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NEW: 35 cron and 50 lux available in BLACK CHROME


skinnfell

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Even if it is a few grams heavy, just think of how beautiful the rendering will be!

 

 

I know. I had one regular copy of the 'Lux ash, and then the LHSA black lacquer version (which should be identical to the black chrome one). Sold them to finance the APO. Now I think I may have been wrong. One stop is one stop ! :-). I mean Leica needed 3 years to come out with the M246 which is 1.5 stops better than the MM1.

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wattsy

 

If you would indulge me, do you find any issues with the plastic thumb tab? I don't know where I have been, but did not realize plastic thumb tabs were part of the Leica culture.

All the wide Leica lenses that I've used (various 35 Summicrons, 28 Summicron and 35 Summiluxes) have a plastic tab. The choice of material seems entirely appropriate for the task and I've never wished that the tabs were made of metal.

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All the wide Leica lenses that I've used (various 35 Summicrons, 28 Summicron and 35 Summiluxes) have a plastic tab. The choice of material seems entirely appropriate for the task and I've never wished that the tabs were made of metal.

 

I agree.  Plastic focus tabs is the way to go.

 

A few years ago I had the 35mm Summicron ASPH from the grey anthracite MP kit.  The barrel design is similar to the v2 of the 35mm Summicron, which means it had a metal focus tab.  The lens was actually a loaner lens from Leica Ginza for when customers had their own lenses serviced (believe it or not), I bought it used from the store.  Because it was a loaner, it had been banged around a bit and pointy parts of the focus tab had taken a bit of a beating.  So much so, that parts of the metal focus tab became too pointy/sharp so they could snag your fingers sometimes.  Plastic wouldn't do this, so plastic tabs is a good choice.

 

Leica_Antracite-Japan9.JPG

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A few years ago I had the 35mm Summicron ASPH from the grey anthracite MP kit.  The barrel design is similar to the v2 of the 35mm Summicron, which means it had a metal focus tab.

 

 

 

I remember that special edition lens – perhaps the nicest of the various versions of the 35 Summicron ASPH over the years (and much more attractive than the ugly anthracite MP body which looks like it was made from spare material from a filing cabinet). I'm a little surprised that Leica didn't use this barrel design for the recent black chrome and Kravitz editions as it is more in keeping with the 'retro' design of the accompanying 50 Summilux ASPH. Presumably Leica has a large supply of brass 35 Summicron parts that it wanted to use up. :)

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I'm a little surprised that Leica didn't use this barrel design for the recent black chrome...

 

Black chrome and v2 35mm Summicron design?  Here you go:

 

9days-20130827-korea-9.jpg

 

9days-20130827-korea-8.jpg

 

To my knowledge, this is the only other time that Leica released a black chrome lens without it being a prototype.  In 2005 Leica made a black chrome MP with a 35mm Summicron ASPH in the same finish but in the v2 barrel design.  It was to celebrate Korea's 60th indepence, and thus 60 kits were made.  Unfortunately for non-Koreans (me), there was this hideous engraving on the bottom of the lens:

 

9days-20130827-korea-7.jpg

 

The handprint of Ahn Jung (Korean freedom fighter) was a dealbreaker for me.  If it wasn't for that, I'd be all over this kit, trying to find one of the 60 kits made.  Alas, the current black chrome lenses released by Leica will be the closest thing to perfection for me.

 

(On a slightly separate note, I noticed that the Ahn Jung 35mm Summicron features a plastic focus tab, not a metal tab.  Interesting, seeing as the same barrel design on the Grey Anthracite and Grey Hammertone had a metal tab.)

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That's very interesting, David. The existence of that Korean lens (which I wasn't aware of) makes it all the more surprising to me that the Kravitz and current black chrome limited edition wasn't made in this "v2" style as a better match for the scalloped 50 ASPH. Maybe there is something in my (tongue-in-cheek) theory that Leica are keen to use up a surplus of 35 Summicron parts. :) 

 

Even if I'd known about it, I doubt that I'd have been willing to pay the necessary premium for the Korean special edition lens, handprint engraving or not (I've seen worse in this regard), but I do think this style is much more elegant than the standard 35 Summicron ASPH barrel design (in any finish). 

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The handprint of Ahn Jung (Korean freedom fighter) was a dealbreaker for me.  If it wasn't for that, I'd be all over this kit, trying to find one of the 60 kits made.

