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Summilux 28 now out!


matlep

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Hi jrp, our posts crossed - sorry.

 

The lems is still at my office, so will try tomorrow as soon as I get in. Sounds as though I may need to order that 49mm ND filter now!

 

All sounds very encouraging and can't wait to get out shooting this weekend.  I don't have the Cron, but look forward to seeing your comparisons.  

 

Thanks again,

 

 

 

Andrew

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If it is not too much trouble could you compare the lenses wide open as well as at 5.6 or 8?

 

Wide open seems usable, but there is a significant step up at f2, from where the improvement seems mainly to be in depth of field.  (This is pixel-peeping at 1:1; at normal viewing distances, the differences are hard to discern.)

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Sounds as though I may need to order that 49mm ND filter now!

Well the lens certainly gives a nice 3D effect at wide apertures, but you get the inevitable CA at the widest apertures.  I have not tested field curvature, properly, but suspect that the gains in field of focus increase rearwards much more than front field of focus, at least at closer distances.  At longer distances, I have noticed that front focus is more apparent, but that may just be a wide angle effect.  Lots to learn about how to get the effect that you want out of the lens.  

 

The Summilux seems better than the Summicron at f2, but beyond that the differences are less apparent.  (This is all pixel peeping; I have not had a chance to compare the things that matter -- the way that the lens renders real pictures.)

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Well the lens certainly gives a nice 3D effect at wide apertures, but you get the inevitable CA at the widest apertures.  I have not tested field curvature, properly, but suspect that the gains in field of focus increase rearwards much more than front field of focus, at least at closer distances.  At longer distances, I have noticed that front focus is more apparent, but that may just be a wide angle effect.  Lots to learn about how to get the effect that you want out of the lens.  

 

The Summilux seems better than the Summicron at f2, but beyond that the differences are less apparent.  (This is all pixel peeping; I have not had a chance to compare the things that matter -- the way that the lens renders real pictures.)

 

How bad is the CA? Can the Summilux match the Summicron at f/8 for infinity/landscape distance? Most importantly if you can spot any wavy field curvature on the Lux compared to the Cron. My Cron has among the flattest field curvature of the M-mount lenses I have tried when stopped down to f/5.6 and f/8.

 

What about bokeh at f/1.4 and f/2? LOL, I know I have many questions, but since you're being so kind sharing the info so far.

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Too early to tell.  Check out Jono's photos, at least for the time being.  I have struggled with the Summicron (which is why I am trying the Summilux, as I like the 28mm focal length).  A significant proportion of my shots look at if they have been poorly focused, even at f/4, but this may well turn out to be my poor focusing skills (and varifocal glasses).

 

Generally speaking, I would expect a faster lens to have more quirks than a slower one.  I assume that the Elmar.  For landscapes I'd be looking at the Elmarit, which seem to be more contrasty, judging by the images that I have seen, than the Summicron, but it may well be that the Summicron gives a better start for post-processing. 

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Copies received in the store in California have the same 2014/08/11 production date reported here by others.  That date is before Jono Slack received his "early production" model and Sean Reid received his "pre-production" model, both of which were used to produce perfectly fine pictures in spring 2015.  I would be curious to hear Leica's story on the extended delay before they decided to continue production and start shipment.  But I haven't seen any reason to avoid the early units.

 

scott

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Copies received in the store in California have the same 2014/08/11 production date reported here by others.  That date is before Jono Slack received his "early production" model and Sean Reid received his "pre-production" model, both of which were used to produce perfectly fine pictures in spring 2015.  I would be curious to hear Leica's story on the extended delay before they decided to continue production and start shipment.  But I haven't seen any reason to avoid the early units.

 

scott

Given that Leica's customers appear to be better at detecting design flaws than Leica themselves are, maybe they just delayed until they received extended feedback from those folk who had received pre-production and early production versions. They did not want a repeat of the flare issue with the APO 50 Summicron. If this is the case, a very wise move.  Leica's reputation is on rather shaky ground at the moment, after the M9 sensor cover coating corrosion problems. Better to delay and be certain the product does not need any tweaks. 

 

Wilson

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I would be curious to hear Leica's story on the extended delay before they decided to continue production and start shipment.  But I haven't seen any reason to avoid the early units.

