w44neg Posted June 21, 2015 Share #1 Posted June 21, 2015 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) So I had an M9 with a 35mm Summicron ASPH. Loved it, but unfortunately developed a hankering for the M 240. With that camera I went for a 35mm Summilux 1.4, but I never liked the M+Lux as much as the M9+Cron. I don't know why. The M is superior in shutter noise, battery life and of course ISO, but it never felt the same and the images lacked something. Recently, used M9 prices have dropped considerably and I'm now seriously considering another one. However, the Summicron used is around £1400GBP, but I see the Zeiss F2 35mm is around half the price of that, with the Voigtlander options looking cheaper still. Has anybody had this first world decision to comprehend, and perhaps tried the options before coming to a conclusion of which is the best set up? I always loved the physical size of my Summicron as well. I'm thinking overallI IQ and sharpness to make the most of the M9 sensor. Edited June 21, 2015 by w44neg Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 21, 2015 Posted June 21, 2015 Hi w44neg, Take a look here Back to the M9... On a budget... Zeiss, Voigtlander or Leica lenses?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Archiver Posted June 22, 2015 Share #2 Posted June 22, 2015 The general consensus seems to be the the 35mm Biogon is very close to the Summicron in sharpness and overall image quality. My only concern with the Zeiss ZM lenses is that at least half of mine or more have some issue with the focusing barrel coming loose or wobbling in some way. I have: 21mm Biogon - no wobble 25mm Biogon - wobble in lens barrel 28mm Biogon - severe wobble and 'catching' in the focus ring, and inside the lens there are distinct marks of the barrel rubbing against something inside. 50mm Sonnar - slight play in focus ring, able to click the barrel up and down slightly The irony is that none of my Voigtlander lenses, which are made in the same factory as the Zeiss lenses by Cosina, have any mechanical issues. They are mechanically perfect. And yet they are the least expensive of the three main brands. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiver Posted June 22, 2015 Share #3 Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) Regarding a Voigtlander alternative: I am not aware of a 35mm f2 Voigtlander lens. The Voigtlanders in the 35mm range are: Nokton 35mm f1.2 Nokton 35mm f1.4 Skopar 35mm f2.5 The f1.2 is very large and heavy, particularly when compared with the 35mm Summicron. The f1.4 is much more comparable to the Summicron in terms of size, but renders differently from the Biogon, even when stepped down to f2. The f2.5 Skopar loses a bit of aperture but is supposedly as sharp as the Summarit. Edited June 22, 2015 by Archiver Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndReini Posted June 22, 2015 Share #4 Posted June 22, 2015 There is more to a lens than just the image it produces. I know this sounds ridiculous, but hear me out: if the M9 and 35cron combo gave you the results you miss, then I am certain there is a certain amount of nostalgia connected with it. I personally think you should buy the exact same combination because if you don't, you will still always be missing something. It can be as little as the convex focusing tab on the Zeiss vs. concave one you are used to from the cron that might ruin the experience for you. Go all in, get that 35cron back. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w44neg Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted June 22, 2015 That does make sense Bernd I agree. It's food for thought, thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted June 22, 2015 Share #6 Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) I would consider the Summicron 35 IV. You get the same dimensions as the asph with less weight and wonderfull bokeh in return. It's such a nice compact combo with the M9, uncomparable with M + 35lux or any other -lux. Zeiss is not my thing, the build is mostly ugly IMHO (at least on a Leica) and their 'philosophy' about hoods is beyond my scope. Except for the 15mm, Voigtländer lenses are beautifull but in the end you mostly end up with longing for a Leica: just a tiny bit too soft mostly. Edited June 22, 2015 by otto.f Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosophos Posted June 23, 2015 Share #7 Posted June 23, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) There is more to a lens than just the image it produces. I know this sounds ridiculous, but hear me out: if the M9 and 35cron combo gave you the results you miss, then I am certain there is a certain amount of nostalgia connected with it. I personally think you should buy the exact same combination because if you don't, you will still always be missing something. It can be as little as the convex focusing tab on the Zeiss vs. concave one you are used to from the cron that might ruin the experience for you. Go all in, get that 35cron back. I agree 100% with this. Peter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozkanakman Posted June 23, 2015 Share #8 Posted June 23, 2015 Have you considered the 35 Skopar in LTM? I own one and love it on the M-E. Ultra compact, lightweight and sharp images. What you lose in speed you gain in size:) I also have a 35 Lux Asph. IQ is astounding, but adds lots of weight and can be hard to lug around all day. Hence stays home more often. CV also has a 35 1.7 in LTM which has some great reviews. Never had one though. I believe CV is releasing a new M mount version of this lens. Mechanically speaking, I have 3 CV lenses 15 V2, 75 2.5 LTM and the 35 Skopar LTM and all are exceptional. I had a Summarit 35 2.5 which had too much play in front element and the aperture ring was way too loose, while a 28 Elmarit V3 has a sticky aperture ring and a very slight play in front element both taken care of through CLA. