Which 35mm lens is the best for M?

[dpattinson]

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assuming you get past the focus-shift issue, I'd say the 35lux. I use it at 1.4 quite a lot in low light and the extra stop makes a lot of difference. In 'normal' low lighting, it makes the difference between 1/30 and 1/15 at 2500iso, which for me means reasonable hit rate vs. too much subject motion. (Normal for me means I can still see ok to focus)

I recently tested mine, it is slightly front focused at 1.4 and then spot on at f2, after that DOF handles the focus shift well enough that I find it hard to detect. If I'm worried about perfect focus - I shoot it at f2, problem solved. In any case when shooting at 2500iso and f1.4, exact focus is the least of my worries

[lars_bergquist]

I second that old Hungarian camera shop owner. "Summicron".

 

The first lens I bought when I returned to Leica in the early 1990's was a (pre-ASPH) v.4 35mm Summicron. It came with the second-hand M4-P I also acquired. This is still my 35mm. I found when I tried it out on the M9, with manual lens identiication, that it was astonishingly good. I have in fact posted a couple of pictures here. So I sent the old lens away for refurbishing and coding, and it is a gem.

 

The new Summilux we are waiting for will certainly be even better even at f:2 (less light and definition fall-off towards the corners) but if you can use 2.8 or 4 -- and with digital, you mostly can -- that old Summicron is all that you can wish for. And f:2 is perfectly usable, for that matter.

 

The old man from the Age of Walter Mandler (he designed it ...)

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[Danno_photoguy]

I have only had my M9 for a week or so, but thus far my 35 1.4 lux has been fine. It is the lens that I had on my RD-1/M6 90% of the time, I shoot at 1.4 most of the time. For me, it is still a great lens.

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[lars_bergquist]

Danno, you're right of course. The best 35mm lens for any M is the one you have.

 

The old man from the Age of Walter Mandler

[digitalfx]

I have also been looking for a 35mm and decided the get the latest asph Summicron to tide me over until the new Lux ships. My new Summicron arrived 5 minutes ago, here is a quick sample. I think I can get attached to this lens.

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[innerimager]

I second that old Hungarian camera shop owner. "Summicron".

 

The first lens I bought when I returned to Leica in the early 1990's was a (pre-ASPH) v.4 35mm Summicron. It came with the second-hand M4-P I also acquired. This is still my 35mm. I found when I tried it out on the M9, with manual lens identiication, that it was astonishingly good. I have in fact posted a couple of pictures here. So I sent the old lens away for refurbishing and coding, and it is a gem.

 

The new Summilux we are waiting for will certainly be even better even at f:2 (less light and definition fall-off towards the corners) but if you can use 2.8 or 4 -- and with digital, you mostly can -- that old Summicron is all that you can wish for. And f:2 is perfectly usable, for that matter.

 

The old man from the Age of Walter Mandler (he designed it ...)

 

As much as I love my 35/1.4 asph, I have been intrigued by this lens a long while. The fates brought a mint copy to me yesterday, I picked it up from the seller and tested it on my M9 and was extremely pleased. I did a long shoot with it afterwards and firstly love the size, and even at f2 found it extremely sharp, warm, and that bokeh is exquisite. So many incredibly nice 35s to choose from! I think this version 4 summicron will get a lot of use. best...Peter

[colorflow]

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Exactly the same experience as innerimager. Love my 35 Lux asph and it stays on my M9.

[microview]

As much as I love my 35/1.4 asph, I have been intrigued by this lens a long while. The fates brought a mint copy to me yesterday, I picked it up from the seller and tested it on my M9 and was extremely pleased. I did a long shoot with it afterwards and firstly love the size, and even at f2 found it extremely sharp, warm, and that bokeh is exquisite. So many incredibly nice 35s to choose from! I think this version 4 summicron will get a lot of use. best...Peter

 

The one I bought a few months ago was terribly flare prone. Malcolm Taylor cleaned it, found oil contamination, and now I can virtually fire towards the sun with no problems at all. Far better in this respect than my 50mm Summilux ASPH, where I think the hood extension is over-conservative in design. (Don't use filters at all.)

One thing I dislike about the 35 v4 (and I have read the same complaint elsewhere) is that the fingers clash with the hood release pins with the aperture ring awkwardly close to a fitted Summicron hood.

[innerimager]

One of my first with the 35 cron version IV. (F2).....Peter

[lars_bergquist]

All right, let's brag a bit more about the v.4 Summicron. This picture was hand-held at 1/40, ISO 1000 and f:4 in a halogen-lighted exhibition hall. With the M9, a moderate-speed lens goes a long way.

 

The old man from the Age of Walter Mandler

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[elgenper]

I have a Summicron 35 v 1 left from my M2 days. When I tried it on my new M9, I felt it was far too soft and flary, so I bought a new Summicron 35 ASPH: great lens.

 

Only, it backfocussed badly. None of my other lenses misfocus on the M9 (or the M2, for that matter), so back to Solms it was. I had to dig out that old v 1 again while waiting for its return.

 

And, guess what? In contrasty situations, and stopped down a bit, it´s a gem:

 

 

I think I´ll have to keep them both....

