View Full Version : Shots from new Hexanon 1.2
New to me, that is...
I got a Hexanon 50mm 1.2 yesterday (referenced in the BIN thread from a few days back) and thought I would share a few of the first shots i took tonight, if anyone is interested.
I have been trying to find a nice high speed lens and have been using a Canon 0.95 and like it. But it is huge and very slow to focus, and I wanted to try a lens that is reputed to be a lot sharper.
Anyway here are some casual shots - all at 1.2. Of course they are only test shots- so please don't crucify me on artistic merit. I know people have been asking for more samples. These are with digital RF (and the B&W ones I had only JPG turned on, so they are not as good as they should be!). I'll try take some more careful shots tomorrow...
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/Hexanon-2-5.jpg
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/Hexanon-2-3.jpg
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/Hexanon-2.jpg
xayraa33
05-09-2008, 17:57
fifty or sixty mil?
fifty or sixty mil?
Sorry - it is the 50mm
Looks promising! I think you will like it. How well do you like the handling? If you could do some "into the sun" shots - to check flare - would be great too. Since there is not too much info on these - could you test it under different light conditions to see how it works. And of course if you could do the mandatory bokeh of the trees shot - wide open with trees in the background to see if bokeh gets swirly or odd looking.
I'm sorry - I know soo many requests. But you would make me and many others happy if you could do this.
Anyway - congrats on the lens! I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Good to see the lens being put to use straight away. I have one of these in my wish list so shots taken with it are interesting! I agree with the into the sun shot ... it would be good to see how it handles that test!
I'll take a lot of shots this weekend - I got it to use. I could have had the matching SN body for another chunk of money, but I don't want to turn into a collector!
I'll see if we get sun this weekend and try it out for flare - it came with a very nice hood but I haven't even mounted it yet....
The lens seems to front focus.
gdi, don't forget some twig shots this weekend, please.;)
Aaah! The obligatory twig shots! Some cats, too, please!
Congrats on the new lens! I'd love to own the 60mm f1.2! Keith once asked me why the 60 instead of the 50. My reason is simple: I think a 60mm design is easier to produce with better results, sharper images. Besides that, there are so many 50mm lenses around, so a 60 would be more welcome. I also think I'd shoot more acceptable portraits with it. A 50mm lens is not an ideal portrait lens.
Mean Panda
05-09-2008, 22:30
I had both Hex 50 and 60 for few years, you are right Ned that I did shoot a lot more portrait with the 60mm than the 50mm. Also, there are indeed few 60mm option. But meanwhile, it is a pain to use the 60mm external viewfinder on Leica M body IMHO. I also found that the 50mm is not only slightly sharper than the 60mm, but also easier to focus.
I have never compare a Noctilux and a Hexanon side by side, because I know that they are very different and very sharp wide open. The Hexanon has some characters of the Summilux 50 ASPH, and Noctilux is a more unique lens. And I am convinced that I am keeping both.
The lens seems to front focus.
? where do u see that?
Nice shots. Color saturation is great and focus looks pretty good too. When I get mine in a week, I'll compare it's test shots to the f/1 Noct I use to own with the same setup.
Mean Panda
05-09-2008, 23:10
awilder, I have done lens tests side by side. From my experience, lens reacts differently in different setting, background, lighting, and etc. To me, it is very hard to draw a conclusion of which one is better.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2273/2479336927_c2a109fb6e.jpg?v=0
? where do u see that?
Look at pictures 3 and 4. The bottom right corner of the 4th shot appears that way.
gdi, don't forget some twig shots this weekend, please.;)
I would not want to challenge the king of the twig portrait - Noctilux. No other lens is worthy! :)
I do have focus adjustments needed - maybe the lens and maybe the camera. I will tweak the RF today to move focus slightly back.
(The only thing I hate about RFs is the focus variability...)
I find the 50mm sharper than the 60mm. Great find, great price.
Well there was no 60 available, so didn't even consider it. But if I had a Noctilux like Ned I would have waited for one!
The Hexanon certainly demonstrates the improvements made in lens design in recent years; it's much better corrected wide open than the Canon 50/1.2!
Alex Krasotkin
05-10-2008, 03:02
Congrats! What is the camera? RD-1?
Kevin - I was very pleased comparing it even to my Canon 1.4 - which is very good. The handling is great - better than any of my old 50's and my Nokton 1.5.
Alex - M8 (decided to sell my R-D1 when I bought this!)
Alex Krasotkin
05-10-2008, 03:44
Apologies for the off-topic, but how do you code non-Leica lenses for M8?
Apologies for the off-topic, but how do you code non-Leica lenses for M8?
With $ and patience. Send to DAG who will send to Milich to code.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2458739223_f12a50f8d8_o.jpg
There really isn't an need to code most 50s, unless you want to have the focal length in the exif....
Apologies for the off-topic, but how do you code non-Leica lenses for M8?
Hacker, you gotta quit posting that pic. I'm trying to control my gear-lust problem and you ain't helpin' ! :D:D
You are right :). I will update the picture with the pre-ASPHs (black paint). OK, this one instead, a contender from the old school.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2031/2479615144_dfa7b0cbae_o.jpg
There really isn't an need to code most 50s, unless you want to have the focal length in the exif....
Gdi is correct. I tried hard to have shots with light falloff on the Hex 50mm f1.2, but it does not show on the M8. It was a shocker to me. This is one sweet lens.
I have never compare a Noctilux and a Hexanon side by side, because I know that they are very different and very sharp wide open. The Hexanon has some characters of the Summilux 50 ASPH, and Noctilux is a more unique lens. And I am convinced that I am keeping both.
http://home.pacific.net.sg/~yau/TEST3.jpg
Source: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=373236&page=5
Wow ... that black case wth the red stitching is rather 'Hollywood!'
