Jump to content

Summilux FLE 35 vs 50 ASPH 1.4


freitz

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Started new thread since the last one was so helpful and the original topic changed.

 

I am moving to Leica M240 and trying to pick a 1 kit lens to start and tore between these two lenses.

 

What I shoot

-travel

-family portraits and candid

-landscapes

-fun snap shots around town

 

I wanted to see if anyone wanted to weigh in here.

 

Thanks for the help

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have not owned either of those lenses (although I did have the non-FLE 35/1.4 ASPH a number of years ago). It boils down to personal preference between focal lengths. If I had to pick one it would be the 35, as the M240 has more than enough resolution to crop a 35mm shot easily to a 50mm FOV, but you can't widen a 50mm shot of course.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Freitz.

 

I also started my M240 journey with the same plan to initally be a 1 lens shooter.

 

I ended up buying both of the above lenses:

1) first was the 50mm Summilux ASPH (which not widely known - also has FLE and APO)

2) followed by the 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE.

 

All I can say is that they are both terrific lenses for different reasons, they both paint differently.

 

I will generalise on "just the above two" lenses:

1) The 35mm is a great all rounder

2) Whereas the 50mm is my preferred people shooter.

 

I do find however that in my case I get more "keepers" with the 35mm, as it is a far quicker lens to shoot with. I find the focus more forgiving on the 35mm, whereas the ultra-thin DOF on the 50mm needs it to be focussed perfectly

 

 

Maybe in hind sight, I should have just bought the APO 50mm...

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Started new thread since the last one was so helpful and the original topic changed.

 

I am moving to Leica M240 and trying to pick a 1 kit lens to start and tore between these two lenses.

 

What I shoot

-travel

-family portraits and candid

-landscapes

-fun snap shots around town

 

I wanted to see if anyone wanted to weigh in here.

 

Thanks for the help

 

M35mm FLE was my first Leica lens purchased together with an M9 (which I've since sold my M9 and replaced it with an M240). It is a general lens to me as I find 50mm angle to be restrictive on general shots. My 35mm FLE was supplemented with a 21mm Lux, 90mm AA, and 50mm Noc. I use the Noc for portriats.

 

In my opinion, the 50mm 0.95 Noc is good for wide open shallow DOF specialty shots and 35mm FLE is a good all rounder kind of lens.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had both for a while. I sold the 35 FLE and replaced it with a mint 35 Summicron v4 which I love. The 35 FLE was a little too clinical for my tastes.

 

But the 50 Summilux Asph is a true landmark Leica lens, and it never ceases to amaze and delight me. It is the lens which sits on my MM the majority of the time.

 

It is the only 50 in my lens armoury which I would never consider selling.

 

I echo the advice to get the 50 Lux Asph (and there are plenty of good used ones out there), and then think about a 35. The little 35 Summarit is not to be ignored, as it is quite superb, and is a 'reasonable' price, especially used. Good luck with your decision.

 

Regards

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I have both these lenses, the 35 FLE bought along with the M240 and the Lux 50 some weeks later. As others have said they're both great lenses, though with different signatures.

 

Given the range of things you want to photograph, and given you're looking at a one lens set up initially, you'd probably find the 35 more versatile. That being said had I'd known I was going to buy a fast 50, and just how much I was going to use that lens once I got it, I'd probably not have bought the 35 Lux but have opted for the Cron instead. It's smaller, lighter and far cheaper new and cheaper still if you pick up one of the many used examples out there for sale.

 

So, if you think you could manage with the slightly slower 35, with a little scouting around, you could probably buy a good used 50 Lux and a similarly good used 35 Cron for the price of a new 35 FLE.

Edited by Jennifer
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Started new thread since the last one was so helpful and the original topic changed.

 

I am moving to Leica M240 and trying to pick a 1 kit lens to start and tore between these two lenses.

 

What I shoot

-travel

-family portraits and candid

-landscapes

-fun snap shots around town

 

I wanted to see if anyone wanted to weigh in here.

 

Thanks for the help

 

thats like discussing which religion is better :eek: But I say 35. Of the five Leica lenses I own, the 35mm summilux is my personal favorite.

Edited by Numbers
Link to post
Share on other sites

Get a used 50 Summilux asph and a 35 Summarit or Summicron. The 50 is the must have lens and a 35 is very useful as well.

