Summilux 35 decision

[steamboat]

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Ignore  any 35mm lens so-called ASPH.

 

You've obviously never owned the 35mm f1.4 Summilux (pre-asph, classic). :-)

[jaeger]

what is the advantage of having floating elements anyway?

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[Mark II]

So that if you drop your camera in water it will not sink :-)

 

Usually they are intended to help compensate for focus innacuracy/softness that is sometimes seen at close distances and wider apertures. This is the only advantage for the 35mm ASPH FLE over the plain ASPH, and a fairly subtle one at that

[a.noctilux]

what is the advantage of having floating elements anyway?

 

To rattle when shaking the lens .

 

...

More seriously,

because from 35mm Summilux-M asph. pre FLE users reported focus shift on their lenses.

So Leica admitted that and corrected the flaw by floating lens.

 

Even if some users (like me never saw those flaws) are happy with pre FLE Lux Asph.

[Abram]

You've obviously never owned the 35mm f1.4 Summilux (pre-asph, classic). :-)

Oh I rather think that he has. His post was very intentional.

 

 

On Topic: I’m using the FLE version myself as my main lens because I wanted a 35mm that was usable at f/1.4 for low light work on film and digital. I would have been perfectly happy to buy the pre-FLE version but I seemed to have missed the boat on them price-wise. At the time I was looking for a Summilux the Pre-FLE was selling for as much if not more than the FLE version, which made no sense to me so I bought the cheaper version which happened to be the FLE at the time.

 

That being said I’m perfectly happy with the lens, it probably needs a slight focus adjustment (mine back-focuses a tiny bit which is only noticeable on digital) and I would like to get the internal rattle fixed but it just keeps on delivering the goods image-wise so I’m not in a hurry.

Edited September 21, 2018 by Abram

[epand56]

I had both and I've eventually sold the FLE. I feel much more comfortable with the old version. I would say I'm in love with it. I do not notice any focus shift with mine and it's dead sharp. It's the only lens that I will never sell. I also had it 6 bit coded at Will Van Manen's Kamera-Service for a very few money. The FLE was too much clinical to me, didn't feel any empathy with that lens.

[roverover]

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I purchased a New 35mm Summilux FLE in 2017. I am enjoying this lens but it is my 1st Leica 35mm lens so i have no other Leica 35's to compare this too, however, I am curious. I do hear a rattle if I shake the lens, and since this is my only FLE, I am wondering if this is normal?

I see a comment or 2 has been made in this thread about a "rattle." Mine has done it since new and I assume there is nothing wrong, but since it has been mentioned, I thought i'd inquire if anyone might actually know about the construction of the FLE model?

[Rus]

I purchased a New 35mm Summilux FLE in 2017. I am enjoying this lens but it is my 1st Leica 35mm lens so i have no other Leica 35's to compare this too, however, I am curious. I do hear a rattle if I shake the lens, and since this is my only FLE, I am wondering if this is normal?

I see a comment or 2 has been made in this thread about a "rattle." Mine has done it since new and I assume there is nothing wrong, but since it has been mentioned, I thought i'd inquire if anyone might actually know about the construction of the FLE model?

The copy of 11663 I used to have had that rattle too. I think it’s quite normal.

[delta100]

I purchased my FLE in December 2017. The rattle is normal. The 35 FLE is a great lens, I love it! Well done Leica. Lets start an image thread for the lens?

[lct]

Hehe mine rattles like a (little) snake as well. The FLE is not alone though and i won't try to have it fixed since the last time i did (on a 90/2 pre-apo) the rattling noise has gone but the lens had almost no click stops anymore.

[colint544]

My 35mm Summilux FLE had the rattle, and an almost detent-free aperture ring, straight out of the box, back in 2011. Never affected the pictures I took with it.

 

However, the focus ring eventually developed some play, and ended up jamming before it reached infinity, so I sent it back to Wetzlar. They fixed it, and also managed to banish the rattle, and tighten up the click stops on the aperture ring. 

 

But rattle, or no rattle, it's a great lens.

[roverover]

My 35mm Summilux FLE had the rattle, and an almost detent-free aperture ring, straight out of the box, back in 2011. Never affected the pictures I took with it.

 

However, the focus ring eventually developed some play, and ended up jamming before it reached infinity, so I sent it back to Wetzlar. They fixed it, and also managed to banish the rattle, and tighten up the click stops on the aperture ring. 

 

But rattle, or no rattle, it's a great lens.

 

From several replies it seems the light rattling sound is quite normal for this FLE lens then. Mine is functioning perfectly fine so far. Thanks for all the replies.

[apertur]

I was told by Leica that the rattle is normal and related to the aperture cage.

[Stein K S]

I just sent in my pre-FLE to Leica to get rid of rattle. In the end the rattle was ¨all the way around¨ and definitely not only related to aperture ring. Somewhat comforting to hear though that this is normal... and I know it did not affect quality. But in my mind I sure hope that this marvelous lens will return from Leica as tight as my other lenses.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Stein K S

[budjames]

I own both the 35 Summicron and Summilux lenses, the latest versions.

 

The Summicron gets the most use because it is smaller and lighter and I usually shoot between f5.6 - 8.

 

You cannot go wrong with either lenses. If I shot in a lot of low light situations, I would opt for the Summilux.

 

Regards,

Bud James

 

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

[Ray Vonn]

The F2 of the Summicron should be ok for low light, shouldn't it? Surely that's not the main reason for choosing the lux over the cron.

Edited September 25, 2018 by Ray Vonn

[Rupert Greenwell]

I sold my 35mm f1.4 Asph for the new Fle and have always regretted it.  The Fle  came with a very loose aperture ring and was returned for adjustment. It was a bit better but it is very easy to knock the ring when carrying the camera etc. Optically the Fle is very good, I have some wonderful photos from it, in a earlier thread regarding the Fle someone posted how well the lens captured the light and I have a couple of examples too where I have wondered if this was down to the lens or luck.

   Over the years I have tried to find a good copy of the pre Fle to replace the one that I sold, copy after copy had bad focus shift and or a loose front element. Finally today I have received from Aperture in London a late copy of the pre Fle ,factory 6 bitted and in a mint condition. There is no focus shift and I am very happy. I will keep the Fle for now but I prefer the ergonomics of the Asph, it is much harder to knock the aperture ring and the lens just feels right in my hands.

   I too prefer the look of the Asph , it is perhaps less clinical and I just like the look of the Mandler era lenses.

       Ideally you should try and handle both lenses together to see how they handle, do test the Asph for focus shift, the late models were said to be better adjusted and the titanium models were said to be free of focus shift but that could be a internet myth !  They are both very good lenses.

[budjames]

The F2 of the Summicron should be ok for low light, shouldn't it? Surely that's not the main reason for choosing the lux over the cron.

The lux 1.4 aperture helps isolates subjects as compared to the cron, if that's your thing.

 

Regards,

Bud James

 

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

[Ray Vonn]

Thanks Bud (ive trodden that Fuji to Leica path too). It’d be a poor photographer that can isolate subjects and use in low light using F2. But I get what you’re saying.

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[Peter Kilmister]

A great landscape photographer, Charle Waite, used the smallest aperture (f/22) for many of his great photos. I have never really understood the obsession of using wide apertures. Maybe I am alone and a voice in the wilderness? Today I saw a photo taken with a wide open Noctilux which confirmed why I am so happy I sold mine.

Not only was it heavy and blocked the viewfinder but was only of use with one distinct focal point.

 

A Noctilux is, in my mind, a lens for studio use with one principle subject, e.g. a model.

 

Why on earth anyone would use one outside a studio is still a mystery.