Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4

In praise of blurry images.

2012, Inspiration, Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Nikon, Nikon 58mm f/1.2 NOCT, Portrait, Teaching point

Sometimes I choose to post a blurry image.

Admittedly, most of the time it has been generated as a result of user (me!) error.  Occasionally, I’ve planned it.  Regardless of how it’s arrived at, there is something about it that has caught my eye.  Invariably, somebody will condemn it by pointing out the obvious: “it’s blurry”.  End of story.

Or is it?

Sometimes, the out-of-focus-ness is adding more than it’s taking away.

Sometimes, the emotive intent of an image is made sharper precisely because it is blurry.

You’ll find some samples below.  They’re all blurry — and they all have left an indelible impression on my mind.

[And you?… do you have a favourite blurry image?  I’d love to see it…]

—Peter.

(please click on the images below to view)

↑Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.

↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH @ f/1.4.

↑Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.

↑Leica M9 and Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2.

↑Leica M9 and Leica 35mm Summilux FLE @ f/1.4.

Little boy blue (before and after).

2012, Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica M9(P)/M-E (CCD Lives!), Teaching point

I’m posting an extra entry today, in response to a request from one of my viewers, Mark, who commented on the original Little Boy Blue image (please see the Comments section of that post, which also contains a detailed response from me).

Mark was wondering what the before-and-after images looked like (i.e., before-and-after post-processing was applied).

So Mark, this one’s for you.

Below, you will find the “before” image as it came out of the camera.  This is a DNG file loaded directly from my memory card and converted to JPG in Apple’s Aperture, without any intermediate steps on my part:

(please click on the image to view)

↑Little Boy Blue (before post-processing)

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Note how “flat” the file appears, and how I intentionally underexposed the image at the time it was shot (one of my techniques when working with digital cameras).

Now, here is the “after” shot, following my customized post-processing.  This could have been processed an innumerable amount of ways, but I chose to do it this way:

(please click on the image to view)

↑Little Boy Blue (after post-processing)

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I hope this helps, Mark.  If you ever make it to Toronto from Edmonton, I would be happy to take you on a Practical Photography Teaching session!

Regards,

—Peter.

Q&A: Lucy asks about moving to film, and about the Leica 35 Summilux ASPH FLE.

Film, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Q&A

[I received this message from Lucy today and thought it was worth publishing her questions and my responses.  Please feel free to contribute an opinion, if you have something constructive to say…]

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Hello Peter.

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I enjoy your blog very much. Capturing precious moments with the camera is why I enjoy photography and so I do appreciate the photos you take. I feel guilty to ask about gear, I know this should not matter but you use lenses I am interested in and my decisions at the moment are about selling my M9 and investing in film and a scanner (and a lot of learning time) or going with another Leica lens and staying digital.

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I have spent and lost a bit of money with leica lenses and my next choice is hopefully going to be a better one than others I have made.

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I just sold my Summilux 50 asph and have now just have the M9 and 50 pre asph. It is ok but the focus is very stiff and I want to sell it and When I have sold it I can afford another lens, a 35mm will be be the most useful fov and it will have to be my only lens.  I found the 50 asph a little boring and I wonder how do you compare the 35 Lux fle with the 50 asph?..I think if the 35 if more interesting in it’s rendering I may just settle with the M9/35 combo and forget about setting up in film..My film camera choice is a Rolleiflex TLR, also of course a scanner and the learning curve of all that ..which could prove to be wonderful.

Sorry to prattle on, I admire your work and would value your opinion on the lens very much.

Many thanks
Lucy

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Hello Lucy,

Thank you so much for your message and for your kind words – I’m so glad you identify with the “precious” moments depicted in my work, as it’s what I strive to capture and convey.

So many questions you’ve asked!  I’ll do my best to answer them, but I also invite any readers of this site to offer you an opinion too, as it’s always more fruitful to harness the knowledge of a community vs. a lone voice.

My chief piece of advice would be to “follow your heart”.  Seriously.

Anything else I write is just my personal view and it does not necessarily mean it will mesh with your current development or growth as an artist and photographer.  Intuitively, you probably already know what the answer is for you, but you also seem to be in need of a little direction because you’re contemplating very different paths.

Whether to opt for film or not is a very personal choice.  If you’re a methodical photographer who appreciates the “craft” of working with, processing, and scanning film, then by all means, go for the medium format Rolleiflex.  With that sort of a set-up you should be able to produce stunning results.  Weighed against this is the mounting difficulty in procuring and working with film… it really does seem to be disappearing from the public spotlight as a photographic medium, although I believe it will always be around in some form or other.

If you choose to stay with your M9, I’m not sure the stiff focus on your pre-asph 50 Summilux is reason enough to sell it, because that can be repaired.  But, further down in your message, you mention you’d rather go with a 35 FOV in which case selling the pre-asph 50 makes sense.

Finally, as for the rendering of the 35 Summilux ASPH FLE vs. the 50 Summilux ASPH, I too have gone on record as stating the 50 Summilux ASPH is an almost too “perfect” and extremely boring lens.  I can write forever about this, but you seem to have reached the same conclusion so I won’t “preach to the choir”, so to speak.  I will write that I’m currently using one and trying to like it.  Occasionally, it astounds me with what it produces, so it’s not like I’m incapable of appreciating it.

The 35 Summilux FLE is probably the best lens – technically speaking – I’ve ever used.  It produces what I would call “hyper real” results (incredible sharpness, micro-contrast, etc.) and is not as sterile in its rendering as compared to the 50 ‘lux ASPH.  In a way, the 35 FLE also is too “perfect” but somehow it manages to retain more character than it’s 50 ASPH sibling.

Although you didn’t ask, the lens that I think combines the best combination of technical excellence and interesting rendering is the discontinued 75 Summilux… but the 75mm focal length is not as versatile as a 35 or 50.

I hope this helps, Lucy, and I thank you once again very much for your kind words!

—Peter | Prosophos.

French braid (Cinematic).

2012, Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Portrait, Teaching point

I waited until the right moment to click the shutter.

The viewer is being pulled into this image by the vortex of intertwining arms that are, in turn, intertwining the young girl’s hair.  Similar patterns can also be seen in the white sweater and background window treatment.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M9 and Leica 35mm Summilux FLE @ f/1.4.

Forever young.

2012, Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Portrait, Teaching point

A capricious breeze passes, ruffling his hair as the image is taken.

This shot works on a personal level, but also because of the mirroring going on:  the sprawling “limbs” of the metal bars echo the branching tree limbs on the opposite side of the frame.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M9 and Leica 35mm Summilux FLE @ f/1.4.

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Notice also that all of the “limbs” (metal bars, human arm, tree branches) connect and span the frame:

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Of course, I wasn’t thinking about all of this when I saw and captured this moment.

In reality, I crouched down and peered through the viewfinder, taking advantage of the wide-ish perspective offered by my 35mm lens and dynamically composed my shot until things looked just right.

—Peter.