Re: [Leica] 50mm lenses again

[D Khong <dkhong@pacific.net.sg>]

>I'm trying to decide which 50mm M lens to get.  I've perused the LUG 
>archives but I have an interesting (imho) twist to the dilemma that, as 
>far as I know, has not been covered already.  As you might predict, I 
>have been recommended the 50/2 as it's the sharpest 50 out there, but 
>when one person said "in the same league as the 35/1.4 ASPH in every 
>way", I hesitated.  The reason is that I have had two 35/1.4 ASPH, both 
>sold because I ended up prefering the images from my 35/2 non-asph.  
>While the images from the 35/1.4 ASPH were indeed very sharp, especially 
>wide open, it lacked the "3-D" and pleasant out-of-focus rendition of my 
>classic 35/2.
>
>My question is, does the 50/2 suffer from this "problem"?  I was 
>investigating the 50/1.4 and found out that it has residual field 
>curvature, probably of the same type as in the classic 35/2.  I wonder 
>if this is why I prefer the classic 35/2, and if I should go for the 
>50/1.4 based on this.  Or is this too simplistic?  Any opinions from 
>people who have used both 50mm lenses?  I'll probably end up doing a 
>side by side test myself but I thought I would pick some LUG-brains 
>first ;)

Am I glad to meet another person who is not obsessed by lens sharpness!
Moving beyond sharpness into an appreciation of the 3-D effects and bokeh
of various lenses is certainly progressive thinking into the art of
photography.
When I brought up the issue of bokeh at the local Contax Club, I was
greeted with a mixture of disbelief and awe.  The majority of photogs are
basically concerned with lens sharpness.

I have used the 50 Noct, Summilux, Summicron, Elmar, Summarit, Summitar
(and yet to acquire a Summar to try out).   Given the choice of just ONE
lens, I'd go for the Summilux.  It has that right balance of speed, weight,
sharpness, bokeh, price..... you name it.   If I travel with one camera and
one lens, it will be the M3 and summilux - a beautiful combination of
ruggedness and lens function.  I've gone into some of the more
dusty/dirty/grimy locations and this pair has given me some of my best
shots ever taken.

Dan K.