pgk Posted July 10, 2014 Share #1 Posted July 10, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Its a bit of a cult lens. Small, light, neat, quirky (cannot be coded physically, no filter thread and Series 7 filters in that so bendable 12504 hood), and lovely to use (IMO anyway - I'm a fan). Surprisingly good image 'quality' at mid apertures with fine detail well recorded, but wide open you either love or hate it - soft and smeary. When designed it was state of the art and with available glass types and technology it could probably not have been improved - a real accolade to its designer. Here's an example of its wide open performance at a reasonably close distance (M9, 1/60s at f/1.4 and base ISO, full frame and 100% crop), it better at infinity - feel free to add other examples of its attributes. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230296-in-praise-of-mandlers-35mm-summilux-m/?do=findComment&comment=2627639'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 10, 2014 Posted July 10, 2014 Hi pgk, Take a look here In praise of Mandler's 35mm Summilux-M. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pgk Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted July 10, 2014 Its wide open performance at infinity is interesting. Fine detail exists in the centre and is retained at reasonable levels until right into the corners when it simply cannot cope at all and blurs badly. Its not up to current aspherical lens standards, but with some post sharpening and processing (which I have not done in any of these images) its not as bad a performer as might be expected given the age of its design. Vignetting (accentuated here in the sky) is an issue. All in all quite old fashioned performance but not unpleasant and it certainly can be used to good effect. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230296-in-praise-of-mandlers-35mm-summilux-m/?do=findComment&comment=2627651'>More sharing options...
pgk Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted July 10, 2014 At f/11 performance isn't bad at all with plenty of detail centrally and across much of the frame except the very corners which remain no more than satisfactory. Considering its age, flare, which can be an issue at times, is often surprisingly well controlled. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230296-in-praise-of-mandlers-35mm-summilux-m/?do=findComment&comment=2627656'>More sharing options...
lct Posted July 10, 2014 Share #4 Posted July 10, 2014 I love it for its unique glow as full aperture. My favorite standard lens for soft portraits on M8.2 and R-D1. Cannot fit my little Fuji X-E2 unfortunately. Beware of flare with this little gem though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted July 10, 2014 Share #5 Posted July 10, 2014 Is this part number 11870? The one where the #12504 lens hood spins round and around? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted July 10, 2014 Share #6 Posted July 10, 2014 11860 (version 2 - titanium), 11869 (version 1 - black paint with chrome front rim), 11870 (version 1 - silver with chrome front rim), 11870 again (version 2 - black anodized), 11871 (version 1 - silver "RF" with goggles & chrome front rim), 11871 again (version 2 - black anodized with goggles & chrome front rim), 11872 (version 1 - black paint "RF" with goggles & chrome front rim) ... if i'm not wrong ... 11870 version 2 here: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230296-in-praise-of-mandlers-35mm-summilux-m/?do=findComment&comment=2627941'>More sharing options...
pgk Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted July 10, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) The one where the #12504 lens hood spins round and around? Until it gets bent. I have a 'good' one and a perfectly functional 'straightened' one which Malcolm Taylor kindly reshaped so that it screwed and unscrewed again. I tend to use the tattier straightened one..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiOnara Posted July 10, 2014 Share #8 Posted July 10, 2014 Very small too... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230296-in-praise-of-mandlers-35mm-summilux-m/?do=findComment&comment=2628035'>More sharing options...
