[Leica] The "Undisputed Champion" of the World of 35mm format glass!

[lambroving at worldnet.att.net (William G. Lamb, III)]

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/