Qualities of the Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux

May 14, 2018 by Ming Hung in Photography, Black and White, Leica

I recently purchased a 1970s-era 50mm Summilux to go along with my Leica M9-P. I went down to my aunt's and uncle's yard today to make some images, as there is always something of interest to capture. The shot above is of a structure they built for the vines of melon plants to climb this Summer. The M9-P's CCD sensor rendors some nice color. I applied a Kodak Gold 100 preset to give the saturation a slight jolt. Very pleasing colors. Even more pleasing is the transition from what is in focus to what is out of focus--so smooth!

There are interesting things to see in the sky as well. This was a shot from underneath the structure as a Boeing 737 flew by on its approach to an airport not too far from here. I probably should have taken another shot like this wide open to see what the result of that would look like. Perhaps next time.

I shot the lens wide open in every shot except the one with the airplane, and at ISOs between 160 and 400. Image quality is impressive. The approximately 40-year-old lens is in excellent condition. Sharpness is crisp if I nail focus, and I have to really nail it but I do not always do. Even wide open it is sharp, with no extreme vignetting. I prefer to add my own vignettes.

I am enjoying the characteristics of this lens. Those characteristics are particular to this lens, and have been built over four decades or so. The images have a warmth to them--not in terms color temperature. The images are more inviting than those produced by modern lenses that offer extreme sharpness in all areas of the frame.

The biggest drawback to this version of the 50mm Summilux is that the minimum focusing distance is over three feet. Close focusing would have allowed for some shots of some plants sprouting, or even some closer detail shots of the different materials and textures of the objects in all my images above. It is still a great great lens, and I look forward to many years of use to come.

Click images to view on black.

Leica M9-P and Leitz Canada Summicron 35mm f/2 lens (shot with a Fujifilm X-Pro2 and a Leica-wannabe 7artisans lens)

My Leica Journey Begins!

April 09, 2018 by Ming Hung in Photography

So I recently plunged in to the world of Leica camera ownership. I bought a used Leica M9-P. It has the full-frame CCD censor, which has a Kodachrome-like color profile. I chose this one because the dealer had the sensor replaced so I would not have to do it myself in the future, as Leica is no longer replacing them for free. I really really wanted the M Monochrom, but even a used one is way outside my budget--for now! Another reason I chose the M9-P over a cheaper regular M9 is because of its stealthy look: no red dot on the front, nor any other logos. There is the "Leica made in Germany" script on the top plate, but I put tape over it. It is a very clean nondescript body for those who don't recognize Leica design.

The Leitz Summicron 35mm f/2 lens is one that was made in Canada back in 1970-something. I went the Canadian route to save a little money. The German versions of the lenses are significantly more costly. I have not manually focused a camera for quite some time, and I find it a tad troubling for my aging eyes. When I do nail the focus the images are sharp! The sharpness definitely falls off a bit around the edges, but that is fine. It is nowhere near as sharp overall compared with modern lenses, but I want the character unique to this old lens.

I learned to shoot before digital so I have mostly been judicial with my shooting. There are some who believe that since we have digital memory and we do not have to pay for rolls and rolls of film that we should just blast away. I am not debating that philosophy. It just is not for me. Shooting with Leica will slow the process down for me a little more, and that is what I am looking for. Well, I did not really have to buy a Leica to slow things down, but it is a part of it. I also recognize that I will end up with fewer keepers.

I have not shot anything special to this point, but I do have some observations on the camera's performance. The DNG files are quite saturated right off the bat because of the CCD sensor. I do not have to saturate images like I would working on RAW files from my other cameras. In fact I feel like I need to dial it down a little, or just use a very even hand in working the images. I will endeavor to shoot something to take advantage of those colors soon. The only negatives are that low light performance at high ISOs is atrocious and the LCD sucks, lol. I can live with that.

On to some sample images! The three color images below are warm and colorful, especially in the scenes where there is a lot of colors.

You can see some pretty good depth in the two images below when I have the subjects in focus.

Click images to view on black.

One Year In

April 10, 2017 by Ming Hung in Photography

I have been using the Fujifilm X-Pro2 for a little over a year now, and it has been the best shooting experience I have ever had. Many have likened it to Leica's system in looks and feel. I would not go that far, but I will agree with what has been described as an "organic" shooting experience for the Fuji X system. I look down on the camera and my exposure triangle controls (for ISO, aperture, and shutter speed) are right there. I can have all my settings down before I even turn on the camera.

I learned to shoot in the film days, and the first camera that I used that made me want to go out and shoot with it was the Nikon F2. I owned some non-memorable cameras before and after it, and that F2 was brilliant. Fast forward a decade and I made the jump to digital. Canon's 5D mark II was the camera that I have used most. It was a terrific camera. I was content. Then mirrorless cameras started coming out. A friend of mine bought Fujifilm's X-E1. I liked it, but not enough to replace the 5D. But the 5D really started weighing on me. I was getting tired of carrying the size and weight of the camera and gear, especially when shooting all weekend at conventions. Then I discovered the Sony a6000. No, it did not look professional at all, but bang-for-the-buck it was one of the best deals I have seen. It had some great features all packed into a tiny body. And Zeiss lenses! Yet it was not enough to get me to sell my Canon gear.

Then Fujifilm announced the X-Pro2. I had never even noticed the X-Pro1, but I started reading about the X-Pro2. Then I started reading and watching review articles and videos. I was sold before I even touched the camera. I ordered one. I was excited. When I got it I was in love. The rangefinder style fit my way of shooting, and brought me back to my childhood, using my father's Konica. It was not long before I sold my Canon gear and fully bought into the Fuji X system. This camera makes me want to go out and shoot. What camera(s) have made you want to go out and shoot?

I shot this image with the Sony a6000, lol.

Click image to view on black.

GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome

March 26, 2017 by Ming Hung in Photography

I have owned a fair amount of cameras and lenses over the last 15-20 years. I am not a collector of any cameras, as I do not have any vintage gear sitting on my shelves. Even my favorite cameras are gone. But no matter what brand and system I was using at any given time I had GAS. Many photographers suffer from Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Those of us who suffered had to have gear--the latest and the greatest. I could not afford the latest and the greatest, but I did buy my fair share of gear that I never needed, only wanted. Having a lot of stuff has not made me a better photographer. That was something I had to learn the hard way--too bad for my wallet.

My current kit consists of one body, the Fujifilm X-Pro2. And less than 10 lenses, lol. I mostly carry the two "Fujicron" lenses, the 23mm and the 35mm. They are both F2 and weather-sealed like the camera body. The lenses are tiny! I have pared down my day bag to just the camera and these two lenses and a few miscellaneous items. In the past I felt I needed to carry more lenses to cover a wider focal range, but my body ached. I had to learn to just "see" in one or two focal lengths, and that's how I operate now. The Fuji X system is really "knocking it out of the park" for me.

Click images to view on black.