Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux-M Lens Review

Compared with Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux ASPH Lens

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The Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux lens is a “Legend” among the Leica world and is renowned for its “Magical” qualities. It is not as clinical sharp as the latest Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux Asph lens but it’s unique rendering is what separate this lens from all other Leica lenses and remains special in today.

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Image Quality

The Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux lens has the most unique rendering out of all the Noctilux. It produces “magical” glow with its smooth bokeh and unique out of focus background. The lens is not too clinically sharp like the newer aspherical version but its sufficient sharpness combined with smooth rendering making it the preferable lens for Portraits.

It’s colour rendition is towards natural and classical side with just enough amount of contrast and saturation. The lens does produce purple fringing and vignetting when wide open. Although It is not perfect lens but certainly one of the lenses with the most character.

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Build Quality

The Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux lens is produced to very high Leica standards. It is a very solidly built lens but not as solid as latest Noctilux aspherical version. However, it weights less than the newer version and feels more compact size in the hands when mounted onto Leica M Cameras.

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Specifications (Lens Reviewed)

Lens Code: 11 822

 

Production Year: 1993 - 2008

 

Construction: 7 Elements / 6 Groups

 

Diaphragm:  10 Blades

 

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1 - F16

 

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

 

Filter Size: 60mm

 

Weight: 630g

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Practical Use

The Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux lens shines at night with its ultra low light capturing ability when wide open aperture at F1. In comparison, the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux ASPH is even more capable at low-light situations with its ability to capturing 11% more light at F0.95 than F1.

The lens is “magical” at shooting stationary subjects especially people portraits or objects. However, it does have a Long Focus throw which can undermine its street capturing abilities especially of moving subjects.

 

Conclusion

The Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux-M is the only F1 lens for 35mm photography manufactured by Leica. It’s almost “magical” rendering and amazing low-light capability is due to its extraordinary optical performance.

The Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux-M produces smooth out-of-focus area with outstanding colour rendition. This ultra-fast lens is capable of absorbing all surrounding light and output the most amazing bokeh you will ever see. All those things together is what making this legendary lens so unique and special.

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Noctilux Versions

Leica 50mm F1.2 Noctilux 

The world's first production aspherical camera lens, with two hand-ground aspherical surfaces.

 

Lens Code  11 820

Production Year  1966 - 1975

Filter Size   Series VIII Filters

Weight   515g

 

Leica 50mm F1 Noctilux-M

There are 3 cosmetic versions of this lens. They all have the same optics with minimum focusing distance of one metre.

 

First version

Lens Code  11 821

Production Year   1976 - 1983

Filter Size   58mm

Weight   580g

 

Second version

Lens Code  11 821

Production Year   1983 - 1993

Filter Size   60mm

Weight   580g

 

Third version (Lens Reviewed)

Lens Code  11 822

Production Year   1993 - 2008

Filter Size   60mm

Weight   630g

 

Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux ASPH M Lens 

Lens Code  11 602

Production Year   2008 - Present

Filter Size   60mm

Weight   700g

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Hasselblad 110mm F2.0 Planar T* Lens Review

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I would like to share my recent experiences with a legendary Hasselblad 110mm F2.0 Planar lens. I am a big fan of super shallow depth of field and bokehlicious images, I believe with the correct use of aperture that one can enhance the subject of the photo. The Hasselblad medium format film camera has been my companion for quite some time now, it is the "perfect" MF camera for me and part of this is due to the superb qualities of those Carl Zeiss lenses. After owning and shooting with a variety of these lenses, there is always a lens in back of my mind. 

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The Hasselblad 110mm F2.0 Planar lens is indeed a "dream" lens, just like the noctilux of Leica which outputs incredible bokeh and unique characteristics. I have been searching lens on the internet for quite awhile since there are not too many of them available at once. There are basically two versions of the lens: the F and FE models of the lens. The F lens can only be used on focal plane Hasselblad bodies with builtin camera shutter and the FE version has some electronic parts specially designed for FE series Hasselblad bodies such as the 203FE, which demands a higher price tag for its more modern electronics. My lovely 2000 FC/M camera that I did my street photography work with has broken down due to focal plane failure so I upgraded to a more recent model, the 201F with a cloth focal plane shutter rather than fragile titanium ones in the 2000FC/M. It is the perfect match with the Hasselblad 110mm F2 lens and this combination works like a charm. 

