What's your favorite 35mm lens on the M11? Any surprises compared to prior M bodies?

[budjames]

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My favorite Leica 35mm was my Summilux FLE until I got the APO Summicron 35mm f2.0. This is now my standard lens that occupies the hole in the front of my M11 (and M10-R before) 90% of the time. 

Both are great lens, but I'm a sharpness fanatic so I prefer the APO 35mm.

Here are two images shot Saturday at the annual Celtic Festival in Bethlehem, PA, USA. These are both tight crops from the full image.

Regards,
Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography.

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Edited September 26, 2022 by budjames

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[tom0511]

I feel the 35 APO really shines on my M11 with great clarity, very threedimensial, sharp corners and good bokeh. And I like the short distance option for certain things.

Here are some images from a recent hike.

 

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[mikelevitt]

On 9/2/2022 at 7:34 PM, eyeheartny said:

How do you feel the FLE holds up in this era? I've seen comments that it needs an update (similar to the 50 Lux ASPH) and that some have speculated an update will be coming later this year for it. I've also seen various comments about it lacking sharpness compared to the 35 APO. I know sharpness isn't everything but am reluctant to spend that much on a lens that isn't outstanding. Curious what your thoughts are since you seem to be a true 35 person like me! 😀

Leica is updating the FLE with a new focusing mount, making it possible to focus closer (about a foot) using the electronic viewfinder, but is NOT updating the optical formula of the FLE(II).  It is an outstanding lens.  If close focusing is important to you, wait for the new version, but if you are fine with .7 meter close focusing, buy any FLE II.

[Alberti]

On 9/3/2022 at 10:01 PM, sdk said:

... The only issue with 3rd party or uncoded lenses is that the M11 does not always keep auto lens detection off. If you swap lenses, it can default back to auto lens detection, and if it sees a coded lens, then an uncoded lens it defaults to a 21mm/2.8 profile, which does not seem to negatively impact image quality, but is annoying. 

In my M10-R the camera defaults to the WATE, even if no lens had been used with that profile after some lens changes, and that again triggers Lightroom to apply correction from its profiles (pincusion distortion is INTRODUCED) That is very very annoying. It even happens when none such lens was used (remember on the M8 we coded WA’s like the SW Heliar 15mm as WATE so I do have several coded that way).

Edited October 19, 2022 by Alberti