Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/03/12

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Subject: [Leica] Is it just me, or are these new Leica lenses a huge step up?
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 22:45:04 -0400

Thanks Marty!


On 3/12/14 7:11 PM, "Marty Deveney" <benedenia at gmail.com> wrote:

> All lenses have some focus shift.  If there is enough to move the point of
> optimum sharpness away from the point of focus chosen by the rangefinder
> more than the depth-of-field, your photos will be soft.  Lots of Leica
> lenses have this much focus shift, but the 90 AA is not one of them.
> 
> The f1 Noctilux and the 75 Summilux have a lot of focus shift, among 
> others.
> 
> If you use the 240 and focus using live view it doesn't matter.
> 
> All the M lenses are made to tighter focus specifications and adjusted more
> accurately and precisely than they were when they were being made for film
> cameras, but there is only one version of the 90 AA.
> 
> Marty
> 
> On Thursday, 13 March 2014, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote:
> 
>> I thought when the first dig M's came out the M8 and maybe M9 that because
>> the sensor is so flat compared to film it brought out focus shift to an
>> unacceptable level which was ok on curved film before. That's how I
>> absorbed
>> it at least. Has that been disproven?
>> Anyways I do have the lens. It cost me a bundle. And is it a reason for me
>> to try to get a new M? They upgraded the lens I think and are calling it
>> something else.
>> 
>> 
>> On 3/12/14 4:57 AM, "Marty Deveney" <benedenia at gmail.com 
>> <javascript:;>>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Focus shift is a property of lenses, not cameras.  The 90 AA
>>> has little focus shift but when using the rf the cam on many
>>> lenses does not follow the focus properly. Lenses that focus accurately
>> at
>>> infinity can be off at 10m and then on again at 3m all at the same
>>> aperture.  Henning described it here:
>>> http://leica-users.org/v49/msg10637.html. I mistook it for focus shift
>> when
>>> I first got my M8.
>>> 
>>> Marty
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Wednesday, 12 March 2014, Mark Rabiner
>>> <mark at rabinergroup.com<javascript:;>>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Are the older LEICA APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH - still focus
>> shifting on
>>>> the latest Leica M's?
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 3/11/14 10:47 PM, "Geoff Hopkinson" <hopsternew at 
>>>> gmail.com<javascript:;>
>> <javascript:;>>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> The new 35 is designed to reduce the focus shift inherent in the older
>>>>> design. I do like it a lot. The 50 Summilux of course predates the M
>> (Typ
>>>>> 240) considerably. Both work really well on my camera. Focus system in
>>>> the
>>>>> new camera is refined further too.. Personally I wouldn't replace the
>>>>> Elmarit M 90 with the Summarit. It is a great performer already.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Cheers
>>>>> Geoff
>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 12 March 2014 12:43, Jim Laurel (gmail)
>>>>> <jplaurel at gmail.com <javascript:;><javascript:;>>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> It's almost as if Leica has upped their quality control game now that
>>>> the
>>>>>> M240 sensor is so demanding and there are so many pixel peepers.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The only thing I don't really like about the new Summarit 90 is the
>> lens
>>>>>> hood, which is an extra expense, but even more problematic is that it
>>>> is a
>>>>>> screw-on instead of the handy slide-out one that came on the Elmarit
>> 90.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> --Jim
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Mar 11, 2014, at 7:43 PM, John McMaster
>>>>>> <john at mcmaster.co.nz <javascript:;><javascript:;>>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I would say different, I tend to have old and new in my most used
>>>> lenses
>>>>>> for different looks...
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> john
>>>>>>> ________________________________________
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I went to the trouble of having my old Leica lenses coded, but have
>>>> also
>>>>>> picked up a few new ones, including the floating element 35mm Summilux
>>>>>> ASPH, the 50mm Summilux ASPH and, most recently, the 18mm Super
>> Elmar. I
>>>>>> think I'm going to sell all my old ones from the 80s and 90s. These
>>>> three
>>>>>> latest issues on the M240 are just fantastic. For some reason, I'm
>> just
>>>>>> missing focus less often with the 35 and 50 than my old 35 Summilux
>> ASPH
>>>>>> and Summicron 50.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> The only one I'm thinking of replacing next is the 90mm Elmarit with
>>>> the
>>>>>> new 90mm Summarit. But the Elmarit has served me so well for almost 20
>>>>>> years that I wonder what more the Summarit might have to offer.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> --Jim
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> 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
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Mark William Rabiner
>>>> Photographer
>>>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Mark William Rabiner
>> Photographer
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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




-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photographer
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/




In reply to: Message from benedenia at gmail.com (Marty Deveney) ([Leica] Is it just me, or are these new Leica lenses a huge step up?)