Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/04/26

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Subject: Re: 35mm Summilux / collapsible lenses
From: cyberdog@unicall.be
Date: 26 Apr 97 13:57:30 +0100

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<SMALLER>On vri, 25 apr 1997 21:46, </SMALLER>
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bWFpbHRvOmhlbmRyaWsua29ydGhhdXNAY3d3LmRl
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<SMALLER> wrote:

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>Hi, all of you!

>

>Reading LUG every day two questions coming more and more to my mind. 

>Maybe one of you can help me.

>1.) I have the  M35mm Summilux, which I like very much and my dealer
ask 

>me for a chance to the aspherical. I looked at it and could believe
how 

>big it is. And it covers up the finder too much, for my opion. Have 

>anyone of you compared the optical quality of this two lenses? Is
there a 

>big different? Or should I spare the money for a 21mm or 135mm? (I
use 

>the Cron 90mm, too)

>2.) I read so much about this collapsible lenses. I've seen some 50mm
a 

>while ago, but was not intressted that time. So, which one and which 

>version is the recommandablest one? Are there other intresting 

>collapsiable M-lenses? I heard about 35mm or 90mm?

>

>I'll hope that there is someone who can help me getting back my sleep
at 

>night! ;-)

>

>Hendrik

>

</FONTFAMILY></X-FONTSIZE><SMALLER>></SMALLER><X-FONTSIZE><PARAM>12</PA=
RAM><FONTFAMILY><PARAM>Times</PARAM>+:-) The "padre" from Germany at
LUG (-:+

>

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RAM><FONTFAMILY><PARAM>Times</PARAM>

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There is a big difference between the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 and the 35
mm f/1.4 ASPH. I was able to compare several test shots (same object,
different lens) at FNAC in Brussels (Belgium). Tests were done on
black-and-white film on a format of 30x20 cm.

Result: the biggest difference can be noticed at largest apertures
(f/1.4 - f/2.0), where the ASPH version gives much more sharpness,
especially in the corners of the image. That quality difference
becomes less visible once you stop-down your lense (as from f/5.6 on).


I would say that the ASPH version is the best choice, especially if
you like taking pictures in available-light situations. You will
appreciate the difference in low light settings. If, however, you do
not generally take pictures in such circumstances, it could be a good
idea to stick to the non-ASPH version.

As for weight and size, you are right: the ASPH version covers a
substantial part of the down right corner of the M6 viewfinder. If you
put the lenshood on, that becomes even more of a problem (although the
lenshood is extremely well designed: it has a hole in the left side,
so that you do not loose to much extra of the viewfinder image). Of
course, weight is also higher for the ASPH version.


Based on these findings, I went for the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH,
simply because this is -according to different tests- said to be the
best quality 35 mm lens for 24x36 photography. I like my results to be
as technically perfect as possible (sharpness, contrast etc.), so I
consider the burden of extra weight and size to be of less importance
(moreover, I am using an M6 titanium body and went for the ASPH in
titanium version, with a combined weight of around 1 kilogram).

The ASPH comes out as one of the top lenses of the Leica-M series
(comparable to Summicron-M 50 mm f/2.0).


Don't forget the price aspect too: the ASPH is double the price of the
non-ASPH. The ASPH costs around 100.000 Belgian francs (that is more
or less 2.900 USD), which is a lot of money!


Pascal

Belgium



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