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My Lens Dilemma


Checkland

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Hi

 

I have the pre asph lux and it is a compact light useful lens but tends to have a cult price.

 

It was designed circa '62 and performance is strange.

 

If you like high key misty shots that look trendy then at f/1.4 with on stage Fresnels and profiles it is the lens, no need for buckets of dry ice & warm water...

 

At f/5.6 it will match the others in resolution if you use the preasph summicron rectangular hood on it, you need an elastic band the the hood ring. An blue tack if you need to use a filter.

 

I also use a CV got one (used) for less then the current price of the above cron hood, it is fast handling (short focus throw) and even more compact

 

Try in a shop for focus ring and aperture adjustment the 35mm vary a lot in ergonomics, f you have large hands you can forget about some of them...

 

Noel

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http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=34_36&products_id=2547

 

But reading the specs on this 1960s lens it has to be stopped down more than your current f2.5 before it gets sharp. "

 

Regards, Lincoln

 

Couldn't disagree more. This lens is plenty sharp & has such a unique signature. It's computed to use wide open, so naturally, one gets fewer details because of the shallow DOF, but that's what is so special about this lens. It's not used for reproductions, but for the creation of art. The in focus elements are beautiful and authentic, not "clinical" or unreal looking.

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Ben,

Puts' report of the 35 f1.4 1961 design from his web version of his Leica compendium below, which explains what I meant. "At F2.8 contrast... markedly improves". The OP already has better performance with F2.5 lens but as you say this lens can give you softer lower contrast images with more vignetting at the wide open end which you can't get with the asph lenses.

Regards,Lincoln

 

6.6.10 1.4/35, Summilux, 1961 (11870 to 1 meter, 11871 to .65 meter).

In 1961 Leitz Midland computed the Summilux 1:1.4/35mm for the M -system as the

world’s first 1.4/35mm lens. It stayed in production till 1993, when the

(second) aspherical version appeared. At full aperture the overall contrast is

very low . Coarse detail is recorded with clean edges, but becomes much softer

when going to the corners of the picture. Fine detail is rendered with low

contrast and even finer structures are lost in the image noise, as contrast

becomes so low as to blur the small details.

Figuur 140: diagram 37

The flare level is on the high side. Stopping down to 1:2.8, overall contrast quite

markedly improves and from that aperture the performance characteristics are

identical to the Summicron (3) 1:2/35. Indeed so identical is the performance

that one could get the impression that both lenses share the same basic

computation. The long production period of the Summilux is a clear indication

how difficult it is to improve on a well designed lens when the parameters are

really difficult (1,4 and an angle of 64º are heavy obstacles for a designer.

(SEE ENERGY FLUX). Vignetting is high with almost 3stops and distortion is not

detectible. The Summilux, when compared to the Summicron version of its day showed

a much lower contrast at wider apertures, but when stopped down had better

performance in the field.

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I have never seen a photograph taken by Mr. Puts. I own some of his publications. He is an engineer. Here's a frame from my M2 with the 35 pre asph, wide open using Trix 400. If this isn't sharp enough for you, I don't know what to say. You will NEVER get these results with a cron. I own several of them & love them, but they just can't deliver this result.

 

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If I were in your shoes, I'd get the Summicron. It's smaller and lighter than the 35 Lux and makes for a compact street shooter on an MP body. In that role, you may not need the extra low-light capability or shallow DOF that f1.4 will give you.

 

For portrait shots with shallow DOF (like the one Roguewave posted) a 50mm is often a great choice, and you already have the Lux version in that focal length.

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What style (or subject matter) of photography do you shoot most?

What emulsion do you like and shoot most?

 

 

 

Hi

 

Been mulling over a new lens for a while now, when I bought my MP I bought with a summilux 50mm asph.

 

After a while I wanted to add to that so plumped for the 35mm summarit, which I might add is a cracking lens for the money, having always been a 50mm guy,but I started loving the 35mm focal length but am craving for a little more speed.

 

Started thinking whether to add a Nokton 1.2 or 'upgrade' to a summicron asph (love how this renders) obviously selling the summarit in the process?

 

Unfortunately the summilux 35mm asph is out my budget without selling the 'lux 50 (not gonna happen)

 

Just wondered what peoples opinions are if you were in this situation?

 

PS - Was preferring to buy new but am open to suggestions.

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  • 7 months later...

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