Herr Barnack Posted March 22, 2021 Share #681 Posted March 22, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) On 3/15/2021 at 1:06 PM, Steven said: Another one on film with the APO 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! @Steven this image is just outstanding - well done! What film is this on? Shot at f/2, I'm guessing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 22, 2021 Posted March 22, 2021 Hi Herr Barnack, Take a look here The Leica APO-Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH - First Impressions. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Steven Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share #682 Posted March 22, 2021 4 minutes ago, Herr Barnack said: @Steven this image is just outstanding - well done! What film is this on? Shot at f/2, I'm guessing? Thanks ! Ilford XP2 . Convenient film to develop ! And yes, it is shot wide open. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted March 22, 2021 Share #683 Posted March 22, 2021 My impression so far of this lens, is that despite its incredible resolution and perfection, it doesn't look harsh or boring. But maybe this isn't despite of, but rather because of? Maybe at some point a lens goes beyond "harshness" and "boringness" and just leaves the subject perfectly neutral? I've seen much of the same with the 50 APO too. 5 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
horosu Posted March 22, 2021 Share #684 Posted March 22, 2021 15 minutes ago, evikne said: Maybe at some point a lens goes beyond "harshness" and "boringness" and just leaves the subject perfectly neutral? This is really the difference between Mandler and Karbe designs: whereas the older lenses had "personality", the ASPH designs are "transparent". Now, luckily we can choose lenses according to our needs- some may favour to "draw" a picture of the reality around us, in the same way a painter draws a painting- others may favour to "document" that same reality with maximum accuracy and in a transparent way. I, for one, find the reality (particularly the current one 😉), boring. But that's just me. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted March 22, 2021 Share #685 Posted March 22, 2021 30 minutes ago, horosu said: This is really the difference between Mandler and Karbe designs: whereas the older lenses had "personality", the ASPH designs are "transparent". Now, luckily we can choose lenses according to our needs- some may favour to "draw" a picture of the reality around us, in the same way a painter draws a painting- others may favour to "document" that same reality with maximum accuracy and in a transparent way. I, for one, find the reality (particularly the current one 😉), boring. But that's just me. I usually prefer "personality" too, but I also have a couple of modern lenses. Sometimes it is nice to be able to shoot wide open or in demanding lighting conditions without having to worry about the image quality. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share #686 Posted March 22, 2021 Hello all, For the sake of transparency, and the evolution of this thread, I would like to let you all know that I have returned (in exchange of a full refund) the APO 35. What?! Pretty big story twist for those who thought I was endorsed by Leica, right?! I will explain in detail why, but for those of you who want to skip to the conclusion, all you need to know is that my decision to return the lens was not based on the lens itself, but on my search for happiness. The lens is prefect, in every sense of the word. It is an optical masterpiece, it’s compact, it’s revolutionary (30cm MFD), and it has a unique and beautiful rendering. From my testing, it gives excellent results on film, excellent results on a digital M, and excellent results on an SL camera. I would confidently recommend this lens for anyone looking for the ultimate 35mm RF lens, and I find that it is worth every penny. But it didn’t have it’s place in my kit. At least for now, because deep inside, I know that I will own that lens again one day. So why did I get rid of it? Unlike what some of you think, I do not buy new gear every week in order to collect lenses on a shelf. I am a user, not a collector. I have some valuable lenses that I love and use all day long, not caring to scratch them and diminish their value if needs be. The photos come first. On another note, I really dislike having too many options. For many years, I had one camera and one lens only (150 dollars lens), and it was one of the time when I took my best photos, because I never had to waste time choosing which gear to take out. I just went out and mastered what I had in my hand. Then I discovered Leica, and ended up a year later with 5 camera bodies and 15 lenses. Every day isa torture now, because I do not know which equipment to chose before leaving the house, and whatever I chose, I end up regretting. Because of this, I’ve decided a couple of weeks ago to strip down my kit and get rid of what I did not need. This was the beginning of the search for my “minimalist, holy grail” kit. But now that I know about the virtues of good glass, I do not think I could live with only one lens anymore. For a bit of context, in terms of bodies: I sold all my film bodies and kept only an M7 I sold all my M digital bodies (yes, even my M10D yesterday 😭) and kept only an M10P I kept my SL2-S as my hybrid, video/stills camera I am selling my Q2 (😭) Then I had to chose the lenses. It might seem simple at first since I’ve been exclusively shooting with a 35mm for the past years. But