Leica Apo-Summicron-SL2.0/35mm - average performer?

[Donzo98]

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3 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

When did f/2 become slow?  Even in film days, where ISO400 was fast, an f/2 lens was far from slow.  With current sensors, when is the lens speed of f/2 a limiting factor?

Slow in terms of ability to blur the background compared to 0.95, 1.2 and 1.4

[IkarusJohn]

56 minutes ago, Donzo98 said:

Slow in terms of ability to blur the background compared to 0.95, 1.2 and 1.4

Yeah, not so much. If you play with the depth of field calculators, varying distances, the effect on blur (if you have your entire subject in focus) isn’t that great ...

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[mmradman]

Funny thing is when I started my photography with slow film in 1970 shallow DOF was never aim, on the other hand subject isolation was desirable and it would be achieved with short telephoto, either 85mm or 135mm or 200mm, mostly slow lenses.  

Nowadays with ISO and high shutter speed capable cameras and fast primes covering almost any focal length (ignoring brand for a second) subject isolation is eminently possible. 

I have managed it with Summilux 21 and 28 wides never mind narrower lenses. As John suggested it is more to do space between subject in focus and background, f2 are plenty capable.  Of course faster lenses get there faster but nothing wrong with slower lenses.

[Mr.Q]

9 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

When did f/2 become slow?  Even in film days, where ISO400 was fast, an f/2 lens was far from slow.  With current sensors, when is the lens speed of f/2 a limiting factor?

I never get the "back in the film days" argument. It's like saying a 80 hp car in the 1950's was fast. Things change. 

Likewise, a F2 prime FF lens is considered slow TODAY.  It's at least a stop slower than the F1.2 and F1.4 lenses from Zeiss, Sigma, Sony, Canon, etc etc. 

[Donzo98]

30 minutes ago, Mr.Q said:

I never get the "back in the film days" argument. It's like saying a 80 hp car in the 1950's was fast. Things change. 

Likewise, a F2 prime FF lens is considered slow TODAY.  It's at least a stop slower than the F1.2 and F1.4 lenses from Zeiss, Sigma, Sony, Canon, etc etc. 

My point exactly... don’t really get why they are disagreeing. I have the 35 F2 and 75 F2 and love them both... 

Would I prefer them to be 1.4.(at the same size)... you bet I would. 

[hillavoider]

F2 is all I need with ibis, night or day, actually it Is my favourite setting, I don’t like faces half out of focus, just my opinion of course, it’s all personal 

Edited February 6, 2020 by hillavoider

[IkarusJohn]

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On 2/6/2020 at 3:36 PM, Mr.Q said:

I never get the "back in the film days" argument. It's like saying a 80 hp car in the 1950's was fast. Things change. 

Likewise, a F2 prime FF lens is considered slow TODAY.  It's at least a stop slower than the F1.2 and F1.4 lenses from Zeiss, Sigma, Sony, Canon, etc etc. 

Well, here’s the thing.  When you loaded ISO100 film, fast lenses increased your options (f/2 was a fast lens).

With current digital, f/2 to f/1.4 is one stop, as is ISO50 to 100 (on an SL), 100 to 200 on an M10 and 160 to 320 on a v1 Monochrom.  Leaving tests aside, can you really tell the difference?  In real life, I seriously doubt it.

So why go for fast lenses?  I have plenty - increased depth of field control, and actually each has different character.  F/2 slow?  Not really, and the quality is astounding.  But so is the 50 Summilux-SL, at a significant size and weight premium ...

[Mr.Q]

Depends.  If you are talking ISO 100 or 200 yes I agree the difference is minimal.

Shooting in dark situations like astro, the difference between ISO 6400 vs 12800 or shutter speeds of 5 seconds vs 10 seconds will alter subject movement and thus the aesthetic of a photo.  Same can be said about shooting indoors (ie night clubs, wedding reception at night, etc).  There are plenty of situations where a F2 lens is too slow.  We aren't living in the film days where grainy photos were the norm.

[IkarusJohn]

I can see for astro, where shutter speed is critical.  But this is an unusual situation, and would you use the current primes for this?  They aren’t wide enough are they?  As for the rest, I take your point - not my type of photography, and normally one stop of ISO solves the problem.  Difeerent if you’re operating at the extremes, though.

