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New lens reviews coming soon for Leica!
Im busy shooting two Leica lenses I have never shot before. The Leica 50 Summarit 2.5 and the 90 Summarit 2.5. I am shooting and testing them on an M8 and M9 so we can see the differences between the two cameras. Lots of M8 shooters still frequent this site so I am happy to be able to still test lenses on the classic M8! The 50 review should be up within 2 weeks shortly followed by the 90.
My 1st impressions of these lenses are that for the money they are just as good as the 35 and 75 summarits I have shot with. The whole summarit line is fantastic and if you want to buy new glass from Leica then these offer the most “bang for the buck”. Of course you could always search for a used 50 Summicron or 90 Elmarit but for new options the Summarit line is the most affordable in the Leica line up.
I was testing out shooting them yesterday while my son had his puppy over at my house. I still LOVE the M8 and feel it is still today a great camera to own if you cant swing the M9. In decent light with a good lens the M8 still provides IQ good enough for almost any situation.
Reviews will be coming soon! Oh and thanks to Ken Hansen for sending me the lenses to test out! As usual, he has them all in stock. HIs email is khpny19@aol.com
This one was shot with the Leica M8 and 50 Summarit wide open at 2.5 and ISO 160 – click image for larger version
and one from the M9 and 90 Summarit at 2.5 – click image for larger version
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love the pug!
i have 2
[img]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5310840704_a494929f3a_b.jpg[/img]
Hey Steve,
Looking forward to your reviews.
Here’s another thought: If I’m starting out with Leicas in 2011, I want a Leica lens, and I don’t have $3000 for the purpose, I can buy one of the new Summarits, or for about the same price a used Summicron 35 or 50.
They can be great lenses, and they’re almost a whole stop faster.
I think it would be useful and interesting to your readers if you could test a few of these older lenses, maybe compare them to the Summarits.
Of course, there are 4 or 5 versions of each, and you’d have to be careful to get examples that are clean, and haven’t been dropped, or badly repaired, etc., etc. But I know you thrive on challenges.
Just an idea.
Incidentally, my black pugs are even goofier than your black pug. I love the picture in the other article, where he(she?) looks like one of the stone lions on a Chinese temple.
Hi Steve – on the subject of reviews, are you still planning to post your comparison of the D-Lux 5 and the LX5?
I’d like to see you spend some time with any of the Fuji 645 RFs, auto or manual focus, the Fuji 6×9, or any other medium format RF. 🙂
Me too 🙂
Steve, glad to hear you are reviewing these lenses. I can already tell you that they are fantastic lenses, i own them both including the 75mm. Very content with the IQ from the Summarits on my M8.2 that i find it hard to justify the more expensive Leica glasses. To me they are more than good enough… Can’t wait for your review… The 90mm @ 5.6 is stunning! I have to add the 35mm at some point based on your past review : )
Cheers!
I love the little 35, great great lens.
With digital and a clean ISO1600, maybe a 2.5 lens is all you need. Much smaller, lighter, and of course cheaper, while delivering the same or better quality than the 1.4 lenses. Throw a Nokton in the bag for those few “peering in the dark” and “super shallow DOF” shots.
Toying with the idea of an M8… I’m looking forward to this too.
And your dog is adorable!!
Thanks! The M8 is still a great camera!
Looking forward to more M8 articles!
Yay – looking foward to those reviews!! (And very cute puppy btw.)
Thanks Emily!