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leica 50mm apo advantages

gooomz

Member
the mtf chart of this lens looks awesome, but in real photos, which type of photographer can really benefit from using this lens over the 50 lux asph?

not sure but i am thinking maybe a landscape photographer (although not really that wide) or maybe an architectural photographer?

maybe for large prints.....
 

airfrogusmc

Well-known member
the mtf chart of this lens looks awesome, but in real photos, which type of photographer can really benefit from using this lens over the 50 lux asph?

not sure but i am thinking maybe a landscape photographer (although not really that wide) or maybe an architectural photographer?

maybe for large prints.....
Street shooters and portrait photographers to. Anybody that desires that amazing level of sharpness.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
In order to see the benefits of this (admittedly awesome) lens, you need two things:

1) A medium that will capture the extra detail to begin with. That means an M Monochrom or M at least - or very fine grained film. The M9 platform won't cut it. You might see small differences at 100% but you don't buy a $7k lens for that. Well, maybe some do. ;)

2) You will need to print LARGE. Likely upscaling the image in the process. Little web-sized photos won't show the detail.

But the quality will appeal to anyone. I wouldn't think street so much (half the time they're out of focus, crooked or blurred anyway). Definitely landscape and architecture. Travel.
 
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airfrogusmc

Well-known member
In order to see the benefits of this (admittedly awesome) lens, you need two things:

1) A medium that will capture the extra detail to begin with. That means an M Monochrom or M at least - or very fine grained film. The M9 platform won't cut it. You might see small differences at 100% but you don't buy a $7k lens for that. Well, maybe some do. ;)

2) You will need to print LARGE. Likely upscaling the image in the process. Little web-sized photos won't show the detail.

But the quality will appeal to anyone. I wouldn't think street so much (half the time they're out of focus, crooked or blurred anyway). Definitely landscape and architecture. Travel. Product shots; now that the M can do macro.
I like to pride myself in having street work thats not to OOF and blurry. Kinda easier to do with the MM and the clean high ISO. Shutter speeds of 1/500 and still having the ability to shoot at f/8 and f/11.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
I like to pride myself in having street work thats not to OOF and blurry. Kinda easier to do with the MM and the clean high ISO. Shutter speeds of 1/500 and still having the ability to shoot at f/8 and f/11.
This is true - I've seen your work and it's excellent, Allen!
 

NB23

New member
Misconceptions galore!

A lens' quality will always transpire, regardless of the sensor or film or print. Even the resolution will show. Even the character. Even its weaknesses. 5x7 is enough for this.
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
I agree....5 x 7 is the ideal size for intimate viewing of a whole...not parts of a picture.

I imagine that a digital negative to contact print at 5 x 7 would be ideal...or a 4900 Epson equivalent printer.


Bob
 

Double Negative

Not Available
"Hear me now, believe me later." - Hanz und Franz

"It is clear that this lens is capable of resolving beyond the definition of the M9 and MM sensors..." - Ming Thein

"The lens will of course only reach peak performance in conjunction with the M9 Monochrom because it has the resolution and the entire imaging chain is so lossless that it’s only then that the performance of the lens comes across.” - Peter Karbe

"The performance of the lens is flawless. For what it is worth, the ASCR at full aperture (f/2) is able to resolve 160 linepairs/mm on microfilm, developed in Spur chemicals. The lens therefore has a large quality margin for use with the M8/9/M-E/Mono with the 6.8 microns pixel size (70 lp/mm) and the M with 6 microns pixel size (80 linepairs/mm)." - Erwin Puts
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Cool, so will some people start using microfilm for street photography now to take advantage of their new Summicrons ;)
 

NB23

New member
Double negative, I'm not sure what you are trying to prove. I could start a blog and start spreading things around in a "professional" way... Just like you did it. That's how easy it is, really. Put up a blog and there it is, the truth itself.

You know what the real problem is today? No one prints. It's all pixel peeping. Every one has become a pro. And the one who creates the most exciting new technical term is even better. Like the term Micro-Contrast. It simply means nothing. And I read a few new ones not long ago. I just couldn't believe the BS.

Look. Beyond the likes of ming thein, or you, or all the others that started not so long ago, the most striking and most revealing thing is that you don't see no famous photographers talking about gear on forums (unless if they're sponsored).

Yes, any lens will show its characteristics Versus a lesser lens in prints as small as 5x7. No need to go beyond 20x30 to start seeing a difference. This is proven daily by me (I print over 2000 16x20 and 20x24 Fiber Base selenium toned prints per year. You can call me an expert on the matter. The other bloggers, I'm not sure you can call them experts).
 

FSOT

New member
Ming Thein is the biggest BS artist. He claimed to removed the Bayer layer from a Sony NEX 5N. The fact is you cannot removed this layer at all. It is actually underneath the sensor itself. So I agreed with you NB23.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
I'm not trying to "prove" anything. Fact is, I don't give a rat's arse. I'm certainly not vouching for Ming Thein nor Erwin Puts. But I'm pretty sure you can believe Peter Karbe.

If you compare a crappy lens to a good one, sure - you'll see a difference in a 5x7" print. Take two very good lenses and compare them and you've got jack. Be it print or digital.

But I bow to your clearly EXPERT level diatribe...
 

Double Negative

Not Available
In re-reading my first post in this thread, perhaps I wasn't clear. I certainly didn't mean to imply that you need to print billboards to appreciate that this is a really good lens. Or that you can't see a lens' signature in even web-sized images.

I was looking at it from a comparative standpoint - comparing the previous Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH to the new APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH. That is - seeing the difference between the two. Or even other really good 50mm lenses like the Summilux-M ASPH that the OP asked about.

As for making it into a personal attack... That was just uncalled for. WhoTF do you think you're talking to?
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
As for making it into a personal attack... That was just uncalled for.
I agree but the WhoTF comment does not enhance your point.

How about we all take a deep breath and realize this is a wonderful lens at an extreme price point ... justifying our purchases need not engender this amount of stress...

Bob
 

wattsy

Active member
In re-reading my first post in this thread, perhaps I wasn't clear.
I don't know, you made some pretty bold claims (e.g. "you need... an M Monochrom or M at least - or very fine grained film. The M9 platform won't cut it") that I assumed were borne out by personal experience of this lens. Your later post (with the quotes) suggests that you might just be extrapolating (IMO incorrectly) from the published comments of others?
 

Double Negative

Not Available
It's not rocket science - it's common sense. If a medium can't resolve the details, you won't see the difference. The closest you'll get is the absolute resolution of the medium and not what the lens is capable of. That's all I'm saying.
 

douglasf13

New member
Ming Thein is the biggest BS artist. He claimed to removed the Bayer layer from a Sony NEX 5N. The fact is you cannot removed this layer at all. It is actually underneath the sensor itself. So I agreed with you NB23.
When did Ming Thein claim to do that? All that I'm aware of is that he removed the AA/IR/UV filter pack over the NEX-5's sensor.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
When did Ming Thein claim to do that? All that I'm aware of is that he removed the AA/IR/UV filter pack over the NEX-5's sensor.
He did not even do that (remove AA). Yes, he spun that little post to an extent that it gave that impression. It is quite possible he has no technical knowledge of what he was doing or writing about. Not a big deal.
 
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