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The first thing you notice when you are holding the lens is quite heavy, coming at 750 grams, which is significantly heavier than my Hasselblad 100mm F3.5 C lens. The F version of this lens were produced between 1991&1998 and the construction consists of 7 elements/5 groups with the aperture ranges from an insane F2 to F16 in 1/2 stop increments. Keep in mind that F2 in the Medium Format world is approximately similar to F1 in the 35mm format, which produces incredibly shallow paperthin DOF. In practical use, the lens at the start was very challenging to use, especially for living subjects on the streets that I like to photograph but once you get used to it then everything becomes easier. Just as a side note, I would recommend for Hasselblad users to change their focusing screen to either Matte or Matte D with increased brightness/clarity when working with this lens, which helps significantly in practical use. The filter size for this particular lens is in bayonet mount (Bay 70) and I would recommend the 77mm UV size adapter since this is a much affordable option. 

The performance of the Hasselblad 110mm F2.0 Planar lens is truly remarkable, it deserves to wear the crown of superfast lenses in the Medium Format world. The rendering is typical Zeiss with tendency to the warm side with vivid colours and the out of focus areas are pleasing to the eye with smooth bokeh. The images coming out of this lens are very sharp, probably not as sharp as the Hasselblad 100mm F3.5 lens since that one is the sharpest but the 110mm lens possesses very unique and special characteristics. If you like superfast lenses and looking for an unique lens in the medium format world then the Hasselblad 110mm lens cannot be missed.

 

My Flickr Set: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jerrybay/sets/72157632109503805/ 

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Canon 50mm F0.95 “Dream lens” Review

Japancamerahunter 

Japancamerahunter 

I have done a review on the more accessible and affordable Canon 50mm F1.2 LTM lens. The Canon 50mm F0.95 also known as the “Dream Lens” was designed to replace the Canon 50mm F1.2 to become the fastest lens and offers superior optics.

The Canon 50mm F0.95 lens was made back in 1960s and 1970s for the Canon 7/7s Rangefinder and it held the crown for the fastest production lens in the world at the time.

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Rendering

The “Dream Lens” is famous for its out-of-focus rendering that offers smooth bokeh and extremely shallow depth of field, which combines to produce the “Dreamy” effects.

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Image Quality

The Lens offers great sharpness that is not clinical. It produces “magical” soft glow with smooth out-of-focus areas and extremely shallow depth of field at its maximum aperture of f0.95.

The lens has classic rendering with natural colours and great contrasts. It is excellent for portraits with its glowing effect and becomes very sharp when stepping down the aperture like every other Leica lenses.

This lens has minimum flare and chromatic aberration but it does have some vignetting. 

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Build Quality

The lens is very solidly built with full metal construction. The weight of the lens is towards the heavy side with similar weight to the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux. However, the lens feels more compact in the hands due to the build construction consists of shorter length and larger diameter.

The focus ring feels very smooth when turning and the aperture ring clicks in place very nicely. It is a well-made lens overall.

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Lens Specifications

 

Construction: 7 Elements / 5 Groups

 

Diaphragm: 10 Blades

 

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F0.95 - F16

 

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

 

Filter Size: 72mm

 

Weight: 605g

 

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Production Versions

 

  •  Standard Canon 50mm F0.95 Lens: Approximately 20000 units were produced. However, significantly less number of units remained today.

 

  • Cinematic Canon 50mm F0.95 “TV” Lens: Around 7000 units of “TV” version were made hence making this the even rarer lens. This version offers a different coating to create slightly cinematic renderings.

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Lens Conversion

The Lens was originally designed for the Canon Rangefinders. However, if you find a clean copy of the lens without any optical issues then it is worthwhile to convert into M mount.

It is recommended this conversion process to be done through an experienced and highly skilled technician. This way the converted lens is likely to offer perfect rangefinder coupling and enjoyable experience on Leica M cameras.

For Conversion and Customisation, Please read my article on Camera Customisation.

