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Henry, 

 

You hit a nerve here  :o

 

I was trying to think of the different criteria I am using to chose lenses and came up with the following:

 

"Intangibles", which would include perceived values that cannot easily be established scientifically. "It looks good" or "My idol A.M. ( :) sorry I could not resist) took fantastic picture with a lens just like this" are examples.  Highly subjective criteria, so not much that could be advised on that. (Brand comes into play here as well - "It's from Leica" - which in my humble opinion is a mixture of rational arguments, such as general experience with products of a brand, as well as irrational ones). 

 

The "Handling", and I add things like size, weight, ergonomics and build quality into this. Size and weight are self explanatory. Ergonomics depend also on a external factors, the camera used, the users hand sizes, etc. Build quality plays out over the lifetime of the product, but, perhaps more importantly to the feel of focussing without play etc. 

 

Measurable imaging characteristics. A lot can be measured here, resolution, contrast, MTF-diagrams, coma, astigmatism, maximum aperture, minimum aperture, field curvature etc, and a lot I am not really interested in as such. 

 

Perceived imaging results, (for me that's on film) basically answering the question how does a picture taken with this lens looks like. Again, this depends a lot on external factors as well, such as the lighting situation, the film / developer combination used, etc. 

 

All lenses score differently on the above criteria. I could not easily say one is always better than another. For example, I may use an aspherical Summilux for portraiture in a dimly lit environment, looking for a "clean image look"; probably paired with Tmax400 developed in XTOL. However, an older Summicron may be my lens of choice if I am after street shots in Paris, and I probably would combine this with Foma100 developed in Rodinal.

 

To sum it up, what better argument do you have to justify your GAS? 

 

Best regards

 

Christoph

Edited by christoph_d
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Henry - for what it is worth, I recently heard from the US rep for Arca Swiss (medium and large format camera company) that lenses have different max focus distance settings for infinity - i.e., infinity is not really what people think it means ("forever").  Lens makers will design their lenses with a different max focus distance (i.e., infinity).  I don't know the ins and outs, but the Arca Swiss rep appears to be very familiar with Leica lenses and he said something that makes sense to me, which is the the summicron lenses are designed with a shorter "infinity" max focus distance.  This is done in order to optimize the focus throw for street and other shooting at reasonably close distance.    This may be relevant to you as I know that you do a fair amount of shooting of landscapes with very long distances.  You might want to look into this and try to determine which of the Leica lenses have infinity max focuses that are optimal for landscapes.   Having a lens with a relatively "short" infinity seeing may leave you with less than satisfactory tack sharpness at infinity with landscapes...

 

 

Adam, 

 

I simply don't understand what you try to explain here.

Could you try again for me please?

 

Kind regards

 

Christoph

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Christoph, thank you for your enlightened opinion :) .

A lens, we can say that this is the image , so the choice seems to me important.
It has long time I wish to have a second 35 mm .
As I have 4 cameras , I would like to have the choice when shooting like you said.
I'll see depending on my financial means, what I want to do
but the weight of the lens is important to me. This is one of a selection criteria
I have two Leica SLR with R 6 lenses that I'm not using more, 
it is now too heavy for me :)  I will give to my children if they want them.

The Summicron 35 Asph is significantly lighter than the same Summilux 35 Asph
it's really compact.

I would like to test the Summicron version 4 called the "King of Bokeh" just to compare :)

Best

Henry

Edited by Doc Henry
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Christoph, thank you for your enlightened opinion :) .

A lens, we can say that this is the image , so the choice seems to me important.It has long time I wish to have a second 35 mm .As I have 4 cameras , I would like to have the choice when shooting like you said.I'll see depending on my financial means, what I want to dobut the weight of the lens is important to me. This is one of a selection criteriaI have two Leica SLR with R 6 lenses that I'm not using more, it is now too heavy for me :)  I will give to my children if they want them.

The Summicron 35 Asph is significantly lighter than the same Summilux 35 Asphit's really compact.

I would like to test the Summicron version 4 called the "King of Bokeh" just to compare :)

Best

Henry

 

Henry,

 

In this case I'd recommend the 35cron version 4 to you (earlier 'cron versions and even the pre-.asph lux may be good as well, but I don't know them first hand). Images taken with these older lenses wide open have a decidedly different look and feel to the ones taken with the modern asph versions, and the size and weight, both of the 'cron and the 'lux is less than those of their modern counterparts.

