New model, new lens. (Patreon)

I guess it is time to spill the beans about this new lens, the one I'm trying to pass on as a wise investment, but it is actually another tool that I will be using a lot.It is about a couple of years that I wanted to buy it, I wanted to concentrate on less lenses and of better quality, something that would maintain its value no matter what, and something that could make great photos at the same time.And one of the most iconic lens in this regards is surely the Leica Summilux-M 50mm.Didn't want to buy the last version new, with close focus range, the older V5 was perfectly fine for me.I was not attracted by the black version in aluminum, I preferred the heavier brass version in silver, albeit I was not so keen on the black plastic tab to focus, and the modern design.There was also a very special version, launched in 2015, but in my mind it was out of reach and focused only on collectors, it was called Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. Black Chrome Special Edition.

For over one year I kept looking for one, but I was able to find only a brand new example sold by a Chinese shop (so I had to factor in also taxes), and one used copy from a German Leica shop that was in pretty bad conditions and costed a lot more!Lately I was getting more serious about the purchase, and I was investigating the silver Version 5 of the lens, and the good and recent copies were pretty expensive.A couple of weeks ago, one Black Crome Special Edition popped out on PMB, in "Excellent" conditions, for pretty much the same price of a good copy of the standard silver version, so I decided to go for it.This Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. Black Chrome Special Edition was launched in 2015, and only 500 copies were initially planned.Total production in the following years increased, but it is still a rare piece, that's why I couldn't find many on the used market...Judging by the serial number, my copy was made in Germany in 2019, so it is not part of the initial 500 batch, and it is not part of the last batch (after 2020) made in Portugal for the American market at a slightly lower price.The value of this lens is supposedly going to increase with time, like most of Leica's rare special editions, but it's unlikely anybody is going to get it out of my hands for the rest of my life.What attracted me to this lens was the fact that the mechanics and shape are mimicking the first version of the Summilux-M lens produced only between 1959 and 1961, whilst the internal optics are the modern design from Peter Karbe introduced in 2004, and still used to this day.This lens is a perfect match for the M10 Monochrom (check out today's bonus photo), but I will be trying it also for color pictures on the SL2-S, sometime in the future...The overall quality of my faithful Summicron f2 should still be better than this new f1.4 lens, what the Summilux should do better is creating a magic feeling between f1.4 and f2, with an unbeatable bokeh, and a unique glow.Closing down the aperture beyond f2 is going to make the lens exactly like the Summicron I have, and possibly even worse in some parameters, just a regular high quality lens, but with a secret weapon when you need it.

During the photoshoot with Velvet, and the 222 frames shot with this camera, I tried to use this lens always at f2, rarely venturing up to f2.8, or down to f1.4, so we should still manage to feel this Leica magic in most pictures.I can't wait to use it more, but being the first time with a new lens I made enough experiments.For this Monochrom Tuesday, I selected 3 photos shot around the stairs leading up to the bed, and playing with the metal railings of the structure.I was starting to get used to shoot the Summicron at f4 with the M10 Monochrom, because the sensitive sensor was allowing me to do it in most light conditions, and I was appreciating all the fine details; but now I'm back experimenting with the shallow depth of field you get at f2, and I like the results.In this photo of Velvet I love how her hair is getting in and out of focus, and how vibrant her face is, not because she is blurred by a long shutter speed (this was at 1/500 sec), but because the focus is so critical.

I promise I will treat this special lens with the care it demands, but I also promise I will use it a lot and without excessive reverence, after all I'm not a collector, I'm a photographer!Regarding Velvet, I promise I will try to shoot again with her as soon as possible, and next time I will try to take her to the abandoned hospital, because she confirmed to me that she has no problem getting dirty... actually, I think I will have to fight hard to keep her clean enough for my pictures!

Check out also the other 2 photos later today, on my regular social media feed, and on DA Subscriptions.

If you want to learn more about the Bramley Apple Project or Archives, or DA subscriptions, ask me on bramleyapple@yahoo.com