pinchers of peril Posted April 19, 2018 Share #1 Posted April 19, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Sorry if this has already been discussed. I am interested in getting a Leica 35mm summicron but there are so many dang versions of the thing. I know that some are asph and so that is a different beast but even with the non-asph there are so many different versions. Anybody have a good resource to make sense of what is out there. I know there are some "made in Canada" etc. Are there any specific versions considered better or worse? Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 19, 2018 Posted April 19, 2018 Hi pinchers of peril, Take a look here What's the deal with all the different 35mm summicron versions?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pinchers of peril Posted April 19, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted April 19, 2018 Follow up question, is there any way (just by looking at the lens itself) that you can tell what version it is? Will the serial number give you that information? Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted April 19, 2018 Share #3 Posted April 19, 2018 A good place to start may be the wiki. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinchers of peril Posted April 19, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted April 19, 2018 I found some information there, but nothing about how the lenses compare to each other. A good place to start may be the wiki. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted April 19, 2018 Share #5 Posted April 19, 2018 ok, then a quick search returned Thorstens take on the Summicron 35... http://www.overgaard.dk/leica-35mm-summicron-M-f20.html I didn't read it, but there seems to be at least photos of each and some comparison table. There may (or may not) be some useful information on Ken Rockwells site. I think there is a PDF of Erwin Puts book available. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted April 19, 2018 Share #6 Posted April 19, 2018 I think there is a PDF of Erwin Puts book available. There are some here. You'll probably find some useful info in the Leica Lens Compendium. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubkins Posted April 19, 2018 Share #7 Posted April 19, 2018 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) not the most informative but interesting to peruse: http://www.streetsilhouettes.com/home/2017/3/30/leica-35mm-lenses-5-summicron-versions that was a simple google search for "35mm summicron comparison" Edited April 19, 2018 by Chubkins 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted April 19, 2018 Share #8 Posted April 19, 2018 Hello Pinchers of Peril, Welcome to the Forum. After you do your research you will find that all of the 35 mm Summicron lenses are good lenses by today's standards. Altho some versions may be a little better at "something or other" in a certain situation or at a wider aperture. They all give pretty much the same results at F 4, F 5.6 & F 8. Which, for many people, is where most of their photography is. Best Regards, Michael 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ko.Fe. Posted April 19, 2018 Share #9 Posted April 19, 2018 Google - Erwin Puts' Leica Compendium. Old version is available. It will explain the optical differences. For how it looks check here - https://kenrockwell.com/leica/comparisons/35mm-summicron/sharpness.htm 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnySeven Posted April 19, 2018 Share #10 Posted April 19, 2018 You cant go wrong with any Summicron as long as its in good shape. They all have their charms. I have a V4 midland and I love it more that the new ones. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubkins Posted April 19, 2018 Share #11 Posted April 19, 2018 Google - Erwin Puts' Leica Compendium. Old version is available. It will explain the optical differences. For how it looks check here - https://kenrockwell.com/leica/comparisons/35mm-summicron/sharpness.htm link doesn't work Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted April 19, 2018 Share #12 Posted April 19, 2018 Maybe a bit off topic, but I am concidering buying a Summicron pre-asph v4. How is the sharpness and bokeh at f/2 compared to a Summilux pre-asph stopped down to f/2? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted April 19, 2018 Share #13 Posted April 19, 2018 Google - Erwin Puts' Leica Compendium. Or just read the previous posts for links. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted April 19, 2018 Share #14 Posted April 19, 2018 Choosing is personal thing depend on what one's need in "lens rendering". Comparing Leica lenses from different versions is something very hard and loss effort anyway. In the past, I had no choice of 35mm Summicron for M. My first was the version IV in '80's. Over time, I have/had other versions of 35 Cron. A phrase to differenciate them from my own experience over time: Version I (dixit 8 elements) soft with little contrast at f/2 and much better contrast from f/2.8 and very good after that Version II and III same optical 6 elements more contrast at full open and almost equal from f/2.8 better "flat field" but less "romantic than 8 element" IV (7 elements) is another step (not much) in contrast full open, Asph. version is the best contrast rendering at f/2 and keeping that closed down To resume: each version is different and as good from about f/4 or f/5.6 on 3 dimensions subjects. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted April 19, 2018 Share #15 Posted April 19, 2018 (edited) link doesn't work https://kenrockwell.com/leica/comparisons/35mm-summicron/sharpness.htm Edited April 19, 2018 by chris_livsey Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted April 19, 2018 Share #16 Posted April 19, 2018 Maybe a bit off topic, but I am concidering buying a Summicron pre-asph v4. How is the sharpness and bokeh at f/2 compared to a Summilux pre-asph stopped down to f/2? Same "look", at f/2 as it's rougtly the same optical formula between the two. Summilux-M has no screw in filter and focus to 1m except "M3 version" to 65cm. Summicron-M 35 v. IV has screw filter thread E39 and focus to 70cm. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted April 19, 2018 Share #17 Posted April 19, 2018 (edited) From Wiki https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/35mm_f/2_Summicron-M_IV From Wiki https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/35mm_f/1.4_Summilux_II Those are beautifully made with different look. Here we can see that the Summilux is as compact as Summicron. Not the case with Asph. versions of them. comparison of my "old stable of 35mm for M" (middle is Summicron-M 2/35 asph.) I regret a little bit the 35 Lux Ti when it was sold and bought one "black" after some time . Edited April 19, 2018 by a.noctilux Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinchers of peril Posted April 19, 2018 Author Share #18 Posted April 19, 2018 Wow thank you everybody for all the info. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted April 19, 2018 Share #19 Posted April 19, 2018 (edited) In essence lens design has improved over the years and the 35mm Summicron/Summilux versions have followed this pattern too. The most noticeable difference in performance is at full aperture. Later versions perform 'better' at full aperture than the earlier ones. The pre-aspheric lenses all have sufficient residual aberrations to limit their wide open performance somewhat more than the aspheric lenses, but to some their lack of full correction can produce a pleasanter and smoother look than that from the aspheric versions. Stopped down all will give pretty good images so really its the wider apertures where differences are more noticeable.Earlier lenses are softer at full aperture than later ones and can exhibit a 'glow' which again some rather like. You may want to think of the varying performance in terms of being craftsmanlike in earlier lenses and precision in later lenses . FWIW you might find this of interest: http://marinewildlife.co.uk/info/leica-35mm-f1-4-pre-aspheric-summilux-m/ Edited April 19, 2018 by pgk 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
microview Posted April 19, 2018 Share #20 Posted April 19, 2018 https://antiquecameras.net/35summicronmlenses.html for lens serial numbers, types and desciption of construction differences – I have found this useful in the past. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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