No love for the 35mm Summicron Asph?

[edstock]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

For me it's the 35 f 2. asph. Add to that on another M is my summilux 75 f 1.4.

[HoyMikey]

Super love this. No questions. It can do normally everything. 

Edited August 5, 2019 by HoyMikey

[ChicagoMatthew]

I had the 35mm asph and loved it... great IQ, small but maintains good ergonomics. The new screw in hood version is bigger than the clip on hood version too... not sure if that’s worth the extra aperture blades. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Nick_S]

The 35mm Summicron is my favourite lens. Small, tiny levels of distortion, sharp, flare resistant and great character. The only downside has been the lens hood unclipping when I touch it on both sides, but this has been fixed on the latest version with a screw in hood.

[ChicagoMatthew]

4 hours ago, Nick_S said:

The 35mm Summicron is my favourite lens. Small, tiny levels of distortion, sharp, flare resistant and great character. The only downside has been the lens hood unclipping when I touch it on both sides, but this has been fixed on the latest version with a screw in hood.

I don’t think the clip on hood is a downside. It’s not like you can accidentally push in the two buttons on the hood, you’d have to be trying to get it off. And the screw on hood makes the lens more bulky that the clip on version. 

[Nick_S]

7 hours ago, ChicagoMatthew said:

It’s not like you can accidentally push in the two buttons on the hood

It sometimes happens when I reach into my Domke f-5XB bag to bring out the camera. The buttons on the lens hood seem to be rather sensitive, at least on my copy.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Nick_S

[ChicagoMatthew]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

15 hours ago, Nick_S said:

It sometimes happens when I reach into my Domke f-5XB bag to bring out the camera. The buttons on the lens hood seem to be rather sensitive, at least on my copy.

Oh... do you put the camera in lens facing up? I have that bag and I put two bodies in on their sides... so lens facing outward, toward the flap. 

[Gregm61]

I like the clip-on hood and prefer it and the smaller size to the current version with the screw-on hood, but the lens does not handle shooting directly into the sun very well at all. Whether the odd bell-shaped reflections, flare or both at the same time my experience is, if you cannot at least partially hide the sun behind something within the scene direct sunlight will cause one or both virtually 100% of the time and rarely is it a "character-inducing" effect.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Gregm61

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[bayernfan]

I too have noticed a propensity to flare with a strong light source coming from the side.  However, a hood in place almost always prevents it.   I have the 12504 in my bag or on my person for this reason.

The good traits definitely outweigh the bad with this lens.  The image is modern, but not clinical (it has some character/vibe).  The size and ergonomics are near perfect.  The build quality is outstanding.  While I do prefer using it for color, I really enjoy the B&W output as well (I can't say that about many lenses).  It has a trace of pincushion distortion, which I actually prefer to barrel.  Overall, my most trusted and used lens.

[maxfairclough]

I must be the only one who likes the metal screw on hoods rather than the plastic clip on ones. The clip-on ones looks cheap.

[lct]

18 minutes ago, maxfairclough said:

I must be the only one who likes the metal screw on hoods rather than the plastic clip on ones. The clip-on ones looks cheap.

I used to think alike when i realized that plastic hoods can work better as bumpers than metal ones and they show less dents in the long run. Been using 12585 (metal) and 12538 (plastic) vented hoods for 30+ years and the 12538 look much younger than i do .

[maxfairclough]

6 hours ago, lct said:

I used to think alike when i realized that plastic hoods can work better as bumpers than metal ones and they show less dents in the long run. Been using 12585 (metal) and 12538 (plastic) vented hoods for 30+ years and the 12538 look much younger than i do .

I appreciate your experience and insight on it. I could see that very much being the case. Being a new Leica user I really do like the aesthetics of the metal hood. Maybe I will come around to changing my tune when i have spent more time with it!

Thanks again!

[Guest]

Reading through this thread I think if i found a 35mm summicron asph 2  outside my front door i would simply throw it in the bin,so bad most posters opinions on it have been.

I have a 35mm f2.4 summarit but always imagined the summicron as the classic leica lens but thanks to this thread i now realise its a useless piece of junk.

Ps give me a metal screw in lens hood every time on any lens.

[MarkP]

On 8/9/2018 at 12:56 AM, jim0266 said:

 

Fast forward a decade later I'm finally shooting M digital and tried a Zeiss 35/2.8 C-Biogon. Better than my Cron and as light as my old V4. Sold the Cron, bought the ZM 35/2.8 and never looked back.

