[carstenw]

Now here is a case where the Lux stomps both the Cron IV and the Cron Asph in bokeh, both wide open, and also at f/2. The Cron Asph also comes out slightly better than the IV. This is probably a similar effect to what I noticed once upon a time a few weeks ago when I was playing with Holger's Cron IV at a cafe, and seeing wild bokeh from the IV.

I think it is worth noticing here that the IV does not always come out on top in the bokeh department, king or not. Even Mike Johnston notes this in his bokeh comparison. Great bokeh when it works, and it often does, but not always. The newer lenses do maintain their pose overall, even when they don't have as nice bokeh as the IV.

One must remember that Leica is not in the business of making worse lenses with time, nor do they renew a design until they think there is something major to be gained. Often the old lens is simply left in the dust, but at other times, the old lens then becomes the venerable lens, and performs better than the replacement *in some situations*! The 35 IV does have nice bokeh and nice contrast sometimes, but other times it is way out there.

Order is the same as always, for simplicity: 35/2 A @ f/2, 35/2 IV @ f/2, 35/1.4 A @ f/2, 35/1.4 A @ f/1.4.

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