Pangur Ban Posted February 24, 2010 Share #21 Posted February 24, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've seen at least 4 35 Summilux ASPH lenses advertised for sale in the last week, so I guess the new one must be just round the corner. I've noticed this - seems a little premature before the we know anything about the character of the new lens... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 24, 2010 Posted February 24, 2010 Hi Pangur Ban, Take a look here Summilux 35 discontinued?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
gravastar Posted February 24, 2010 Share #22 Posted February 24, 2010 I've noticed this - seems a little premature before the we know anything about the character of the new lens... Agreed! I suspect those who have sold will be without a 35/1.4 for some time. For now I'm keeping mine. Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted February 25, 2010 Share #23 Posted February 25, 2010 Well, I am convinced that the new one is coming -- I did in fact sell my lens yesterday, and I am in line for the new version. The old man from the Spherical Age Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted February 25, 2010 Share #24 Posted February 25, 2010 The optical design of the current 35mm Summilux ASPH is very interesting and particular. Some kind of "expanded" double-gauss design. The layout is about as far from the double Gauss as you can get! The predecessor was in fact an 'expanded double-Gauss design', a classical symmetrical six-lens with an extra element added, nearly identical to that of the v.4 Summicron in fact. Lothar Kölsch's design team found that just adding an aspherical surface to a Gaussian design did not offer much improvement, so they started to explore really exotic layouts. They came up with the original, limited-production 35mm Summilux Aspherical of 1990, and when new production techniques were available, they modified it into the (still) current ASPH version. To illustrate the drastic differences, it is enough to look at the following notations, which I adapted from the ones used by steam locomotive fetishists. Here, '1' denotes a free-standing single element, '2' is a cemented group, and '/' marks the position of the diaphragm: Double-Gaussian: 1 - 2 / 2 - 1 Pre-ASPH Summilux: 1 - 2 / 1 - 2 - 1 Summilux ASPH: 2 - 2 - / 1 - 2 - 2 I think these codings are somewhat more enlightening than the usual "x elements in y groups" which can cover several extremely different designs under the same description. The old not-quite-spherical man Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NB23 Posted February 25, 2010 Share #25 Posted February 25, 2010 Discontinued? Any moment now, someone will come in and tell us that, soon, it will become a rare and highly sought-after collectible Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted February 25, 2010 Share #26 Posted February 25, 2010 Discontinued? Any moment now, someone will come in and tell us that, soon, it will become a rare and highly sought-after collectible Indeed. My own lens was sold again the very day it was first put up for sale at my own dealer's. I am not 35mm-less while I wait for the replacement, however. I have just had my 1983 vintage v.4 Summicron refurbished and coded, and results prove that if I was completely rational, that would be all 35mm I need. However ... The old man listening to the Music of the Aspheres Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted February 25, 2010 Share #27 Posted February 25, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I suspect that there will be gains and losses. Technically, I am sure it will be better, with very little of the sample variation that the current model suffers, little to no aperture shift and less flare. However, if all this results in similar images to the 50 ASPH Summilux, which to my eye are too clinical and hard edged, I will be sticking to my much loved current 35 ASPH Lux. It is like the Noctilux. For all its faults (coma, aperture shift, etc), I prefer the dreamy/creamy look of photos taken with the old one, rather than the technically superior new 0.95 lens. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted February 25, 2010 Share #28 Posted February 25, 2010 The layout is about as far from the double Gauss as you can get! The predecessor was in fact an 'expanded double-Gauss design', a classical symmetrical six-lens with an extra element added, nearly identical to that of the v.4 Summicron in fact. Lothar Kölsch's design team found that just adding an aspherical surface to a Gaussian design did not offer much improvement, so they started to explore really exotic layouts. They came up with the original, limited-production 35mm Summilux Aspherical of 1990, and when new production techniques were available, they modified it into the (still) current ASPH version. To illustrate the drastic differences, it is enough to look at the following notations, which I adapted from the ones used by steam locomotive fetishists. Here, '1' denotes a free-standing single element, '2' is a cemented group, and '/' marks the position of the diaphragm: Double-Gaussian: 1 - 2 / 2 - 1 Pre-ASPH Summilux: 1 - 2 / 1 - 2 - 1 Summilux ASPH: 2 - 2 - / 1 - 2 - 2 I think these codings are somewhat more enlightening than the usual "x elements in y groups" which can cover several extremely different designs under the same description. The old not-quite-spherical man Well, I would like to bring the following quote from Erwin Puts; The DG-type has a symmetrical construction with a converging lens (+)-diverging lens (-) -stop-diverging lens (-)- converging lens (+) sequence. This + - - + sequence has been flanked by two lenses with negative powers (diverging) to become - (+ - - +) -, giving the designer much more power to correct the aberrations. It is simple, but as always with genial ideas, simplicity is the hindsight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted February 25, 2010 Share #29 Posted February 25, 2010 I suspect that there will be gains and losses. Technically, I am sure it will be better, with very little of the sample variation that the current model suffers, little to no aperture shift and less flare. However, if all this results in similar images to the 50 ASPH Summilux, which to my eye are too clinical and hard edged, I will be sticking to my much loved current 35 ASPH Lux. It is like the Noctilux. For all its faults (coma, aperture shift, etc), I prefer the dreamy/creamy look of photos taken with the old one, rather than the technically superior new 0.95 lens. Wilson I also love how the 35mm