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Summilux-Distagon 35mm comparison
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:13 pm    Post subject: Summilux-Distagon 35mm comparison Reply with quote

Not a comparison I have personally made, but still an interesting one to look at. The two 35mm f/1.4 models by Leitz and Zeiss on comparison:

http://forum.cameraunion.net/showthread.php?threadid=212417&pagenumber=3

I am happy to have bought the Distagon. The Leitz model seems to have important vignetting wide open, whereas the Distagon is already great.

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for sharing this link, Orio!

This is a very interesting comparison.
As we can see, the Zeiss lens produces more intense colours, esp. the reds are stronger than with the Leica lens.
This is why I would prefer the Leica, if I could afford those lenses, of course.

Generally, I would opt for a lens with high sharpness and strong contrast, but a a little reduced saturation. I know that my personal taste is not really mainstream.
And if I have a lens that fascinates me, the level of saturation is not really important, since it can be changed easily.

But then, when I am shooting slides, high saturation can be nice...


PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LucisPictor wrote:
Thanks for sharing this link, Orio!
This is a very interesting comparison.
As we can see, the Zeiss lens produces more intense colours, esp. the reds are stronger than with the Leica lens.
This is why I would prefer the Leica, if I could afford those lenses, of course.
Generally, I would opt for a lens with high sharpness and strong contrast, but a a little reduced saturation. .


To my experience, Zeiss saturate reds and yellows, but Leica saturate greens and blues just as strongly.

After the observations with my lenses, I appreciate the fact that Zeiss are most of the time closer to real hues than Leica, which are cooler.
This perhaps has to do with the fact that most of the images I take are landscapes, and like I said, Leica saturate greens and blues more, so the landscapes turn out cooler overall.
Maybe with other subjects like human faces, i would appreciate more the Leica tones than the saturated reds of Zeiss.

Anyhow with the case of these two lenses, the vignetting is a decisive factor for me. The 1.4 aperture in the Distagon is fully useable (and this means also slides), in the Summilux it requires Photoshop correction (which is not always as easy as it seems, it depends a lot on the subject).


PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Orio wrote:
After the observations with my lenses, I appreciate the fact that Zeiss are most of the time closer to real hues than Leica, which are cooler.
This perhaps has to do with the fact that most of the images I take are landscapes, and like I said, Leica saturate greens and blues more, so the landscapes turn out cooler overall.
Maybe with other subjects like human faces, i would appreciate more the Leica tones than the saturated reds of Zeiss.


That sounds reasonable. And it shows that a photographer should have lenses of different character!


PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LucisPictor wrote:

That sounds reasonable. And it shows that a photographer should have lenses of different character!


Yes. I hate the faces when they look red like ham. I like better slightly cool skin tones. And in fact the portrait of the kids I made with the Elmarit 35 turned out perfect for my taste, although the Elmarit 35 surely is NOT a portrait lens and although many people would prefer warm skin tones.

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Orio wrote:
Yes. I hate the faces when they look red like ham. I like better slightly cool skin tones.

Canon's "portrait" picture style fixes that too Wink


PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

naplam wrote:
Orio wrote:
Yes. I hate the faces when they look red like ham. I like better slightly cool skin tones.

Canon's "portrait" picture style fixes that too Wink


I never use picture styles, I shoot RAW - and anyway I still like to make slides, especially on a trip.