Duane Pandorf Posted July 11, 2014 Share #9 Posted July 11, 2014 I've been shooting almost exclusively with this lens for the past year on my Leica M-E. Most all of the photographs on my Blog and Portfolio are made with this jewel. You can use a 49mm filter in the Series VII Hood that "spins" around as that's what I've done using a 3 stop ND filter to shoot wide open. I bought my copy from Classic Connection and I don't think it had ever been mounted on a camera. However, I've recently purchased the 35 Lux ASPH. version (pre-FLE) and will be selling the pre-ASPH version this coming week for the following reasons: Flares too easily. (I enjoy high contrast scenes and want to stay wide open when I shoot that way and you have to be very careful with the pre-ASPH lens in this matter). Do not like the "glow" that is created around out of focus lights in the background when shooting wide open. I find myself shooting at F2.0 most of the time instead of f1.4 when I want to be at f1.4 The non-standard filter mount can be a pain. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted July 11, 2014 Share #10 Posted July 11, 2014 Its a bit of a cult lens. Small, light, neat, quirky (cannot be coded physically, no filter thread and Series 7 filters in that so bendable 12504 hood), and lovely to use (IMO anyway - I'm a fan). PDK The reason I wanted to verify you were discussing some variation of the #11870 is that mine has recently been 6 bit coded by DAG. It took some time to get it done, but he uses a machine shop that does some good work for him. If I cannot 6 bit code a lens, it throws off my statistics on lens use, so this became very interesting for me. He also coded a Mandler 50/1.4 that Leica would not 6 bit code for me. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted July 11, 2014 However, I've recently purchased the 35 Lux ASPH. version (pre-FLE) and will be selling the pre-ASPH version this coming week for the following reasons..... Yes, I have the pre-FLE asph. too but I can't bear to not have the pre-asph. having owned two in the past and regretted parting with them! ..... mine has recently been 6 bit coded by DAG..... Malcolm Taylor will code them too I believe, but I was actually referring to Leica's inability to code them as I suspect few will be coded by other specialists. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvaliquette Posted July 13, 2014 Share #12 Posted July 13, 2014 The reason ... is that mine has recently been 6 bit coded by DAG. Al, This brings up an interesting question. If Leica will not code a lens, that lens will not have a code assigned to it. Did you have yours coded as a 35 mm Lux ASPH? Guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickp13 Posted July 13, 2014 Share #13 Posted July 13, 2014 yes, i used the 35mm lux asph code with mine, but mostly for the identification. coding was done in the netherlands. greetings from hamburg rick Al, This brings up an interesting question. If Leica will not code a lens, that lens will not have a code assigned to it. Did you have yours coded as a 35 mm Lux ASPH? Guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted July 13, 2014 Share #14 Posted July 13, 2014 I got one of these right after the M9 came out - loved the look, but could never get over the close-focus limit. I just need to use a 35 at 0.7 meters too often..... Had to "settle" for the 35 Summicron v.4 - virtually the same look and optics*, but limited to f/2. *6-element double-gauss with a seventh element added behind the aperture for field flattening. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Pandorf Posted July 13, 2014 Share #15 Posted July 13, 2014 I use Lightroom and use the plugin Lenstagger to identify my pre-ASPH. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted July 14, 2014 Share #16 Posted July 14, 2014 Al, This brings up an interesting question. If Leica will not code a lens, that lens will not have a code assigned to it. Did you have yours coded as a 35 mm Lux ASPH? Guy Yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
engelfangen Posted July 14, 2014 Share #17 Posted July 14, 2014 11860 (version 2 - titanium), 11869 (version 1 - black paint with chrome front rim), 11870 (version 1 - silver with chrome front rim), 11870 again (version 2 - black anodized), 11871 (version 1 - silver "RF" with goggles & chrome front rim), 11871 again (version 2 - black anodized with goggles & chrome front rim), 11872 (version 1 - black paint "RF" with goggles & chrome front rim) ... if i'm not wrong ... 11870 version 2 here: and here the 11870 I think I will soon sell my Cron asph ;-) Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230296-in-praise-of-mandlers-35mm-summilux-m/?do=findComment&comment=2630562'>More sharing options...
lct Posted July 14, 2014 Share #18 Posted July 14, 2014 and here the 11870 I think 11860 (version 2 - titanium). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted July 18, 2014 Share #19 Posted July 18, 2014 Just to go on... my very old one... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230296-in-praise-of-mandlers-35mm-summilux-m/?do=findComment&comment=2633130'>More sharing options...
Nihlén Posted September 12, 2014 Share #20 Posted September 12, 2014 I had the black version with chrome infinity-lock for a brief time. I loveed the size and it was great for travel photography. Mounted on a A7r it didn´t protrude anything beyond the grip so that combo became my pocket rocket for a while. Lusting for different things I let both the lens and the camera go a while back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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