Summarit Series 35,50, 90 Sharpness Test

[Guy Mancuso]

Hello folks well the hardest part is done and with the Ugly test , Images thread now comes the sharpness test my last test on these lenses and there are some surprising results. i will touch on them as we go along but these lenses do perform. Now in this test you can also look at the contrast, color , saturation and dynamic range of the lenses . Not what I was testing for but it does show that also so may help seeing what you like better or worse. Now the lenses the Summarits are going against are some of Leica's finest lenses and although one lens the 35 cron pre asph version IV is a old lens with a unique look to it but in technical terms of sharpness and such it gets a nice whooping here. LOL But i still love the lens but it shows you what the new technology Leica did on the Summarits does over the old glass. Pretty interesting as you will see and you will also see why the 50 Lux ASPH is considered the best 50mm on the planet and again it does not disapoint for one second. Interesting is the 90 cron APO against the new 90 Summarit and i will explain that one when I hit he 90mm but this one has me baffled a little. I checked before actually starting the test the focus on each lens made sure it was dead on in the LCD and tweaked as needed, well either the 90 summarit is the gold standard or I missed on the 90 cron and you will see that but it is odd the results.

Now test conditions so everything is clear. Shot around 8 am in the morning in Flagstaff Arizona which is about 7200 ft up and about 25 degrees out. I shot a nice old building with the 3 sets of lenses in somewhat different spots so I had detail for the corners . The 35 I am closer than the 50 and the 90 I moved over to a window as you will see. Shot on a tripod with the self timer set for 2 seconds ISO 160 for the best results. NO WB but brought into 1.3 Lightroom and processed 3 different times with full frame and also center crop and corner crop all done in LR

Now fair WARNING this is a long test and will go into the pages of data but i want to show everything i see so please forgive the long test.

Also please wait until i am finished to post want to try and keep it all together so it is easier to read . I am doing the LUF site and GetDPI site at the same time so i can keep track of what i am posting. This is a bit difficult to do so when i give the go than please go ahead and start posting. Thanks for your understanding.

Lets start with 35mm lenses the 35mm Summarit 2.5 and the 35mm Sumicron version IV pre-asph.

[Guy Mancuso]

Lets get the 35mm Cron F2 test out of the way since there is no comparisions at F2

In order Full Image
Center crop
Corner crop top left

[Guy Mancuso]

Full images and the Summarits will ALWAYS BE FIRST in every post

At 2.5

[Guy Mancuso]

2.5 crops center and corner

[Guy Mancuso]

If you noticed the Cron is a touch wider

Okay 2.8 Full images

[Guy Mancuso]

Actually I moved ever so slightly between lenses

Okay center and corner at 2.8

[Guy Mancuso]

lets move on to F4 Full images

[Guy Mancuso]

f4 crops

[Guy Mancuso]

Let's do the 5.6 Full Image. As you may have noticed there is some CA in the Summarits but it pretty much goes away at f4 /5.6 . Sean and i just talked about this and he did his CA tests today but if you look at the white type you can see it on the wall.

Now one other thing I think my cron is slightly out of focus so keep that in mind. Honestly you just don't know how hard it is to get dead on and you really have to focus shift to get it just right so don't go over crazy on these,It still is very close but I know for a fact my cron is sharper . Sean and I just talked about this and if you want to get really down into the sharpness test Seans will be better because it is in the studio under very controlled res charts and bracket focusing. Now I know the 50's are dead on but the 90 is slightly off but still there is a lot of valuable data here. folks get to crazy over sharpness some time but here they all do a excellent job and it just shows you how good the Summarits are. so don't go screaming at me about sharpness i already know the cron is out just a touch.

Okay that is settled lets go to 5.6

[Guy Mancuso]

5.6 crops center and corners

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay f8 and you most likely will not notice much here but let's do it anyway

Full Images. Sorry if this is boring. Go get some Espresso and come back

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay the crops for F8 center and corner

[Guy Mancuso]

Whew and only 2 more lenses to go . LOL

Lets move on to the 50's . Here it is the Summarit against the 50 Lux asph. Well I nailed the focus here for sure and the 50 lux is just a killer even at 1.4 but there is also a huge price difference too. Still the Summarit is doing a excellent job.

lets get 1.4 and f2 out of the way again and than move on to the comparisions.