 

 

Ecaton makes a good point here. This would enable you to start with both focal lengths, and then when you have some more available cash, you could sell the 35mm for probably the same that you paid for it, and upgrade to the Summilux. Or you could start the other way round - with the 35mm Lux and a 50mm Cron or Summarit.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I find that for travel, landscapes and portraiture, I need both 35 mm and 50 mm lenses, though if given one choice I would have to favour the 50 mm focal length. Suggest taking a memory card and trying out these lenses at a Leica dealer and buying used versions of them in excellent/mint condition with guarantees. You could probably obtain a used 50 mm ASPH Summilux and a used 35 mm Summarit at not much more outlay than the price of a new 50 mm ASPH Summilux.

 

I have finally settled upon used versions of the 50 mm ASPH Summilux and 35 mm ASPH Summilux (pre-FLE) and have not been too much out of pocket en route with buying used lenses from Leica dealers.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Both are superb lenses, and your choice should mostly be based on your preference for focal length.

 

The 50mm is one of the smoothest lenses on the market. The bokeh is absolutely gorgeous and subtle, and even trounces the Nocitlux 0.95 in my opinion (too swirly and dominating for casual every-day use).

 

The 35mm is very 3 dimensional, and has great bokeh as well, except in some situations where it tend to look weird/harsh.

 

The 50mm has 0.3% distortion. The 35mm has 1% distortion.

 

The 50mm is ergonomically nicer to use. The 35mm is easier to nail focus on wide open. The 35mm produces a very slight amount of richer color which is easily compensated for in post on the 50mm, again, based on your preference. The 35mm is slightly (very slightly) sharper wide open based on my impressions after using two 35mm FLE's and two 50 Lux ASPH's on a MM and M240 over a few years. The 35mm is a lower contrast lens, which makes it better for contrasty scenes that require high dynamic range. In my experience the 50mm in general has a smoother focusing action and is easier to operate, whereas the 35mm lens usually has a much stiffer focusing action and only has the tab to focus with, making it a slower lens to focus for me overall.

 

If I had to choose one I'd definitely go with the 50mm - not only for it's qualities (I think it paints a nicer picture overall), but mainly because 50mm is my favorite focal length.

Edited by indergaard
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't own either of these lenses so am posting purely from a FL perspective. I own 3 50's and the 35/2.

Looking at what you shoot, your second point is portraits and candid photography. For that I would definitely suggest you get the 50 (or even the 75). For your other uses, the 50 and 35 could work equally well but sometimes the 35 might be easier doing street photography in certain places.

I think the 50/1.4 ticks more of your boxes overall so as a one lens outfit that would be my choice... Others will of course have differing opinions. At the end, I'm sure you will have fun with either choice as they are both absolutely top notch!

Just a thought, you might want to delay your choice until Photokina as there is a small chance of a new 35mm lens being introduced (pure speculation on my part)...

Link to post
Share on other sites

the 50 is a better lens IMHO; but the 35 is more versatile.

 

Yep, I own both and that's how I feel about it.

 

Rendering is far nicer on the 50 (in particular you will see less purple fringing, and considerably creamier out of focus areas + transition), but it's just not as practical - especially for landscape.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yep, I own both and that's how I feel about it.

 

Rendering is far nicer on the 50 (in particular you will see less purple fringing, and considerably creamier out of focus areas + transition), but it's just not as practical - especially for landscape.

 

So the 50mm has that wow factor in a lens but the FL isn't something that would suit a 1 kit lens?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Covered ad nauseam…..like here.

 

My advice is the same as your other thread…rent, borrow or buy…and see for yourself. Nobody can speak for your needs, style and preferences. If you don't know those, just pick one and start shooting…there are lots of other capable 35 and 50mm lenses, similarly capable of producing great work….and dozens of threads on them all (available via the search box….and lots more on "best 1 or 2 or 3 lens kit", etc), if you insist on polling strangers whose opinions will differ.

 

Jeff

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

My first lens was 35mm FLE, and later on I added 75mm Cron (which shares the design with 50mm lux). I couldn't be happier.

24mm Elmar, and 135mm APO joined the team as well, but that's another story. ;-)

Edited by mirekti
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...