Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2022/11/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The Leica-M 35mm apo is an excellent, modern lens. However, for daylight landscape shooters who like the least heavy outfit, the now-discontinued 50mm Elmar can produce some outstanding results (at f/6.7 down [within an 8x10 crop] or if used in a multi-shot panorama mode). Below is a link to a comparison of f/11 shots with the 35 apo v. the 50 Elmar pan (4 stitched images). Both images were enhanced with Topaz's AI Gigapixel software. https://paulroark.com/Leica_35mm_Apo_v_50mm_Elmar_pan.jpg In addition to the 50mm pan's sharpness advantage, note the lack of corner shading and rectilinear distortion. The 50mm pan image looks much more like the scene itself. (Note that straight lines in some compositions will look curved, however.) The Sony a7c with the collapsible Elmar fits into the Sony RX1 case. That case is made for the belt, but I found it too heavy for that. With a shoulder strap addition, however, the case is excellent. It makes a good one-lens, daylight, "walk-around" landscape outfit. The camera+lens weight is about 80% of the camera+35apo weight. With the 35mm, however, I usually also take the 90mm collapsible on my belt; so the total system weight and convenience is more than the 80% comparison suggests. The 50 Elmar, being a rather traditional Tessar formula, is very sharp in the center (sharper than the 35 apo at f/11 -- my preferred f-stop), which, particularly with Topaz's AI Gigapixel software, makes enlargement of cropped images practical. Of course, I take the 35 apo in many if not most situations, but for light weight, daylight shooting, the collapsible 50mm Elmar makes a very useful alternative. Paul www.PaulRoark.com