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w44neg Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted June 23, 2015 I also have a 35 Lux Asph. IQ is astounding, but adds lots of weight and can be hard to lug around all day. Hence stays home more often. Really?! Today, I had in my bag... Canon 6D Canon TS-E 17mm Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS Canon 40mm Canon Flash Tamron 24-70mm f2.8 Plus a Tripod :-D Suddenly, the 35 lux is like a feather :-D 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted June 23, 2015 Share #10 Posted June 23, 2015 Zeiss M lenses seem to have quality issues. This thread is not the first place I have heard it. The SLR lenses seem very good all around. I only wish there was a better way to focus them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandA Posted June 23, 2015 Share #11 Posted June 23, 2015 I'm sure the stories about zeiss.zm lenses are.true but I've had many over the years and so far mot a single issue with any. I would think and hope QC has gotten better through the years and hopefully most of the stories were of early versions of their lenses. Dave (D&A) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiver Posted June 24, 2015 Share #12 Posted June 24, 2015 CV also has a 35 1.7 in LTM which has some great reviews. Never had one though. I believe CV is releasing a new M mount version of this lens. I had a CV Ultron 35/1.7 LTM for about a week. I absolutely loved how it rendered, how it felt in the hand, how the images looked with the M9. Unfortunately, it consistently misfocused and the tech was unable to calibrate the lens for my camera, so it went back to the shop and I picked up CV 50/3.5 Heliar, which is another super lens. If you can find a copy that works on your M9, it is a keeper. The new M-mount Ultron 35/1.7 is a new optical design, larger and heavier, and has a different barrel grip. Initial reports say it is excellent, but I am not sure if it would render the same way at the original LTM version. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunston Posted June 24, 2015 Share #13 Posted June 24, 2015 selling M240 for M9? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblutter Posted June 24, 2015 Share #14 Posted June 24, 2015 For a great bargain, Summi-C 2.0 40mm - even cheaper Minolta branded, exact same everything + 39mm filter (vs Ser 5.5) Way underrated - tack sharp, lightweight - and you get the extra f: stop Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asiafish Posted June 26, 2015 Share #15 Posted June 26, 2015 Summarit 35mm f/2.5. Small, light, cheap and gorgeous. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
essvaun Posted June 26, 2015 Share #16 Posted June 26, 2015 Have had ZM 50 planar, 35 biogon, 21 biogon, never an issue with any. This is not a Zeiss vs Leica thing - what are these issues? Genuinely curious. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grievor Posted June 26, 2015 Share #17 Posted June 26, 2015 Easy fix..go to a camera shop and try both lenses...my personal Zeiss 35 f2 biogon has been a champion so far. Only thing bugging me is that im more a 50mm person so I'm having a 50 cron coming in.it's really how you view your images...one mans meat is anothers poison Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
horosu Posted June 26, 2015 Share #18 Posted June 26, 2015 Zeiss M lenses seem to have quality issues. This thread is not the first place I have heard it. The SLR lenses seem very good all around. I only wish there was a better way to focus them. The ZM lenses don't have more problems than others. It's just that people complain more. My experience is quite the opposite: I've never had any problems with ZM lenses, but quite my share with Leica ones: the 50 and 35 Summiluxes ASPH (the latter bought new) developed severe play in the front part of the lens assembly. They went back to Leica,who said it was the focusing block assembly. Paid 247 EUROS a piece for the repair. Lens was 5 weeks away. When I wanted to recalibrate the C-Sonnar for wide open focus, Zeiss service did it in two weeks. So, let's not generalize. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelly Posted June 26, 2015 Share #19 Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) My 35 Lux FLE just blows me away with it's rendering. When I first purchased, it never seemed quite right. The aperture ring had too much play and it just seemed a little off I sent it to Leica under warranty to have it looked at and have it calibrated with my M9. On it's return it has been simply amazing... it has been almost 4 years now and is a lens I would never part with. Edited June 26, 2015 by nelly 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndReini Posted June 27, 2015 Share #20 Posted June 27, 2015 what are these issues? Genuinely curious. On my 21mm Biogon, the oil must have dried out and the focus ring was so sticky that the lens creaked when focusing. I had it serviced by a local independent lens technician, and it was fine afterward. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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.