Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

42 minutes ago, otto.f said:

I don’t understand very well what your point is. The edges are softer, yes. That was almost Leitz’s philosophy in the 60’s, it was their character at least. Is that a surprise? Did you expect it otherwise then? I thought you knew better actually. Around the time of the Summicron 35 asph Leica began to pay attention to sharp edges in my view.

Please read the thread. Then you might understand that I was simply answering a question about and explaining my opinion on this lens. 

Surprise? No. Expected it otherwise? I didn't expect it to be modern sharp, but other than that I bought it with an open mind, while expecting a small, interesting lens - which it is. I'm happy with it.

The passive-aggression in your "I thought you knew better" is best avoided if you want constructive responses.

Edited by LocalHero1953
  • Like 8
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

passive-aggression in your "I thought you knew better

It wasn’t meant passive agressive and I really think that you know or knew more about the history of Leitz lenses. Sorry for that connotation.  

Edited by otto.f
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

The colors from these old lenses have always looked desaturated and flat to me so I've tended to use them (the Summmaron in particular) on my MM v.1 to best effect. Softness in the corners and all.

The ZM 35 C for everything else. It is a sleeper of a lens, small, affordable, punchy Zeiss colors and resolution to spare, starting already @ ƒ/2.8

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The tests should be done on a Leica M240 or M10, which have had their sensor  corrected to use M lenses. It is not the case of the Leica SL on which M lenses perform less good and surely not on Sony cameras which do not serve the Leica lenses correctly.

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, DBAUDUI1 said:

The tests should be done on a Leica M240 or M10, which have had their sensor  corrected to use M lenses.

What do you mean by the M240 and M10 "have had their sensor  corrected to use M lenses" ??

Edited by ianman
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

9 hours ago, DBAUDUI1 said:

It is not the case of the Leica SL on which M lenses perform less good

This is a big overstatement,  coming from a pixelpeeping afternoon of Sean Reid, he saw some minor differences at the edges. The M lenses work fine on an SL and for some even better because they have difficulties focussing with lenses like Summilux75 or SAA 90 on M’s

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Seriously, a Leica lens can't be "too characterful"...

Leica M10 + Leica Leitz Wetzlar Summaron-M 35mm f/2.8


Valle Antrona by Del-Uks, on Flickr 


Rovesca • Valle Antrona by Del-Uks, on Flickr

  • Like 11
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 11/6/2019 at 1:26 PM, ianman said:

What do you mean by the M240 and M10 "have had their sensor  corrected to use M lenses" ??

Well, I know what he means - special microlenses over each pixel that are more efficient at bending incoming light with a shallow "angle of incidence" to avoid vignetting - especially with legacy film wide-angle lenses:

http://gmpphoto.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-future-of-sensor-technology-at-leica.html

On the M8/9 CCDs, offset microlenses were used (for pixels farther from the image center, the individual microlenses were "decentered" over the pixel to achieve a similar redirecting of light.)

https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/421429/how-do-cra-chief-ray-angle-and-fov-field-of-view-affect-one-another

That, of course, is in addition to the Leica M firmwares also "processing away" vignetting and color vignetting as well. The whole 6-bit-coding thing....

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

I think you are really sharing an accurate conclusion here. What we see is the result of decades of technology development between both lenses. I just got the Summaron 35mm 2.8 after looking forward so much for it and have to say it wasn't much of a Wow! factor for me the way I expected it to be when I tried it for the first time. I still have to use the lens much more and learn how to get the best of it but it definitely shows it's coming from a different era. No surprise of course, I just somehow expected something more "magical" from it. Surely my mistake.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I have had my 1967 version for over ten years and whilst I enjoy using it on M10M, M240 and film (colour & b&w) I would not say it has any stand-out characteristics - aside from appearance, materials and tactility.  It is just a very capable 35mm f2.8 lens that is a pleasure to use.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 1/26/2022 at 7:30 PM, Justcallmesando said:

I think you are really sharing an accurate conclusion here. What we see is the result of decades of technology development between both lenses. I just got the Summaron 35mm 2.8 after looking forward so much for it and have to say it wasn't much of a Wow! factor for me the way I expected it to be when I tried it for the first time. I still have to use the lens much more and learn how to get the best of it but it definitely shows it's coming from a different era. No surprise of course, I just somehow expected something more "magical" from it. Surely my mistake.

