Delivery of the LEICA SUMMARIT-S 35 mm f/2.5 ASPH. begins

[LUF Admin]

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Here's a Leica press release regarding the LEICA SUMMARIT-S 35 mm f/2.5 ASPH:

 

» Leica Blog: LEICA SUMMARIT-S 35 mm f/2.5 ASPH.

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jplomley]

I'm picking one up today and will be heading to Olympic National Park on Friday for a two week landscape shoot. Will also have the 70mm and 180mm. I'll post some results once I get back.

[wildlightphoto]

I'm picking one up today and will be heading to Olympic National Park on Friday for a two week landscape shoot.

 

I'm envious! I noticed on your website that you typically use a 4x5 camera for your landscape photos. Is the S2 intended as a supplement to the 4x5 or a replacement?

[jplomley]

Hi Doug,

 

The purpose of the trip to Olympic is to compare 4x5 to the S2. The 4x5 chromes will be drum scanned at West Coast Imaging on their Tango. Images I took last weekend with the S2 in WMNF in NH using the 70/180 lens combination look extremely promising. Resolution, even stopped down, is very impressive. I needed to composite DOF for some scenes, but as I understand it, there are plans for an introduction of at least one T/S lens. The camera is extremely intuitive, took an entire 30 minutes to figure out the entire menu system and have it optimized for my preferred shooting style. The viewfinder is so bright and crisp that precise focussing can be achieved even with a polarizer mounted (2.3 stop loss of light). I even had the opportunity to shoot a Moose that wandered through my landscape composition. Went from ISO 160 with mirror lock-up to ISO 320, continuous drive advance in seconds. It was dead easy to nail focus on the Moose with the 180mm shot wide open at f/3.5. The resolution of these lenses wide open is just phenomenal.

[wildlightphoto]

Hi Doug,

 

The purpose of the trip to Olympic is to compare 4x5 to the S2. The 4x5 chromes will be drum scanned at West Coast Imaging on their Tango. Images I took last weekend with the S2 in WMNF in NH using the 70/180 lens combination look extremely promising. Resolution, even stopped down, is very impressive. I needed to composite DOF for some scenes, but as I understand it, there are plans for an introduction of at least one T/S lens. The camera is extremely intuitive, took an entire 30 minutes to figure out the entire menu system and have it optimized for my preferred shooting style. The viewfinder is so bright and crisp that precise focussing can be achieved even with a polarizer mounted (2.3 stop loss of light). I even had the opportunity to shoot a Moose that wandered through my landscape composition. Went from ISO 160 with mirror lock-up to ISO 320, continuous drive advance in seconds. It was dead easy to nail focus on the Moose with the 180mm shot wide open at f/3.5. The resolution of these lenses wide open is just phenomenal.

 

I would imagine that the T/S lens would be very important in a comparison with the 4x5. I'll be in BIG trouble once the 350mm S lens is released.

[jplomley]

Just picked up the 35mm, and surprisingly it is longer than the 70mm. It balances extremely well on the S2 and the filter thread of 82mm matches that of the 70mm. Looking forward to giving it a workout in the rainforests.

[c6gowin]

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Jeff, I assume a standard polarizer will work on the 35mm, but can you verify that if you have one. I have yet to buy an 82mm polarizer and it would be nice to know whether to get a slim or standard.

 

Mark

[jplomley]

Mark, because I shoot so many systems I have settled on 77mm and 105mm polarizers. For my ultra-wides in 4x5, I use a Heliopan step-up ring to the 105mm polarizer and this negates any chance of vignetting. I also use the Lee filter system with the polarizer thread on the front of the graduated neutral density holder, and this has a thread of 105mm. For the 35mm lens, I will be using the 82/105 step-up ring and 105mm polarizer. There is no way this is going to vignette. I would be very surprised if you needed a slim polarizer on a 35mm whose EFOV is 28mm.

[jplomley]

Just a quick walkabout with the lens after picking it up. This was hand held, which given the ergonomics of the S2 is very easy to do even with the size of the 35mm lens. ISO was 320. I've included a 100% crop from a 20" x 30" file (at 240 ppi) straight out of LR. This lens is going to be a legend, I can feel it, just perfect for street work

 

Note that the web just does not do these files justice because there is so much down-sampling from the native resolution of this sensor and color information is lost in sRGB color space.

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[c6gowin]

Wow! That 35mm Lola very impressive even on the web. I can imagine how good it is at full resolution and wide color gamut. I look forward to try this lens myself. Also, thank you for the information regarding polarizing filters

[jplomley]

Doug, just downloaded a bunch of files from the weekend in WMNF and thought I would post this one for you. It was shot at ISO 320 with the 180/3.5 APO Elmar-S at 1/125th , f/4.0. Not the best specimen aesthetically, but you get the idea of what this camera/lens combination can do. The 100% crop is from a 20" x 30" print straight out of LR. Note that the maximum file size LUF permits is 960 pxl, 290 kB, so you can imagine the amount of information we are throwing away here. The full image on my Cinema Display is simply mind boggling! It was pouring rain the day this image was taken, hence the lush "glowy" vegetation. Keeping my fingers crossed that the vine maples in Olympic are prime when we arrive tomorrow.

