Leica summilux or summicron for use on A7R2?

[christians86]

Hi,

There are some used for sale at 50% off new price, at least for the summilux. I'm considering one, as the first shoot with the summarit 75mm gave me the leica feel I have missed.

But I'm wondering - in NOK the prices are about 16-18 000 for Summilux, but I can get the Zeiss 55 mm for 5000 aprox. Am I stupid to consider buying the summilux? Based on the pictures I have seen with A7 and summilux 50mm I realy liked it and the rendering suites my shooting perfectly.

 

 

Any suggestions? I want the one I can have the much fun and joy with, wallet I can work overtime to fix or something..

[Guest all8]

I have a Loxia 50mm which I think is comparable to the Leica Lux or APO ... for a fraction of the price. My desire for a Lux/APO 50 has gone completely, just don't see the point. My desire for a 21mm SEM is gone too since a new 21mm Loxia is rumored to appear in the next weeks.

 

If you are after MF Goodness that is.

[christians86]

Maybe I'm better off simply getting the 55mm f1,8 with AF so that I have some lenses with that also, not only MF..thanks

[tinplater]

I have the Zeiss 55mm 1.8 and it is an astonishing lens.

[VANGSTR]

The 50mm lux is new for me.  I've been struggling with learning how to best use manual focus from this lens with my A7Rii.  When I nail the focus it's great.  But when I don't, it's not ok.  I almost wished I had gone for the Batis instead but couldn't get any so...I'm gonna brave out the storm with this summilux.  Anyone got any pointers for manual focus tips let me know!

[Guest all8]

Its easier to focus with the lens wide open, using Peaking (and MF Zoom), and then stop down to the required Aperture. Also keep in mind that at 100% view any focus mistake will shown due to the resolution of that camera, however at real viewing sizes you probably would not notice any small focus error - then some PP sharpening can really help crisp things up if needed.

 

With Batis you will have the problem of the AF system focusing on the wrong thing ... I have the Loxia and rarely miss focus on slow moving or still subjects - just took a bit of practice.

[sstevenson]

The 50mm lux is new for me.  I've been struggling with learning how to best use manual focus from this lens with my A7Rii.  When I nail the focus it's great.  But when I don't, it's not ok.  I almost wished I had gone for the Batis instead but couldn't get any so...I'm gonna brave out the storm with this summilux.  Anyone got any pointers for manual focus tips let me know!

 

Turn on peaking and hit the zoom button. It should work very well.

[Golem]

Hi,

........ Am I stupid to consider buying the summilux?

........

Yes, it's stoopid, unless the money means so little to

you that you wouldn't be asking advice but rather just

spending on your whims without hesitation. The quote

below indicates that the final verdict is "stoopid". It

disqualifies you from membership in the financial class

that unhesitatingly follows its whims.

 

...... wallet I can work overtime to fix or something..

[Golem]

The 50mm lux is new for me.  I've been struggling

with learning .........  Anyone got any pointers

for manual focus tips let me know!

The general idea of MF is acoarst self evident,

but one thing sometimes overlooked is making

sure you adjuste the personal eye accomodation

thingy on the eyepiece. Verrrry impoertant.

 

Quirky non-self-evident tips ? Got a few:

 

1. Use the custom keys button assignment menu

to put the focus magnifier in the most easy to

access manner [personal, you hafta experiment].

 

2. On some subjects the EVF will moire the

texture of the subject surface, which is a great

indicator of perfect focus.

 

3. Don't slavishly trust the edge-color focus

indicator thingy [i forgot the jargon name for

it, but it's kinda like the highlight zebra].

The edge color thing does not actually detect

focus. It detects hard edged contrast borders,

which CAN indicate focus, but can also occur

in areas quite out of focus.

 

4. At midapertures, which allow some margin

of error, you use your well-practiced skill of

finding an alternate but same distance object

to focus on if the intended subject does not

readily display obvious focus. Focus on your

"stand-in" object and then recompose.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

More about tip "3":

 

I'll expand a bit on "3" cuz it really IS useful if

you understand it. It's best considered to be

are good approximator but not exact, so it's

handy for quick focus at midapertures if you

don't happen to have the time to focus at fully

open and then stop down to shooting aperture.

[Acoarst you knew to do that, right ?]

 

For midapertures quick focus I find it's at its

best when you can spin the focus and see the

color thingies "march thru" the depth of your

scene. When they march over something at

the distance where you need focus, there may

well be lots of the bright indicators, so get the

majority of them to fall equally ahead of and

behind the object at chosen distance. You

might often combine this with tip "4" above.

 

BTW, depending on the habits and techniques

you settle into, you may or may not care for

an old school focusing scale. I find the sparse

modern scales [when there is one at all] are

next to useless, and I do make use of the old

very detailed scales on my AI Nikkors. The

"why" of this is a whole nuther story, but if

all else is about equal, choose the lens with

a rather complete focusing scale, just in case.

 

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