Review: Leica Summicron-M 1:2/35mm ASPH.

[jip]

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Short review about the Leica Summicron-M 1:2/35mm ASPH. with real life results (no test charts). I've tried to show the versatility of the lens by showing different sorts of subjects, and different approaches with different types of Leica M cameras.

 

Please read here: http://jipvankuijk.nl/leica-summicron-m-35mm-f2-asph/

 

I'd be happy to receive comments and questions on my website or here on the forum.

 

 

 

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[Edward Louis Marit]

This is in fact my favorite lens and frequently the only one I bring with me. Because I travel for work so extensively I never check my luggage so I can only take I body and lens wrapped in a soft cloth in my smaller carry on. In the last year this lens has been all through Poland, Egypt, Portugal, Germany,France, and here at home in Canada. I find that I can easily enlarge images and print at 17x22 inches using this lens.

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[bocaburger]

At one time I had an assortment of ASPH lenses (21/2.8, 35/2, 35/1.4, 90/2, 135/3.4) which I sold and held onto the Mandler-era predecessors. Of all of them the one I almost regret selling is the 35/2. A very versatile lens of impeccable optical quality.

[wattsy]

Yes, it's a great, and now often overlooked, lens.

[wda]

Yes, a great all-rounder.

[Antonio Russell]

Great review, thanks! I would love to own this lens one day. I was able to borrow one last year and was very impressed.

 

It is used exclusively by French photographer Emmanuelle Smague:

 

On film (Leica MP)

 

On digital (Leica M)

Edited January 17, 2015 by A Aparicio

[semi-ambivalent]

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...and now often overlooked, lens.

 

And why do you suppose that is?

 

I've been a little perplexed that in the digital world, as high ISO performance keeps getting better (higher and cleaner), lenses, which no longer need to keep getting faster continue to do just that. Aspheric elements pop up everywhere because computer controlled grinders make them cheap enough to be feasible but why does one need f/1.4 or f/0.95 except for DOF effects? And wouldn't that be easier to accomplish (and reverse) with a software solution in post? Are consumers being "led" here? Is it a psychological long tail from growing up with film? Or has the 35 Summicron become too fast to be slow and too slow to be fast? Too big? Hardly. Too small? Perhaps the 28 Elmarit ASPH takes that crown, at least for those with big fingers.

 

s-a

[james.liam]

Yes, it's a great, and now often overlooked, lens.

 

And often maligned (see Lloyd Chambers).

 

 

I've been a little perplexed that in the digital world, as high ISO performance keeps getting better (higher and cleaner), lenses, which no longer need to keep getting faster continue to do just that.

 

 

Most of these speed lenses began their lives in film days and persist, focus-shift and all, to the detriment of their new digital host bodies. To your point, the newer superlative wide SEM's stand in stark contrast. A welcome expansion of the concept to the 35-90mm FL range (no slight to the solid Summarits) would result in tiny mechanical wonders, reminiscent of Leica's heydays of the late 40's and 50's.

Edited January 17, 2015 by james.liam

[Antonio Russell]

I am not sure it is overlooked. Seems to be the best selling leica lens looking at the sales figures.

[wattsy]

And why do you suppose that is?

 

 

I don't think the price increases in recent years have helped. When I bought my first 35 Summicron ASPH in 2002 it was £799 new. The RRP for the 35 Summicron is now £2250 and I think once you are into that price territory there is either a temptation to pay the extra for the Summilux or plump for the Summarit at approximately half the price. Other factors, I think are an internet led obsession with bokeh and "wide open" shooting and a more general change in the buying demographic and mindset since the digital bodies were launched. The latter has seen an increasing tendency to have the latest, greatest and most expensive Leica stuff hyped up.

[james.liam]

I am not sure it is overlooked. Seems to be the best selling leica lens looking at the sales figures.

 

In truth, the 35 Summarit is probably better suited for digital. Different rendering, of course, but perhaps preferable in many instances.

[wattsy]

I am not sure it is overlooked. Seems to be the best selling leica lens looking at the sales figures.

 

It certainly used to be when the film bodies were considered top dog (they still are IMO:)). I get the impression the popularity of this lens has waned considerably in recent years but my impression might just be skewed by the kind of lenses that get talked about and demonstrated in this forum and elsewhere online.

[wattsy]

In truth, the 35 Summarit is probably better suited for digital. Different rendering, of course, but perhaps preferable in many instances.

 

That is certainly the consensus lately but I'm pretty sure I prefer the "look" of the Summicron I owned to that of my Summarit. The only downside IMO to the Summicron is that it handles flare less gracefully than the Summarit.

[Antonio Russell]

In truth, the 35 Summarit is probably better suited for digital. Different rendering, of course, but perhaps preferable in many instances.

 

Good. I hope that means the price of the Summicron will drop then so I can get one

[bocaburger]

I don't think the price increases in recent years have helped.

 

I tend to agree with that. The Cron ASPH new is $3000 here. I bought one new for $1350. Inflation has not gone up that much, and neither has my income. I wouldn't repurchase one for today's price no matter what.

[colonel]

And why do you suppose that is?

 

I've been a little perplexed that in the digital world, as high ISO performance keeps getting better (higher and cleaner), lenses, which no longer need to keep getting faster continue to do just that. Aspheric elements pop up everywhere because computer controlled grinders make them cheap enough to be feasible but why does one need f/1.4 or f/0.95 except for DOF effects? And wouldn't that be easier to accomplish (and reverse) with a software solution in post? Are consumers being "led" here? Is it a psychological long tail from growing up with film? Or has the 35 Summicron become too fast to be slow and too slow to be fast? Too big? Hardly. Too small? Perhaps the 28 Elmarit ASPH takes that crown, at least for those with big fingers.

 

s-a

 

Lower ISO is always cleaner. More wide open is better, particularly on wide angle lenses

Also doing defocus insoftware never looks the same as doing it properly from the lens

 

Saying all that, f2 is usually open enough on a 35mm as there is not that much DOF and the summicron is very small and portable. So it's sharpness combined with size and rendering is a very good package deal

[farnz]

... why does one need f/1.4 or f/0.95 except for DOF effects? And wouldn't that be easier to accomplish (and reverse) with a software solution in post? ...a

I've never seen a post-processing rendition of Bokeh that impressed me or looked genuine. Most commonly they look to me simply like Gaussian blur in greater or lesser strength and are unable to replicate the gradual and continual blending from sharpness to smoothness. YMMV.

 

Pete.

[semi-ambivalent]

I've never seen a post-processing rendition of Bokeh that impressed me or looked genuine. Most commonly they look to me simply like Gaussian blur in greater or lesser strength and are unable to replicate the gradual and continual blending from sharpness to smoothness. YMMV.

 

Pete.

 

I don't see myself going to digital anytime soon so I can't refute this (wouldn't anyway), but I've learned that under-estimating the eventual power of software is done at your own peril.

 

Thanks,

s-a

Edited January 17, 2015 by semi-ambivalent
none

[Antonio Russell]

The DOF at f2 is about as shallow as I would ever want on a 35mm lens... Reading here and elsewhere there does seem to be a bit of a trend towards shallow DOF photography amongst the photo enthusiast, one that I have never really appreciated myself, as the reason I shoot 35mm is to get more of the environment in the frame, not less.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jip]

Like I explained, if I want 'bokeh' use the 50 lux ASPH. If I want the environment I use the 35 cron ASPH.