Shooting with the Leica 75 Summilux f/1.4 Lens on the Leica M9P
by Steve Huff
Hello to all! It’s time for another Leica write up here at the site and I am pretty excited about it. Just recently I have been shooting my M9P more and more again as it is still the camera that gives me the image quality I love and crave. This is still my favorite digital camera EVER, even after almost three years and using “old” tech. I happen to be one of those who believe that shots from a Leica M9 and great fast lens provides a look that you just don’t exactly see with other cameras. Take an M9 and pop on a lens like a 50 Summilux, 50 Noctilux or even the upcoming and pretty damn amazing SLR Magic offering and you will always get results that scream “UNIQUE”.
Out of all the Leica lenses I have shot with, reviewed and wrote about the one lens I have always been curious about but have NEVER really used is the Leica 75 Summilux 1.4 lens. There was a guest article posted on this site a while ago about it by Kurt Kamka but me, I never really used it or even held it. Just recently a friend of mine offered to send me his so I could use it, test it, and shoot it. When it arrived it was much smaller than I thought but that may be due to the fact that I have been used to the SLR Magic 50 LM T0.95, which is a BEAST. The 75 IS indeed a large lens, but compared to a Noctilux, it is not so bad at all. It looks pretty nice on the chrome Leica M9P as well. See below…wow…there it is! I’ve been waiting YEARS to try this one out!
This post will be more about my experience shooting with the lens and the results I achieved with it. As most of you know, I don’t mess with techie talk and I do not measure lenses as I personally feel that is ridiculous (no offense to those who like that sort of thing, just not my cup of tea). Sure you can look at measurements and get to know what to expect from a lens but until you get out there and shoot it, you really DO NOT know what to expect. Using a lens for what it is made for is really the only true way to test it in my opinion, but I am a photographer and not a scientist 🙂 Charts do not measure character and when dealing with Leica lenses I often find gobs of character.
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Don’t get excited just yet… this lens is NOW DISCONTINUED?!?!
Before you get excited about this beauty..and in case you did not already know this…sadly, the 75 Summilux is a lens that has been discontinued and is no longer in production. Not that it matters though because if it were available new, there would be a year-long wait to get one anyway, lol. This lens started life in 1980 and then its life was ended in 2007 by the powers that be at Leica HQ. The good news is that you CAN find these used if you are patient and lucky 🙂
Today this lens is in demand by those seeking a superb and beautiful portrait lens. Look at what this guy below did on a dare when he was offered a 75 Summilux….well, not really 🙂
Back before the M8, this lens was NOT a popular lens. It had its believers and fans but for the most part the 90 Summicron outsold the 75 Summilux by a mile. I remember a few years back looking at the used section at B&H Photo and I counted 9 used 75 Summilux lenses available with prices ranging from $1100-$1500! WOW, I wish I had my crystal ball back then because I would have bought them all and saved them up until all of the M9 madness, and then I would have sold them all for $3k each! These days it is tough to find a 75 Summilux because most people who own it do not want to let it go. This lens has a reputation for being magical and similar to the F/1 Noctilux in its rendering but I feel it is sharper than the old Nocti by far, even wide open. But magic? It does indeed have some of that Leica magic and it is not as sterile as the newer and current production 75 Summicron. With that said, it may not be AS magical as the Legendary Noctilux f/1 but it is also about $5k cheaper on the used market, is lighter and focuses closer. Hmmmm.
The following image was shot wide open at f/1.4 – click it for a larger view
Using the lens – Build, feel and FLARE!
The 75 Summilux is a typical Leica lens when it comes to build quality. It is rock solid, beautiful, and feels amazingly smooth when you focus, change the aperture or even slide out the built-in hood. Yes, the version I have been shooting with has a silky smooth slide out hood which probably should be used as it does seem to flare a bit as you can see in the sample below…
The 75 Summilux is a Mandler designed lens and it shows..I won’t rehash what Kurt Kamka said in his review of the 75 Lux but I will quote him about the lens design when he spoke of three things that make this a magical and desirable lens…
“First, lineage. Dr. Walter Mandler, Leica’s legendary lens designer responsible for the design of the Noctilux, based his design of the 75mm summilux on his design of the Noctilux. If that bit of DNA doesn’t impress you, then maybe this will. In an early 1980’s interview with Tom Abrahamsson, Dr. Mandler felt that the 75 summilux was the favorite of his designs based on its balance between performance and size.