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Conclusion

The Canon 50mm F0.95 “Dream Lens” offers great userability and extremely shallow depth of field. If you are looking for a lens that has unique rendering with “dreamy and glowing” bokeh effects and don’t mind the size or weight then this will be the perfect lens for you.

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Leica Monochrome + Canon 50mm F0.95Street Shot @F2 

Leica Monochrome + Canon 50mm F0.95

Street Shot @F2 

Leica Monochrome + Canon 50mm F0.95  Street Shot @F2

Leica Monochrome + Canon 50mm F0.95  

Street Shot @F2

Leica Monochrome + Canon 50mm F0.95  Street Shot @F2

Leica Monochrome + Canon 50mm F0.95  

Street Shot @F2

Hasselblad SWC


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Introduction:

The Hasselblad SWC started in production back in the 1950s and ceased manufacturing until recent years. The Hasselblad SWC is abbreviated from Super Wide Camera at present and the original names when the camera was first introduced were “Supreme Wide Angle” (1954-55) and “Super Wide” (1956-57). Below are the highlights of the Hasselblad SWC’s manufacturing history:

The Photokina in Cologne 1954 was used to introduce the Hasselblad Super-Wide with a fixed 38mm f4.5 Zeiss Biogon lens mounted in a Compur-shutter. Super-Wide SWC/M was introduced in 1979, allowing the use of the Polaroid film magazine. The Hasselblad SWC & SWC/M was introduced in1979 then follow by the 903SWC in the year 1988, as the new 903SWC had a minor body change and came with the new viewfinder with built-in spirit level. Finally the last version was the abbreviated 905SWC model released in 2001 with the compromised optics consists of 8 elements only.


Specifications Overview:

·           Fixed Zeiss Biogon 38mm f/4.5 lens

·           Body Colors available: Black or Chrome trimmed

·          Interchangeable 120mm film backs: A12 or A24 backs

·          Adoptable to Modern Digital Backs

·         Polaroid film backs available and optional

·         Filter size: Series 63 drop-in (Series VIII)

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Lens:

·         The lens on the Hasselblad SWC is the legendary Zeiss 38mm f4.5 Biogon (equivalent to 21mm on the 35mm format) and it is probably the best wide angle made by Zeiss.

·         The Zeiss 38mm f4.5 Biogon is famous for its optical excellence, which is almost distortion-free and offers image perfection.

·         There are only two variations for this lens in terms of the coating, as one version with the T* coating and the other without.

·         The original Zeiss Biogon lens offers the 10 element design compared to the updated 905SWC with an abbreviated 8 element design.

 

Models:

There are seven versions of the Hasselblad SWC made throughout the years:

  1. 1959-1968: SWC silver lens barrel, all bodies chrome
  2. 1968-1973: SWC black lens barrel, but not T*, all chrome bodies
  3. 1973-1980: SWC black lens barrel T* coating, bodies can be either chrome or black
  4. 1980-1982: SWC/M-Polaroid back usable
  5. 1982-1985: SWC/M with CF lens and bubble level on body
  6. 1986-1988: SWC/M with CF lens and no bubble level on body
  7. 1989 to 2001: the 903SWC

There are also three types of Viewfinders made:

  • Type 1 1959-1969: standard "megaphone" finder
  • Type 2 1969-1985: standard finder with rubber at eyepiece
  • Type 3 1986-present: finder with built in bubble level

The latest version of the Hasselblad SWC is the model 905SWC, which was produced in the year 2001 and the optics have downgraded to 8 elements compared to 10 elements on previous models.

 

Practical Use:

The camera is relatively small and light, therefore it allows me to shoot up to 1/15 seconds without worrying about vibration. When shooting “street photography” with this camera, you will have to pre-focus to the distance that you anticipate the subject will be and shoot steady with both hands at waist-level. This strategy can be done in “blind” shooting since the depth of field is enormous.

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Advantages:

·         The lens offers almost distortion-free images.

·         The SWC is lightweight and small, so easily handheld-able.

·         The handling

·         The interchangeable film backs provide convenience when shooting on-the-go and allows quick swapping between b&w and colour films.

·         The build quality for this camera is rock-solid amazing.

·         It is easy to hyperfocus with this camera since the depth of field is great.

