28 Summilux vs. 28 Summicron Asph V2

[28framelines]

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1 minute ago, Steven said:

Nothing can take the Summilux's throne. It's number one. Pity it's so big. I only use it for war zones now. 

Stephen, a question I have for you is how do you compose your portraits with a 28 so you don’t get crazy amounts of distortion? You’ve taken so many wonderful portraits at this focal length I feel, so I’m curious as to what you’ve done to take some of the unlikeable characteristics with documentary portraits at this focal length

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[250swb]

2 hours ago, insomnia said:

Well, the Summilux is another deal - but I'd never ever opt for the Summicron knowing the CV Ultron II, better at everything despite vignette. 

It would still be nice to see a sharp photo from the Ultron II as a basis for deciding which is better. So far all I'm seeing is mush, not that I don't believe in Voigtlander lenses, but I do believe there is something else going on if the examples posted so far are supposed to be great examples.

Edited May 4, 2023 by 250swb

[Huss]

I too am also a film shooter (even though I own a digi M).  I have the 28 Cron v2 and the new Ultron.  Apart from vignetting at f2 on the Ultron, I cannot tell a difference.  The Ultron is THE bargain in M mount lenses.

However... it's ugly.  I don't get it. Why?  The CV 40 1.2, 50 1.2, 35 1.2 vIII etc all look great physically.  Even the font on the Ultron is ugly!  The Summicron Asph 28 v2 just looks and feels superb.  But I'm not going to get rid of the Ultron because the pics it makes are so good, and it was so cheap in comparison.  I bought mine used, which made it even cheaper!

If Cosina just styled this lens better, there would be no reason to get the Summicron.

[Huss]

28 Ultron v2 on M10-r @ f2

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Edited May 4, 2023 by Huss

[Huss]

Above from when I first got the lens and had to test it out that night.

 

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Huss

[28framelines]

40 minutes ago, Huss said:

I too am also a film shooter (even though I own a digi M).  I have the 28 Cron v2 and the new Ultron.  Apart from vignetting at f2 on the Ultron, I cannot tell a difference.  The Ultron is THE bargain in M mount lenses.

However... it's ugly.  I don't get it. Why?  The CV 40 1.2, 50 1.2, 35 1.2 vIII etc all look great physically.  Even the font on the Ultron is ugly!  The Summicron Asph 28 v2 just looks and feels superb.  But I'm not going to get rid of the Ultron because the pics it makes are so good, and it was so cheap in comparison.  I bought mine used, which made it even cheaper!

If Cosina just styled this lens better, there would be no reason to get the Summicron.

I agree with all of this except I wish they added a 0.7m close focus option for it instead of 0.5m for us film shooters. I wonder if it’s possible to have the focusing mechanism in the lens be adapted to only go to 0.7m instead

[Simone_DF]

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13 hours ago, hdmesa said:

I'm trying the Glimmerglass 1 at the moment. So far, it's very different from the Black ProMist and Cinebloom filters. It looks much more subtle and filmic to me. Could be exactly what this lens needs.

I have only Cinebloom filters, which I like, but I would be interested in the Glimmerglass. How would you compare the Glimmer to Cinebloom?

[hdmesa]

2 hours ago, Simone_DF said:

I have only Cinebloom filters, which I like, but I would be interested in the Glimmerglass. How would you compare the Glimmer to Cinebloom?

Cinebloom and BPM both have a much more distinctive glow than Glimmerglass. GG also reduces contrast, but it “scatters” the highlights instead of “blooming” them, if that makes sense. Hard to describe, but it also softens differently.

There are a few comparison videos on YouTube with GG vs BPM and maybe others, which you might find helpful.

 

[Huss]

10 hours ago, Steven said:

Do you own any other 28mm? 

I had the 28 Elmarit Asph which I thought was awesome and should have never sold...  At that time I also had the 7A 28 1.4 (optically actually very good but I hated the size and the mechanics), so my rationale was to consolidate to the Summicron Asph v2 and sell the 7A and Elmarit.