[Ecar]

Love the Lux, but if I had to get only one it would be the Cron: I have both, and the Cron sees more use. If you don't need the extra stop, the Cron is just a smaller, easier, yet highly effective lens to use - particularly for street work.

[lars_bergquist]

I did sell my Summilux ASPH a couple of weeks ago. The v.4 Summicron is now my 35mm lens. It does what I expect it to do; enough said.

 

But my expectations are reasoned ones. I do not expect it to do the impossible. It is an incontrovertible fact that modern/current lenses are technically superior. You can get a lemon, as Per did, but that could happen in the good old days too. Back to Wetzlar/Solms and have them fix it.

 

Consequently, I am standing in line for the v.2 Summilux ASPH, even if I am not holding my breath while I stand.

 

The old man from the Age of Walter Mandler

[Guest ccmsosse]

Please comment. thx a lot!!!

 

How about investing ~ $35 and going to the Reid Reviews

articleindextable

 

Amazing articles and lens comparisons.... almost too much; very helpful.

[digitalfx]

How about investing ~ $35 and going to the Reid Reviews

articleindextable

 

Amazing articles and lens comparisons.... almost too much; very helpful.

 

No doubt the best reviews, but his format sucks. As a paid customer I find his site extremely uncomfortable to read from. He spends too much effort protecting his reviews from being copied than providing his paying customers a nice site to find information in. I will not renew my subscription unless he fixes this. Its like we pay an extra fee to be subjected to the worst format ever to enjoy it.

 

Stick with Steve Huffs free reviews.

[Guest ccmsosse]

No doubt the best reviews, but his format sucks... Its like we pay an extra fee to be subjected to the worst format ever to enjoy it....Stick with Steve Huffs free reviews.

I agree with everything said - Steve's site is great, but Reid's no less very very different - both are valid and in a way "supplemental".

I'll stick with Reid for now....

[cheewai_m6]

it's pretty much safe to say any 35mm from leica will do the trick. buy as fast a lens, and as new a lens as you can afford.

[lars_bergquist]

No doubt the best reviews, but his format sucks. As a paid customer I find his site extremely uncomfortable to read from. He spends too much effort protecting his reviews from being copied than providing his paying customers a nice site to find information in. I will not renew my subscription unless he fixes this. Its like we pay an extra fee to be subjected to the worst format ever to enjoy it.

 

Stick with Steve Huffs free reviews.

If you are out for a nice cozy read, by all means go to Mr Huff. If you want solid, objective information backed up by pictures that really support the conclusions, I recommend Mr Reid. And if you are one of those obsolete, nasty Neanderthal types who value hard evidence, you will value it higher than thirty-five U.S. dollars.

 

You will even suffer, though with some gnashing of those Neanderthalian teeth, his bold-white-on-grey text, which is of course atrocious. During my years as my own webmaster and designer, I would never have committed such a thing. But it is maybe best to regard it as a mortification, like a hair shirt you wear because it is good for your soul (it is not good for your eyes, though).

 

The old man from the Age of the Dark Darkroom and the Bed of Nails

[gwelland]

If you are out for a nice cozy read, by all means go to Mr Huff. If you want solid, objective information backed up by pictures that really support the conclusions, I recommend Mr Reid. And if you are one of those obsolete, nasty Neanderthal types who value hard evidence, you will value it higher than thirty-five U.S. dollars.

 

You will even suffer, though with some gnashing of those Neanderthalian teeth, his bold-white-on-grey text, which is of course atrocious

 

I couldn't agree more. Whilst I enjoy Steve's site, he is guilty of being somewhat over gushing of all things Leica and it's also changed from a fan site to an ad-fest which is a shame.

 

Sean Reid is a lot more objective in his reviews and for that I can forgive the copy protection of his Flash based article viewer. Btw, I have sympathy for Sean because without the read only viewer I GUARANTEE that his content would be quoted & copied all over the web. (Hey, it's a business for him). However, he does need to pay his web developer to make that viewer scalable to fit the browser for those using larger resolution screens, or configurable for those white on grey challenged.

 

With respect to best 35mm lens? 35 'cron ASPH for size and convenience, 35 'lux if you can stretch to it for the speed/versatility. IMHO.

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[yanidel]

I owned several 35mm lenses before settling on the 35mm Lux Asph. I use it mostly without hood so size is not an issue for me. As for focus shift, chances are much bigger that I screw up the focus myself than to be able to detect it on a A3 print. Obviously, if you look on a flat panel at 1:1 magnification, you might see it but I have never seen a good printed picture turn bad because of focus shift.

F1.4 is handy in low light, 1/60 vs 1/30 can make a whole lot difference when you try to freeze movement. F1.4 also has a special look with some vignetting and less contrast. In my case, that extra stop was worth the extra investment vs the Summicron Asph.

I also own a Cron v4. Lovely rendering, and at F5.6-F8 almost equals the Lux. At F2, it has a look of its own that I find attractive with some glow and softness. Corners lag in sharpness up to F5.6, but when one shoots wide aperture, usually corners don't matter much. As for the King of Bokeh reputation, I did some test vs the Lux Asph and F2 is a bit more swirly, yet stopped down they are similar enough than only a real expert would perceive any differences on print.