Disadvantages:

·         The lens is fixed as there is no option for interchangeable lenses.

·         The viewfinder is quite small and the older ones offer poor visibility due to its age.

·         There is no rangefinder system incorporated thus it is difficult for precise focusing.

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Mamiya vs Hasselblad Comparison:

When compare the Hasselblad SWC to the Mamiya 7 with 43mm lens that makes the SWC seems to be primitive, which is reasonable for a camera designed 50 years ago. 

The focusing system of both systems is different, whereas the Hasselblad SWC is scale-focus compared to the precise rangefinder on the Mamiya. In terms of optical design, it is suspicious that the Mamiya copied the same lens design as the Hasselblad SWC. However, the latest Hasselblad SWC model (905SWC) only consists of 8 elements in the optics, whereas the Mamiya still makes the original 10 elements version for its 43mm lens.

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Leica M Typ240 Camera Review

 

Leica M 240 & 50 Summilux ASPH (Black)

Leica M 240 & 50 Summilux ASPH (Black)

I remember the anticipation was building up for the Leica announcement at September of last year, no one was certain what improvements can be done on the already excellent Leica M9. The tension was there until I saw the video  of John Dooley from the Leica Academe demonstrates the new Leica M. Immediately I was attracted by the camera, it offers so much more than the M9 as a camera but it was until I read online debates all around forums regarding to CMOS vs CCD brought doubts in mind too. Until now, when I finally received the new Leica M typ 240 camera that all my doubts have vanished.

There still are not too many Leica M typ240 cameras out around the world as of June, 2013 and this is due to supply issues from Leica (See public statement from Leica). Other than waiting on the long list of Leica dealers, the only alternative would be paying for a big premium to cut the queue. Nevertheless, it is well worth the wait and there is no-going back to the Leica M9 after using the new M substantially.

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"Survival of Strongest" - Leica M + 50 F1.4 Summilux ASPH

 

Improvements Compared to the Leica M9

The new Leica M typ240 improved all the short-comings of that Leica M9 users have asked for: higher resolution screen, quicker camera processor, faster buffer, quieter shutter sound, better ISO performance and overall much improved functionality.

 

Leica M240 & 50 Lux ASPH Chrome Set

Leica M240 & 50 Lux ASPH Chrome Set

 Build Quality

The build quality of the Leica M is simply amazing. It is build even better than the Leica M9 but maintained similar weight. The camera feels impeccably solid and the body is carved out of a single piece of brass. As a proud Leica MP owner myself,  the Leica MP is undoubtably the best build film M camera until the present. The engineering standard matches the pinnacle of Leica film era, if the Leica MP stands for "Mechanical Perfection" then the new Leica M can be labelled "Digital Perfection." The build quality is equally as solid as the Leica MP.

Image Quality (CMOS vs CCD)

 "Queen Victoria Building"  - Leica M + 21mm F1.4 Summilux ASPH

 "Queen Victoria Building"  - Leica M + 21mm F1.4 Summilux ASPH

Prior to obtaining the Leica M that I have seen enough online images from the camera to conclude the rendering is different with the new sensor. However, the sensor inside the Leica M is no ordinary CMOS sensor, it is specifically made for Leica by an Italian manufacturer named "CMOSIS." After shooting the Leica M,  the rendering is smooth, sharp with rich colours whereas the Leica M9 files are crisp with vibrant colours.

The Leica M offers about two stop better than the M9  in terms of ISO performance, I would state the files are usable even at ISO 6400 with noise reduction in post-processing.  The CMOS sensor is not better or worse than the CCD sensor, each has its own characteristics and produces an unique image rendering.