Second, old school, pre-aspherical perfection. It’s amazing how good Leica’s latest lens designs are in providing sharp, wide-open performance. In the digital era, sharpness is the mantra, as digital shooters like to blow up their images at 100% and evaluate their results. This emphasis on sharpness, however, is sometimes achieved at the expense of harsher backgrounds and more abrupt transitions in and out of focus.
The 75mm summilux is certainly not as sharp wide-open as Leica’s newest line-up of aspherical low-light superstars, but the lens should be prized for providing a brilliant combination of softness, sharpness, light gathering and color rendition. If you like to shoot with fast lenses, the 75mm summilux is a fine-art dream. Wide-open, it provides just the right amount of softness and shallow depth of field for portraits and painterly landscapes. Stop the lens down a few notches, and it’ll perform at a level that is close to the newer aspherical designs.”
Kurt knows what he is talking about and I agree with everything he had to say about the lens except I do find it incredibly sharp even wide open, if you want it to be. Which leads me to this…
Is this a sharp lens, soft lens or a dreamy lens?
The Leica 75 Summilux is a special lens, no doubt. From the moment it arrived and I snapped my typical “quick test shots” around the house I knew it was going to be a lens I would end up lusting after. I have heard many say that this is a dreamy lens but when I started shooting it and seeing just how sharp it is, even wide open, I put that rumor to rest. It is NOT a soft or dreamy lens in any way. If you own a 75 Lux and get a soft image at 1.4, then something is in need of calibration. The best way I would describe the qualities of this lens is that it is more classic than modern for sure but at the same time, your focus point will be razor sharp while the background melts away into a blur of tasty bokeh. My buddy who owns this lens showed me some AMAZING portraits he took and there was unbelievable sharpness in the eyelashes. I was blown away by what I saw but hey, it IS a Leica lens. I shot most of my samples in a poorly fluorescent lit building but even so, the images are penny sharp for me, and I prefer this kind of rendering over the sometimes overly clinical ASPH designs.
Wide open at f/1.4 – focused on the mans face – click image for larger
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Below: The 1st test shot I snapped – click image for larger and yes this was wide open – The bokeh is not as smooth as the SLR Magic 50 T0.95 but it is pretty nice
Not Quite a 50 or 90 – is this a useful focal length?
I used to own a 75 Summarit which I loved but I ended up selling it when I realized I never really used the 75mm focal length. For me it was always 35, 50 and 90. The 75 seemed to be in an odd area and was never used for me. If I wanted a portrait I pulled out the 90 and for my every day shooting it was the 35 and 50. I was always wondering where a 75 would fit in and after a while I realized it didn’t! BUT this lens is a bit different. The way it renders is beautiful and not at all like the summarit or summicron. After a week or so with this lens i have already come to the conclusion that if I wanted a 75 again, TIHS would be the lens. My 2nd favorite would have to be the little 75 Summarit as it offers crazy good bang for the buck.
I think the way the 75 Summilux renders a scene is gorgeous. Sharp at the focal point and creamy smooth as the background melts away.
Two versions – Canadian-made and German-made – is there a difference?
If you own this lens take a look at the lens barrel and you will either see a “MADE IN GERMANY” or a “MADE IN CANADA” stamped on the side. Leica transferred production of this lens later on to Canada but make no mistake, from everything I have seen and heard, the Canadian made version is every bit as good as the German version. In fact, the friend who loaned me the lens has one of each and the portraits he showed me that were so amazingly beautiful were done with the Canadian version. The one I have been using is the German-made lens. Both are the same in regards to quality but it appears the German-made lens is still the most desirable and usually sells on the used market for about $3800, with case and box. It seems the Canadian versions fetch a lower price (only a little) but both are the same lens.
Wide open indoors at 1.4 – click it for larger!
So what is my final word on this lens?
