35 Summilux Pre-ASPH vs 35 Summicron Pre-ASPH vs 35 Summicron ASPH (2016 edition)

[pico]

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Speaking of the Zeiss 35/2.8 C-Biogon, I came across this image last night from Ireland taken last year. 

 

The lens makes her ass look fat.

.

[jim0266]

...

Edited February 2, 2016 by jim0266

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[Stealth3kpl]

So many optical wizards around here.

 

 

Are you still using your 35/1.4 preasph?

Pete

[NB23]

Are you still using your 35/1.4 preasph?

Pete

Yes of course

[DezFoto]

This is on an M-P 240.

The FLE is plenty big enough for me :-)

Pete

 

Hehe, the Zeiss is HUGE.

[DezFoto]

So many optical wizards around here.

 

And there's also the passive aggressive sarcastic types. Welcome to the internet.

[NB23]

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And there's also the passive aggressive sarcastic types. Welcome to the internet.

Welcome to you too!

 

You also forgot artistic, allergic to bullsheet, valuing the final image more than fiddling with objects, pixel peeping... I'm sure I'm forgetting some important terms. Did I mention a lens' fingerprint and footprint?

 

Back to the topic: I choose my daily lenses based on the sheer moid of the moment. Today's a summicron V4 day.

[a.noctilux]

Welcome to you too!

 

You also forgot artistic, allergic to bullsheet, valuing the final image more than fiddling with objects, pixel peeping... I'm sure I'm forgetting some important terms. Did I mention a lens' fingerprint and footprint?

 

Back to the topic: I choose my daily lenses based on the sheer moid of the moment. Today's a summicron V4 day.

 

It was Tuesday, so 35mm Summicron-M version 2 for me

 

taken a walk with a Monochrom to Guy Ferrer's Sculptures called

 

T.O.L.E.R.A.N.C.E.

 

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!

  "N"

 

 

from behind

 

  "T"  "O"  "L"  "E" ... in reverse

[a.noctilux]

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!

  "T"

 

 

  Description seen in Braille also, below

 

Monochrom Summicron 35mm version 2

 

Regards,

 

Arnaud

 

[DezFoto]

Welcome to you too!

 

You also forgot artistic, allergic to bullsheet, valuing the final image more than fiddling with objects, pixel peeping... I'm sure I'm forgetting some important terms. Did I mention a lens' fingerprint and footprint?

 

Indeed.

 

Unfortunately, I don't subscribe to invalidating other people's opinions because they're of a technical or descriptive nature, rather than spouting pretentious nonsense that insinuates that a true artist doesn't care about his/her tools. Nor to I believe in invalidating someone's opinion because it's of a pretentious or condescending nature, though I am tempted.

[jdlaing]

You forgot pompous.

[Stealth3kpl]

 I think I'll sell my 2.8 Summaron, 35 Summicron Mk4, possibly my Summicron Asph, and keep my Lux preasph and Lux FLE. The former gives me character and compact size, the latter a modern look and sharpness and clarity. But what if I want a compact lens with a modern look with sharpness and clarity? That's why I might keep the Summicron Asph. Isn't G.A.S awful!

Pete

Right! Decision made. I'm going to keep my 35 Summicron Mk4 and 35/1.4 FLE.

Selling 35 Summicon Asph, 35/1.4 pre Asph, 35/2.8 Summaron.

It's taken about 2 years to come to this decision so it just shows each lens has its merits. There aren't any duff lenses in the Leica fold.

Pete

Edited February 5, 2016 by Stealth3kpl

[Steven]

On 1/28/2016 at 9:14 PM, a.noctilux said:

- Summilux-M 35mm would be my only goto lens if it only focus closer than 1m and it flare (glow) less sometimes at f:1.4

from f:2 it's like the the Summicron IV to take it short, it's like the Cron IV which can open up one stop at your own risk

 

Should we translate this to the fact that if you already own a pre asph summilux, the Cron IV will just act as a "doublon"? 

Damn, I own a pre asph lux and just bought a Cron IV 😭

[Steven]

On 1/31/2016 at 8:12 PM, Stealth3kpl said:

The Summilux 35 preasph is really very good out to the corners at f2. It's hard for me to justify keeping the Summicron Asph. I only keep the cron because I like its ergonomics. Some of you may know I've been struggling with deciding which of my 35mm lenses I'm going to keep. I think I'll sell my 2.8 Summaron, 35 Summicron Mk4, possibly my Summicron Asph, and keep my Lux preasph and Lux FLE. The former gives me character and compact size, the latter a modern look and sharpness and clarity. But what if I want a compact lens with a modern look with sharpness and clarity? That's why I might keep the Summicron Asph. Isn't G.A.S awful!

Pete

Four years have passed, have you made a decision ? 

[a.noctilux]

16 hours ago, Steven said:

Should we translate this to the fact that if you already own a pre asph summilux, the Cron IV will just act as a "doublon"? 