Functionality

Leica M240 & 21 Summilux ASPH

Leica M240 & 21 Summilux ASPH

The Leica M typ240 improves greatly in overall functionality compared to the Leica M9, it feels like a complete camera. There is no question that the Leica M9 outputs amazing images but the Leica M makes the M9 feels like incomplete in the functionality department. The Leica M is the perfect digital camera, it feels like a "real" camera with the new LCD, new design and fast processor. The LCD screen has improved significantly on the Leica M, the screen size and resolution increased from 2.5" and 230,000 pixels on the M9 to 3" and 920,000 pixels on the Leica M. The new Menu on the Leica M appears to be modernly designed yet maintained the navigation simplicity of the Leica M9, all the features are in one clean and simple menu list.  The in-camera processor has been updated to a much faster processing electronics and this combined with the new LCD provides users with immediate feedbacks. The shutter sound on the Leica M is different to the Leica M9, it is much quieter yet solid without the re-cocking sound on the M9. The new shutter produces more pleasant sound to the ears and increases discreetness when shooting at quite locations.  The transition of the electronic frame lines from the Leica M9 titanium onto the new Leica M is a great addition, the electronic frame lines will adjust its brightness according to the light source thus offers better visibility through the viewfinder.

The battery life of the Leica M improved significantly over the Leica M9, the voltages increased from 3.7v on the M9 to almost double with 7.4v for batteries on the M.  The real-life battery usage increases from around 400 to about 1,000+ shots. This prolonged battery life offers extended period of camera use and fewer batteries to carry.

The Leica M9 is prone to issues such as camera freezes regularly and SD card compatibility issues. I have not observed or yet encounter any of these issues after using the Leica M extensively and this reduces the burden on the user during shooting process.  

 

 "Opera Sunset" -  Leica M + 50mm F1.4 Lux ASPH

 "Opera Sunset" -  Leica M + 50mm F1.4 Lux ASPH

Camera Use/Settings Tips

  • Format your SD with external software "SDformatter" rather than in-camera format, as this will cut down start-up time from 4/5 down to about 2 seconds to avoid missing the "moment."

  • Set your metering to centre-weighted and exposure to classic just like the good old Leica M9, this will avoid camera lag when out shooting.

  • Use the live-view function combined with rangefinder mechanism will significantly increase your hit rate when the streets, it is the perfect tool for street photography. The new features do not remove good-old fashion rangefinder shooting but only add to the versatility.

  • For image settings, I tend to use original image settings rather than new film filters offered as I found them to look "different". It is recommend to set Sharpness and Saturation to Standard whilst contrast to High to offer the closest look to M9 files, post-processing is definitely also important but luckily the new M comes with the powerful Lightroom 5.
 

Canon 50mm F1.2 LTM lens Review (compared with Canon 50mm F0.95 lens)

Canon 50mm F1.2 LTM lens Review

Click Here to See the Latest Review on Canon 50mm F0.95 “Dream Lens”


I am a big fan of large aperture lens and bokehliciousness images. Since I already have possession of the Schneider Xenon 50mm F0.95 lens that I could not justify spending another 3k on the Canon 50mm F0.95 lens. Alternatively, I had my eye on a similar Canon offering: the Canon 50 F1.2 lens. This is was introduced by Canon in 1956 and it was the fastest mass market lens available in Leica Thread Mount at that time.  This lens is less than a stop slower than the Canon's famous big brother and the prices is only about a quarter of the F0.95 lens.

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Size and Build Quality


There are two chrome versions of this lens and also a limited completely black version made specifically for Black rangefinders. The lens in this review is the version one of this lens imprinted "CANON CAMERA CO. Japan" on the front of filter thread.
The Canon 50mm F1.2 LTM lens  is much smaller and lighter than the Canon 50mm F0.95 lens, it weights at 323grams compared to 605grams of the F0.95 lens. The Canon 50mm F1.2 LTM has similar build quality to the F0.95 lens and built with Canon's signature black and satin chrome finish. Overall, the lens feels well built and feels solid  in the hands.

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Image Quality and Rendering


The Canon 50mm F1.2 LTM lens is comprised of 7 elements in 5 groups and with aperture range from f/1.2 to f/22. There are 11 aperture blades with a minimum focusing distance of 1 meter. The filter size thread on this lens is 55mm and filters may be applied accordingly.
The rendering of images is very similar to the Canon 50mm F0.95 lens. Certain photographers buy that  lens because they love the bokeh produced by it. In this case, the Canon 50mm F1.2 lens does not disappoint in this regard and offers that typical Canon bokeh.  The Canon 50mm F0.95 is also well-known for its "softness" when shot wide open, which has the reputation for been a "perfect" portrait lens. In terms of wide open performance, the F1.2 lens surpasses its bigger brother and offers higher resolution and sharper images when shot at F1.2. When stopped down, the sharpness of image progressively increases and peaks at F8. The best resolution is provided at F4 and in terms of sharpness this Canon lens can compete with other lens brands  in Leica LTM mount to produce very detailed images when stopped down.

