Re: [Leica] 75mm f1.4 Summilux-M & General use lenses

["john miller" <jamphoto@hotmail.com>]

>From: "goldframe" <goldframe1@yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>To: "Leica-Users-Group-List" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
>Subject: [Leica] 75mm f1.4 Summilux-M & General use lenses
>Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 17:01:15 -0700
>
>I would be very interested in hearing about any actual experience from
>owners of the 75mm f1.4 Summilux-M.  In the last 3 years since I've become
>an M devotee any questions about the 75mm have been dismissed with the
>explanation that the 75mm is really just a specialists lens, indoor
>journalistic use mostly, not used in normal work.  I do agree that the M is
>not really a camera to use as one might an SLR.  More lenses are not
>necessarily better - more equipment does not a better photographer make - I
>agree.  But...  I'm open to learning more here.  I am told that Leica makes
>and sells very few of the 75mm M, that it's more specialized and limited
>than the 135mm M, another rarely used focal length, in actually practice,
>among M user's.  ??
>
>Personally my most frequently used lenses are the 35mm f2.0 Summicron-M
>(pre-ASPH), the 50mm f2.8 Elmar-M and the 90mm f2.8 either in the Elmarit-M
>and I just picked up a mint!! 90mm f2.8 Tele-Elmarit-M, my new light-weight
>favorite and the 21mm f2.8 ASPH Elmarit-M.  I kind of go along with Brian
>Bower's thoughts.
>
>Again with the ASPH - wonder if that would be another next step for the 
>75mm
>too.
>
I used a 75mm F1.4 (Canada)  for about 2 years.  The lens was very sharp and 
very large.  I bought a motor winder to balance the weight of the outfit  
which helped in shooting.  Otherwise the lens tended to pull the front of 
the camera downward and became tiring when shooting at normal intervals.  
The viewfinder frame is not adequate for use in lower light situations.  The 
little corners easily dissapear and require eye shifting to find them.  This 
fishing for corners was time consuming and annoying.  In the end it was the 
reason I sold the lens.  The lens performance was excellent which is why I 
put up with the drawbacks mentioned above.  I really like the 75mm focal 
length VS 50mm.  The lens focuses very close and is very useful.  I finally 
sold it and bought a 90mm Aspheric which is also an excellent lens.  I have 
missed the 75mm and recently asked Leica if they could modify the veiwfinder 
to make it a solid line as is the 50.  I was told that this came up often 
and Leica Germany was not interested in fixing the problem.  The tech did 
not know why, but he said Leica USA has brought up the problem many times.   
John


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