Anyone with a M9 and the following lenses ?

[reven]

I'm eagerly waiting to get my m9 and really have to get a 35mm lens. (on the m9 the 28 was by far the most used lens)

However in a way I don't feel like dropping another 3k or 4k on a single Leica lens. Assets are a little thin after investing into a large format camera and lenses.

I heared that the Leica 35 Summarit is holding up quite well, which certainly is an otion right now, I just wanted to ask for other solutions like:

- VL 35 mm / F 1,2 Nokton
- VL 35 mm / F 1,4 Nokton
- VL 35 mm / F 2,5 Color-Skopar, Pancake II
- Z C Biogon T* 2,8/35 ZM
- Z Biogon T* 2/35 ZM

Anyone with either lens out there who can share his experience ?

I don't need the lens to perform best wide open more towards 5.6 to 11. Corners should hold up. Don't have to be perfect, but no mush either.

Thanks for any input.

P.S. Oh and anyone ever tried or has the VL 75 mm / F 2,5 Color Heliar on his m9 ^^ ?

[Marty]

35mm is one FL I have never pursued on the M8 so I would be interested too. In fact not only the Zs and VLs; I paid for the extra M9 sensor surface so I want to see quality in there

These and other lenses have been discussed at length in the past of course, but I think the M9 is going to trigger a whole new wave of corner pixelpeeping like we haven't seen before...

[jlancasterd]

I'm currently using a CV 35/f1.7 Ultron, which seems to be performing quite well in early tests, but I want to do some more extensive work before I finally decide. At the moment I'm finding the aperture ring on this lens a bit fiddly, and rather close to the focus ring, but it may just be a case of getting used to it.

I'm also tempted by the Summarit 35/f2.5, but this is partly because I'd really like a black lens on a black body, and my Ultron is chrome...!

[TimF]

The only one of those you list I have is the CV f/1.2 Nokton, which I reckon is very decent indeed - this on an M8.2 admittedly, still waiting for M9.

In truth though any reasonable lens should be fine at middling apertures and if not you'd want to know why. Certainly some will be a little sharper than others stopped down, but unless your technique is beyond reproach you're only ever likely to see that when the camera is tripod mounted.

I have a glut of 35mm optics which I tested on my M8.2 the other day:

Voigtlander 35mm f/1.2 Nokton
Leitz 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M (pre -aspheric)
Leitz 35mm f/2 Summicron (8-element version)
Leica 35mm f/2 Summicron-M Asph

I also added the 28mm Summicron-M into the mix, just as a comparison. All were shot at f/2 and f/4, with the faster lenses also having f/1.4 for the 'lux and f/1.2 and f/1.4 for the Nokton. The "test" was conducted handheld for what it's worth.

Obviously the two aspheric lenses were sharpest at maximum aperture (the 28 a little better I thought), but other than the Summilux displaying its characteristic flare at f/1.4, all were perfectly acceptable, and even the 'lux wasn't beyond the pale. At f/2 the Summilux flare was gone, and at f/4 there was very little obvious difference between any of them. Pixel peepers might differ, but I don't generally stare at photographs with my nose touching them.

I'll repeat this after I get my M9 sometime.

[reven]

thx for the first input. Will be interesting would others say as soon as more m9 are out there

[sean_reid]

Originally Posted by reven

I'm eagerly waiting to get my m9 and really have to get a 35mm lens. (on the m9 the 28 was by far the most used lens)

However in a way I don't feel like dropping another 3k or 4k on a single Leica lens. Assets are a little thin after investing into a large format camera and lenses.

I heared that the Leica 35 Summarit is holding up quite well, which certainly is an otion right now, I just wanted to ask for other solutions like:

- VL 35 mm / F 1,2 Nokton
- VL 35 mm / F 1,4 Nokton
- VL 35 mm / F 2,5 Color-Skopar, Pancake II
- Z C Biogon T* 2,8/35 ZM
- Z Biogon T* 2/35 ZM

Anyone with either lens out there who can share his experience ?

I don't need the lens to perform best wide open more towards 5.6 to 11. Corners should hold up. Don't have to be perfect, but no mush either.

Thanks for any input.

P.S. Oh and anyone ever tried or has the VL 75 mm / F 2,5 Color Heliar on his m9 ^^ ?

I haven't done formal tests using the CV 35/2.5 on the M9 but I've used that combination a lot. Generally, the results are good but I'm seeing more of a flare problem with this combination than I saw with the same lens on an M8 or R-D1. Much as I love the CV 35/2.5, I'm starting to prefer the 35 Summicron ASPH for the M9.

Obviously, I'll be doing more formal testing down the road.

Cheers,

Sean