First the 1.4

[Guy Mancuso]

crops from 1.4 and f2

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay lets go to 2.5

[Guy Mancuso]

50mm 2.5 crops

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay on to 2.8

[Guy Mancuso]

2.8 crops

[Guy Mancuso]

Moving on to F4 50mm lenses

[Guy Mancuso]

Moving on to F4 50mm lenses

[Guy Mancuso]

F4 crops of the 50mm

[Guy Mancuso]

Let's do the 50mm at 5.6 and i really don't think we need to do the F8 series . than i need to take a break and do some things this is taking forever to do and than post the 90's up later so go ahead and post after this and I will catch up later on the same thread

[Guy Mancuso]

5.6 crops center and corners

[Guy Mancuso]

Break time 90's coming up later

[carstenw]

Nice basis for comparison of sharpness. I do stay with my preliminary judgement, which is that the 35 Summarit looks really good compared to the Cron IV, and the 50 Lux Asph is just an amazing lens.

[Guy Mancuso]

Lol agree on both counts Carsten. I will get the 90's up tonight fighting one last deadline and Quark is really pulling my hair out.

[Jack Flesher]

Originally Posted by Guy Mancuso

Now one other thing I think my cron is slightly out of focus so keep that in mind.

You think your Cron was out of focus???????????????????????? Just what kind of pro tester and reviewer are you? ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Just kidding Bud! I've done a *lot* of lens testing, and I know how tough it is to get everythign perfect. The good news on your 35 Cron shot, is if you look at the corner crop, you can see the rock-work at the side of the door is in focus, but the lock is out --- ergo, I assume you front-focused slightly. In fact, by f2.8, it appears to already be a non-issue even at the lock...

Cheers,

[Guy Mancuso]

Thanks Bud now the 90 is coming and I KNOW it is out, never hear the end of this one. LOL

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay let's continue on with the 90's . okay shoot me but the 90 cron is out just a little also. i tried getting it just right in the field but the 90 is a tough bear to get critical, I know the 90 apo is a killer lens , i have hundreds of awesome sharp images from it and i think it front focused a little here even checking the LCD several times to make sure. oh well sorry folks but the rest of the data is still very valid but by F4 it is all good so lets get the 90 going

90 cron at F2 since there is no comparison here let's get all three sections up at F2 on the Cron.


If you want to wait until i get them up that would be nice before posting

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay here is the 90 summarrit at 2.5 and the 90 cron Apo Full image

[Guy Mancuso]

90 2.5 crops center and corner

[Guy Mancuso]

90's at 2.8 full image

[Guy Mancuso]

90mm 2.8 crops center and corners

[Guy Mancuso]

90mm at F4 full images

[Guy Mancuso]

90mm crops at F4 center and corners. Folks are you seeing the CA around the letters.

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay last series at 5.6 . I don't see a need for the F8 unless someone really wants it up there

90 at 5.6 full image

[Guy Mancuso]

90mm 5.6 crops center and corners

[Guy Mancuso]

Well that is it for testing , I will process some grab shots with just the Summarits in this thread also . First like to thank you for your time and patience and also would really like to thank the folks at Leica for sending me the lenses to give them a full run at them, there on there way back to NJ . Also i should add my theory on buying any camera gear don't go by one review that you see but several reviews and think of it as a puzzle that you need to put together and figure out what is best for you. These Summarits perform and they perform well and see no reason not to have anyone of them in the bag. Please also check out Seans review on these also and between use and Mark trying out the 75mm you should be able to get that puzzle solved to figure out what you need or want. Regards Guy

[cmb_]

Nice work Guy and thanks for taking the time to do all this. All 3 Summarits seem to be good performers. One thing I like about the Cron IV is the rendering is somewhat more mellow compared to the Summarit and I could see that being very desirable in certain situations.

