75mm Summicron in the used marketplace?

[chris_sullivan1]

I'm having some trouble finding a pre-owned 75mm Summicron for sale. Is the lens so good that nobody

wants to sell them, or is anyone using them? Would this lens be adequate for shooting from a boat at a

surf contest? Thanks in advance.

[Rob F.]

I found mine on eBay in June, 2005, for $1475 + shipping. Yes, I like mine so much I don't want to sell it; but others will sell from time to time to get the 75 Summicron. Be patient. Check eBay but also KEH.com and the other usual suspects, like Tony Rose/Popflash, The Photo Village/Rich Pinto, etc.

 

Why do you need 75/1.4 to shoot surfers? Might a 90/2.8 be as good or better?

[pablito_pistola]

The sad truth is that no lens made in the history of photography is adequate for shooting

from a boat at a surf contest.

[chris_sullivan1]

The truth is that I was looking at adding a longer lens to my bag, but don't have enough

faith in my focusing abilities with the .72 VF and a 90mm lens. The 75mm summicron

seems to have the right combo of size/weight/speed and a frame line I have some more

confidence shooting with.

 

The only 90 I was really interested in was the 90/4 macro with the close-up kit. According

to the reviews, it seems the collapsible lens is worth a try if you don't need the speed.

Would anyone choose the 90/4 macro over the 75/2?

[jim_cain]

Chris--I think it depends on your use. If you are going to get an M8 in the

future, the 90 macro will be a bit long--120mm. The M8 with a 75 cron will

come in at 100mm, a more useful focal length. If you think you will stay

primarily with film, the 90 macro makes a lot of sense. it is relatively small,

sharp as they come and you have some added ability with the adapter. I note

your concern about focusing--The 90 macro will be easier to focus with film

than the 75 cron. I have the 90 macro.

[skeeter]

i think it is because they haven't been on the market all that long. the better option would be an slr with an autofocus lens.

[peter_n1664876959]

I've been looking for months and didn't see anything until December when there was one for sale here on PN for $2150. I missed out on that one and ended up buying a new one last week from Tony Rose at Popflash for $57 more.

[Rob F.]

You said Summicron, and I read Summilux. I plead a splitting headache. Yes, with the Summicron ASPH as well, it gets nothing but rave reviews. I can understand why it would be in short supply.

 

If you go for a 75, you must train yourself to compose within the little 75mm bright-line brackets, and not lapse into using the more familiar, and more visible, 50mm frameline, as I have done a few times. When working quickly the 50mm frame, being more complete, tends to take precedence and capture my attention, even though I know better.

 

I like the focal length.

[furcafe]

I have to agree w/Pablito & Skeeter. Virtues of the 75 Summicron aside, you're going to have to be *really* close to the action on your boat if you want to get decent shots of surfers. I would think you need something closer to 250mm or longer . . .

[chris_sullivan1]

I've been told that I'm going to be about 100 ft. from the surfers.

[thidglance]

A few thoughts ... I too would really like to try the 75mm F2, the 1.4 is just too big for every

day use. I agree on the frame lines, the 90mm seems easier to use to me, despite being

smaller. I have no trouble focusing my 90mm F2.8 wide open on a .72.

 

For surfing shots from a boat, at 100ft ... You're really going to want something like a

70-200mm F2.8 possibly with a convertor, IS/VR and good AF would be nice too... things

move fast... I love my M, but I'd never choose it for that kind of shooting.

[nee_sung]

100ft. From a boat. Surfers.

 

I think you need something like a 200-300mm with vibration reduction and very fast & accurate focus. I don't think Leica offers that at the moment. A burst mode would be very handy indeed. You can take a burst of say 5-10 shots and then delete the bad ones. Each burst counts as one shot only, of course.

 

I think the shutter speed would have to be 1/1000sec and faster. That means large-aperture lenses.

 

A water resistant camera and lens would also be nice. But I really don't know of any such brand. Over-expose by 1 stop if you are in direct and intense sun light. Otherwise the photo may look darker than you remembered.

[chris_sullivan1]

I'm afraid I don't have the funds to be making an investment in a hard-core sports SLR

package for one event. My main function is to be able to get some good shots with my Leica

MP and buy a longer lens that will be useful to me in the future. I get the impression that the

short tele isn't going to be the best to document the event, but I suppose it's better than my

50mm.

[thidglance]

Rent what you need for the event - Any current mid or high end DSLR with a 70-200 would

do the job nicely. Otherwise I'd say go for a 90mm, they are plentiful secondhand and tend

to be one of the cheaper leica lenses you can get.

[ffrancis_van_boxtel]

The 75 cron is a fantastic lens, sharp and in your face, the lux is painterly and FAST. But

both are more like a standard lens than a tele. If you want to "get close" to where it

happens you'll at least need a 90.

 

Depending upon need and budget you can pick your choice:

 

fast / sharp 90cron,close to the 75 cron

 

a lott cheaper / slightly less sharp but giving very appealing and strong images elmarit 90

( Ihave one )

 

lightweight, close-up, modern design thus sharp, 90 macro.

[luigi v]

Chris, I own both he Summicron 2/75 and the ME 4/90. I like both lenses very much, the

2/75 is a beautiful performer, painstakingly sharp, the 4/90 performance is somehow

softer (still sharp enough) and the lens is a real joy to use. I find focusing easier with the

4/90.

I went to India recently and having to choose which lens to carry I went for the 4/90, and I

am very happy about my decision, it was the perfect travel lens, small, compact and light.

If you wish I have some pics of that trip posted here on photo.net:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=686673

I also posted some taken with the 2/75:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=595437

Size and of course f2 against f4 are the main differences, but I am now thinking to sell one

of the two lenses (they are just too similar to hold on to both) and guess what...I may be

selling the APO 2/75 soon...

I am traveling again in a week but I will be back to London at the end of february and if I

am going to sell the APO 2/75 I will advertise it on this forum. Please keep me posted...!

[nee_sung]

I'll have to second the rental option, failing which it'll have to be a fast 90mm, to enable a fast shutter speed. The 135/2.8, though longer, is very difficult to focus fast and you may miss too many shots to deliver a successful assignment.

 

Don't forget the hood, whatever you decide on!

[35mmdelux]

For surfers you might be better off w/ 300mm lens. The other way is to get in the water up close and personal w/ a Nikonos.

 

Paul -Huntington Beach

[chris_sullivan1]

I'll see what kind of deal I can get on some rental gear. While getting in the water is great in

Huntington Beach, I'm going to a big wave contest at Half Moon Bay. Not the conditions I

want to be swimming around in.

[john_noble1]

Sunny 16 would seem to indicate 1/1000 at f8 with ISO 100 film unless it's a night surf

contest. I don't understand the need for f2.8 monsters in reflected daylight conditions, but

maybe someone can set me straight.<br><br>

 

You could do a nice job with, say, an old Minolta body (X700/X570) and a couple of cheap

lenses like a 70-210mm f4 MD zoom and a 300mm f4.5 MD IF (or maybe a 500mm reflex

lens?). Total cost from KEH is probably around $3-400, and you'd have a kit with some

reach when you need it.<br><br>

 

You also wouldn't cry so much when you notice salt water corrosion on lens coatings &

everything else if it's on the cheap kit and not your Leica...

[karl_georg_wolf]

> > Luigi

 

 

great photos up there, thanks for there link !!

 

 

Best