Damn, I own a pre asph lux and just bought a Cron IV 😭

Long history ( en résumé from "lens nut" ! ) with my 35 mm Summicron IV.

a - In the 1980's I was happy with my two lenses then M 35/50 Summicron then came Cron 90.

b - Came for my M4/5/6, Summilux 35/50/75, so I traded the Cron 35 IV for something else.

c - then came the foolish moment when I was able to buy another Canada made Cron 35 IV,

always keeping the Summilux 35 with less use

 d - after some years of use, hard around the world travel, the Cron 35 IV (Canada) had some mechanical flaws, then I discovered the Wetzlar/Canada "war"

that I never knew existed

e - so I bought as many Cron 35 IV as I could (at one time I had 8 units C/W mixed to have some rendering/mechanical statistics of these)

f - the net result was not fabulous, as those are mostly different lenses * with same naming, so I gave up my project

g - to find out that "same lens" at Leitz/Leica are different having experiences with other brands that confirm my learning

h - now I still use two Summicron 35 IV one Wetzlar and one Canada (1913-1983 model that I have for very long)

 

* somewhere we can find that the "Canada" (plastic inside can break) 135g can be as "good" as more "robust Wetzlar" all metal 155g

my former sellings here and there (2014)

and many years before those

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2021 by a.noctilux

[Steven]

1 hour ago, a.noctilux said:

e - so I bought as many Cron 35 IV as I could (at one time I had 8 units C/W mixed to have some rendering/mechanical statistics of these)

😂😂😂😂

Experience inestimable. Thank you for sharing. 

[a.noctilux]

With my experiences, I have learned that in photography :

- no lens as expensive as it is can NOT do it all, that was inestimable

(I used to believe that one excellent lens * can do most of my pictures if I work to learn the lens characters)

- each lens with same naming can behave differently depending on the period of it's making, abused or not, CLAed, modified **, etc.

with each lens to learn by oneself not rely on other's experiences

- in my far past years, I rely on so many lenses that I was lost in the end, too many choices (in french " trop de choix tue le choix " )

 

* not meaning the most expensive

or the "best" (which doesn't exist anyway)

 

** in second hand lenses or bodies, or even new, we can have good or bad surprise as I've experienced so many times

 

[Steven]

1 hour ago, a.noctilux said:

- no lens as expensive as it is can NOT do it all, that was inestimable

I am still in denial about this. Like you, I'll have to learn the hard way. 

 

1 hour ago, a.noctilux said:

- each lens with same naming can behave differently depending on the period of it's making, abused or not, CLAed, modified **, etc.

with each lens to learn by oneself not rely on other's experiences

Scary. This means that my modified pre asph v1 will be a unique beast ill have to dompt on my own. 

 

1 hour ago, a.noctilux said:

- in my far past years, I rely on so many lenses that I was lost in the end, too many choices (in french " trop de choix tue le choix " )

100%.... I need to start selling. 

 

Great post, thanks. 

[a.noctilux]

 

Steven,

I've read that you are not happy with your steel rim Lux 35 "I".

Two paths for this particular lens:

- the lens was damaged/modified/repaired/accidented or possibly not  optimized "when new" decades ago

in this case, just sell it

 - or just the old lens is that old technology ( new lenses are better corrected wide open in my experiences ) and has those flaws built-in

in this case, I'd just use this lens from f/2.8 onwards and keep f/1.4 or 2 when I fancy to use those flare in my composition

 

I've had tried out many 35mm Summilux-M pre-asph. and some had less flare than others, but never saw one without flare at f/1.4

so when I could "replace" it with Lux asph. 35 mm lens later, I appreciate the much better wide open rendering, less flare of the new modern design.

 

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[Steven]

1 hour ago, a.noctilux said:

 

Steven,

I've read that you are not happy with your steel rim Lux 35 "I".

Two paths for this particular lens:

- the lens was damaged/modified/repaired/accidented or possibly not  optimized "when new" decades ago

in this case, just sell it

 - or just the old lens is that old technology ( new lenses are better corrected wide open in my experiences ) and has those flaws built-in

in this case, I'd just use this lens from f/2.8 onwards and keep f/1.4 or 2 when I fancy to use those flare in my composition

 

I've had tried out many 35mm Summilux-M pre-asph. and some had less flare than others, but never saw one without flare at f/1.4

so when I could "replace" it with Lux asph. 35 mm lens later, I appreciate the much better wide open rendering, less flare of the new modern design.

 

I still have not completely made my mind. I love it aesthetically, but I really struggle with the images that come out of it. Sometimes, they look fine, but most times, they're too glowy, or too flary, or too colourless.... 

The more I use it, the more I start appreciate my Voigt nokton. Similar design, similar size, similar rendering wide open, but much more controlled, and perfected. 

I also received my 35 cron v4 (silver) today. It seems like a great lens, as a compact option, but it doesnt look to outperform the Voigt at F2 and further stopped down. The only advantage of the Voigt is the wider opening. 

And of course, none of these three lens, in my opinion so far, seem to come close to my 35 pre fle.