LEICA R AND LEICA C COMPARISON ????

[Antoine Dixon-Bellot]

Hi Guys,

what is the difference between the Leica R and Lecia C series lenses other than the obvious design, stop consistency and manufacturing differences.

Are the image circles and image look and quality the same ?



thanks


Antoine

 

[Dan Kanes]

I'm thinking you are talking about Summicron and Summilux C, vs "Vintage" Leica R glass.

As a user of both - here is what I can tell you:

Summilux C are basically an entirely new design. The Lux Designation means FAST f1.4/T1.4 They have a slightly smaller image circle (listed on the CW sonderOptic Leica Page. Smaller compared to what? Smaller compared to both Leica R (36x24mm coverage) and Leica Summicron C (40mm diagonal image circle) They vary in coverage. They are pretty, have awesome coatings, and are fast. Built in Germany?

"Stranger Things" on Netflix - shot with Summilux C. I believe Round iris Shape at all stops.

Summicron C - All New Designs. T2 across the entire range. Slightly Different Color and Handling than Summilux C. Large (for cinema) image circle of 40mm diagonal. Less expensive. Great user/owner set if you can drop the $. Round Iris blade shape at all stops. Built in Japan.

Summilux R - engineered originally for Stills. 36x24mm image circle coverage (vistavision) - Flare nicely. WIDE range of coatings and design variants beginning in 1960's ending in 1990's. Flippin' great lenses no matter what era you choose. Smoothe Draw. Sexy Draw. Stop Sign shaped Iris when stopped down (octagon, hexagon, etc. - depends on lens) Gorgeous Flares. Older ones flare too much for some people if you are used to modern coatings and anti-reflective, anti-ghosting properties. If you're a flare lover get older ones, if you still like flares but more controlled - get the newer ones. GL Optics, P+S Technik, and VanDiemen rehousings available in PL mount if you can track them down. There may be other rehousings too but much more rare. Built in Germany and Canada (Leitz / Elcan)

If you hand pick them and have patience, the GL lenses are quite good if you pick good variants.

Summilux / Summicron M - short flange distance - rangefinder lenses, can be used on Red cameras with the M mount. Wider lenses have smear issue because of ray angle on short flange. Not a great "universal" lens for every job or every person, but if you're more of a stills thinking person, or less in a rush, shooting personal projects and don't need wider than 35 - these can be an option depending on your needs, taste, patience.

Bargain wise - Leica R with Leitax Canon EF mount - best bargain lens ever (maybe only second to Contax Zeiss, or if you like modern stuff Sigma Art).

^many facts, many opinions mixed in here, but would love to hear from others as well.

 

[Mark M]

What Dan said!

...while I haven't personally shot with a C set, I've used Leica Rs extensively, compared footage shot with both and know a few DPs who've mixed Rs ('90s sets) and Cs on the same projects and said they cut together very nicely.

From what I've seen a 1990s Leica-R set and a C-set in many ways render more similarly than say 1990s Leica-R set vs a '70s R set. This is probably because of coating similarities between late Rs and Cs plus a few of the R lenses were completely redesigned/modernized in the 1990s.

Since the R series spanned over a 40+ year period, an early and late set are 2 very different beasts – Older ones tend to have a warm/flatter/vintage look (like Contax but I personally much-prefer the Leica R rendering style/colors), whereas later ones run cooler, more saturated/contrasty and a bit sharper. I may get blasted for this but some of the best are even 'Otus-like' in sharpness and optical corrections, like the longer APO lenses. Then in the middle, around the mid-80s the look falls somewhere between vintage/modern which some consider a sweet spot in terms of price/performance.

Well hope this sheds some light on your question. And in full disclosure after stumbling upon the Rs a few years ago I was immediately hooked, sold all my Canon and Zeiss glass and have enjoyed using and building many Leica R sets to sell, rent and 'play with' since.

Oh and if anyone has an extra C set they'd like to lend for an extensive side-by-side comparison with the Rs...

 

[Antoine Dixon-Bellot]

Thanks Dan, very informative. So are you saying that the Leica R covers a larger image circle than the Leica C series ?

 

[Antoine Dixon-Bellot]

Hi Mark, very good info. Appreciate your feedback

 

[Cris Marian]

Thank you guys! Really informative.

So if I dont have the money for the C if I buy the late `90s Lieca R I`ll be close?

Thank you

 

[Cris Marian]

What Dan said!

...while I haven't personally shot with a C set, I've used Leica Rs extensively, compared footage shot with both and know a few DPs who've mixed Rs ('90s sets) and Cs on the same projects and said they cut together very nicely.

From what I've seen a 1990s Leica-R set and a C-set in many ways render more similarly than say 1990s Leica-R set vs a '70s R set. This is probably because of coating similarities between late Rs and Cs plus a few of the R lenses were completely redesigned/modernized in the 1990s.

Since the R series spanned over a 40+ year period, an early and late set are 2 very different beasts – Older ones tend to have a warm/flatter/vintage look (like Contax but I personally much-prefer the Leica R rendering style/colors), whereas later ones run cooler, more saturated/contrasty and a bit sharper. I may get blasted for this but some of the best are even 'Otus-like' in sharpness and optical corrections, like the longer APO lenses. Then in the middle, around the mid-80s the look falls somewhere between vintage/modern which some consider a sweet spot in terms of price/performance.

Well hope this sheds some light on your question. And in full disclosure after stumbling upon the Rs a few years ago I was immediately hooked, sold all my Canon and Zeiss glass and have enjoyed using and building many Leica R sets to sell, rent and 'play with' since.

Oh and if anyone has an extra C set they'd like to lend for an extensive side-by-side comparison with the Rs...

Mark one question if you are kind: how I can tell the year when its made?

Thank you Mark!

 

[Chad Lancaster]

Thanks Dan, very informative. So are you saying that the Leica R covers a larger image circle than the Leica C series ?

Yes for the most part, the R series was designed for FF35 and the summicron-c is designed between s35 and FF35 BUT the longer focal lengths actually do have a bigger circle and cover FF35.

 

[Mark M]

Hey Chris, to check the years just look at the Serial # (begins with a 2 or 3) and find your lens here:
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/R_Lenses_x_Focal_Length

Then on the lens page scroll down and you'll see the serial # ranges and years.
There are some exceptions, discrepancies and have come across lenses that weren't accounted for but otherwise its fairly comprehensive covering about 70 Leica Rs produced over 40+ years, 1962–2009.