Quote:
Originally Posted by BRUCELEE
I'm new to the Leica world. I've been shooting film/digital for 15+years.
I would like to now join the prestigious world of Leica.
I am researching equipment and I have to tell you it's like speaking another language.
I am considering purchasing an M7 body a 35mm 1.4, 50mm f2, 135mm 2.8.
My question is: What is the difference between "SUMMILUX" and "ELMART" and "ASPH"?
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michael
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Hello Michael,
welcome to the forum!
Understanding the principle of the different lens names in the Leica equipment it is very easy to see the quality of the lenses simultaneously.
The most important is the maximum aperture. "Summilux" means a lens with an aperture of 1.4. And there are different realizations of that lens. So, you can buy a wide angle Summilux (1.4/35 mm), a normal Summilux (1.4/50 mm) and a small tele Summilux (1.4/75 mm).
The names Summilux, Summicron, Elmarit or Telyt characterize the type of lens construction. A Leica Telyt is always a telelens.
Now there are different qualities of the lenses. Leica produces - one can say - 3 different types of lens qualities. They are marked with the addition "apo" or "asph". No addition means "normal lens".
Apo: the term is for apochromatic correction. That means for instance the "Apo-Telyt-R 1:2.0/180 mm" is a 180 mm telelens with the aperture 2.0 for the Leica R system with apochromatic correction.
Asph: means a lens with one or two aspherical lens surfaces for reducing scattering light.
I'm not sure, but I think it depends on the lens construction wether the company offers an asph. or an apo lens. In the R-and M-system you can get a lens with apo and asph corrections - the Apo-Summicron-M/R 1:2.0/90 mm Asph. (sorry, but absolutely crazy and unbelievable results in picture details).
Now let me say please some words to the quality of the lenses.
The quality of the different lenses is different. Each optical system - even the best one - produces some scattering light. This results in loss of picture quality.
The quality is measured in standardized MTF- diagrams ( modulation - transmission - function) what is - very simple explained - the number of lines per mm the lens can portray in a picture.
Looking to the MTF-diagrams (published on the Leica website) you see the quality of lenses. In general the apo lenses are better than normal lenses. The more expensive a lens the more better the lens is.
Very detailed information you can get on the website of Erwin Puts (I think you have to google it). There is also a small booklet (Leica Pocket Book by Dennis Laney and Erwin Puts, Hove Collectors Books, GB,) giving you a more detailed information about the Leica equipment.
Please take a look to the apo lenses. The quality is really unbelievable and the results are incredible. All these apo lenses are with the best lenses you can ever buy. Ok, they are expensive but it is worth to buy.
I hope I could give you a small introduction to the Leica nomenclature.
Enjoy your camera and have a lot of fun!
Best regards from Germany to Tampa
Dikdik