Bottom line? This is one of the most beautiful lenses I have ever shot with. Even though I only have had it a short time the results I have been getting are beautiful and just what I always expected from this lens. On the Leica M9 it is magical and I had ZERO focus issues with it. I was using the Leica 1.4 Magnifier though and HIGHLY recommend it for your fast 50’s, 75 or 90’s. It is not cheap, but I finally broke down and ordered one after all of these years. You can buy it at B&H Photo HERE. I also have found it useful when shooting the SLR Magic 50 T0.95. AT $299 it is insanely pricey but for aging eyes like mine it is well worth the investment, and besides…it has the LEICA name in it so the resale will be golden if you decide to part with it one day.
Do I recommend this lens? YES I do. If you come across a mint version, with box and case expect to pay anywhere between $3400-$3900 for it. If you find one without a box, case and it is made in Canada you may be able to score one for $3000. That is not chump change but in the Leica world, and for what this lens is all about, it is actually a good buy. But be careful! At f/1.4 the depth of field is TINY (see the last image below which was close up and at 1.4 creating a big NO for portraits) so when you shoot a portrait I recommend at least f/2.8. The good news is that this lens is sharp wide open or stopped down some.
If you are in the market for a 75mm lens for your Leica M, I would say FIND A LUX. I have shot them all now and this is my fave 75 hands down. No contest. Not even close. If you want to save some money and have a mix of modern and classic then go for the small SUMMARIT. It is also fantastic but nothing like the creamy and magical 75 Lux. As time goes on this one will be harder to find so if you see one, nab it! It belongs up there with the legendary status of the Noctilux f/1!
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You said the 75mm APO Summicron was the best you can get in 2010, notwithstanding the Summilux and the Summarit. So, a change of heart Steve?
The 75 Summicron is technically the “best” 75mm – sharp, and almost perfect as a 75 can get. The Summilux offers “character” much like a Noctilux.
Since I been using Leica rangefinder cameras for the last 40 years (M4, M6), I have a few non-ASPH and non-coded M glass (90mm Elmarit, 50mm Summicron, and the 28mm Elmarit). When I finally went digital with the M9 in 2010, I was happy with the results with my old M glass, but I was impressed with the new ASPH M glass, the sharpness and color were better with the M9. Against my wife’s advise, I purchased a new 75mm APO Summicron ASPH with the six bit coding, a very clean used 35mm Summicron ASPH, non-coded, and also a barely used M9-P.
Now, I am having so much fun with the M9 with 35mm Summicron, and the M9-P with the 75mm Summicron, since I never have used these focal lengths, and the pictures have been stunning, even my wife agrees that that the pictures look very nice.
The reason I purchased the M9-P is because my M9 collected so much dust on the CCD sensor during lens changes that Leica USA in Allendale N.J. had to replace the sensor cover. I do not change lenses with my digital cameras anymore, replacing those nasty dust specs in Lightroom was a nightmare. So, my old M glass still is used for B&W shooting with my old trusty M4, and M6.
I read this article, and bought one. Cost me $5k…
hello steve on a different note where did u got your camera strap for i really love it.
barton1972.com
Picking up an old thread here, I know… But Boris and Jack; I’ve owned and shot a lot with first the Sony a850/Zeiss 85 and later a Canon 5D Mk II/85 1.2 II and 135 f/2.
Didn’t take me long to miss the Zeiss; I don’t care if the Canon is 1.2, the Zeiss kills it for details portraits while having absolutely fabulous bokeh…. The Canon is also very heavy, but focuses faster and quieter, the Zeiss focus is very “firm”, for the lack of a better word. It kinda “slams” into focus and gave me lot of beautiful portraits… The reason I sold the a850/Zeiss 85 combo was the very loud shutter/mirror noise from the camera and the noisy AF motor- not exactly unobtrusive at for instance a wedding 🙂 Don’t get me wrong; the Canon combo was nice, but I always thought it produced kinda “flat” images… Enter the Leica m8; and thanks in no small part to Steve: the 75 Summilux. I was finally getting that sparkle that I’ve seen in Leica pictures throughout the years. Focus was luckily dead on with my m8; lovely detailed portraits and fantastic backgrounds! My brother, who’s now shooting 1dX (after selling off his 5D mkIII) with (among other lenses) the 85 1.2 was floored when he saw my first portraits… 🙂
80,1.4 R LENS, AWESOME LENS STEVE,
SO MY 28O,APO-TELYT, 2.8 THIS IS A LENS YOU WOULD LOVE,,,
I Just bought one!!!! So excited to get it!