LTM mount

The Canon 50mm F1.2 lens is in Leica Thread Mount (LTM) and can be mounted on
any traditional Leica Screw Mount camera. To use this lens on the Leica M mount then an adapter is required to convert from LTM to Leica M mount. It is a simple type of adapter and there are many offerings  but to allow the lens work flawlessly with great calibration then a well-machined adapter is necessary. I highly recommend buying the genuine Voigtlander or Novoflex LTM to M adapter as they are extremely well-built and will not incur any "loose play" like the cheaper eBay adapters.

 

Conclusion 

It is an amazing lens that can be had for a relatively cheap price that works like a charm on any Leica rangefinder camera. Most importantly, it is a fun lens to shoot withand offers a very unique rendering.

 

The Leica 21mm F3.4 Super-Elmar ASPH M lens Practical Review


I had the Zeiss 25mm F2.8 Zm lens in my possession during the last year but eventually sold the lens as I did not used it much nor did I like using an external viewfinder. Sometimes when I looked back at the images it produced that I regretted selling it and I am eager to get another wide angle lens. Following the announcement of the newly designed Leica 21mm F3.4 Super-Elmar ASPH lens last year, I decided to get my hands on this lens. It took me awhile to find one since the lens was relatively new in Leica's line-up. Here is a simple review of the lens and its practical useage.

Build Quality & The Feel

The Leica 21mm F3.4 Super-Elmar ASPH lens is a superbly constructed lens like all other Leica M lens, its build quality is typical Leica standard. The size and weight of the lens is about as perfect as it gets, not too big and not too heavy, when mounting on the Leica M9/MP it felt well balanced.

Image Quality

This lens is renowned for its insane sharpness and it does not disappoint. The images produced from this lens are sharp from corner to corner and when zoom-in to 100% crop the details are amazingly retained. It is probably up there with Leica's sharpest lenses if not the sharpest.
The rendering of this lens has tendency to the warm side and the colour images coming out of this lens are vivid. This lens also produces astonishing sharp and punchy Black and white images.

External viewfinder

Although I am not a big fan of external viewfinders but an external viewfinder is necessary for accurate framing. There are two genuine options for a 21mm external viewfinder: Zeiss and Leica. Other options are available such as voigtlander but they are difficult to find or match cosmetically with the lens setup. The Zeiss viewfinder is bigger and brighter than the Leica one, it also costs a few hundred bucks lens. The Zeiss 21mm viewfinder coming at nearly $500 isn't cheap but the Leica one even costs more. I bought the Zeiss 21mm viewfinder myself and it is a real enjoyment to view through it since it looks even better than my M9 or MP rangefinder viewfinder.

Conclusion:

If you are looking for an ultra sharp wide angle lens for the Leica M body that balances well and not too big or heavy then do not look further, this is the lens to get!

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Why choose Leica?

Leica – a timeless classic

Today I would like to write about what got me into street photography from the start, a Leica. The Leica's discreetness and unmatchable image quality with a Leica glass is what separate a Leica from all other cameras. I started with the digital M9 first then eventually got the film MP, which is the common route for modern Leica users.

The build quality of Leica is exceptional; it's like nothing you ever hold in hands. It is made of all metal, feels dense and solid. The weight is right, not too heavy and not too light, all of this is the result of German Engineering. It is necessary to have the right photographic tool as this will forms the bond with the photographer and when you go out shooting that it will motivates you to create beautiful images.

The viewfinder is beautiful and bright and it is probably the brightest out of all 35mm cameras. It is a pleasure to view through it and most importantly it does not block a photographer's view, which allows your eyes to connect with the subject. The way of viewing through a rangefinder allows the photographer to anticipate what is coming to your frame to capture the "decisive moment." A Leica is truly an "extension of your eye."

