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Distagon ZM 35/1.4 - SL vs M


Steve McGarrett

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Thank you for the link, Geetee, but I wasn't looking for a general review of the Distagon 35, I already know the lens, I have it :)

 

I just would like to know how it renders on the SL and if there is any difference in using it with SL rather than on a M-camera... searching the archives I've found a chart with an evaluation of some Leica M lenses corner performance with SL and M, it rates the Distagon one point lower if used on SL at fast apertures... I would like to hear the opinion of some people who actually use it on the SL...

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You may be referring to my tests. It produces spectacular images on the M ...... very close to the outstanding Summilux 35/1.4. 

 

Results on the SL are equally good. There is a marginal difference in corner performance, mostly close up, but in real life you will not notice it. 

 

With wide angle lenses the corners are usually sky or OOF near foreground anyway. Unless you are obsessed with photographing brick walls at 2-3m you will be hard pressed to fault this lens. 

 

If you are referring to my results look at the 'grading' notes and examples.....

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I did a side-by-side comparison of the Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM (through all stops) on the M10 and the SL last time I was in Wetzlar. The performance is virtually identical (sharpness, contrast, CA, flare, vignetting. Rendition also seems to be the same. Unfortunately, the Leitz park is mainly white, so colors were difficult to judge.

 

I did not code the lens or apply a profile. At f/1.4 vignetting is therefore pretty pronounced and judging coner performance is difficult. From f/4.0 onwards, vignetting is no more an issue. The lens is then incredibly sharp throughout the frame and very well corrected. It is almost a perfect lens. In addition and most important, it also draws very beautifully.

 

I summed up my experiences in a thread in the German section:

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/239165-zeiss-distagon-14-35-zm/

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thighslapper, on 10 Oct 2017 - 23:32, said:thighslapper, on 10 Oct 2017 - 23:32, said:thighslapper, on 10 Oct 2017 - 23:32, said:

You may be referring to my tests. It produces spectacular images on the M ...... very close to the outstanding Summilux 35/1.4. 

 

Results on the SL are equally good. There is a marginal difference in corner performance, mostly close up, but in real life you will not notice it. 

 

With wide angle lenses the corners are usually sky or OOF near foreground anyway. Unless you are obsessed with photographing brick walls at 2-3m you will be hard pressed to fault this lens. 

 

If you are referring to my results look at the 'grading' notes and examples.....

 

If it's you who have done this chart, then yes, I was referring to your tests :)

 

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I've read the notes, I am concerned about "1s" and "2s"... as you said, I think that from 3 onwards differences are very minor in real life, aren't they?

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mls1483, on 11 Oct 2017 - 15:42, said:mls1483, on 11 Oct 2017 - 15:42, said:

I did a side-by-side comparison of the Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM (through all stops) on the M10 and the SL last time I was in Wetzlar. The performance is virtually identical (sharpness, contrast, CA, flare, vignetting. Rendition also seems to be the same. Unfortunately, the Leitz park is mainly white, so colors were difficult to judge.

 

I did not code the lens or apply a profile. At f/1.4 vignetting is therefore pretty pronounced and judging coner performance is difficult. From f/4.0 onwards, vignetting is no more an issue. The lens is then incredibly sharp throughout the frame and very well corrected. It is almost a perfect lens. In addition and most important, it also draws very beautifully.

 

I summed up my experiences in a thread in the German section:

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/239165-zeiss-distagon-14-35-zm/

 

Yes, I find this lens quite stunning on M240, that's why I would like to be sure that I'm not losing anything should I switch to SL...

 

Thank you for the link above, now let's see what google translate thinks about it... :D

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You may be referring to my tests. It produces spectacular images on the M ...... very close to the outstanding Summilux 35/1.4. 

 

Results on the SL are equally good. There is a marginal difference in corner performance, mostly close up, but in real life you will not notice it. 

 

With wide angle lenses the corners are usually sky or OOF near foreground anyway. Unless you are obsessed with photographing brick walls at 2-3m you will be hard pressed to fault this lens. 

 

If you are referring to my results look at the 'grading' notes and examples.....

 

 

Which version of the Summicron 28mm did you test? The old one (11604) or the new one (11672)?

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Which version of the Summicron 28mm did you test? The old one (11604) or the new one (11672)?

 

 

thighslapper's original post is from Nov 2015. The 11672 28Cron-M came early 2016, so the spread sheet reflects the 'old' 28Cron-M. The new 28Cron, as well as the new 28Elmarit-M, have a improved corner sharpness. For the latter, see a little down in this thread.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I wrote a review on this lens for Zeiss USA a few years back, and since then has not changed my mind: it renders better than any Leica 1.4/35 ASPH lens. Its combination of sharpness and plasticity is unsurpassed.

 

Image below: Leica M10, Zeiss Distagon 1.4/35 @ f/2.8

 

22711673_10155788444264650_1064959599_o.

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