Very cool though! :p
looks like hexanon's bokeh is next best after leitz lenses. Canon bokeh remind me much of my jupiter 3 :P
noctilux never stops to amaze me. It does even more when I looked at clubsnap forum. it is something radiating power in pictures like some dangerous waste from nuclear reactor. It is Leica glow :D
Pherdinand
05-10-2008, 08:52
gdi, don't worry - the slr's also have focus problems with very fast lenses. SLR focus screens can be misaligned too - and, they are much harder to realign!
http://home.pacific.net.sg/~yau/TEST3.jpg
Source: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=373236&page=5
Looking at these - makes me happy to have a Canon 50/1.2 and only wish for a Noctilux. Others do not impress me too much. But I'm sure its personal thing.
It seems s more Hexanon pics show up, they make me come to one conclusion - Hexanon 50/60/1.2 are great lenses which deliver very nice photos, BUT they are, well.....ordinary. Pleasing, sharp, etc, but not s much "character" or "personality" like Noctilux or Canon have. Yet I would still love to own one, but it would be more of a regular lens, not a specialty lens like I thought it would be.
Anyway, please keep pics coming from these great lenses.
looks like hexanon's bokeh is next best after leitz lenses. Canon bokeh remind me much of my jupiter 3
I'd be willing to bet money that you couldn't tell which lens is which in a blind test.
I'd be willing to bet money that you couldn't tell which lens is which in a blind test.
Maybe not, but old sonnar copies and summilux/noctilux are quite different. Shoots with summilux/noctilux look more saturated, contrastier for me. You can tell differences from their bokeh. Both canon bokeh looks similiar with harsch small circles around highlights. Sure one can modify pictures taken with canon to make desired contrast. I'm more interested how new C sonnar performs compared to another lenses. My impression that new c sonnar has more smooth bokeh, far smoother than my jupiter 3's, what I recall from memories. Has it something to do with number of aperture blades? I have to look for some comparisons of old and new sonnars :P
I'd be willing to bet money that you couldn't tell which lens is which in a blind test.
So why don't you sell your expensive Canon if Jupiter lenses are equal or better?
but it would be more of a regular lens, not a specialty lens like I thought it would be.
That is why I have never claimed the Hex to be a speciality one. It sits squarely in the middle between the Nocti and the Lux ASPH (more towards the Lux actually especially for the 50 Hex). Some find it more pleasing as the Lux may be too contrasty.
For me, I prefer the Lux ASPH, one of few "perfect" lenses that I have ever used.
gdi, don't worry - the slr's also have focus problems with very fast lenses. SLR focus screens can be misaligned too - and, they are much harder to realign!
Yes, I know Fredinand! I went through a little problem with a DSLR when I replaced the screen for MF, but all in all it wasn't as persistent as with the rangefinder setup.
Of course I knew quite well the problems with trying to use very fast lenses on an M8 from the experience of others. And of course going for lenses like the Hex or Canon 0.95 (or even Noctilux) will always cause issues.
I am now trying to settle on a modest kit with at least one (two?) faster than 1.4 lens. When I have finalized what I want I'll have to send off at least a couple for adjustment.
I am pretty sure that either the Hexanon or my 90mm F2 will need adjustment so that all lenses can focus acceptably.
Ok, a few more shots as requested earlier. All are 1.2 unless otherwise noted...
Some of these are torture tests by intent!
Chain link fence background..
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/HexanonShots-16.jpg
Forest background..
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/HexanonShots-2.jpg
Down by the River...
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/HexanonShots-9.jpg
Into the sun (the star is in the frame)..
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/HexanonShots-1.jpg
My conclusion so far is that the lens is very sharp wide open ( I really think it is sharper than my Nokton at 1.5), it handles flare very well, if you overexpose high contrast scenes white edges can flare giving the "glow" and that flaring can exhibit CA.
After handling the 0.95, it is simply a pleasure to use and seems kind of small (till I pull out the Summilux, that is). I was thinking this would replace my 0.95 but I don't think I'm ready to do that - the speed advantage of the 0.95 is noticeable and I kinda like the special character of it. But I think the 1.2 will be a fine balance of great sharpness and moderate contrast.
And finally, while I couldn't bring myself to take a Twig Portrait after razzing others for doing it ;) I did take a couple of Flower Portraits with the 1.2 and 0.95 (Guess which is which, :p)...
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/HexanonShots-1-2.jpg
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/HexanonShots-1-3.jpg
So why don't you sell your expensive Canon if Jupiter lenses are equal or better?
Because the fast Jupiters simply don't focus reliably.
Pherdinand
05-12-2008, 04:52
gdi, i'd guess the first one is the 1.2
gdi, i'd guess the first one is the 1.2
Of course you're right! I didn't think anyone would get it wrong - even at the small size! :D
The Hex is a far superior lens - but the difference in character means I'll likely keep both. On this particular test shot I like the swirly canon!
Just curious (I might have missed a thread about this ...), how does the MS-MODE-S compare at 1.3 to the Hexanon 50/1.2 and Noctilux ? I can't remember having seen photos taken with that lens ... ?
With $ and patience. Send to DAG who will send to Milich to code.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2458739223_f12a50f8d8_o.jpg
Just curious (I might have missed a thread about this ...), how does the MS-MODE-S compare at 1.3 to the Hexanon 50/1.2 and Noctilux ? I can't remember having seen photos taken with that lens ... ?
Not evenly sharp across the frame (very sharp in the center), but the perfect lens for portraits (Sonnar on steroids). If the Lux ASPH is the epitome of lens design, this is the one for portraits. Colors are not as dark and murky compared to the Noctilux.
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