 

Someone in marketing is probably afraid the 28 Lux could cannibalize the new 28mm RX1... ahem... Q camera :p

Now that the Q thing has been announced, the 28 Lux is being released -- at a ridiculous price, probably for the same reason.

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There could be a simpler explanation: making a small preproduction series is one thing, Ramping up a complete commercial production workflow that will give consistent tolerances is another.

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Yes and no - the precision of manufacturing these modern designs will have a serious impact on the price. And we certainly do not wish for a situation that Leica is basically bankrupt year after year like in the beginning of the century.

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Someone in marketing is probably afraid the 28 Lux could cannibalize the new 28mm RX1... ahem... Q camera :p

Now that the Q thing has been announced, the 28 Lux is being released -- at a ridiculous price, probably for the same reason.

 

Or Leica's 1.7/28 Summilux-Q on it's own FF sensor may take some sales away from the 1.4/28 Summilux-M, so the user gets a second FF in a very compact camera body. The Q being FF body more but only a fraction of a stop and probably a whole lot of dollars less than the M-lens  :p .

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Just to correct n error in my last post  -- Sean Reid's review of the SX28 was published in May 2014, and he shot with it for several months before that.  So his was not in the August 2014 batch that is now shipping.  Jonathan Slack thinks that his spring 2015 lens is probably from that first batch.  People who concern themselves with terroir and vintage can of course, say that these units were built by the manufacturing engineers, while the later ones are the work of the regular folks on the line...

 

scott

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Japp:

 

Nobody wants a bankrupt Leica, but we all know that Leica will cost more just because it's Leica. Take for example the price of s Leica lens cap. A $5.99 lens cap sells for at least $35.00 just because it's Leica. I buy generic now when I lose a lens cap.

 

Leica has always been expensive but more so now than ever. I'm not in the money legue, it is a real sacrifice for me to buy Leica, and I can't keep up with the pace of the rising prices. Thankfully, the used market is flooded with tons of used lenses, and Zeiss and Voigtlander offer great value for their products. My two most often used lenses are Leica, but if I were to buy those lenses today, new, it would be prohibitive. I would have to look for used options, or go with a Zeiss or CV lens. I have two CV lenses in my bag, and both deliver!

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Well the lens certainly gives a nice 3D effect at wide apertures, but you get the inevitable CA at the widest apertures.  I have not tested field curvature, properly, but suspect that the gains in field of focus increase rearwards much more than front field of focus, at least at closer distances.  At longer distances, I have noticed that front focus is more apparent, but that may just be a wide angle effect.  Lots to learn about how to get the effect that you want out of the lens.  

 

The Summilux seems better than the Summicron at f2, but beyond that the differences are less apparent.  (This is all pixel peeping; I have not had a chance to compare the things that matter -- the way that the lens renders real pictures.)

 

Preliminary shots around home last night  (bowls of fruit, metal-framed furniture) with my 28 SX give similar results to what jrp mentions.

 

My first impressions are these:  f/1.4 is crisper and much more 3D than 28mm Summicron at f/2 (and my 28/ 2 is an excellent performer), close focus is excellent, colors are livelier than Summicron, and OOF is smoother than 35 FLE but maybe not as much so as 28/ 2. Prints are needed to really compare the two lenses, and that step will take time.

 

Overall take on the 28 SX, looking at an Izeo monitor-- not proper prints, is that the 28 SX is on the field with the APO 50. The new lens has big 3D, as much micro contrast as you can imagine, controlled colors and rendering seems very natural...  what "critics" of the APO 50 on this forum have described as "transparent." Images are not as stark as the Summicron offers. The rendering is ripe, like a 24 Elmarit ASPH, and not hard like a 24 Elmar.

 

BTW, I have no comparisons yet at small apertures and large structures, so I cannot comment there. Also, nothing yet on MM, as I traded my MM-1 to be on list for M246 (my wave is supposed to be next week, but who knows?).

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Yes and no - the precision of manufacturing these modern designs will have a serious impact on the price.

 

Zeiss has equivalent precision manufacturing for a fraction of the price.

 

Either Zeiss is exploiting child labour, or Leica thinks we are a bunch of suckers  :rolleyes:

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