Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I would say, for me it have to be one of my 50mm lenses. At first I thought about the Noctilux, but I reckon, that if it comes to the crunch, I would choose the DR Summicron. But only for the type of photography I like to do. It is in the end for me a more universal lens, mainly because of its closer focussing capabilities. It enables me to photograph flora and insects and of course normal size objects. As much as I like the Noctilux, I believe it is a people and city lens. To me it was ideal to take images in the evenings and at night in a city atmosphere with lit up shop windows, buildings, underground railway and tram stations and inside pubs. It enabled me to use a relatively high shutter speed with my standard favorite film. I got away in most cases with a 1/60 or 1/125 sec. I never had any real problems with the shallow depth of field at the large apertures. If I needed more depth of field, I normally moved further away from the subject. This did not always work of course, in a pub for example, but when I received my prints back, I found the shallow depth very pleasing. All the non relevant stuff disappeared smoothly. However , when going camping or hiking in the bush, I prefer the DR Summicron. In the open, there are really no available light possibilities. Especially here in Australia, where you don't have much longer than 1/2 hr between daylight and night. If an exposure with a very low light level is required (E.g.. camp fire), then there is always the tripod. In the wildness there is however, at least for me, a constant requirement for near focus. For this the DR Summicron is the answer. It also gives me results which are extremely pleasing to my eye. (Of course, so does the Noctilux) I never have a real good feeling with any other focal length, especially wide angles. I just don't seem to get the hang of it. It is possible, that my type of subject matter is not as suitable for any other focal length. Especially landscapes. 9 times out of 10, I prefer a landscape done with a 50mm lens, or even with a 90mm. With a wide angle, I am normally disappointed at the result. (not the quality, but the composition). All said and done, for me, the No 1 lens is the DR summicron, followed closely by the Noctilux. Regards, Horst Schmidt