Leica Basics: In Need of Some Leica Education

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Dec 8, 2010

I dont agree any comment of these websites.
Leica lenses are most heavily engineered , most heavily calculated lenses on earth.
And they did everything to improve the glasses , they have the most expensive , hardest to produce , longest time invested and most genius glasses on earth.
YOU can not JUDGE a Summaron as OK as Camera Quest did. They are handmade custom 3 million dollar Rolls Royce Silver Ghost and all other competitors are toyota , you can buy at USA used for 500 dollars.
There is that difference.
Its like sleeping with Miss America or Miss Universe or an ugly woman.
I used every kind of Leica and only the Leitz Wetzlar stuff are that good , I dont think Noctilux and Summilux Leica Solms deserves such a treatment.
People hate Leica because they cant buy it. And if you cant sleep with Miss Universe , dont throw shit to her.

Umut

RobertV · Dec 8, 2010

And if you cant sleep with Miss Universe , dont throw shit to her.

I sleep with my Leica (M7) and especially the lenses. If you have ever used high resolution films and the right type developers this 35mm equipment can compete with small medium format and because the system is so practical and handy my best photos are made with Miss Universe

Robert Hall · Dec 8, 2010

zeta3 said:
The things you learn the hard way:-
Snippy...
- and if coming directly from a SLR; dont forget to focus

Or use a 12mm lens and set it to 1 meter and never focus again.

stevebrot · Dec 8, 2010

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
Its like sleeping with Miss America or Miss Universe or an ugly woman.

It is all a matter of taste and as the (English) saying goes...there is no accounting for taste. Much the same goes for cameras.

If I wanted a Leica, I could buy one, but why? I am quite capable of taking mediocre photos with much less expensive gear. I personally have quite a bit of fun shooting with my somewhat strange line-up of cameras and lenses.

BTW...what does an ugly woman look like?

Steve

Pumalite · Jan 17, 2011

Jim Jones said:
For detailed information I refer to The Leica: A History Illustrating every Model and Accessory by Paul-Henry van Hasbroeck. Another good resource is Leica Manual by Willard D. Morgan and Henry M. Lester, published over many years in several editions.

+1

Puma · Jan 28, 2011

Hello,

A camera is a paintbrush, there are many types to accomplish different strokes. And within the Leica lineup of lenses each lens in a focal length has a different character. That said, you will ne'er be able to tell anything by looking at a computer monitor and thus all your research is for naught. The only way to understand them is to buy them and use them.

The amount of ridiculousness available on the internet is staggering and for the most part completely pointless in the pursuit of creating worthwhile images. All Leica lenses are excellent. A persons ability to use them to their full capability varies wildly. All of the actual, valuable information concerning leica lenses is contained in books written about them.

The names you asked about are simply trade names that Leica uses to describe the speed of the lenses;

Noctilux is basically an F/1 lens, there are F/1.2, F/1 and F/0.95 varieties. Noctili are completely unnecessary but I do think the out of focus areas look good. Good luck handholding at F/1 and enjoy carrying that behemoth around.

Summilux is F1.4 and makes low light color photography possible, but I say "Yuck" to low light color. Still they are useful for narrow depth of field.

Summicron is F/2 and the most practical to carry on an everyday, everywhere basis which is mostly the point of having and using the Leica. Though not all Summicrons are small.

Elmarit is F/2.8 and I believe they provide the best image qualities wide open but that's just my opinion. They are cheaper, smaller and lighter than their faster brothers and by far the easiest to carry.

Elmar is F/4 and are great lenses as well.

Your own knowledge of latin will tell you what these words actually mean.

Huge variations in price are the result of the collector markets, speeds of lenses that make them attractive to professionals who use them in low light, supply and demand, internet propaganda, Erwin Puts or whomever says the best lens is X and everyone has to have it. Leica lenses are worth the price, just as everything that is created to the highest standard is.

Enjoy the cult of Leica,

Puma

Micky · Jan 29, 2011

Watch Dead Link Removed short two part educational video on purchasing rangefinder cameras!

Double Negative · Aug 7, 2011

FWIW, I just finished an article called, "Lens Primer - The Basics" that goes into a whole lot of just that; focal length, aperture, hoods, how they're named, etc. It's written from a rather basic point of view and will be followed up by additional articles that get more advanced. This is part one, or "Lens 101."

Double Negative · Aug 9, 2011

Just added the second article in the series, "Lens Primer - Creative Controls"

Enjoy.

dave_gt · Aug 9, 2011

Thanks for the La Vida Leica links!

Double Negative · Aug 9, 2011

dave_gt said:
Thanks for the La Vida Leica links!

You're very welcome, Dave. I hope they help people.

