A Marriage of Eras

The Poet, the Architect, and the M10

If you’ve followed my journey here at wivtphoto.be, you’ll know that the Leica M has always been more than just a tool for me; it’s a language. But there comes a time when merely ‘using’ a system isn’t enough; you realise that you need to immerse yourself in it. This weekend, I crossed that threshold. I decided to stop dividing my attention and instead invest deeply in the one place that has always felt like home.

To solidify my commitment to my M10, M6 and M-A, I brought home the two crown jewels of my kit: the 50 mm Noctilux f/0.95 and the brand new 75 mm APO-Summicron-M f/2 ASPH.

The call of the 75 mm APO

I have spoken before about my affection for the 90 mm f/2.4 Summarit. It is a beautiful, lightweight lens that taught me to appreciate telephoto compression. However, as my vision evolved, I found myself searching for an upgrade — a lens that could bridge the gap between the ethereal atmosphere of my Noctilux and a more precise, detailed truth.

The 75 mm APO was the lens that wouldn’t stop calling my name. It promised a different kind of power, and this weekend, it delivered.

First Light: 3D Pop and Effortless Focus

The moment those first images appeared on the M10 screen, it felt like the investment was worth it. We often treat ‘sharpness’ as a dry technical specification, but with the 75 mm APO it is a tangible sensation.

The micro-contrast is so intense that the images have a legendary 3D quality. But what truly surprised me were the camera’s ergonomic features: focusing felt much easier than with the 90mm lens. With a rangefinder, the 90mm can sometimes be difficult to focus at the edges of the frame lines, but the 75mm sits in the “sweet spot” of the viewfinder. It is intuitive. It is fast. It allowed me to stop ‘fighting’ for the focus and start dancing with the subject. Combined with the super compression, it gives me the ‘pull’ of the background that I loved with the 90mm, but with a clarity that feels almost impossible.

The Engineering of Perfection: A technical deep dive

While the Noctilux is a light-gathering masterpiece, the 75 mm APO is a masterclass in optical correction. Upon seeing the initial results, the technical ‘why’ behind that sharpness became immediately clear:

• Apochromatic (APO) correction: By using specialised glass to make all colours of light converge at the same point, Leica has eliminated chromatic aberration. Even when the aperture is fully open at f/2, the edges of a silhouette are crisp and clean.
• Floating Element Design (FLE): Unlike my 90 mm lens, which would soften when you got closer, the 75 mm lens uses an internal group of lenses that moves independently. This maintains edge-to-edge sharpness all the way down to the minimum focus distance of 0.7 metres.
• The 430 g Architect: With seven elements in five groups and an aspherical surface, it is incredibly compact. It doesn’t pull the camera forward, providing a natural and balanced extension to the M10 body.

The marriage of precision and poetry:

Hailing from the world of the Noctilux, where beautiful imperfections and the renowned f/0.95 glow thrive, the 75mm APO offers a new perspective on reality.

• The Noctilux (the Poet): Remains my voice for dreams — the lens I reach for when I want to capture a feeling, a fading light or the beauty of soft imperfections.
• The 75mm APO (the architect) has become my voice for truth, carving structural reality out of every shadow with surgical precision.

The real magic lies in the 0.7-metre focus. While the 90 mm lens always kept me at a distance, the 75 mm APO invites me into the subject’s space. It allows an intimacy combining heavy telephoto separation with raw, personal energy.

The final curation: Sharpness and Soul

Coming from the world of the Noctilux, where beautiful imperfections thrive, the 75mm APO feels like a revelation. This combination has made my kit so definitive that I have decided to sell my 50 mm f/2 Summicron. With the “Poet” and the “Architect” in my collection, the standard 50mm lens no longer has a place.

My lineup is becoming a curated collection of intentional voices.

• The 24 mm: For the wide, immersive world.
• The Noctilux (‘The Poet’): My voice for dreams and impossible light.
• The 75mm APO (The Architect): My voice for structural reality and surgical detail.
• The 90mm: The classic, elegant reach.

The Road Ahead: Building the Final Horizon

Standing there with the M10 and watching the light of a Belgian afternoon hit the sensor through the 75 mm APO lens, I experienced a rare sense of photographic peace. For years, I chased ‘more’ — more bodies, more megapixels, more features. However, by choosing the M-system as my permanent home, I have discovered that ‘less’ can actually be ‘much more’.

Selling the 50 mm Summicron isn’t just about making space in my bag; it’s about adopting a more considered approach to photography. Every lens I carry must serve a specific and undeniable purpose. I have the wide-angle immersion of the 24 mm, the ‘Poet’ in my Noctilux and now the ‘Architect’ in this 75 mm APO.

However, a storyteller is always looking for the next chapter. To bridge the gap between the wide world and these telephoto truths, the 28 mm and 35 mm lenses are already calling me. They will be the final pieces in the jigsaw that is wivitphoto.be. When they arrive, they won’t just be ‘extra lenses’ — they will be the heartbeat of my street photography, the final pieces of a puzzle that has taken years to complete.

I am no longer distracted by other systems. The ‘standard’ choices are behind me. All that remains is the pure, unfiltered joy of the rangefinder and the glass that defines my soul.

The vision is set. The glass is clear. And believe me…

There is so much more to come.

Thank you