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[wildlightphoto]

Doug, just downloaded a bunch of files from the weekend in WMNF and thought I would post this one for you.

 

Thanks Jeff. Looks like the background bokeh tends toward harsh, is this typical of this lens? I can hardly wait to see what the 350 does on the S2.

[jplomley]

I don't think so Doug. I have a few tulip shots when I was testing the bokeh at closest focussing distance and the background is buttery smooth. I suspect the default contrast in LR is adding to the "busyness" of the background. I wanted to minimize any editing in LR in order to demonstrate what one might expect straight up. What are your impressions of the resolution in the crop?

[c6gowin]

The transition from in-focus to out-of-focus areas look very good to my eye. The crop shows this well near the moose's head.

[markowich]

I don't think so Doug. I have a few tulip shots when I was testing the bokeh at closest focussing distance and the background is buttery smooth. I suspect the default contrast in LR is adding to the "busyness" of the background. I wanted to minimize any editing in LR in order to demonstrate what one might expect straight up. What are your impressions of the resolution in the crop?

 

honestly, from the downsized image no none can tell the resolution. a nikon D5000 can do the same and the bokeh produced by the nikon 16-85mm kit lens looks equally nervous. this does not mean that i want to compare IQ of the S2 and the nikon D5000 but web images are what they are. also, processing can have a huge impact on perceived sharpness but not so much on bokeh unless there is substantial oversharpening.

anyway, the shot you posted with the 35mm lens looks very good. it seems to me that leica has gone for super resolution with the S lenses, sacrificing bokeh and lens character. but this is a difficult discussion in the MF area, the only lens with character that i know is the HC 100mm f2.2.

peter

[jplomley]

honestly, from the downsized image no none can tell the resolution. a nikon D5000 can do the same and the bokeh produced by the nikon 16-85mm kit lens looks equally nervous. this does not mean that i want to compare IQ of the S2 and the nikon D5000 but web images are what they are. also, processing can have a huge impact on perceived sharpness but not so much on bokeh unless there is substantial oversharpening. anyway, the shot you posted with the 35mm lens looks very good

 

I completely agree Peter. Anything put in front of this camera demands to be viewed large. I won't have any time to rip a print until I get back from Olympic National Park, but looking at the resolution on my Cinema Display, I fully expect top drawer results. For my applications, this will be the true test of the system. That is, can I replace my 4x5 and drum scanning workflow with the S2 (fully expecting future offerings of T/S optics as well as macro)?

[markowich]

I completely agree Peter. Anything put in front of this camera demands to be viewed large. I won't have any time to rip a print until I get back from Olympic National Park, but looking at the resolution on my Cinema Display, I fully expect top drawer results. For my applications, this will be the true test of the system. That is, can I replace my 4x5 and drum scanning workflow with the S2 (fully expecting future offerings of T/S optics as well as macro)?

 

i am very sure you can retire your 4x5, when T/S comes to the S2.

p

[gogopix]

I would imagine that the T/S lens would be very important in a comparison with the 4x5. I'll be in BIG trouble once the 350mm S lens is released.

 

Dear Doug

 

Is there really a 350mm slated for the S? I always figured I would have to use my 350mm SA Hasselblad (now that there is at least ONE adapter made...$1,000.. if it works )

 

When I mention 'wildlife' I usually mean birds. Even with 37MP, there are more MPs I can get on a bird with my DMR and the Modular 800mm and crop than even with the 350 contax or hassey.

 

regards

Victor

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[wildlightphoto]

Is there really a 350mm slated for the S?

 

It was mentioned when the S2 was first shown at Photokina

 

When I mention 'wildlife' I usually mean birds. Even with 37MP, there are more MPs I can get on a bird with my DMR and the Modular 800mm and crop than even with the 350 contax or hassey.

 

I like to get close to birds. Here's one with the 180 APO Elmarit-R:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/nature-wildlife/116616-trumpeter-swan.html#post1237552

 

 

and one with the 100 APO:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/nature-wildlife/124540-ruffed-grouse.html

 

both cropped very slightly from the sides. A 350mm lens on the S2 would give an angle of view similar to the 180 on the DMR, or a 280mm lens on a 35mm film camera. I could make it work

[dfarkas]

Dear Doug

 

Is there really a 350mm slated for the S? I always figured I would have to use my 350mm SA Hasselblad (now that there is at least ONE adapter made...$1,000.. if it works )

 

When I mention 'wildlife' I usually mean birds. Even with 37MP, there are more MPs I can get on a bird with my DMR and the Modular 800mm and crop than even with the 350 contax or hassey.

 

regards

Victor

 

Yes, Victor. Leica is planning to release an APO-Elmar-S 350mm f/3.5 for the S2. Here is a shot I took of the mock-up at Photokina (next to the proposed 30-90mm f/3.5 and current 70mm f/2.5 in the background on the stand). Leica has already stated that this will be the last of the first nine lenses they release (so more than a year away).

 

David