Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/13

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Subject: [Leica] SUMMILUX 50/1,4 Asph
From: s.dimitrov at charter.net (Slobodan Dimitrov)
Date: Sat Nov 13 10:55:16 2004

Believe me I agonized over that trip. But I'm stuck these next few
semesters. He did come out to Paul's Photo, Torrance, CA and lend out gear
for their LA zoo trip.
Unfortunately, I had to attend a seminar, process theology and evolutionary
biology, that same day. I had paid for in advance, and it was
non-refundable. Never mind committing to writing a position paper
afterwards. So, that was that.
S. Dimitrov


> From: Seth Rosner <sethrosner@direcway.com>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 13:03:34 -0500
> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] SUMMILUX 50/1,4 Asph
> 
> Slobodan, should have come to the LHSA meeting in W'burg. Christian Erhardt
> had a ton of loaner equipment, including several 50/1,4 ASPH's. See you in
> New Orleans (Mar '05) and San Francisco (Oct '05)
> 
> Seth         LaK 9
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Slobodan Dimitrov" <s.dimitrov@charter.net>
> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
> Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2004 11:48 AM
> Subject: Re: [Leica] SUMMILUX 50/1,4 Asph
> 
> 
>> See, this' what I hate about a rational and sensible post. Now I'm trying
>> to
>> figure out how to squeeze that lens into a non-existent film camera
>> budget.
>> Digital no problem, but for film, old eagle eyes on this end will spot it
>> in
>> a second as she does the monthly paperwork.
>> I wouldn't mind taking one out for a quick roll. Might try that when they
>> have another Leica festival travelling through town.
>> S. Dimitrov
>> 
>>> From: TTAbrahams@aol.com
>>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
>>> Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 12:29:13 EST
>>> To: lug@leica-users.org
>>> Subject: [Leica] SUMMILUX 50/1,4 Asph
>>> 
>>> When this lens was announced I scoffed at the idea - a $2500 standard
>>> 50/1,4! I thought it was a joke, but I was sufficiently intrigued to ask
>>> Leica
>>> for a
>>> loaner at photokina. Big mistake! I have now used it since late September
>>> and
>>> I have put 60-70 rolls of film through it (Tri-X) and a couple of 100
>>> images
>>> in my loaner RD-1. Not only is it a major improvement over the old
>>> Summilux (I
>>> have 2 of those), it beats the 50/2 hands down. The floating rear element
>>> makes a big difference in close shooting (a weak spot with the old
>>> version)
>>> and
>>> its smaller size, compared to the older one, makes it comfortable to hold
>>> and
>>> carry.
>>> Leica also managed to remove some of the unpleasant "Asph" jagged look
>>> that
>>> the 21/24/35's suffered from. Contrast is higher than the old version
>>> (easy to
>>> do - they tended to be a bit "flat") but it is not so elevated as to make
>>> it
>>> difficult to print. The extra stop over the 50/2 is a bonus, but even
>>> without
>>> that I would still use it as my preferred 50. It might sound like
>>> heresy - but
>>> it is that good. The pull out/locking hood is an improvement - I have
>>> been
>>> bugging Leica since the infamous 90/2 of 1980 to come up with that lock
>>> (all
>>> my
>>> "collapsible" hood lenses have holes drilled and tapped in them that
>>> locks
>>> them in a fully extended position. Oh, you can use gaffer tape too, but
>>> the
>>> glue
>>> residue is tacky (pun intended).
>>> What is the result of this test - at LHSA in Williamsburg I asked Stefan
>>> Daniel to send me a bill for the lens - I am buying it! Stefan smiled and
>>> said
>>> "I
>>> knew you would".
>>> Any negatives? Well, nit-picking I would say that the lock for the hood
>>> is a
>>> bit too short - it only turns about 1/8's of a turn and occasionally I
>>> have
>>> found it in my bag with the hood collapsed. A good ? turn would have been
>>> better. I am not getting rid of my old DR Summicrons or the nice chrome
>>> standard
>>> Summicrons - they are the lenses that I have used for 40+ years and
>>> sometimes
>>> one gets nostalgic and want that "look" - but for regular shooting it is
>>> 50/1,4
>>> Asph!
>>> I use the 50 about 30% of the time - wider lenses (21/24/28) about 20% of
>>> the time and the 35's for the balance. The last month I have been trying
>>> to
>>> get
>>> by with only a 50/35 combo - 35/2 or VC 35/2,5 on a M2 and the 50/1,4
>>> Asph on
>>> the MP. Nice "walk-about" package.
>>> All the best,
>>> Tom A
>>> --------------
>>> Tom Abrahamsson
>>> Vancouver, BC
>>> Canada
>>> www.rapidwinder.com
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from s.dimitrov at charter.net (Slobodan Dimitrov) ([Leica] SUMMILUX 50/1,4 Asph)
In reply to: Message from sethrosner at direcway.com (Seth Rosner) ([Leica] SUMMILUX 50/1,4 Asph)