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Images from Leica Summilux 35/1.4 ASPHERICAL - 2A


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Hi all,

 

As I wait for delivery of this mysterious lens, I'd love to see some images taken by you guys - regardless of medium used (film camera/digital camera)

 

The acronym AA in today's times confuses almost evebody as it has become a default for APO-ASPH., hence the attempt to replace this by "2A" for 2 ASPHERIC surfaces which sets this lens apart from the other 35 Summiluxes (and all other Leica lenses save the Noctilux 50/1.2 I guess)

 

So, images please?

 

BerndReini, IWC Doppel - would you mind commencing?

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I am also about to take delivery of a recently bought 1.4/35mm Summilux Aspherical 11873. I bought it to complement my 1.4/35mm Summilux ASPH 11874 that I have had since I bought new and my 1.4/35mm Summilux ASPH FLE 11663 that I bought in 2014.

 

So far, I think the 11874 has a more pleasing bokeh than the 11663 at 1.4 to 2.0 but the 11663 has a more even focal plane. I never did have focussing issues with the 11874 though.

 

Cheers.

 

Mark

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AA is entered in the customs. I don't have one not only because of its price but also because its bokeh does not look more pleasing than the FLE's around f/2-f/2.8. I may be wrong though...

 

 

Lct - from what I've seen so far, I'll have to agree with you that the bokeh from the 2A is not very pleasing.

 

That said, the 35ASPH is by far my fav when it comes to rendering and a overall painterly look

 

You can make the 35FLE deliver good bokeh if you're mindful of the distance between your subject and the background behind your subject

 

Stepping beyond the Summilux territory, the Summaron 35/2.8 is probably my fav for a mix of sharpness with pleasing bokeh

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I am also about to take delivery of a recently bought 1.4/35mm Summilux Aspherical 11873. I bought it to complement my 1.4/35mm Summilux ASPH 11874 that I have had since I bought new and my 1.4/35mm Summilux ASPH FLE 11663 that I bought in 2014.

 

 

 

So far, I think the 11874 has a more pleasing bokeh than the 11663 at 1.4 to 2.0 but the 11663 has a more even focal plane. I never did have focussing issues with the 11874 though.

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

Mark

 

 

Fully agree wrt the ASPH and FLE.

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Here's a comparison between the AA and the FLE. Hard to tell the differences at web resolution:

 

 

 

http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2012/08/the-leica-35mm-f-1-4-summilux-aspherical-vs-asph-fle/

 

 

Thank you for this link! Interesting comparison, but yes, hard to tell - especially as I'm browsing via a mobile device right now

 

I enjoy acquiring new gear and I shoot extensively with my gear so I'll be able to contribute many images with the new to me 35/1.4 2A

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Hi all,

 

As I wait for delivery of this mysterious lens

 

The AA's endearing bokeh comes at an absurdly steep cost differential. One of the contributors here had a link to a comparison on film he'd done to either the FLE or Asph and while the AA may have been slightly sharper in the center, it was less so in the corners (?field curvature)--I wish I could recall whom but it's one of the regular contributors; his actual name may be ?Aiden from Colorado [uSA], I think.

 

Steve Huff did so as well and IIRC, colors seemed a little warmer while the bokeh melted away.

 

All things being equal, isn't it now relegated to a collectors piece showcasing the wonders Leica engineers could whip up in the late 1980's? Nothing at the time could touch it; this cannot be said of it today. You have the evidence in your own hands.

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The 35 asph is my fav lens and during my research for a 35 I looked at quite a few samples from the 35AA. The most notable difference in bokeh that I could remember is that the AA was able to produce those crescent moon type bokeh which reminds me of the noctilux. It's also got this slightly different rendering when shot at close distance. I don't know how to describe it but the difference would be similar to what I see from the 50 cron to the 50 rigid when shot close range. There's is another comparison which I'm not able to find that compares the 11874, AA and FLE. From what I remember the majority liked the 11874 best and AA least. That comparison above is shot at a very difficult scene for a 35, I don't think it's the best scene to show bokeh characteristics.

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Some good comments, I have tried to describe this marvellous creature before and will say it's still my favourite lens. It is a tiny bit sharper than the ASPH. in the centre, the colours are slightly richer and somehow denser, especially in low light. It has '3D' in spades. It is interestingly similar to the F1 Noctilux with the movement in the bokeh and the colouring in low light. The ASPH. is a much underrated lens, i much prefer this to the FLE, especially bokeh, it has a smoother bokeh than the AA but not the movement in the bokeh. The AA is special with that magic something that struck me very quickly. A quick few from my first few weeks with it where I was pointing it at everything in 2012. If I had time I'd have shown more colour, those that are colour are straight out unprocessed DNG's (I was 99% B&W in 2012 when I picked it up). All wide open on my M9-P

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Edited by IWC Doppel
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I am not saying that I would run out and spend the ridiculous amount of money this lens goes for these days, but it is a truly unique lens that is a marvel of technology for the time it was made. Even if you do not like the rendering, I will argue that the rarity and manufacturing process of this lens alone (I believe two out of three were rejected and the aspherical elements were hand-polished) justifies the price more than what a new 50 Apo costs.

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Man....I guess I have been taking photographs for too long, because I *just* don't get this use of this fine gear, like a bunch of soccer mom's commiserating in the grocery store parking lot about how they can never seem to get their Ferraris out of first gear.

 

Bye

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I look forward to seeing Hari's take and shots when he has his AA in hand and can A/B the Zeiss, at 1/5th the cost.

 

 

Happy to share images off the various 35/1.4's but James I don't think it is a fair comparison to pitch a vintage lens against the touted latest and greatest of our current times ... This lens will be permanently attached to the MM - if the rendering, to me eyes, is more appealing than the 35/1.4ASPH which is my current favorite

 

For someone like me it will be a pity to lock such a lens away and not shoot with it as much as possible

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Happy to share images off the various 35/1.4's but James I don't think it is a fair comparison to pitch a vintage lens against the touted latest and greatest of our current times ... This lens will be permanently attached to the MM - if the rendering, to me eyes, is more appealing than the 35/1.4ASPH which is my current favorite

 

For someone like me it will be a pity to lock such a lens away and not shoot with it as much as possible

 

It might be useful because reading Lloyd Chambers' account, the ZM draws with an aesthetically appealing bokeh. It is interesting to see how tech has evolved over 30 years, particularly controlling FC and focus shift while rendering the OOF in a pleasing manner. Also, the ZM, in addition to possessing exotic glass, appears to be a double-aspherical too.

 

You are a brave man to buy such a rarity and actually use it on the wild byways of Heidelberg.

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Man....I guess I have been taking photographs for too long, because I *just* don't get this use of this fine gear, like a bunch of soccer mom's commiserating in the grocery store parking lot about how they can never seem to get their Ferraris out of first gear.

 

Bye

 

Now let's wait for the backyard pictures, as we're used to.

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