Leica 90mm f2 Summicron R - One Lens Challenge (EOS R7)

May 3

The sun finally graced the city with its presence, casting a warm hue over the city. As I was editing my next YouTube video I got distracted thinking about shooting photos. It’s been so grey in the city for the past few weeks. A thought tugged at my mind – when was the last time I immersed myself in a photo walk? As a photographer first and a YouTuber second, I couldn't resist the call of the streets any longer and had to get outside. I decided to do a one lens challenge. I got a list of all my lenses and cameras and randomly picked one lens and one camera. I ended up with the Canon EOS R7 and the Leica 90mm f2 Summicron R, a gem among lenses. The awkward combination of a 90mm lens on an APS-C sensor intrigued me – a challenge I eagerly accepted.

The Canon EOS R7, with its APS-C 1.6x crop sensor, transformed the 90mm Leica lens into a formidable 144mm full-frame equivalent prime. Admittedly, maneuvering with such a focal was a bit of a challenge but it was exciting to do something different. The image quality rendered by this lens-camera duo exceeded my expectations. This Leica 90mm is just a fantastic piece of glass. One of my favorite lenses of all time. Though If I could say one negative about this it, it would that perhaps this lens is too good. It lacks that vintage charm exhibited by other lenses of it’s era. The Canon R7’s high resolution sensor can be very demanding on lenses with flaws but this Leica lens preformed great. The only flaw I found was in the Canon EOS R7. I was frustrated by the fact that I had to hit the magnification button and the INFO button in order to zoom into the EVF and check critical focus. I wish it was just a one button press like on the EOS R5. It’s just a little thing but it makes shooting vintage lenses on the R7 a less enjoyable experience.

Walking around with a 153mm prime lens was a bit of a challenge. I really had to look for distant compositions but overall it was great to get out and shoot for the fun of shooting. There is something fun about shooting photos without any other purpose other than to just enjoy the moments that unfold in front of you.

Camera Setup: Canon EOS R7 + Leica R to EOS R Adapter + Leica 90mm f2 Summicron R + B+W Circular Polarizer