As you can probably see, the images shot wide open at f/1.4 are almost glowing with the classic hazy look that comes from this classic lens design. But this look is exactly what you would buy this lens for. It really does speak of times gone by and fights against that clinical sharpness that most lenses offer today. It gives you something a little special and definetely different.
Yes in day light and direct light, when shot wide open, gives quite a hazy look. In the right situation this really adds something to the images and gives them a little something special. I’m not really one for shooting this wide open, especially if I’m working on the streets. I would normally photograph around f/5.6 and at that aperture, this lens certainly sharpens up. The beauty though comes from the classic rendering and the bokeh still retains character while rendering a sharp and contrasty image. This is exactly the intersection that I’m personally interested in, it gives me something a little special, unique and speaking of Leica heritage but retaining that clear detail where I need it.
Personally to shoot with this lens wide open all the time and achieve that dreamy look isn’t something that I’m massively interested in. It’s definitely a nice tool to pull out of the bag in the right situation and would really add something a little special to those select moments. for the rest of my images, I’d be stopping down, probably starting around f/2.
Again, these are just my thoughts and the way in which I like to work. I know this lens isn’t for everyone as it flies in the face of what the mass market seems to want, but that’s another reason why I do quite like this.
Now this is where I think it gets interesting…
Most of you reading this blog post (if you are familiar with my work and Instagram feed) will know that I love colour photography and is a part of dare I say a stylistic that I have wrapped into the coastal photography that I seem to specialise in.
I do however really enjoy monochromatic work and often shoot in black and white (although share very little). In fact this is where photography began for me, B+W film and darkroom printing. So, yes, definitely where my love of photography started.
This is exactly where I get very interested in this lens not just stopped down but also wide open. The classic rendering and soft haze produced very much leans into monochrome images. It adds something to the photos and layers a classic look that for my eyes, just works.