NB23 Posted February 3, 2015 Share #1 Â Posted February 3, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) The aspherical fad kinda killed The Leica magic for me. Â Lenses got BIGGER, FATTER, LONGER. And with much less character. Ever since I sold my 35 lux pre-asph, a long time ago, in order to "upgrade" to a 35 asph, Simply stopped using it. Â I then became a multi lens user, never fully satisfied. Â To cut a long story short, I went from always having a super small kit on me at all times (M camera + 35 lux preasph) to a less portable M camera fitted with a bigger lens with a bigger hood that required me to have a bag. Â Basically, the M experience was killed. Â A few months ago I purchased a camera and the 35mmCron V2 came with it. Wow! It's such tiny, so sexy. My cameras have become 100% portable now. I can get out of the house with that combo in my hand and not even notice it. I've got my M mojo back and kicking. Â This lens has me thinking: why am I even bothering with all the new offerings? My money is tied in the "very best" and I kinda "have to" use them. But using the 35 cron V2 (as well as the V3 and the pre-asph) is such a tremendous joy on so many levels!! Â Using the very best is always uncomfortable for me, on many aspects. Size, clubkiness, portability, fragility, price. Look; the other day, I broke a very expensive hood by hitting it. A month ago, i had to send my super crazy expensive 35lux AA for repairs because SLIGHTLY bumped it. The focus helicoid seized. My 75 lux developed a wobble from normal use with slight bumps here and there. My noctilux unscrewed in 2 after a 2 foot fall. And so on and on and on. Â With this summicron, I'm back to the good old days: camera in hand, in a jacket pocket or around my neck. Not in a bag, which I frankly hate. Â Now my problem is this: I'm not using the very best, which I should. Why am I owning the best if my trips around the world will involve a cheap lens? Â Let's talk about your SUPER SEXY 35 cron V2. You have to admit, its one damned sexy little thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 3, 2015 Posted February 3, 2015 Hi NB23, Take a look here 35mm Summicron V2. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
joeswe Posted February 3, 2015 Share #2 Â Posted February 3, 2015 I do not own a Summicron V2 and cannot share any experience with it, but after a period of looking for the "perfect" 35, I have arrived at a similar point. I share your feelings about what makes owning and using a Leica M worthwhile and enjoyable. Let's keep it simple Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted February 3, 2015 Share #3 Â Posted February 3, 2015 I bought the v2 new in 1969, and used it as my only 35 for 40 years. It moved from my M4 to M6 in about '85, and was always on that body, with my v3 50 on the M4. On the M9 the Summarit 2.5 35 has become my favorite for the same reasons: tiny, good handling, nice images. The 35 1.4 Nokton also has much the feel, but with more distortion and focus shift, but at f2 mine is sharper than my v2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted February 3, 2015 Share #4 Â Posted February 3, 2015 In the late 90s when a bunch of ASPH lenses came out there were a bunch of articles/reviews on how vastly "superior" they were to their predecessors, and I caught a bad case of GAS and bought several (21, 35 Cron, 90AA and 135 APO). Comparing them to the penultimate versions I owned I felt very inadequate as a photographer because in practical use I just couldn't see all those "huge and obvious" improvements (the one exception being the 90, @ f/2 only, and frankly I liked the portrait rendering of the non-ASPH at f/2 better). So I sold them. Of course I regret I wasn't clairvoyant to see 10 yrs into the future and how much Leica would jack up the prices, but otherwise I am completely satisfied having stuck to my older versions. Â I also have a V.3 35 Cron, which I can't see any difference as against the V.4, except that it is built to a higher standard. I keep it as a backup, as the V.4 is smaller and lighter for travel purposes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Russell Posted February 3, 2015 Share #5 Â Posted February 3, 2015 I love the old lenses too (I have the 35 Cron IV) but I think the newer ASPH lenses are superb also. The 35 Cron ASPH for example produces absolutely stunning images on film (I do not use digital) and prints I have seen enlarged to 30x40 really do look stunning. I think my point is that they area all excellent and I do agree that the smaller size of the older lenses is a real plus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rulnacco Posted February 4, 2015 Share #6 Â Posted February 4, 2015 My V2 lives on my .85 M6. The great thing about it is that combination really *is* pocketable: I just slip it in a large coat pocket, throw a 50 in the other side, and I'm good to go for the day--no bag needed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rirakuma Posted February 4, 2015 Share #7 Â Posted February 4, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Any chance you could post some samples to show its rendering. I'm an avid 35mm lover and I wouldn't mind adding another variant to my collection. I usually use the lux but I often prefer a smaller lens Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted February 4, 2015 Share #8  Posted February 4, 2015 Rendering is of it's own (I use also some other 35mm M).  A modest sample: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/240664-35mm-summicron-v2/?do=findComment&comment=2759015'>More sharing options...
sblutter Posted February 4, 2015 Share #9  Posted February 4, 2015 I agree with your 35 & for a 50, latest collapsible Elmar is great. Focuses to .7 meters  I also like the Voight 35mm f:2.5 pancake for the same reason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charby57 Posted February 11, 2015 Share #10 Â Posted February 11, 2015 The 35 Summicron v2 is indeed a tiny and light lens. The results can be very nice, maybe because it is very sharp at mid-apertures and provide and beautiful out of focus rendering from f:2,8 to f:4. Â But the indeed heavier current Asph. Summicron is notably sharper from f:2 and vignettes much less than the v2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 12, 2015 Share #11 Â Posted February 12, 2015 I could never really afford to own a digital Leica camera AND modern Leica lenses. I am the type of person who would not be satisfied unless I had at least one lens for every frameline my camera offers... So the end result is I have a complete set of pre-asph lenses- and not one modern Leica lens. Â I am perfectly happy: for me these lenses are definitely good enough. Indeed they are all excellent. If it wasn't for the vast world of vintage Leica glass- I would never have bought into the leica digital system... Â The V2 35mm summicron was one of the first lenses I got- and it is truly a joy to use- a little jewel of a lens. I love it! Later on I got a V4 'bokeh king' and whilst it does have a wonderful look to its images: the construction seems very poor compared to the V1 and V2 lenses. Plastic- yuck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted February 12, 2015 Share #12  Posted February 12, 2015 v2 summicron: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/240664-35mm-summicron-v2/?do=findComment&comment=2763312'>More sharing options...
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