Well Steve. Here is a test you probably do not see often. Mamiya RZ67 with a Leaf digital back against the Leica M9 with a 75 Summilux.
http://www.alexonlocation.com/2012/03/03/leica-m9-vs-mamiya-rz67-in-a-headshot-quickdraw/
Based on your post about the 75 Summilux, I nabbed one from Dale as soon as they had a used one available. I had to sell my Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III to do it, but that’s life and I sold it just a few days before the 5D Mark III announcement so I cannot complain. My only disappointment was that I forgot to ask if the lens was German or Canadian made. I was disappointed that the one I got was made from Canada. However, after looking at the images from the camera, I think I will keep it anyway.
Somehow the Canadian ones are getting some slack because they aren’t the “Made in Germany”. The 75 Summilux was Mandler’s favourite lens and he was using it at the time it was made in Canada. Kinda puts into perspective what Mandler’s thoughts or potentially lack thereof were regarding Canadian production. I was specifically searching for the one made in Canada because I knew it’d be cheaper. The second model not the first. Love that 70cm close focus.
Hi Steve what is the strap you have on the M9P please?
cheers,
Nathan
The one I wrote about a few days ago here:
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/02/15/my-current-favorite-camera-strap-the-barton-braided-leather-strap/
🙂
I have purchased just about every strap in the world , the ” Barton Braided ” . . . perfect !
just like this 75, 1.4 I am certain.
Is the guy with the lumps on his head permanently tattooed as shown in your photos?
Back onto lenses did you ever put together a review using the Zeiss ZM 85 f2? You had a post talking about receiving it and it cameoed in your 75 cron review, but I can’t seem to find a review just for the Zeiss.
great great photography
This is my favourite Leica lens. It’s long enough to give you a bit more reach for people shots, but not so long that all you can do is headshots. Definitely worth adding the 1.4x magnifier though.
Very interesting review, thanks !
Great review Steve! Thanks for posting yet more pics from a lens I can’t afford right now….
I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for this one on the used market. Did you discover any focus shift??
Btw, did you get sick of the black paint m9-p already? Couldn’t help but notice you’ve switched to chrome….;)
Of course I was not sick of it but it was never my 1st choice for the M9P. The chrome was hard to find in the beginning so when they started showing up I simply swapped out my black for a chrome. Easy squeezy.
Personally, I love the 75 cron.
Hard to see how you can love the 50 lux and call the 75 cron clinical, since they share the same design.
The 50 Lux is a bit clinical but the 75 is more so. They share the same design but they are not the same lens. I do not hate the cron, all I said was if it were me buying, I’d prefer the Lux to the Cron. I even prefer the Summarit over the cron but that is my preference.
How the 50 LUX can be called clinical is beyond me. It would be helpful if you posted some comparison images of a subject shot with a “clinical” lens and with a “not-clinical” lens to enlighten us all.
Nice shots Steve but I think you personally may be largely responsible for the lack of stock of m lensea and the price rise of Leica m lenses they should give you stock options give some crappy reviews so we can get some lol
i dont know about you guys but if i had 3 grand laying around i would spend it on a canon 5d mkii and a nice L lens , 3 grand for any lens is just plain crazy !! unless of course you have money coming out of your ass then its ok …..lol
I don’t have money coming out of my ass but I chose the Leica over the Canon. There’s a great big difference in these systems having owned both.
Of course great lens….. but
I had one some years ago on my M6….. didn’t use it too much, simply toooo big for a M system
Later I used a Summarit 75/2.5…… ok1,7 stops less but 2.5 is excellent for portraits..and
the optical excellence is outstanding (As you Steve write some years ago too)
If you have only a 35 or 28 and a 75 it’s is a nice combo, if you had as the center of your use the 50mm than 28/35 and 90 on both sides will do.
So 75 is a lovely angle, but not paired with a 50..
I beg to differ.
The 50mm is not good for close in portraits. The 75mm lets you retina some background but gets you a lot closer without distorting faces so much etc. It allows a wider perspective than the 90 which in a lot of cases is too tight for my liking. 50 70 combo is GREAT.