Leica lens are renowned for their highest standard of optical quality thus producing amazing image quality. The unique CCD sensor is in the heart of the Leica M9 and it offers an unique rendering, which results in vivid colours and ultra sharp images. The combination of this unique sensor and the Leica glass are known to create that "Leica Look."

The simplicity of the Leica M design really makes the shooting process more enjoyable. Nothing unnecessary exists on the camera as it strips down to the essence of photography. This allows the photographer to focus on the basics of shooting, back to the roots and in my opinion this in turn can challenge a photographer's skills to create better photos. The camera is discrete and unobtrusive, which makes the photographer as part of the scene. The discreetness is really the size and the Leica shutter, the click of the shutter is quite and smooth like "music to the ears."

The focusing on a rangefinder is quite challenging since a Leica M is an all-manual operation camera and if the focus if off then it is your problem. However, the focusing skills come with practice through time and you will get a lot faster with patience.

Overall, Shooting with a rangefinder Leica M is a rewarding process and makes the user feels like in total control. I took the Leica with me to everywhere in the world and it helped me to become a better photographer.

Schneider Kreuznach Xenon 50mm F0.95 lens Review

Schneider Kreuznach Xenon 50mm F0.95 lens Review

I was searching for an ultra large aperture lens on the Internet and have found this very special lens. It is extremely rare and I can hardly find any samples online, so I decided to share some knowledge I learnt and experiences from using this unique lens.

Build Quality and Size

The Schneider Xenon 50mm F0.95 is made in Germany and Schneider is a highly reputable optics manufacturer. The weight and size is similar to the famous Leica Noctilux 50mm F0.95, it feels heavy and solid in the hands. It is densely made with all metal and built like a tank. The weight of the lens is about 700grams so it is a bit front heavy when you mount on a camera, which is the similar case with the Noctilux.

Lens Mount

The Schneider 50mm F0.95 lens is a C-mount lens which is designed for cinematic usage and that is why it has very special characteristics. I bought a C-to-E mount adapter to allow the lens to be used on the Sony NEX-7. The angle of view of the Schneider 50mm F0.95 is about 33 degrees, although it does not cover full frame but close enough for APSC size sensors. I was very tempted to send this lens to a highly skilled Japanese technician who can modify this lens into the M mount, which can be used on my Leica M9 and MP but decided to hold off the modification for now. You may notice some vignetting on some photos but this can be a positive thing, which all depends on personal preferences.

Image quality

The lens design is made of 6 elements in 8 groups and it contains 6 aperture blades. The closest focusing distance is 0.8 meters, which is not too far and not too close. The aperture range varies from F0.95 to F11 (as indicated on my lens barrel) and there are 3 versions of this lens. My lens is the latter version with the distance scale indication.

The Schnedier 50mm F0.95 is capable of shooting in super lowlight conditions, as it sucks in all the light available and it is perfect for night scene usage.

The rendering is very unique as defined by its bokeh, some people may not like the bokeh it produces but it has lots of characteristics. You can get extremely bokehlicious images and it has that “swirly” bokeh can almost sucks you! When shooting portrait with this lens, it provides almost painting-like quality that is very pleasing to the eye. Also when using it for Black and white photography, it offers that “film look”, which makes it very attractive for b&w purist shooters.

I have found the images are adequately sharp when shot wide open and the sharpness improves when stopped down.

Practical use

The lens is very useful in low light conditions, which makes a big difference in practical use compared to my F1.4 summilux at night and it is all you need on a Sony Nex-7. It is useful for street photography when combined with the tilt shift screen on the Nex-7 that can be used like a waist-level finder; F0.95 allows a very fast shutter speed thus making the combination fast and discrete for street use. The rendering is very special with swirly bokeh that can almost sucks you in, which can even make boring subjects look very interesting. It is the perfect lens for portraits as it renders the image with painting-like characteristics that makes the background melts away. The Schneider 50mm F0.95 is also great for black and white shooting since it provides that almost “film look” on today’s digital bodies.

This lens is full of surprises and I am still discovering more characteristics each time I use it. It is a very pleasant lens to use both on streets and for portraits, I would recommend anyone that likes the images produced from this lens to hunt one down as it is quite rare! 

For my Flickr Set by the Schnedier Xenon 50mm F/0.95 can be viewed here.

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