[Guy Mancuso]

The cron version IV also renders nicely in B&W. It's a tough to make a call on some of these because they are pretty close to some of there counterparts. The one nice thing i have noticed throughout is there is not a bad apple among them. Leica did a nice job on these and for those that don't want to spend the big dollars leica itself gives you a option to stay in the Leica family. These are coded and ready to shoot , something to be said by that alone. Now I noticed a little CA in some of the lenses which reality is a easy fix and won't always be there in every shot but I am glad it turned up so you all can see that.

BTW the whole series of these will be at the Moab workshop along with everything else leica makes so if you are attending you will get a chance to give them a go. leica does support our workshops and Linda and Jim will be there with there whole demo kit for the folks attending to try them out.

[TEBnewyork]

What a pain in the butt this must have been! Glad they worked well. It definitely adds a new wrinkle to lens decisions for those just starting with the M8!

[Guy Mancuso]

It sure is let me tell ya. LOL but than again i enjoyed playing around too. Just took a load of time.

[Guy Mancuso]

Right after shooting the test i just grabbed the 3 Summarits and got slap happy and shot everything around me. Not portfiolio pieces but just wanted to push the damn button. LOL

Okay look out servers here they come

35mm Summarit

[Guy Mancuso]

2 more 35 Summarits than 2 50 shots

[Guy Mancuso]

Than i went crazy with the 90 Summarit . i obviously liked this lens as you will see

[Guy Mancuso]

Even more 90 summarits

[Jack Flesher]

You got to love the way this 90 Summarit paints... Oh man, I see another M lens in my near future LOLOLOLOL! Stay tuned

[Guy Mancuso]

Oh crap here we go. Actually I have to say that darn 90 has me thinking too but the 75mm maybe the ticket.



Now i am going to bring this up and folks are going to think i lost my mind. As i shot all three Summarits , I never blew an exposure. Now i have put 20k or more images through the M8 and i have had my share of blowouts but I can't recall missing a image shooting these because of the metering and folks I have been living on A mode and i never use any compensation. Now i honestly don't know what is going on and I hate to even bring it up but every image shot with the Summarits has never blown out , maybe a little under if anything. I have no explanation and maybe i am just damn lucky but these are also easy to focus and i only blew focusing the first day with the 90mm and that was the golf stuff, since than i have not missed, I can't explain that either. Now i will say i can focus better than most can but still that is pretty amazing. Now saying this in public is not easy because i can't back any of it up to a certain degree but i have been deadly with these lenses. Is it me or is it Memorex who the hell knows but I do like these lenses because of this. Okay flame suit on, I can take it. LOL

[Guy Mancuso]

Okay since i started this let me give you my impressions since this my home and you our members are a part of it.

I could be wrong but leica made these for digital capture , everything I have seen so far has been saturated very nicely. Not overblown contrast and specular highlights well controlled and snappy looking. Seems the pushed the midtones out some but held the highlights. other things i have noticed is there look between each 3 lenses i have tested there identical in look across the board. this is very nice if you have the whole set so you know what to expect. Okay Bokeh this area surprised me to be honest i was expecting clunky and we got smooth bokeh. If I did not have the 35 cron version IV which i really like i would be all over the 35mm Summarit because of the nice smooth bokeh and other features . Also one other thing I noticed is color, white is white coming out of the camera . I know we can adjust that but white buildings come up white not off white. Clear examples in this thread alone. If you did not know this I have yet to WB a single image unless i said so in a test . All these casual shots in the last series no WB and done in LR the only thing i did do was use recover and fill to balance the shot better.

Now I am not trying to sell anyone anything , not my job and if you buy or don't it so fine by me, we all know I beta test for Leica and i have many friends there but i will always be honest in my opinion of there products. i do think you need to look at these though because they are different looking than some of the other leica glass, maybe not as soft as some we really love like the Lux glass in the wide area's but still they have a look that I like in different jobs I shoot. I think folks you need to go back in the threads both this one and the ugly test and really study what they are doing

[Mark Gowin]

Looking at the deep blue sky in the photo of the Motel Downtowner reminds me why you sold your polarizing filter to me. For some reason I really like the clean, rich, and sharp look of that photo.