Category Archives: Leica

Comparison: Super Fast 50mm M-mount Lenses

Introduction

comparison super fast 50mm m-mount leica 24mp 42mp 61mp sharpness contrast bokeh vignetting noctilux 0.95 zhong yi speedmaster voigtländer vm nokton 1.0 1.2 MS-optics ISM mr. ding 1.1
Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux | Zhong Yi 50mm 0.95 M | Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.0 Nokton | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | Mr. Ding 50mm 1.1 | Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.2 Nokton

The M-mount seems to be more popular than ever, thanks to plenty of manufacturers – old and new – from Europe, Japan and China designing and releasing countless of new lenses every year for this bayonet.
Super fast 50mm lenses are especially popular here, so many manufacturers designed one as their “flagship” lens.
Thanks to a reader and very cooperative companies I managed to get 6 of these lenses on my table at the same time, so let’s see what each of them is good at – to help you figure out which one might work best for your needs.

Continue reading Comparison: Super Fast 50mm M-mount Lenses

Review: Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux-M Asph

Introduction

leica 50mm 0.95 f/0.95 m 24mp m11 m10 m10r sharpness contrat resolution bokeh vignetting review
Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux-M Asph on Leica M10

For one decade (2008-2018) the Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux-M Asph was Leica’s most expensive M-mount lens and it is still the fastest lens in their line up to this day.
Now in 2023 there are many f/0.95 lenses from China available for your mirrorless camera of choice, but in 2008 – when most people were using (D)SLRs – this was a unique offering and something you could only find in the M-system.
But is this lens (still) worth the asking price? Let’s try to find out.
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

This lens is also part of my Comparison of 6 Super Fast 50mm M-mount Lenses together with the Zhong Yi 50mm 0.95 M, the Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.0 Nokton, MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM, Mr. Ding 50mm 1.1 and Voigtänder VM 50mm 1.2 Nokton.

Sample Images

leica 50mm 0.95 f/0.95 m 24mp m11 m10 m10r sharpness contrat resolution bokeh vignetting review
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 0.95 | f/0.95
leica 50mm 0.95 f/0.95 m 24mp m11 m10 m10r sharpness contrat resolution bokeh vignetting review
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 0.95 | f/0.95
leica 50mm 0.95 f/0.95 m 24mp m11 m10 m10r sharpness contrat resolution bokeh vignetting review
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 0.95 | f/0.95
leica 50mm 0.95 f/0.95 m 24mp m11 m10 m10r sharpness contrat resolution bokeh vignetting review
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 0.95 | f/0.95
leica 50mm 0.95 f/0.95 m 24mp m11 m10 m10r sharpness contrat resolution bokeh vignetting review
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 0.95 | f/0.95
leica 50mm 0.95 f/0.95 m 24mp m11 m10 m10r sharpness contrat resolution bokeh vignetting review
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 0.95 | f/2.0

Continue reading Review: Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux-M Asph

Analogue Adventures – Part 26: Kodak Portra 800 ECN-2

kodak portra 800 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Kodak Portra 800

In 2023 Kodak Portra 800 is the fastest (or rather most sensitive) color negative film that is still in production. Ever since using that awful Cinestill 800T I was curious what results from a real ISO 800 color film will look like, so here we are.
Exposed as ISO400. Processing (ECN-2) and scanning was done at Silbersalz35 in Germany.

kodak portra 800 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/11 | Portra 800 ECN-2
kodak portra 800 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/11 | Portra 800 ECN-2
kodak portra 800 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/11 | Portra 800 ECN-2
kodak portra 800 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | Laowa 15mm 2.0 | f/2.0 | Portra 800 ECN-2
kodak portra 800 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | Voigtländer VM 40mm 1.4 MC | f/1.4 | Portra 800 ECN-2

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 26: Kodak Portra 800 ECN-2

Analogue Adventures – Part 25: Wolfen Color NC500 ECN-2

Wolfen Color NC500

In early 2023 I managed to buy two rolls of the ORWO Wolfen NC 500 color negative film and it is something special for several reasons, so let’s have a closer look.
Processing (ECN-2) and scanning was done at Silbersalz35 in Germany.

wolfen nc500 orwo agfa iso400 asa review leica analogue film germany
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 40mm 1.4 MC | f/5.6 | Wolfen 500 NC
wolfen nc500 orwo agfa iso400 asa review leica analogue film germany
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 40mm 1.4 MC | f/11 | Wolfen 500 NC ECN-2
wolfen nc500 orwo agfa iso400 asa review leica analogue film germany
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 40mm 1.4 MC | f/5.6 | Wolfen 500 NC ECN-2
wolfen nc500 orwo agfa iso400 asa review leica analogue film germany
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 40mm 1.4 MC | f/4.0 | Wolfen 500 NC ECN-2
wolfen nc500 orwo agfa iso400 asa review leica analogue film germany
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 40mm 1.4 MC | f/11 | Wolfen 500 NC ECN-2

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 25: Wolfen Color NC500 ECN-2

Analogue Adventures – Part 22: Istanbul

Introduction

agfa vista expired 200 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f/11 | Agfa Vista 200

It was my second time in Istanbul and as I already covered many of the “must see” tourist sights the first time I thought it was a good opportunity to shoot some more film this time around. Being less flexible with film it also helped that I already knew what to expect and where to go.

fuji fujifilm x-tra xtra 400 superior review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/11 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2
hologon leica m contax-g 16mm 8.0 8/16 center filter review sharpness leica m10 m11 sony e-mount adapter conversion sharpness distortion carl zeiss germany
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Fuji Superia X-Tra 400 ECN-2
fuji fujifilm x-tra xtra 400 superior review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/8.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2
color plus 200 color+ kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/11 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2
kodak portra 400 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.0 | Kodak Portra 400

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 22: Istanbul