[Leica] RE: Re: new lens info for 90 guys (Don Dory)

[hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (G Hopkinson)]

I think that Herr Putts is always worth a read. As always you need to make
your own assessment of the content.
He has recently devoted quite a bit of content to Canon products. I wonder
if he's taking out an insurance policy, should he have to jump ship
from Leica ;-)

The Canon 1.2 85 certainly fares well in his assessment.

I thought some of his methodology odd in this review.
Not sure why he would choose Velvia for test film including portraits.
Surely Astia or Provia would have given him essentially equal fine grain
without the very distracting red cast that he has displayed vs the canon
digital sensor images. He quotes scanning at 400 dpi/inch. Ignoring the
DPI/inch tautology, he must have meant 4000dpi, which is the max for that
scanner and would give approx 6 micron dots.
I have the same Coolscan V that he has used and mine is profiled for the
Astia 100F & Velvia 100F emulsions. Not sure how he managed to produce that
grossly red cast, even the Velvia 50 is not THAT bad on skin tones.

I would also question his sharpening technique on the scans, based on the
small crops of his long serving model's face. Looks like badly applied
Digital ICE. Then he shoots the comparison digital image at ISO400, f1.2 &
1/6000, to "freeze the movement of the walking model". Hardly a valid
comparison, unless you think apples taste the same as oranges.

None of that is to denigrate the performance of the Canon lens on the 5D.
I have no doubt that this gear is enormously capable.

Odd that he has referred to the Summicron 90 ASPH as "softer" at close
range, for portraits. Nary a hint of that discovery in any of his previous
writings.

For me, the best of this review is the design philosophy comparison between
the Summicron and the Sonnar, and the background blur comparison. Let's not
use that "B" word.

 Cheers
Hoppy, who wishes he could fund the Summicron but loves his Elmarit M, also
happy to accept a Sonnar for my Zeiss armoury 


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Message: 13
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:41:12 -0400
From: "Don Dory" <don.dory@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Leica] new lens info for 90 guys
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
Message-ID:
        <9b678e0607120541g17848371nbb7b39a4e4c2de0f@mail.gmail.com>
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Thanks for the link.  It was worth a browse.  If you are shooting Canon
digital the choice would be the 85 1.2 as it is less expensive, offers
incredible options at 1.2 and 3200 ISO while being very good indeed
optically.  For those of us using film, the real choice would be the 85
Sonnar or the 75 Summicron.  Final decision would be based on size, feel,
and whether you need a little more reach.

Amazing that in less than a decade the phenomenal performance of the 90 APO
would be challenged.  Good times indeed for photographers.

Don
don.dory@gmail.com


On 7/12/06, G Hopkinson <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au> wrote:
>
> Folks, Herr Putts has a new entry with some comparisons Summicron -Sonnar-
> Canon
>
> On film and digital.
>
> Worth a browse I think
>
> http://www.imx.nl/photosite/zeiss/test85/t004.html