Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/08

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Subject: [Leica] Advice needed on 35mm lens for Leica M
From: foto at cinemaminima.com (Foto)
Date: Tue Mar 8 18:27:19 2005
References: <NEBBJDFBIKOBILIKPPBNEELHBHAB.red735i@earthlink.net>

About the Summilux 35mm f/1.4 I concur. It is so good in  near-darkenss 
it blows my mind. I have taken photos in places so dark I had to guess 
what was going on, and the pictures have come out looking like daylight. 
Consequently, I no longer dream of the Noctilux ... I can't imagine a 
situation which the Summilux cannot handle, especially with the 
wonderful modern films.

Having said that, I am cheered to read that the prices of the "old" 
Summicron 35mm f/2 have become reasonable. I would really like to have a 
super-compact lens, and that would be worth the trade-off of the 
super-sharpness of the ASPH (right now I use an Elmar 50 f/2.8).

A U S T I N .

The Leica blog: http://www.suninsplendor.com/leica/

Sprezzatura: http://sprezzatura.editthispage.com/


Frank Filippone wrote:

>This is a repeat of the answer I gave to another with the same issues.....
>
>Here's the tradeoffs.....
>
>There are 4 lenses involved.... The F1.4 NON-ASPH and the ASPH; The F2
>NON-ASPH and the ASPH.
>
>USED Costs..... from that auction place.....F1.4ASPH $1400-1600; F1.4
>$900-1100; F2ASPH $900-1100; F2 $550-750
>
>Filter Size... I forget the details, but the weight and filter sizes are in
>proportion.. the heaviest uses the biggest filters, the lightest, smaller
>filters.
>
>Weight from Heaviest to lightest..... 1.4ASPH; 2ASPH; 1.4; 2  ( Figure the
>F2 and 1.4 are almost the same weight.  The ASPH versions are heavier, with
>the 1.4 much heavier than the F2 "Classic")  You could look these weights up
>to be accurate....
>
>Performance:  The 2 ASPH lenses are incredible.  Almost a match for each
>other.  The classic  F2 is a great lens, the classic 1.4 is less than these.
>Look in the archives for the "testing" I did to prove this to myself.
>
>OK.. confused yet?
>
>My precise ( ???) testing says the 1.4 classic lens is NOT as good wide open
>or at F2 as the Classic F2 lens.  Stopped down, I doubt there is little
>difference... but I did not test this.  The F2 is a really good lens.
>
>There is 1 issue I did not bring up.... the issue of lens clarity or haze.
>Make sure that any lens you buy is CLEAR.  I am not talking about little
>spots of dust, but rather the haze from the lubricants that comes with
>lenses made in the 60 and 70's... roughly the serial number range of 2M to
>2.6M.  Haze is possible to remove, but why bother when if you look a little
>longer, you can find a clean lens......  Theses lenses are not
>rare.....thgere are "millions" of them out there......
>
>Here is the REAL difference...... If you want the best performance on the
>planet, and to use the highest shutter speed you can, AND you shoot in dark
>places, get the 1.4 ASPH.  If you are dollar challenged, get the F2 Classic,
>and never look back.  If you want speed and light, the 1.4 classic is the
>lens for you.  If you want incredible optical quality, but want a little
>less weight, and save a few bucks, get the F2ASPH.
>
>Bokeh... The ASPH lenses have basically none.  They are technical lenses.
>The 3rd generation classic Summicron has lots of Bokeh.  So does the first
>generation, but the price is higher, by a lot.  the classic Lux does have
>bokeh, but wide open, it is just not as sharp.  If you want a really high
>bokeh lens, get the classic Summicron.
>
>Frank Filippone
>red735i@earthlink.net
>
>
>I would like my "new" lens to have the smooth
>bokeh of the Summicron.  Does the ASPH share the
>"look" or the non-ASPH Summicron?
>
>Does the Summilux (pre-ASPH) also have smooth
>bokeh?  Does sharpness suffer because of the
>f/1.4 maximum aperture?
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
>
>


Replies: Reply from feli2 at earthlink.net (Feli) ([Leica] Advice needed on 35mm lens for Leica M)
Reply from sethrosner at nycap.rr.com (Seth Rosner) ([Leica] Advice needed on 35mm lens for Leica M)
In reply to: Message from red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] Advice needed on 35mm lens for Leica M)