Jump to content

35mm summicron vs. Summitar


Delacroix

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I'm ready to buy a 35mm lens for my M9 if and when they become available again. I am somewhat mystified, though, about the many comments about the latest Summicron being unsuited for the M9 because of it's higher contrast. I would love to see some side-by-side comparisons between the 35mm Summicron-Asph and the 35m Summicron (which seems to be universally praised in this forum).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Leica do not make any lens whose 'contrast' (hovever you measure it, of all possible ways) makes it unsuitable. This obsession with 'contrast' in general, in contradistinction to definition, is just a fad to occupy the under-occupied. Leca publishes MTF curves for both lenses. Compare them – their differences are small.

 

The old man from the Age of the 3.5cm Elmar

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I can't give you the comparison but I can tell you that I'm surprised to learn that my 35cron is "contrasty". My style has developed closer to the flat end of the scale than the contrasty end, my camera profile and post process start point in LR3 with the M9+35 Cron (new one) give me details in all but the darkest of shadows, no crunched lower ranges and good detail throughout. It's an incredible lens in my opinion. Some say it lacks character but again, that matches my style (haha - my images have NO character whatsoever!)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Leica do not make any lens whose 'contrast' (hovever you measure it, of all possible ways) makes it unsuitable. This obsession with 'contrast' in general, in contradistinction to definition, is just a fad to occupy the under-occupied. Leca publishes MTF curves for both lenses. Compare them – their differences are small.

 

The old man from the Age of the 3.5cm Elmar

Hi Lars

 

Maybe that is non consensual.

 

a) there is some difference in the MTF at /5.6 probably not detectable but probably detectable at f/2, it would not worry me though.

 

B) The typeIV cron (last pre asph) needs its hood contrajour, that would worry me... and it is over price cause lots of people like it, again that would worry me.

 

c) In general a single coated lens (double gauss) will adaptively compress a sceane so that the image on film or sensor is less. Even with XP2 I'll use a SC lens on a sunny day street shooting, and put up with the flare. The colors are more pastel as well, contra jour.

 

Cosina offer two lenses in multi coating or single coating for the Ja mono film users but lots of the EU digital users have discovered that specular high lughts look well, how shall we say, ' nice ',,,

 

Try a SC MC competative shoot out with specular high lights before flaming please.

 

Noel

P.S. I use a type II Canon f/2 LTM for SC and a CV for MC.

Link to post
Share on other sites

c) In general a single coated lens (double gauss) will ...

 

single coated and double gauss are two entirely different things. Double gauss refers to a certain type of optical formula, while single coated refers to the number of coatings on each lens surface (just one coating in case of single coating).

 

And btw, the last pre-asph 35mm Summicron lens, often referred to as the Summicron IV, already had multicoated lens elements.

 

Andy

Link to post
Share on other sites

single coated and double gauss are two entirely different things. Double gauss refers to a certain type of optical formula, while single coated refers to the number of coatings on each lens surface (just one coating in case of single coating).

Correct but the point was a double Gauss with at least four groups and 8 air to glass surfaces would be low contrast if single coated and less likely to burn highlights, The Summaron f/2.8 are superb lenses.

And btw, the last pre-asph 35mm Summicron lens, often referred to as the Summicron IV, already had multicoated lens elements.

Andy

Accepted even the initial production ones in '79 were probably MC lenses but they still are lower contrast then the Asph. You would need to go to earlier Leica lenses from 60s to get single coated.

 

I use a Canon LTM from '65 on sunny days with film.

 

If you want to burn high lights use an asph, if you like high lights try the SC CV f1.4 35mm, lots of people buy the SC lenses. The CV may distort a bit but you can post process that burnt high lights stay burnt.

 

Noel

Link to post
Share on other sites

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.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...