The 2.8/35 ZM is a very nice lens but too much contrast for my taste.

Edited August 24, 2019 by MarkP

[Gregm61]

11 hours ago, steve 1959 said:

I have a 35mm f2.4 summarit but always imagined the summicron as the classic leica lens but thanks to this thread i now realise its a useless piece of junk.

If you like shooting into the sun, you have (of the currently available new options) Leica’s best performing 35mm lens.

I’ve tried both the f1.4 FLE and still have my f2 Summicron ASPH as it is a wonderful lens for the vast majority of subject matter, but if my plans for the day specifically include shots where I know the sun will be in the field of view, like a sunrise series where I’ll be shooting directly into the sun for up to 1-2 hours beyond sunrise, the f2.4 Summarit (along with the 21mm f3.4 Super Elmar) is what I go with as it is extremely flare and reflection resistant.

if you need “character”, just add a clear filter with a thin layer of Vaseline applied, LOL... 

Edited August 25, 2019 by Gregm61

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[lct]

57 minutes ago, Gregm61 said:

if my plans for the day specifically include shots where I know the sun will be in the field of view, like a sunrise series where I’ll be shooting directly into the sun for up to 1-2 hours beyond sunrise, the f2.4 Summarit (along with the 21mm f3.4 Super Elmar) is what I go with as it is extremely flare and reflection resistant

Same for the Summarit 50/2.5 but it doesn't like the sun that much when it stands outside of the frame. At about 10 AM here. I have no experience with the 50/2.4 though.

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!

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Gregm61]

Hi Lct!

 

THAT'S Extreme, LOL.

JUST outside the frame you can see some weirdness, with or without the hood. Never seen anything like that but I have had some flare issues with the sun at the periphery so I do what  I can to either extend the distance from the frame or just put the sun in the direct field of view.

I see the same with the Summicron ASPH and have to deal with that differently. Below is the typical Summicron ASPH reaction to the sun being in the FOV. Extremely consistent in its appearance. Very boring photo I know. Just shot it because I knew I could get the result. When I'm out shooting I typically delete these type images.

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!

If you partially hide the sun in the image, assuming there's an object to do so, shooting with the sun in the frame with the Summicron CAN work, like here..

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!

Otherwise, I can shoot with the Summarit f2.4 anywhere in the frame and have rarely encountered ANY issues with it.

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!

Even the 75mm f2.4 Summarit is an against the light performer, unlike the 75mm f2 APO 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!

A four-lens outfit consisting of the 35 and 75mm f2.4 Summarits, 21mm f3.4 SEM and 135mm f3.4 APO is about as good as it gets for all-around performance in just about any outdoor light.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Gregm61

[james.liam]

Shooting into the sun?

Of the ones I own, the ZM 35 Biogon C and 21 SEM are peerless in this respect. The MATE and 75 Summicron are utterly inadequate for the task. I also steer clear of the 50 APO.

Recently purchased a metal Heliopan long lens hood (49mm) for the 75, double the length of the meager built-in one that greatly reduces the issue with incident light. 

[asiafish]

The 35 Cron ASPH just isn't sexy or exciting.  Other lenses are faster, or lighter or cheaper.

What it does do best is compromise.  At f/2 it is fast enough, it is small and light enough, and much more than sharp enough.  It isn't my favorite 35mm lens (that would be the 35mm f/2.8 Summaron), my best (Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 Distagon) or my smallest and lightest (Canon 35mm f/2 LTM), but it is the one I use the most often.

Kind of the same with all of the Summicrons.  They are fast enough, sharp enough and small enough.

[colint544]

9 hours ago, asiafish said:

The 35 Cron ASPH just isn't sexy or exciting.  Other lenses are faster, or lighter or cheaper.

What it does do best is compromise.  At f/2 it is fast enough, it is small and light enough, and much more than sharp enough.  It isn't my favorite 35mm lens (that would be the 35mm f/2.8 Summaron), my best (Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 Distagon) or my smallest and lightest (Canon 35mm f/2 LTM), but it is the one I use the most often.

Kind of the same with all of the Summicrons.  They are fast enough, sharp enough and small enough.

I've got the 35mm Summaron 2.8 and would never sell it. It's very sharp (but with smooth out of focus areas at 2.8) , built like a tank, and tiny.

Was just wondering what your reasons were for it to be your favourite 35mm lens?