 

The one on the camera would certainly be a dealbreaker for me (just looked up the set on google) but I could accept the smaller version on the lens (IMO roughly as incongruous as the LHSA engraving on some of the LHSA sets). Although I wouldn't personally do it (I don't like non-factory mods), I suppose it would be easy enough to remove the white paint from the engraving. As far as the camera goes, I'd imagine it would be possible to send it in to Leica and have them replace the top plate with a black chrome a la carte plate. All said, being limited to just 60 sets I'd imagine it would be hard to locate this lens or set without paying a silly ebay premium.

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Maybe there is something in my (tongue-in-cheek) theory that Leica are keen to use up a surplus of 35 Summicron parts.

 

There isn't a doubt in my mind that Leica is on the verge of releasing a newer 35mm Summicron ASPH.  It'll be better, bigger and more expensive than the current version.  Also it'll take E46 sized filters, which isn't something I want so I'll stick to the current version.

 

 

The one on the camera would certainly be a dealbreaker for me (just looked up the set on google) but I could accept the smaller version on the lens (IMO roughly as incongruous as the LHSA engraving on some of the LHSA sets). Although I wouldn't personally do it (I don't like non-factory mods), I suppose it would be easy enough to remove the white paint from the engraving. As far as the camera goes, I'd imagine it would be possible to send it in to Leica and have them replace the top plate with a black chrome a la carte plate. All said, being limited to just 60 sets I'd imagine it would be hard to locate this lens or set without paying a silly ebay premium.

 

 

Yes, the engraving on the lens is much more discrete than the one on the camera.  It is such an elegant barrel design, I wish it had been standard for the 35mm Summicron ASPH. Or as you mentioned, the barrel design for the current 500 piece black chrome lenses.

 

The Ahn Jung MP camera I wouldn't care much about... I'm getting my own á la carte anyway :wub:

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There isn't a doubt in my mind that Leica is on the verge of releasing a newer 35mm Summicron ASPH. It'll be better, bigger and more expensive than the current version. Also it'll take E46 sized filters, which isn't something I want so I'll stick to the current version.

Yes, fully agree and is why I was more than happy to buy the current version rather than wait and see what is coming down the line.

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Yesterday, I tried a 43mm B+W filter on the 50mm Summilux black chrome at the San Francisco Leica shop:

The filter fitted the lens and was slim enough that it did not add to the circumference of the lens front - however the hood would no longer fit the lens.

 

For a lens that is designed dressed up to match the Monochrom cameras this seems like a major oversight.

If only Leica had a standard hood attachment design as well thought out as the Zeiss bayonet.

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If only Leica had a standard hood attachment design as well thought out as the Zeiss bayonet.

 

+1

 

I don't like the "nub" on Zeiss' focus rings, but they're consistent in their hood designs which makes my red Leica love blue with Zeiss envy.

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It's interesting how different we all are...I don't use hoods, so I got this one because of the form factor, it is very noticeably smaller than the stock version. A 43mm B+W is perfectly fine up front. If I need something else, I may even screw a 43->46 step-up ring,and that can act as a hood.

 

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a $6 third party hood that screws in perfectly? This also obviously preserves the original hood. Thanks.
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Just picked up the Summilux. It is gorgeous and goes well with my M4-P which I got in mint condition thus not having much of black chrome wear. They can wear together rather than the lens looking too new. ;)

 

17986156459_3f14843378_c.jpg

 

Reading here and other places I knew about the hood vs filter situation, but I'm gonna go hoodless to keep the setup as small as possible anyway. Hood is pretty heavy too. I believe all E43 50 Lux had this problem with filters (at least those using slotted hood?) so Leica used to make thin walled E43 filter (#13206)? I guess I might pick one up at some point, but from my experience with regular production version, this lens is pretty flair resistant.

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Gorgeous combo!  Going without the hood is a good choice, it's huuuge on the 50mm lens!

 

Side note: after years of use the black chrome finish will develop a patina that looks "gun metal grey".  The front edge of your filter will also develop patina, since you're using a B+W filter (which is made of aluminum) this too will turn into a silver-ish color.  Had you chosen Heliopan filters, you would have gotten real brassing, as it's made of brass.

 

(blimey, I'm a metal geek!)

 

I would have also gone the B+W route if I went hoodless, but I've got a set of Heliopan filters already.  Actually I'll likely buy a plastic hood to use with my 35mm lens (gasp!).

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 Actually I'll likely buy a plastic hood to use with my 35mm lens (gasp!).

 

That has been my intention (I used the #12526 plastic hood when I owned the black paint 35 Summicron but sold it along with the lens) but I quite like the size and simplicity of using my new Summicron without a hood altogether.

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35 on Typ246. 

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