Thanks for the writeup Steve! you have convinced another buyer to get this lens.
Do you not recommend the 75mm F2 APO at all?
For me all the 75´s has something different. I did chose the 75 cron for its MUCH better handling, smaller, lighter and with quick focusing! The 75 lux is wonderful but a specialty lens! I can really recommend the cron, IMHO it draws beautiful as well! (50 ASPH like)
Not to take anything away from the wonderful summarit, but for me close focusing of 0.7m and f2 has been useful at times!
Cheers
ALl personal pref – not everyone will enjoy the same lens as their “fave” – I prefer the .7 focus of the lux at 1.4 and the way the lens renders, but I am more a fan of that look than the more clinical look. The 75 cron is a nice lens, of course, but it is a bit “cold” – if sharp, crisp and perfection are your thing, the 75 cron is the way to go.
Great review Steve – and awesome images. You’ve probably just bumped the value of this lens in the 2nd had market up by 50%!!
In all seriousness though, this article shows just how good the new SLR magic t0.95 is.
I own the 75mm Summilux (German) and I can hands down say it’s my favorite lens. It has tough competition, I also own the 21/3.4 Super-Elmar, 35mm/1.4 Summilux FLE, 50mm/1.4 Summilux ASPH and the 90mm Elmarit. As Steve nicely wrote in his review, this lens sharp enough wide (but smooth skin tones at the same time) with a wonderful creamy bokeh. Stopped down it is as razor sharp as the new 75mm Summicron. This “split personality”, at least among my lens collection, is unique to the 75mm Summilux. I can’t remember the last time I used the Elmarit. I also agree with Steve’s recommendation to use the Leica 1.4X magnifier, otherwise focusing at 1.4 can be a challenge. I can’t recommend it highly enough on the M9!
The 75 Lux is one of my all time favorite lenses. I bought mine about a year and a half ago in near mint condition, and have been just amazed by its performance. Mind you, this is not a lens I will bring out with me on every occasion, as I usually stick with my 35 cron/lux and 50 Lux/Noct. However, when the 75 is on my camera, it performs amazingly well, and is never so big as to hinder my shooting. If anyone’s looking to buy one, I highly recommend it, just as Steve has in his article. It truly is in the same realm of the 50 Noctilux!
Great article Steve, and glad to see this lens written up. I was always surprised that you hadn’t yet reviewed it.
Nice write up Steve! The issue that I have with the lenses longer than 50mm is nailing the focus on the M9’s rangefinder patch. 75mm is still somewhat doable, but focusing with my 90 Cron is super challenging — at least to me.
The screw in magnifier is a huge help
Always nice when the review sample images are strong enough to stand on their own as a feature, nicely done
Obviously larger and slightly different focal length, but I would love to see a shootout between this, the 80mm f1.4 Summilux R and the Canon 85mm f1.2.
i bet the differences would be marginal at best !
And the Sony Zeiss!
Awesome photos once again! The images Leica glass pushes out is second to none! They just produce such a unique IQ that just makes your jaw drop to the floor! So I believe you have a m9 and a m9p? If you still have the M9 I’m willing to send you a Nikon coolpix and $500 cash money! C’mon you must be tempted a little!!!
lik tre…i have seen the 75’s launch in price over the past few years. apertureUK had a noctilux and a 75mm lux at £1000 each just over 4 years ago….damn it what an investment!! i have a 75mm but it’s the heliar voigtlander it’s a great performer but it doesn’t come out much…and lacks the magic of f1.4!
Dear Steve,
You have frightening friends.
Kidding.
Lol…
Steve, since Leica has no longer produce this kind of lens I think it would be great if you can challenge SLR MAGIC to make similar lens 75 T 1.4,.or even more faster like F1.2 just like they 50 Hyperprime 0.92.
thx steve,.
Crazy that just a year ago I had to buy on 2 occasions this lens for 1800 for a non-6 bit coded one and $2300 for a 6-bit one in great condition. I took too long to think about it and they were both gone but like you I’m more of a 90 guy. I’m starting to get the itch for a 75 again as it seems that I’m becoming more of a 24/35/75 guy now. Going to keep the 50 and 90 though just in case.
75 Lux… Does it get any better? That’s near perfection in a lens. A dream.