I have accumulated a lot of 35s. After selling most of them, here is what my “minimalist” 35mm kit looks like The “Steel Rim”, Summilux pre asph V1. It’s tiny, beautiful looking and collector, has the unique glow at 1.4 and is very sharp stopped down. The silver Nokton 35, which is a copy of the Steel Rim in terms of design. It has two advantages over the steel rim: 1. It has much less flaring at night and 2. It’s not as expensive so It’s a good beat around lens for when it’s raining or walking around unsafe areas. It is basically a substitute player for my Steel Rim And then there was space/need in my kit for a more modern 35mm, that didn’t need to be compact. I hated the FLE, I loved the pre fle, and I loved the APO. But I chose (at least for now) a lens that I have never tried yet, and that is arriving by UPS tomorrow morning: the Summilux Aspherical, also know as the AA. I chose it seems to be, from photos I’ve seen, my perfect 35. It’s similar to my pre FLE, which was my favourite lens until now. It produces the Leica look we all love (for those of us who accept that it exists) like no other lens. It’s very sharp yet has a little touch of Mandler, and it’s a lens that should gain tremendous value if I ever decide to resell it one day. So I sold most my lenses. Some were hard to part with, such as my Silver KOB (V4 Cron), and of course, my APO. During the time I used the APO, I had realised it would not be a lens I would use on my M10P. It seemed to me that it married itself better on my SL2S. First because the EVF makes the experience of focusing at 30cm better, but also because in my eyes, the sensor of the SL2S takes great advantage of this lens and produces an look similar to the SL35 which I love. It goes so well with the SL2/SL2S that I first thought it was going to stay there forever. And it’s exactly at that point that I decided to sell it. Because when I realised it was perfect for my SL2S, I had a horrible thought: “But then, what will happen to my Summilux 28 😱😱😱?” I bought the 28 Lux two months ago. It was quite a big leap of faith because It’s the first time in 15 years I go out of the 35mm FL. Since I purchased it, it has been glued to my SL2S and I am absolutely in love with it. I find that the APO has a similar rendering wide open as the lux. Modern, but soft and not boring sharp. In other words, I realised that my APO was actually not competing against my other 35s, but against my Summilux 28. So I knew that because its advantages over the 28 Lux (30cm MFD and the fact that it’s half the size), owning the APO would mean the 28 would get less action, and at this moment of my life, I love too much the 28 lux, so in a minimalist approach, I sacrificed the 35 APO. The 28 Lux has that something extra, that cinematic layer that falls onto the sharpness at 1.4, and that produces a look similar to a movie scene, and I will not give it up for the APO for now. In conclusion, while the APO is an incredible lens, one that I’m sure I’ll cross roads with again at some point, I have decided to return it while it was still time to get a refund in order to protect the Summilux 28. Strangely, It’s on film that I will miss the APO the most for now, but its a bit too expensive for me to dedicate to a film body for now, considering it’s the camera I use the least (maybe the Voigtlander APO 35MMas a dedicated M7 lens?) Hope that was not too long and that it makes a bit of sense. I really don’t have anything bad to say about this lens. I loved it. Feel free to ask me any question. 9 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwesi Posted March 22, 2021 Share #687 Posted March 22, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) 52 minutes ago, horosu said: This is really the difference between Mandler and Karbe designs: whereas the older lenses had "personality", the ASPH designs are "transparent". Now, luckily we can choose lenses according to our needs- some may favour to "draw" a picture of the reality around us, in the same way a painter draws a painting- others may favour to "document" that same reality with maximum accuracy and in a transparent way. I, for one, find the reality (particularly the current one 😉), boring. But that's just me. I fear the internet and Leica have conspired to turn us into lens connoisseurs. When I look at the work of my hero's - Mary Ellen Mark, Garry Winogrand, Costa Manos, Alex Webb, Lee Friedlander to name a few, its immediately apparent that "how a lens draws" was the last thing on their minds. 8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwesi Posted March 22, 2021 Share #688 Posted March 22, 2021 Steven, Interesting that I was writing what I wrote above as you were writing. Perhaps the ideal situation for you would have been a second SL2s and the 35 APO Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
horosu Posted March 22, 2021 Share #689 Posted March 22, 2021 25 minutes ago, Kwesi said: When I look at the work of my hero's - Mary Ellen Mark, Garry Winogrand, Costa Manos, Alex Webb, Lee Friedlander to name a few, its immediately apparent that "how a lens draws" was the last thing on their minds. You are partially true, although if I look at some of the work by Alex Webb or indeed others, anything but transparency comes to mind. Maybe each of us can now choose the lens that best fulfils his vision. 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! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/318545-the-leica-apo-summicron-m-35mm-f2-asph-first-impressions/?do=findComment&comment=4165987'>More sharing options...
