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Best 35mm lenses


Annibale G.

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My experience is limited to :

1) Film only (not M8...at the moment)

2) Summicron 35 1st type (8 elements, Wetzlar, mainly a collectible...)

3) Summicron 35 3rd type Canda

4) Summilux 35 1st type

 

and my definitive taste is for the Summilux, expecially at 4 to 8, in all the aspects one can appreciate on prints (color rendering, sharpness, quality of OOF, quality at borders)

 

Maybe things are different with the new Asph...

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With current lenses, the choice between the asphericals is simply a matter of price: both are superb, and objectively speaking better than anything made before (though the legendary and rare and extremely collectible Summilux Aspherical, of 1990, -- not the present ASPH -- was just as good as the present offerings).

 

Amongst the earlier 35 mm lenses the only one to perform really well was the last (4th) version Summicron of 1979. This is very good from f:4. Earlier Summicrons are really of interest only to collectors, and then mostly the first one, with 8 elements. The pre-aspherical Summilux was egregious wide open, with lots of coma and a veiling glare that spread out not only from light sources but from all highlights. Performance was acceptable from f:4 on.

 

The old man from B.C (Before Coating)

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In your opinion which is the best 35mm lenses for the quality of images? the 35 2.0 or the 35 1.4 ?

Thanks.

Annibale

Hi Annibale,

 

first of all we need to know if you are referring to the M or the R system. I am not able to comment on the M system but for R I am strongly recommending the 1.4/35 Summilux. It performs better at all apertures than the 2/35 Summicron and is faster.

 

Conrad

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In your opinion which is the best 35mm lenses for the quality of images? the 35 2.0 or the 35 1.4 ?

Thanks.

Annibale

 

Between the current ASPH lenses, I think it's hard to choose. The 1.4, of course, can be opened up another stop, allowing a softer look and a bit narrower depth of field. The 1.4, while exceedingly sharp, may be a trifle less contrasty---I'm not certain what it is, but the images seem just a bit gentler (not softer). They are both very sharp, subtle lenses, and I think a person could quite reasonably prefer either (or not really see a difference worth considering).

 

I currently use a 1.4 for the extra stop.

 

Until later,

 

Clyde Rogers

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The lux 35 asph is aswell a lens with a very appealing signature as a real workhorse.

Mellow but sharp depiction off from wide open an not prone to flare or ghost-imaging as long as you don't attach filters.

It looks cool to;-)

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... The pre-aspherical Summilux was egregious wide open, with lots of coma and a veiling glare that spread out not only from light sources but from all highlights. Performance was acceptable from f:4 on.

 

I second that! Being a one-lens-person, I traded a 2. for a new 1.4 in the early 70's. For a time sharpness and contrast went completely out the window until I switched back to a Summicron and everything was again what it was before that lousy pile of glass.

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Annibale my only experience is with the Summilux ASPH and I would describe it as very sharp but with a rendering that is like some of the older Leica lenses, especially the OOF areas. I would also check out the photo.net and RFF forums as there is much discussion of this topic on both. The link to the rather mundane picture below shows both an in-focus and OOF look from this lens. I like the lens a lot and recommend it.

 

Barn & tree trunk

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