. I think that the 28 cron strikes a great balance between rendering and amazing sharpness....

50 lux asph is mindblowing. The 35 FLE is almost too sharp and contrasty for my taste, at least on this sensor, but there are moments, particular with closest focus, where it shines as well.

 

[fotografz]

So far I'm loving the 50 Lux ASPH, and when I grab one lens it is that one 95% of the time. It is a bit odd because it is a different experience using the 50/1.4 on this camera compared to my M9P ... I can't put my finger on it quite yet ... maybe it's the tonal roll off, or maybe that I never could use ISO 2,000 before ... which I use often on this camera like I do ISO 640 or 800 on the M9P

I think we are exploring new realms of light ... often unfamiliar realms where no M has gone before.

So, for me, these high ISOs are all new territory for my stable of M lenses. You start seeing into the dark like this and it's a whole new ball game. At ISO 5,000 to 8,000, the 21/1.4 ASPH @ f/1.4 and a shutter of 1/15th boldly goes where I've never been before.

The 35/1.4 ASPH v1 I own is well calibrated by Leica and for the way I shoot and doesn't exhibit focus shift very often, if at all ... so it is my second most used lens on the MM, especially indoors. On the MM my 28/2 ASPH sees less use compared to the M9P. The 90/2.8 even less ... however, it can now be used where it never could before.

I think if I paired down all my gear I'd go to the S2 for color to ISO 640, and then to this MM. I rarely shoot for ambient color beyond ISO 400 to 640 anyway, and use lighting beyond that threshold.

-Marc

 

[ashwinrao1]

Agreed with Marc that the 35 Lux Asph V1 works very well on the MM as well...

 

[cam]

Mandler, Mandler, Mandler

 

[Vivek]

Have you got one, Cam?

 

[cam]

Have you got one, Cam?

shhhhhh!!! just... a visit in the future?

 

[GrahamWelland]

Is anyone venturing into using older screw mount lenses with the Monochrom, given it's character?

 

[Vivek]

Is anyone venturing into using older screw mount lenses with the Monochrom, given it's character?

I asked exactly this earlier in the images thread. I think Leica put everyone in the wrong path early on with the AA and all such fancy/pricey lens line up. We could already see (from the MM images thread) that the humble C-V lenses do a fantastic job in monochrome (not surprising to me at all since I have had great captures with them on B&W films in the past).

I have a nice line up, the MM is on order at the right place....

 

[jaapv]

Is anyone venturing into using older screw mount lenses with the Monochrom, given it's character?

Old lenses on the Monochrom. POST EXAMPLES HERE! - Leica User Forum

I have tried a Summarit 50/1.5 with excellent results, my 1959 Canon 2.8/35 is more or less the standard lens on my MM.
Telyts-V 280 and 400/5.6 perform amazingly well. I have bought a Canon 35/1.8 a few minutes ago.

Somehow the Monochrom gives these old lenses a new lease on life. If you use a color filter you remove all chromatic aberrations with very sharp results.

 

[ashwinrao1]

Agreed entirely with Jaap. While I haven't delved much past 1960's era lenses (Rigid 'cron, Canon 35 mm f/2.8 LTM, 90 'cron v2), I can say that Mandler era lenses and the prior generation do very very well....I find that the MM's tonal rendering bonds well with old glass, as much is rescued in the midtones that may have been flattened out in colors or BW color conversions... THe same lenses that frustrated me on the M9 now are re-claimed on the MM, IMHO that is... modern lenses render richly, but at times, critcally and clincially on the MM....maybe because the sensor resolves so much detail

 

[GrahamWelland]

I'm looking forward to using some wonderful vintage glass on my monochrom. Basically, after the realization that I'm back to a Ramen noodle diet to pay for it, that's all I can afford to put on mine!

 

[ashwinrao1]

Hi Graham, Ramen aside, I don't think that you'll be disappointed

 

[GrahamWelland]

Jaap,

I hadn't really been checking LUF for a while but I have to say that I am so impressed with the thread over there. My original plan of avoiding putting myself in the poor house again with modern M glass seems vindicated by the wonderful rendering that I see there. (I do appreciate that it's not the gear but the talent behind it but I see nothing but great classic Leica rendering. I don't need optical perfection - I want character!)