Double Negative · Aug 12, 2011

And finally, the third article in the series... "Lens Primer - Advanced Topics"

Enjoy!

david3558 · Oct 25, 2011

Wow, those are awesome articles!

lacavol · Oct 26, 2011

If it has already been mentioned in the thread I apologize. I just wanted to mention http://nemeng.com/leica/. And watch out some FSU lenses have 39*1mm. threads whereas the Leica spec. is 39mm*24tpi. Slightly different but usually works. I have an Industar 61 L/D that I like in addition to my Summicron. Oh, and watch out for fakes on the auction sites http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page367.htm. I like my Leica better than my Fed, but it doesn't have the red hammer and sickle

drmoss_ca · Oct 28, 2011

Puma said:
Noctilux is basically an F/1 lens, there are F/1.2, F/1 and F/0.95 varieties. Noctili are completely unnecessary....

Puma

Noctiluces would be the correct pseudolatinate plural. I rather like my (accusative singular) f1.0 Noctilucem.

Chris

Colin Corneau · Oct 28, 2011

Atlo said:
I second rangefinderforum, lots of leica love over there.

WAY too much wankery over there. Some good info for sure, but it tends to get lost in the more numerous, pointless nerd threads -- "what kind of bicycle does a Leica user ride?". (an actual thread!)

Stop twiddling oneself. Get out and shoot. /rant

Brian Legge · Oct 29, 2011

Colin, once you start looking at 1 in 5 threads there as parody, it makes more sense.

michaelbsc · Oct 29, 2011

Brian Legge said:
Colin, once you start looking at 1 in 5 threads there as parody, it makes more sense.

I think 20% is too low. It's more like 25%.

OTOH, their are some really decent folks there and.some good info. I don't want ro pan the site. I check it semi regularly. Goodness knows there's enough wacky stuff here too, some of which I'm guilty of participating in.

Nikanon · Sep 21, 2013

Here's my hit list:

Www.keh.com - always some good finds, and always a wide range of stock. They under-rate everything so even a "bargain" is a bargain!

Www.tamarkin.com - Dan Tamarkin is a really great guy, I almost bought from him once and he was so incredibly helpful and interested in conversing over the product. He made sure I felt I was getting top notch service. He's got great deals on his site too.

khpny19@aol.com - Ken Hansen used to have a store in new York, but deals from pretty much any location now. He is very fair, and prompt, and you can always trust him.

wye7@yahoo.com - Youxin Ye is a Leica repairman, self taught too, but he is an amazing guy. He fixes up old Leicas and sells them for a really good deal, and since he has worked on it himself, you have that assurance of proper function. If anything ever goes wrong, he's got the best deals in town (town being the USA). Send him your Leica for a CLA at least once a year!

jaz1943 · Jul 28, 2014

Also try www.camerawest.com they have a dedicated leica store and leica expert. Their prices are close to KEN with similar grading. They are located in Rancho Mirage and Walnut Creek ca.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

Xmas · Feb 12, 2016

Maybe but I use Canon LTM and Cosina LTM lenses on my Ms.
If you want small and low weight or ultra fast and cheap Cosina.
If you want medium contrast then Canon or Cosina single coated.
Only collectors use and talk up Leica lenses, by 1960 Canon and Nikon, left Leitz (and Zeiss) in dust for cost/performance ratio.

outwest · Feb 12, 2016

And I use Nikon lenses on my Canon cameras;-)

Ko.Fe. · Feb 12, 2016

Xmas said:
Maybe but I use Canon LTM and Cosina LTM lenses on my Ms.
If you want small and low weight or ultra fast and cheap Cosina.
If you want medium contrast then Canon or Cosina single coated.
Only collectors use and talk up Leica lenses, by 1960 Canon and Nikon, left Leitz (and Zeiss) in dust for cost/performance ratio.

Cosina is cheap, yes. Lenses build is matching the price. 1K CV is better, than $500 CV.
Can't tell about old from Canonikon, too old for me by all means, but modern Leica lenses are worth of their money not for collectors, but for those who aren't blind crapshooters.

Xmas · Feb 13, 2016

Ko.Fe. said:
Cosina is cheap, yes. Lenses build is matching the price. 1K CV is better, than $500 CV.
Can't tell about old from Canonikon, too old for me by all means, but modern Leica lenses are worth of their money not for collectors, but for those who aren't blind crapshooters.

I tested my Canon, Nikon & Cosina LTM and Leica M lenses Panf+ lens test chart etc sold the Leica ones...
The 1k & 500 USD Cosina lenses are different lenses same as two Leica lenses at different USD.
I've had them apart for fogging.
If you want photos Cosina are better value if you want collectors Leica.
Today I'm carrying three Canon P rather than M2. The Canon are faster handling!

Ko.Fe. · Feb 13, 2016

Where is no charts to compare lens rendering and character. You are capable of seeing it or you do resolution charts.
And I wouldn't take Canon P for free. Don't need more knock-offs. I have FED-2 already.

Leica Basics: In Need of Some Leica Education

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