Magic myth strikes again 😉.

This "very" good lens merits more than myth.

Just use it (one in good condition) as other lens.

I can say as decades old user of this nice/mythic Summaron 2.8/35 (I had many copies more or less "pristine")

that this lens had several decades advance on other lenses but comparing to more modern lens may be done if the lens (OLD Summaron 2.8/35)

IS in pristine shape.

I saw so many in bad shape, removed-by-cleaning-polishing coating, some with accident in glass elements, and many unmounted/remounted badly.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

This "very" good lens merits more than myth

Yes I agree

 

On 1/26/2022 at 7:30 PM, Justcallmesando said:

Wow! factor

I did have the Wow experience with my copy. But: taking into account that it is a lens from 1961, it was indeed ahead of its time. 

Another thing is it’s bo-keh, which is a lot smoother than that of ‘the King of..’

Edited by otto.f
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/28/2022 at 12:03 PM, a.noctilux said:

Magic myth strikes again 😉.

This "very" good lens merits more than myth.

Just use it (one in good condition) as other lens.

I can say as decades old user of this nice/mythic Summaron 2.8/35 (I had many copies more or less "pristine")

that this lens had several decades advance on other lenses but comparing to more modern lens may be done if the lens (OLD Summaron 2.8/35)

IS in pristine shape.

I saw so many in bad shape, removed-by-cleaning-polishing coating, some with accident in glass elements, and many unmounted/remounted badly.

I have to make a brief update of my first comment on the Summaron 35mm 2.8. I have been using the lens on my Fuji X-Pro 1 which makes it behave more or less like a 50mm (not exactly of course) and I am very impressed by it's performance specially at f/5.6 which I think is pretty close to a sweet spot for this lens. The sharpness is amazing and it's just a clean perfect lens for so many applications. It's been glued to the camera all the time so far. I will continue using it but I am really impressed by the sharpness and definition of the lens specially in the middle, which is where I usually care since I am not a landscape photographer. Not sure if it's the micro contrast or what it is but the lens has really amazing definition in the center. Here's a very boring shot-from-my-window but good example of an image for illustrating this, no post sharpness applied, just very simple development in Lightroom with Velvia film simulation applied. Just take a look at the foliage detail against the sky. Now, this is an almost 10 y/o camera but I am really loving the result with this lens.

**I just took a look at the image already posted and that extreme sharpness and detail I talk about doesn't show in this compressed image, but you will see it in your images if you get a good copy.

Forgot to mention that I am using it on the Fuji X-Pro 1 without the googles because my copy´s goggles have been evidently removed before my purchase and when I tried it with my Leica M3 the rangefinder was missaligned, vertically I think. I will get it adjusted soon but I am using it without the goggles for now on the X-Pro 1.

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!

Edited by Justcallmesando
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 1/28/2022 at 3:28 PM, otto.f said:

Yes I agree

 

I did have the Wow experience with my copy. But: taking into account that it is a lens from 1961, it was indeed ahead of its time. 

Another thing is it’s bo-keh, which is a lot smoother than that of ‘the King of..’

I am starting to have the wow effect while using it and shooting at f/5.6 lately. About the bokeh is very very nice indeed, I jus have to try it on different scenarios but looking really nice so far. I just shared here a simple image to show how sharp this lens is with a 10 y/o Fuji X-Pro 1 camera.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On M9M

Distance 1 m

100% crop

No adjustment made

1. Center

2. Bokeh

3.Edge

 

Judge by yourself(pixel peeping is ok, but the Summaron has a lot of Charakter, even thought it is AS SHARP as KOB)

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!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...