 

If it is not urgent to you we could try to meet up, for you to have a play with the v4.

 

Rgds

 

Christoph

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Henry,

 

In this case I'd recommend the 35cron version 4 to you (earlier 'cron versions and even the pre-.asph lux may be good as well, but I don't know them first hand). Images taken with these older lenses wide open have a decidedly different look and feel to the ones taken with the modern asph versions, and the size and weight, both of the 'cron and the 'lux is less than those of their modern counterparts.

 

If it is not urgent to you we could try to meet up, for you to have a play with the v4.

 

Rgds

 

Christoph

 

Christoph, I just look in french forum photo if I can find one for sale  ...

No 35 V4 King of Bokeh for the moment :)

Best

Henry

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Here the Summicron 35 mounted on the MP next to Summilux 35,
even the hood is greater in the Summilux and the Summilux is heavier and bigger :)

 

Left : MP-Summicron 35 Asph

Right : M7-Summilux 35 Asph

 

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M9 Summilux 50 Asph

Picture cropped

 

Best

Henry

 

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Madagascar, an old underdevelopped negative 

Xpan - XP2

 

 

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During my mission, sometimes you must leave the car and walk a few hours.

We had several guides who accompany us
You have this picture that shows some village in plain are inaccessible
, except by foot.


Village in a middle of rice fields

 

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Sometimes the road is replaced by tracks and we will walk through the rice fields

 

 

 

Kodak TMax100-Leica MP-50 Summilux Asph

 

Best

Henry

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I have been so inspired by this forum, and have read most of the pages... 

 

So, here is a quick snap taken in Delft earlier in the year.

 

M2. 35mm f2 Summicron IV

TriX stand developed in Rodinal and digitised in Plastic 8200.

 

I have much to learn in the field of digital prints; but I am really looking forward to getting my wet darkroom back in action as there is no substitute for the satisfaction of a silver print.

 

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Edited by Beresford
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I have been so inspired by this forum, and have read most of the pages... 

 

So, here is a quick snap taken in Delft earlier in the year.

 

M2. 35mm f2 Summicron IV

TriX stand developed in Rodinal and digitised in Plastic 8200.

 

I have much to learn in the field of digital prints; but I am really looking forward to getting my wet darkroom back in action as there is no substitute for the satisfaction of a silver print.

 

attachicon.gifDelft Church Floor.jpg

Hi Beresford , welcome to our thread :) . You'll come more often now :)

 

About print , silver print is better in quality and rendering than digital print. Not the same process

deposit ink on paper (digital print case) versus silver print ie impression of silver "inside" the paper !

... and also the pleasure to do himself in his home lab instead of being in front of his computer !

 

Nice reflection in your picture :)

Thanks for posting

Best Henry

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Henry, 

 

Here a picture to illustrate what you could expect should you go for the 35cron V4: close focus wide open.

 

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MP, 35, FP4, ns

 

Rgds

 

C.

Edited by christoph_d
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And for what it's worth, here's another picture with the 35cron V4, this time with orange filter and stopped down quite a bit (~11?)

 

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MP, 35, APX100, ns

 

Rgds

 

C.

 

PS.: It may be worthwhile to mention that some vignetting was applied in processing.

Edited by christoph_d
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Watercolors

 

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Lomo LC-A - Fuji Pro 160S

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Henry, 

 

Here a picture to illustrate what you could expect should you go for the 35cron V4: close focus wide open.

 

attachicon.gif160723_1_MP_0027.jpg

MP, 35, FP4, ns

 

Rgds

 

C.

 

And for what it's worth, here's another picture with the 35cron V4, this time with orange filter and stopped down quite a bit (~11?)

 

attachicon.gif160801_1_MP_0013.jpg

MP, 35, APX100, ns

 

Rgds

 

C.

 

PS.: It may be worthwhile to mention that some vignetting was applied in processing.

 

 

Thanks Christoph for posting these two pictures taken with the King of Bokeh :)

 

Effectively the definition wide open is still sharp (picture 1), the contrast is also nice

highlighting the lady portrait ... the bokeh in background is also nice IMO

Very soft tonality and must be used especially with film

Regards

Henry

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