Hello there. I am trying to get faster lenses. I have a 35mm ASPH which I LOVE! I have a 28 2.8 that I like and I'm looking for a 75 1.4 for portraits or another faster lens. Can anyone help me out with this. Basically I'm looking for faster lenses and wanted to know which people feel are the most useful. Any help would truly be appreciated. Thanks

-- Gabe Sachs (egabe@earthlink.net), March 12, 2001

Answers

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

Well, Gabe, I should think that of the trhee you mentioned, the 75mm would be best for portraits. Though of sped isn't needed, the 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit might be better yet for the purpose, as it allows a still longer working distance. If more speed is needed, then the 90mm Summicron f/2.0 would sugest itself. You could get in a bit tighter without risking distortion of the subject's features.

Best wishes,

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), March 12, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

Gabe:

I don't know if this will help you out or not, but I have the 35 f1.4 asph, the Noctilux, and the 90 f2 APO. If I could only keep two of those three, the Noctilux would go.

Regards,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 12, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

The 75 lux. I've got the lens and NO REGRETS. Unique bokeh and a very sharp lens indeed. I favor the 75 over the 90 for portrait (on the .72 body).

-- J. Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), March 12, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

I have all three. The two Summilux's (35 & 75) are my favorites. I enjoy the Noctilux for its special capabilities. But among the 3 the Noctilux sees the least real use.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), March 13, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

As others have noted, you have to decide if you need the 1.4 max aperture. If you feel that you do, the 75 Summilux-M is superb -- sharp and distinctive, a Leica classic. Another plus for the 75, is that of all the teles for the M, it's the only one that focuses to .7 meters (28 inches). It is heavier than any of the 90's by about a quarter pound, but it's smaller and lighter than any SLR equivalent I can think of. The 75 frameline can be tricky, but if you don't use a 50 you're less likely to forget which frame you're using and slice off the top of someone's head. If you don't need 1.4, I would recommend the 90 Summicron APO-ASPH. But I'll add that if I had to pare my system down to two lenses, the ones I'd keep would be the 35 Summilux-ASPH and the 75 Summilux. If I could only keep one? Tough call. . . .

-- Robert Schneider (robslaurat@earthlink.net), March 13, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

The 75/1.4 is roughly double the focal length of the 35, and midway between a 50 and a 90, so from that standpoint it would seem to be the logical choice. That's why I bought one, rather than having both a 50/1.4 and 90/2. My purpose, however, was to get longer reach in nighttime scenics, and I found the contrast at 1.4 and 2 disappointing by Leica standards. As a portrait lens in the 5m and under range, 1.4 just didn't have enough DOF to be useful for me, even on those rare occasions when I was lucky to actually get sharply focused on the subject's eyes. I like to be able to get the entire head of my subject in focus, even if that means using a smaller aperture and faster film, so the 90/2.8 is fine for me. My only "fast" 90 is my Summicron-R, for which I appreciate f/2 for the finder brightness but never shoot at that aperture.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), March 13, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

Hello Buy the 75. I have one from canada who is very sharp. But take care those lens are not for the impossible night photo. Even if your light level is ok for 1.4@1/15s, if the picture move on the film you will have a poor resolution photo. Since I have the 75 lens I sold the tow 50 (elmar and sumicron) and keep only the 75 and the Asph2/35 because the 50 is between the tow field of wiew and not so sharp. If you buy the noctilux and the 75, please tell me how the noctilux is good compare to the 75. thanks J.Ph. AMANS

-- Jean Philippa AMANS (J.P.Amans@opgc.univ-bpclermont.fr), March 20, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

Gabe; you say you have a 28/2.8 and 35/2 asph, and are happy with it, just need more speed, what about a 28/2, a 35/1.4 and the 75/1.4, those are 3 new lenses but you could sell the two you already have and speed up all you lenses, specialy if you are so happy with the focal distances you already have, well man you asked for opinions, wish I had the same problem.Good luck with your choose.

-- R. Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), March 20, 2001.

Response to 75 1.4 50 1.0 35 1.4 If could choose 2 which one?

I'm a big fan of both the 35 Summilux ASPH and the 75. For fast lenses they can't be beaten. I stewed long and hard over the choice between the 50/1.0 and the 75. I decided the 75 would be a more useful general-purpose lens, and I haven't second-guessed myself yet. The 35 and the 75 are both fabulous, but I think the 35 is more of a true low-light lens than the 75, just because I can get an easy 3 extra speeds of handjoldability out of it. I really need to shoot the 75 at 1/125 for sharp images, and I can handhold the 35 at 1/15 without any problem (and 1/8 if I remember to do it right).

The 28/2.0 is continuing to amaze me as well, but you'd have to decide if one extra stop over your Elmarit is worth it to you.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul_chefurka@pmc-sierra.com), March 20, 2001.