Leica 100 or 80 for R?

I have been deciding between a used Leica 100 2.8 APO and the 80 1.4. Can anyone help me with this decision who has had experience with both lenses? Any help would truly be apreciated.

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Thanks

Gabe

Gabe,

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Without more information, it would be hard to recommend a lens for

you. While they might seen similar, they are different enough that

the intended use for each would be the determining factor. Yes,

there would be many opportunities that either one would be fine, but

there would also be many that would dictate the correct one.

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Low light, journalistic pictures without flash calls out for the

80... more considered photography where you attempt to extract

everything out of the tiny surface area of the film would be better

with the 100. I would not attempt detailed close-ups with the faster

80 and its slightly curved field at the close up range... and

portraits of less than ideal complexions would not be too flattering

with the 100 and its extremely detailed rendering.

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What do you plan to do with the lens? The answer is there.

I have to concur, these are two very different lenses even though

their focal lengths are similar. The 85 was designed with all

efforts (and compromises) made in the interest of high speed. Unless

you really intend to use it wide open most of the time, the 100APO is

a better performer overall. I wouldn't worry about the 100 APO being

too sharp for portraits, that's what Softars are for! If anything,

the things I don't like about the 100 APO (besides its price) are the

long turning circle of the focusing ring (a characteristic of macro

lenses)and the size and weight. As a general-use lens in that

length, I prefer the 90 Summicron. It isn't as sharp as the 100 APO

nor as fast as the 85, but it treads a good middle-ground at less

than half the price (used-to-used) of the 85 or 100. I also have a

late-model 90/2.8, which is probably sharper or at least flatter-

field than the Summicron, but lacks the f/2 aperture.

I use both lenses, but for totally different purposes, as the others

have already mentioned above.

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If I could get only one lens in this range, I agree with Jay that the

90mm Summicron would be the better all-around choice - decent speed,

good with close-up attachments, good optical performance, much cheaper

than either the 100 or 80, also much lighter than either, too.

As all the others say the 100mm Apo is one of the very finest Leica

lenses made, and one of the best 35mm optics in existence, but it is

big and expensive. I must say I rather lust after an 80f1.4 as I had

a Summicron 90 and sold it thinking I wanted the light weight and the

better performance of the 90 2.8 Elmarit. I miss my Summicron all the

time as the wider aperture is easier to focus and of course is just

plain faster. As a note though, Erwin Puts maintains that the

Summilux is actually a better performer than the Summicron. However,

the Summicron is a bargain as it has been made since 1969 and so

there a lot of them about. So I suspect that if you get a Summliux

you will not be disappointed by the performance, but it will not be

quite as stellar as the 100mm. Of course, 100mm is quite a big longer

than 80mm too.

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Anybody interested to swap a 90mm Elmarit 4 element (late type) for a

90mm Summicron (3 cam)?