Wonzo Posted March 22, 2021 Share #690 Posted March 22, 2021 vor 37 Minuten schrieb Steven: Hope that was not too long and that it makes a bit of sense. I really don’t have anything bad to say about this lens. I loved it. Feel free to ask me any question. Hey Steven, you have described your decision very well and from a mimimalist view it makes totally sense to me. Looking at your other lenses, I was anyway surprised, that you had bought the APO. It didn`t seem to fit into your collection. All your other lenses draw completely different and present a unique look, to which the APO wouldn`t fit. For me this is a consequent decision, as well as selling the Q2. I just hadn`t sold the Summicron IV, a lovely lens with so beautiful colors ... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwesi Posted March 22, 2021 Share #691 Posted March 22, 2021 20 minutes ago, horosu said: You are partially true, although if I look at some of the work by Alex Webb or indeed others, anything but transparency comes to mind. Maybe each of us can now choose the lens that best fulfils his vision. 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! Given that this thread is about gear, I probably shouldn't have written what I wrote. I really was just making a general statement that we are being trained to depend too much on the lens to tell the story. Although for many people the lens has become the story. Knowing Alex Webb, this image was probably shot at about 4.0 with a 35 probably a v4. A very natural looking photo that pretty much mimics how we see. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share #692 Posted March 22, 2021 39 minutes ago, Kwesi said: Steven, Interesting that I was writing what I wrote above as you were writing. Perhaps the ideal situation for you would have been a second SL2s and the 35 APO Absolutely, very interesting. You know, for the first 5 years of my photography, I only owned a 50mm 1.8 Nikon plastic lens. I bought it cause it was the cheapest, without even thinking I could own lenses that saw wider or tighter. I just had to move my feet. With this lens, I took all these series of photos that I recently reposted on my instagram. The, I used to only buy lenses out of convenience. I got a 35mm 1.4 which suit all my needs but I didn't know what the words "draw" or "render" meant before coming to this forum. Didn't stop me from taking great photos and videos. Now, I look at lenses characteristics like a wine connoisseur tastes wine. Is that a bad thing ? Did I get further away from what matters ? I don't know. One thing I know is that when I owned that Nikon plastic lens, I also used to buy white wine at carrefour for 2 euro a bottle, and when I didn't have ice, I drunk it warm and had a blast. Now, I know more about wines, and I cannot drink Carrefour wine anymore. I dont think I'll ever go back to it, even with a lot of ice. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share #693 Posted March 22, 2021 27 minutes ago, horosu said: You are partially true, although if I look at some of the work by Alex Webb or indeed others, anything but transparency comes to mind. Maybe each of us can now choose the lens that best fulfils his vision. 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! Incredible photo. I didn't know about this photographer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted March 22, 2021 Share #694 Posted March 22, 2021 (edited) @Steven your approach to paring down your Leica kit does make sense, even though I am loathe to sell off any of my M lenses once I get them. Too many cameras and lenses can easily be an obstacle to image making - I discovered that back in my Hasselblad 503 CW days. I have come to the realization that in terms of camera gear, light and fast is the way to go; less gear, more images. When I go to a photography workshop and see someone show up with 6-8 lenses, 3 camera bodies and 2 flash units, my reaction is to think they are a hobbyist. When someone shoes up with one camera body and 2-3 lenses, my reaction is to think that person has a refined photographic vision and knows what they are doing. In a lot of ways, less is more rings especially true in photography. Edited March 22, 2021 by Herr Barnack 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwesi Posted March 22, 2021 Share #695 Posted March 22, 2021 7 minutes ago, Steven said: Incredible photo. I didn't know about this photographer. It actually in English with subtitles. He is one of my favorite photographers. Here is a video of him on assignment that think you would like. 2 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted March 22, 2021 Share #696 Posted March 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Steven said: what will happen to my Summilux 28 😱😱😱?” I didn’t read all of it but I agree that owning a 28 AND a 35 can be confusing when packing for great photogenic trips. I’ll have an extra laugh when Leica comes out with an APO 28lux, but what do I know about longitudinal chromatic aberrations anyway. Let the winegrowers produce their wine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share #697 Posted March 22, 2021 48 minutes ago, Herr Barnack said: that person has a refined photographic vision and knows what they are doing. I’ll keep that in my mind and repeat it to myself every time I hurt while selling a lens. The toughest one to let go was the Cron V4 Silver. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share #698 Posted March 22, 2021 35 minutes ago, otto.f said: I didn’t read all of it but I agree that owning a 28 AND a 35 can be confusing when packing for great photogenic trips. I’ll have an extra laugh when Leica comes out with an APO 28lux, but what do I know about longitudinal chromatic aberrations anyway. Let the winegrowers produce their wine. I don’t think i would be attracted to a 28 APO. I find the 28 to already be perfect and the characteristics that made me fall in love with it are not very APOish... However, half the size and a closer MFD might make me take my words back one day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted March 22, 2021 Share #699 Posted March 22, 2021 I didn’t see a halfsize Summilux anywhere yet 😊 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share #700 Posted March 22, 2021 2 minutes ago, otto.f said: I didn’t see a halfsize Summilux anywhere yet 😊 I meant a half size APO 28. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.