Summilux ASPH draws, but the focus shift problem is a serious fault. I find it very disturbing. The new model should try to keep size and cost under control, preserving image quality (or even improving it with floating elements) and correcting for the focus shift. Overall, I have been happy with many pictures taken with the 35mm Summilux but, considering the price, and due to the focus shift, I am a bit disappointed with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted February 25, 2010 Share #30 Posted February 25, 2010 IThe new model should try to keep size and cost under control That hasn't been Leica's recent strategy for fast lenses but I suspect the new 35 will be priced closer to the 50 Summilux than it will the 24 Summilux. I also suspect that all the current protestations about not selling the current "dreamier" version will quietly fade away in the rush to acquire the new model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted February 25, 2010 Share #31 Posted February 25, 2010 for me, as a film user, its improved flare resistance I am looking for. no shift will be useful when I get a M10! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted February 25, 2010 Share #32 Posted February 25, 2010 ... I also suspect that all the current protestations about not selling the current "dreamier" version will quietly fade away in the rush to acquire the new model. I think you are right - otherwise we wouldn't find so many lenses on the second hand market. And what would someone who wanted to sell his present version to finance a new one tell in public? Would he say, it's no good, I want to get rid of it, the new one is much better? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted February 25, 2010 Share #33 Posted February 25, 2010 That hasn't been Leica's recent strategy for fast lenses but I suspect the new 35 will be priced closer to the 50 Summilux than it will the 24 Summilux. Do you think the price of the new Summilux ASPH will be lower than the price of the current one? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted February 25, 2010 Share #34 Posted February 25, 2010 Do you think the price of the new Summilux ASPH will be lower than the price of the current one? I see no reason for they would price it lower : whatever the cost, they can easily price it a little higher (4-5%) then the present one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted February 25, 2010 Share #35 Posted February 25, 2010 Do you think the price of the new Summilux ASPH will be lower than the price of the current one? Not a chance in my opinion. The current RRP in the UK is £2990 for the 35/F1.4 ASPH. Its possible that the new version will be priced the same but my guess is an RRP of something like £3199. I think it will be a strong seller for Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted February 25, 2010 Share #36 Posted February 25, 2010 Well, I would like to bring the following quote from Erwin Puts; As so often, Mr Puts manages to be less than crystal clear. Go look at a diagram of the current 50mm Summicron, for instance. That's classical double Gaussian design. Then take a gander at the 35mm Summilux ASPH ... The old aspherical man, not yet quite APO(plectic) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted February 26, 2010 Share #37 Posted February 26, 2010 As so often, Mr Puts manages to be less than crystal clear. Go look at a diagram of the current 50mm Summicron, for instance. That's classical double Gaussian design. Then take a gander at the 35mm Summilux ASPH ... I see just what Erwin describes... except for an additional element (that with ASPH surface). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted February 27, 2010 Share #38 Posted February 27, 2010 Well, I am convinced that the new one is coming -- I did in fact sell my lens yesterday, and I am in line for the new version. The old man from the Spherical Age A trusted dealer of mine mentioned that he'd seen and played with the new lens and that it was probably going to be released in the next few weeks (i.e. March). I was told that it had a new screw mount lens hood and filter mount too. Pricing? As mentioned elsewhere, don't expect it to be less. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah_addis Posted February 27, 2010 Share #39 Posted February 27, 2010 I also love how the 35mm Summilux ASPH draws, but the focus shift problem is a serious fault.... Have you tried having Leica adjust your lens? With all the talk of a new lens, I decided to test my current-model 35 Summilux ASPH on both of my M9s. The results were identical on both bodies--the lens front-focuses about 1mm at 1 meter wide-open. At f/2 through f/4 the focus point is tack sharp, though the DOF may be SLIGHTLY rearward of what one might expect. And from f/5.6 on it performs as expected with a tack-sharp focus point. In practice the slight wide-open front-focus is so small it doesn't make a difference, since user error is much more likely to account for focus flaws. I've changed my mind a bit and I may decide to get a new version if it's not too much larger than the current one. But I'd be more likely to sell my 35 'Cron Asph to get it. My current 35 'Lux, isn't going anywhere. It's such a great lens with just the right balance of sharpness, contrast and character. Mine was purchased new around 2000. It always worked flawlessly on film and on digital, though I didn't like the focal length on the M8. I don't know if the focus was calibrated well from the start or if they adjusted it when I had it 6-bit coded in 2008, but either way it works great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted February 27, 2010 Share #40 Posted February 27, 2010 Noah, Mine works just like yours. It is a September 2006 lens (factory sticker on the outer brown box), from the final batch of chrome ones they did. I never did hear a convincing explanation for dropping the chrome, just as they were about to bring out the M8, where a lot (mine included) were bought as chrome. I left mine at Solms in April 2008, pleading with them not to alter a thing other than changing the mount to a coded one. They didn't. I wonder if the new one will come in chrome or grey and black. I have never felt a lack of sharpness with mine and in contrast, I felt my ASPH 50 Lux was over sharp. In fact the only modern (last 15 years) Leica lens I have, that I feel is lacking at all in sharpness, is my MATE and then only at the 28mm setting, when used wide open. I agree with you, the 35 Lux is even nicer on an M9. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.