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35mm/f1.4 titanium summilux ASPH


wlaidlaw

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I have almost given up trying to find a chrome 35 ASPH Summilux after 2 months of looking (probably in the wrong places). I have been offered a titanium finish one. I have two questions that the knowledgeable readership might be able to tell me. Firstly is the titanium finish a paint or sprayed/deposited metal finish? Secondly is the barrel aluminium or brass? I spoke to the Leica rep yesterday who was visiting my local Leica retailer and he thinks there is no intention of making a new run of the chrome 35 Luxes - why?

 

Wilson

 

PS If anyone wants to sell me a minty chrome ASPH 35 lux, I would be very happy to do a rapid deal. W

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...there is no intention of making a new run of the chrome 35 Luxes - why?

 

Not enough people bought them I would guess. Also it makes life simpler for Leica - no longer a need to produce two batches of the same lens.

 

From memory, the titanium lenses are just coated. Don't know the underlying metal. Perhaps the weight would give you a clue.

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Not enough people bought them I would guess. Also it makes life simpler for Leica - no longer a need to produce two batches of the same lens.

 

From memory, the titanium lenses are just coated. Don't know the underlying metal. Perhaps the weight would give you a clue.

 

Steve,

 

With the M8, I would guess they are selling more 35's than 50's now. They still offer chrome in the 50 Summilux (I have a new one) and 35 Summicron. If I understand correctly, the aluminium bodies are outsourced but the brass ones are still made in house, with only the chroming outsourced. If this is the case, it should not be too difficult to do a "commemorative" run of them. It must be some anniversary of a photographic event.

 

Wilson

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Just a guess, but

 

Untitled Document

 

gives the weight of the black version as 250g and both silver and titanium versions as 450g. This suggests that its "only" a titanium finnish and probably a brass barrel.

 

I did not for one moment assume that the barrels were made of titanium. I think Contax were the only people who did that on their G lenses. It is really a question of whether the finish is fragile paint or robust metal sprayed or deposited. I would prefer a brass body even if it is heavier as they seem to be producing less problems. Some websites quote the chrome at 450gr against 310gr for black or titanium but some lump the titanium with the chrome.

 

Wilson

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Hi Wilson,

 

The Chrome and Titanium are both just finishes applied to brass barrels. There is no difference in durability between the chrome and titanium. It's always the same, when your looking for a given lens it's never available, but as soon as you compromise and get something else, one pops up. Aggh!.

 

I had one of these beauties and sold it to Carsten. I've seen about 6 sold on ebay ofer the past 4-5 months, hang in there and you'll get what you want... ;)

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The Titanium finish is (vacuum) deposited over brass. The finish is the same as used in cutting tools these days, and is super durable, and attractive to some people.

 

This Titanium finish is in fact more durable that natural Titanium metal, so it is in fact an improvement for most applications. - And it certainly is not paint (like the old Olympus and Nikon bodies) !!

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I don't think real Ti is used, just to replicate the color. My bike has several real Ti alloy (3/2.5% Al/V) parts. They mar (not scratch), like bright marks on chrome bodies, quite easily.

 

Steve,

 

If it is vacuum deposited, then it would be real titanium they use. They would a method of heating a titanium filament very quickly in a vacuum so that it vapourises and then the vapour condenses on whatever you want coated. By looking at photographs, I am guessing that Leica may put a clear lacquer coat over it, as usually vacuum deposited titanium has a slightly rough look to it, where the pictures of the lenses I have seen look quite smooth. That is why I earlier asked the question as to whether it was just titanium coloured paint.

 

Wilson

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I've got a 35lux asph in chrome version, do you know what should usually be the price for this lens?

 

best

 

Maurizio

 

P.S.

the titanium version. is made of the same barrel as the chrome: brass!

 

Maurizio

 

Sent you a PM

 

Wilson

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Wilson,

 

Why do you want this specific finish? I think you know where I'm going with this.

 

Steve,

 

I really want chrome (and I hope I have now located one) but over the last 6 weeks or so, I had been unable to locate one in the condition I wanted, either new/unsold or mint++. I have been offered titanium ones from two different sources, which I was therefore considering as an alternative. I don't think the titanium lux would look quite as good on my chrome M8, as a chrome lux but it would look better than a black one. After talking to various people, it seems that it is the black Summiluxes made over about the last 15 months that have been troublesome and it has been suggested that the brass bodies can be made to a higher standard of accuracy than the aluminium ones. I just have this feeling that because they are a bit heavier, people may feel they are more solidly made. So where do you think I am going with this ;-}}

 