[Tailwagger]

Ach... I feel like such an idiot. Got a call that there was SL-35 available, so without thinking I just bought it.  After I hung up, whistling happily to myself, I figured lets celebrate by going over the forum and see whats up. Then... horror...  I saw this thread... what have I done?!?  Woe is me... the pain... the expense... the shame of it all. What a mistake. Sigh... Oh well, what's done is done. I'm just gonna have to suck up and shoot with it at least until I manage a switch to Sony.  😂😆🤣😁

[bags27]

2 hours ago, Tailwagger said:

Ach... I feel like such an idiot. Got a call that there was SL-35 available, so without thinking I just bought it.  After I hung up, whistling happily to myself, I figured lets celebrate by going over the forum and see whats up. Then... horror...  I saw this thread... what have I done?!?  Woe is me... the pain... the expense... the shame of it all. What a mistake. Sigh... Oh well, what's done is done. I'm just gonna have to suck up and shoot with it at least until I manage a switch to Sony.  😂😆🤣😁

You-know-who just read this and decided to sell it to me instead.

[Tailwagger]

4 minutes ago, bags27 said:

You-know-who just read this and decided to sell it to me instead.

I'm sure he'd rather sell it to you.  Given said purveyor knows my MO quite well now,  I'm sure he's realized that my subtle disinformation campaign involving perplexing comparisons of unannounced Ms or CL2s vs. M10s, SL2, X1D etc has confused more than enough of his customers. And so, reluctantly, he bumps my order up to the top list that I might cease such efforts so the normal flow of business can resume. I suspect he hates me more than the Trump tariffs by now.  But, in the end, he grudgingly calls. All goes according to plan, my friend. All to plan. 😀

[cba20k]

I have the 35mm SL Summicron APO.

I use it.

I love it.

I could type a thousand words, or just take one picture and be happy.

[Chuck Albertson]

3 hours ago, cba20k said:

I have the 35mm SL Summicron APO.

I use it.

I love it.

I could type a thousand words, or just take one picture and be happy.

What he/she said. Its performance is a notch or two above the M-Summicron at that focal length, especially wide open, and the M is nothing to sniff at.

[scott kirkpatrick]

I have posted some stress tests of the 35 APO-SC in the thread SL2 and S1R.  This was a long distance shot on a fairly clear day, tilted to test sharpness corner to corner. The net was that I can just barely see a slight increase in contrast when going to f/5.6 from the original shot at f/2.0, DOF not being a factor and vignetting quite small.  I also tried the 35 APO SC on my S1R wide open and saw a slight decrease in detail presented at the edges.  Enough to make f/5.6 preferable on that platform, but  hardly disqualifying.  So it does everything that Leica says it does.

Edited February 17, 2020 by scott kirkpatrick

[budjames]

I shoot the APO Summicron SL 35mm on my SL2. It's an amazing lens with great sharpness and microcontrast, everything we love about good Leica glass. I also own the Summilux M 35mm and Summicron M 35mm. Both are great lenses too, but I think the edge goes to the SL version.

Regards,
Bud James

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

[PeterGA]

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Mine arrived a week ago and can't speak highly enough about it - now perma glued onto the SL2 - a very versatile lens, super super sharp -/excellent roll off to give leica POP just a pleasure to use..

Edited February 17, 2020 by PeterGA

[sanadsaad]

On 1/22/2020 at 7:37 PM, Chaemono said:

I shot a butterfly once with APO 35 Summicron-SL wide open and this lens resolved so much detail that the image left a screen burn-in on my laptop display.

Here's a less compressed JPEG of it:  https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-jBcNwJ/. WARNING! Open with caution. Can cause screen burn-in on less than 16 inch MacBook Pro displays. 😂

DNG download link here (😁) https://cc2032.zenfolio.com/img/g111061273-o750076470.dat?dl=2&tk=uXD8CA5jPtR3PDlJXsGaLr7fihWaRrmpOg6qZi_yXp4=

And the LUF image. Focus is on the nearest eye to the camera, obviously. 

SL2 + APO 35 Summicron-SL wide open

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ISO ISO 100 f/2 @1/125 sec.

This makes me wanna buy the Summicron 35 SL. Beautiful. 

[Tailwagger]

Dunno, I guess it's an okay lens. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[bags27]

Wrong thread, but right angst

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