I currently also have the CV 28 3.5 LTM (bought it years ago for crazy cheap before people noticed it was a great lens) and the TTA 28 5.6 in black paint.  I got the TTA purely because the black paint limited edition Summaron 28 looks incredible - and the TTA looks just like it.  Optically of course it is very different, but surprisingly good.

Had the Orion 15 28mm f6 - another surprisingly good and extremely lightweight lens, but I sold that to rationalize the purchase of the TTA 28.

Pic taken w Orion 15 and HP5

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[Huss]

Pic taken w TTA 28 5.6 and Fantome 8

 

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Edited May 5, 2023 by Huss

[Huss]

Summicron 28 Asph v2, C200

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[250swb]

Ouch, the sharpening is killing my eyes at this resolution, or the resolution is killing my screen.

[01af]

vor 7 Minuten schrieb 250swb:

... the sharpening is killing my eyes ...

That's due to incompetent over-sharpening in post-production. Not the lens' fault.

[mmradman]

On 5/4/2023 at 10:14 PM, Steven said:

Thank you sir, and thank you sir. If I remember correctly, it was a bw photo of yours that started my passionate love affair with the Summaron. Nice to see you. 

Credit for seducing you with Summaron goes to someone else, I never had or handled that lens.

[Huss]

5 hours ago, 01af said:

That's due to incompetent over-sharpening in post-production. Not the lens' fault.

They haven't been sharpened.

If there is an issue, blame the flickr re-sizing algorithms, as these have been downloaded from my flickr albums.

[Huss]

6 hours ago, 250swb said:

Ouch, the sharpening is killing my eyes at this resolution, or the resolution is killing my screen.

No sharpening.  See comment above.

 

[hmzimelka]

9 hours ago, 01af said:

That's due to incompetent over-sharpening in post-production. Not the lens' fault.

Thats quite the claim based off a 534x800px image. The only incompetence is your ability to be polite.

Edited May 6, 2023 by hmzimelka

[Huss]

It is amusing however when the first complaint was all the images posted so far were mushy, and then the complaint is they are too sharp.

Pick a side and stick with it.

Anyway, as I mentioned previously I have both the Summicron 28 Asph v2, and the Ultron v2, and the only difference optically is the Ultron vignettes more wide open.

It seems a weird design choice as the filter size on the Ultron is 39mm, while on the Summicron it is 46mm.  Soooo... if Voigtlander just made the front element bigger (and the lens wider) to, say, 46mm like the Leica, I am sure there would be far less vignetting.  But they insisted on that cone-head design. Le sigh.

Still I highly recommend the Ultron - my version is made from brass so it is a dense, high quality feeling little nugget - because it essentially gives the performance of the Cron for 1/5th of the price.  Money no object?  Get the Leica lens as while the optics may be the same, the design IMO is much nicer.

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[hdmesa]

2 minutes ago, Huss said:

...both the Summicron 28 Asph v2, and the Ultron v2, and the only difference optically is the Ultron vignettes more wide open...

Stopped down for film with distant subjects maybe. But wide open at closer distances on digital, these two lenses are as different as caviar and peanut butter. The Ultron has that retro swirl and bokeh loss as you get closer to the edges is significant. But that look can be appealing in many situations whereas the Cron can simply put you to sleep

 

[Huss]

1 minute ago, hdmesa said:

Stopped down for film with distant subjects maybe. But wide open at closer distances on digital, these two lenses are as different as caviar and peanut butter. The Ultron has that retro swirl and bokeh loss as you get closer to the edges is significant. But that look can be appealing in many situations whereas the Cron can simply put you to sleep

 

Interesting point.  As a film shooter who uses 28s from mid distance to infinity primarily, I had not noticed that!  But now I am intrigued and will test it on my 10r!