Wilson

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I was chatting to an old friend this evening, who has been a Leica user for about 50 years and after commiserating with him over his dead DMR, we got around to discussing my hoped for purchase of a chrome 35 ASPH Summilux. He asked if I was sure, because he wondered if this might not be the next lens due for an update. His argument was that Leica's lens development division has solved the wide angle problems with the WATE and the 28 Elmarit. They have solved the budget range issue with the Summarits. Presumably they are not going to sit around unemployed for the next few years, so what are they doing at this moment. Well of course they could be working on an AF range of R lenses. They could be working on an M ultra wide prime or a new MATE but what lens has caused most grief over the last 12 months and is one of the standard length primes for their current digital flagship - the 35 Summilux-M ASPH. I suppose he could be right and they could well be working on an update along the lines of the 50 Summilux, with a floating element to minimise aperture shift and improve the overall performance of the lens. They will have seen how good the 1.2 Nokton is with its floating element, where Tom Abrahamsson says he cannot tell which photos are taken with his Summilux at 1.4 and which with his Nokton at 1.2 (as a Nokton owner, I am not sure it is quite THAT good). Am I wise therefore, getting a Summilux at this point in time?

 

Wilson

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I have one attached to my M6 titanium. I think it looks great....BUT, the paint is flaking off the titanium finish. :(

 

Fred,

 

It looks like the paint that is coming off is the white paint for the numbers. I am guessing that it is difficult to get paint to adhere to titanium. Exactly the same happened to the numbers on my Contax 21G Biogon lens in titanium. I got my local camera repairer to paint them in again. From memory it cost me £20.

 

Wilson

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Fred,

 

It looks like the paint that is coming off is the white paint for the numbers. I am guessing that it is difficult to get paint to adhere to titanium. Exactly the same happened to the numbers on my Contax 21G Biogon lens in titanium. I got my local camera repairer to paint them in again. From memory it cost me £20.

 

Wilson

 

Right. Do you remember Apple's Titanium PowerBook G4? The paint came off and many people complained about that.

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I was chatting to an old friend this evening, who has been a Leica user for about 50 years and after commiserating with him over his dead DMR, we got around to discussing my hoped for purchase of a chrome 35 ASPH Summilux. He asked if I was sure, because he wondered if this might not be the next lens due for an update. His argument was that Leica's lens development division has solved the wide angle problems with the WATE and the 28 Elmarit. They have solved the budget range issue with the Summarits. Presumably they are not going to sit around unemployed for the next few years, so what are they doing at this moment. Well of course they could be working on an AF range of R lenses. They could be working on an M ultra wide prime or a new MATE but what lens has caused most grief over the last 12 months and is one of the standard length primes for their current digital flagship - the 35 Summilux-M ASPH. I suppose he could be right and they could well be working on an update along the lines of the 50 Summilux, with a floating element to minimise aperture shift and improve the overall performance of the lens. They will have seen how good the 1.2 Nokton is with its floating element, where Tom Abrahamsson says he cannot tell which photos are taken with his Summilux at 1.4 and which with his Nokton at 1.2 (as a Nokton owner, I am not sure it is quite THAT good). Am I wise therefore, getting a Summilux at this point in time?

 

Wilson

 

I don't think so Wilson. IMHOthe 35lux asph is one the last lens that need an update:

with the tri-elmar Leica may have solved only part of the problem "wide angles", but still they lack in that sector: most of the times CV and Zeiss owner demonstrated that there's no need to have the wate (RF coupling apart)iy you have a CV12 or CV15, and in the case of the Zeiss 18 and 21 even the coupling is present; so i guess, as many here, that they need to add a prime fast wide (maybe only 15 or 16 or 18).

After this there's the Noctilux to be renewed, it's the only lens built in Canada yet, it's bulky and too much expensive(and it is the best candidate to a trip to solms).

The 35lux asph issues are only due to back/front focusing, so i guess that they don't really need to change the product: maybe just pay more attention in phase of delivery ;)

 

With all respect I really don't see the need to change the 35lux asph: together with the 50lux asph this is still the "most wanted" couple of lenses in all the 35mm/digital world, so if you'r hesitant: go and buy your 35lux asph, you won't regret!i know for sure.

 

maybe you can look for a second-hand one and "risk" less if you're still thinking of a new 35lux soon, and in that case... I've got a black 35lux asph to sell:D :D (I only use my chrome version everyday!)

 

Best Regards

 

Maurizio

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Wilson,

 

It would be foolish to wait for an up-grade of the 35/1.4 ASPH, as, handheld, it exceeds all of our capabilities. I had one, but sold it because of its size and imaging qualities. I use a ver. 1 35/2 and a 50/1.4 Nikkor. The logic being, in my mind, that I need a higher shutter speed with the 50 vs. the 35. I'm DONE searching for the holy grail of lens selection, performance vs. size/weight being paramount, as I have been traveling for work since 1990. In the beginning I actually brought along with my Leica kit, a Hassy set, and a Nikon F2 set. After a trek in Northern Thailand after a job in the area I sold all of the mentioned gear. Now, all my gear fits into a Domke F-X5B (?), even that is too much for daily use. Please e-mail me for details.

 

KISS (keep it simple stupid for you Int'l readers).

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