Why is the Leica 35 Summilux Double ASPHERICAL (AA) so special

[MarkP]

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On 4/22/2021 at 6:02 AM, Steven said:

I think you will enjoy it. 

I exchanged a couple weeks back with Harry (aka the God Particle) on another thread about this. He has an impressive experience of the 35 focal length and collects some insane lenses. He owns several 35AA, and every other 35s you can imagine, including the newest APO. Several time along the threads, while he acknowledges that the 35AA is the most special lens he's used, he also explains his love for the pre FLE, which he too finds similar to AA. The pre FLE is a very very special lens, and it is different from the FLE. 

I own a chrome copy on which I cant notice any focus shift. before that, I had the regular black one which I loved equally, and while I've never scientifically tested it for focus shift, I never missed a shot in real life because of this. Not saying the problem doesnt exist, but just that in the real world, it really seems to be a non issue. I heard that you can have them calibrated for the aperture you use the most. For me, it would be wide open. I only use this lens at 1.4 or 5.6 and further anyway.... I love the pre fle. 

Can I confirm that the Pre-FLE 35 Summilux you mean is indeed the 11874?

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[agfa100]

It was like the 50mm Noct. from 1968 not many were made too high of a reject rate with hand ground Ashp elements vs molded one's on the newer Asph. lenses. I worked for a store that sold Leica back in the early 70's and purchased a Employee Special on a M-5 the Leica Rep. at the time that handled the sale begged me to buy a 50 Noct. but I already had a Ver 2 Summilux. He said it was a instant collectable as so few passed the QC at the end of the line. Hindsight I should have listened to him....

[overexposed]

On 5/5/2022 at 6:26 AM, agfa100 said:

It was like the 50mm Noct. from 1968 not many were made too high of a reject rate with hand ground Ashp elements vs molded one's on the newer Asph. lenses. I worked for a store that sold Leica back in the early 70's and purchased a Employee Special on a M-5 the Leica Rep. at the time that handled the sale begged me to buy a 50 Noct. but I already had a Ver 2 Summilux. He said it was a instant collectable as so few passed the QC at the end of the line. Hindsight I should have listened to him....

you are always smarter afterwards

[Peter Zapp]

Am 5.5.2022 um 00:26 schrieb agfa100:

I worked for a store that sold Leica back in the early 70's and purchased a Employee Special on a M-5 the Leica Rep. at the time that handled the sale begged me to buy a 50 Noct. but I already had a Ver 2 Summilux. He said it was a instant collectable as so few passed the QC at the end of the line. Hindsight I should have listened to him....

In the mid 1990s I purchased my pre-aspherical 35 Summilux from an upgrader to the AA. At least I'm an indirect beneficiary, because the pre-aspherical became a modest collectable, too.