Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/11/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark, Hmmm... Chicken or egg? Hard to say. There have been prototypes of the 75/2 for at least seven years. Possibly these prototypes gave birth to the 50/1.4 ASPH, but only Solms insiders who aren't talking might know. Obviously, there is a wider market for a fast 50 than a 75. As you observe, they are brothers. Both have glass designed in the old Leitz Wetzlar lab, both focus with a moving element, and both have a unique rendition of textures and colors and are sharp from corner to corner. Here's a tight, shallow DOF shot with the 75/2 at 2.8. Maybe you can see what I'm saying? <http://gallery.leica-users.org/album279/LUG151?full=1> Nothing equally tight with the 50/1.4, but you can see the textures and colors in this shot which is familiar to a few here. Also taken nearly wide open... <http://gallery.leica-users.org/Dulles-Air-Space-Museum/LUG85?full=1> You decide... William BTW, both are compact, the hoods don't block the frame in the viewfinder and both have a short throw and snap into focus with excellent ergonomics. At 03:09 PM 11/12/2005 -0800, you wrote: >I forgot which came first the brand new cutting edge state of the art pie in >the sky APO-SUMMICRON-M f/2/75 mm ASPH chicken or the SUMMILUX-M 50 mm f/1.4 >ASPH egg. > >In the last decade Leica keeps upping the ante on what would probably be I >think partly because of faith in Erwin, partly experience and partly >knowledge of the photo world we live in The "Undisputed Champion" of the >World of 35mm format glass. > >And before that there was the >The APO-SUMMICRON-M 90 mm f/2 ASPH. >The SUMMICRON-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH. >And before and before and before in roughly that order. > >I thought a basic rule way before reading Erwin of lens design what that the >"Normal lens" was the sharpest and easiest to make. Which always had a true >ring to it for me. >But you always here of 105's or 100's or other short teles as holding such a >title. >I'd think it was not true and that the title would go to a 50. >So by rights of the laws of nature The "Undisputed Champion" of the World of >35mm format glass should belong to the SUMMILUX-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH. >Although the 75 could break even as its a stop slower and not having near >ultra fast glass problems. > >Anyone here have both lenses and what to weigh in? I'm all ears. >Anyone without both lenses want to gleefully BS to death in a most erudite >way? > >Mark Rabiner >Photography >Portland Oregon >http://rabinergroup.com/