New edition of the Leica Summilux-M 1.4/35mm ASPH.

[NigelG]

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1 hour ago, Jeremy Bunting said:

The import duties from the UK to the US on the FLE II were $160, for those that asked me to check back in. I thought they'd be a bit less because I hadn't accounted for a couple discrete taxes and fees that I don't totally understand on top of the standard import duty, but my total spend is still just under $5k, well less than the lens would have cost me in the US (where I would have also had to pay substantially more in sales tax than I did in import duties).

Having imported to the USA before I wouldn't be surprised if those fees were actually some sort of "handling" charge levied by Fedex/UPS/DHL as a small percentage for clearing the goods through customs and providing the paperwork. Obviously with a high value item the minor charge becomes a bit more significant in pure dollar terms but, as you say, a rounding error compared to US sales tax on the same item (though as Jeff S correctly writes you are still  in fact technically liable for the US state sales tax...)

 

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[Herr Barnack]

On 9/18/2022 at 11:24 AM, hdmesa said:

Like others said, the joke is that the person who made it is making fun of themselves because they are pretending to be dumb. It just came across the wrong way to you because perhaps culturally that’s not familiar to you.

There is an entire class of memes in the Internet where a person answers a question in a literal way that was not meant or by using an alternate meaning of a word.

(And someone will always post a real answer right afterward, anyway )

Here are a few memes that explain the humor:

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As for translation errors -

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Herr Barnack

[sdk]

21 hours ago, Photoworks said:

 

that is actually the secret of the pop in many Leica lenses going back in time. The middle focus point has a area more out of focus directly behind the subject and normalized to the border of the frame. the focus field is more like a wave.

A wavy field is probably fine for street photography and photojournalism, especially for centered subjects of interest, but a flat field or a predictable curved field is preferable for landscape and travel photography. And if you want precise focus on an off center subject with rangefinder focus, a flat field is what you want. Of course using an M11 or M10 with EVF focusing would also work for non-flatfield lenses. As landscapist who likes to hike with a light camera, I find the ZM 35mm/1.4 has been ideal. The Zeiss was great on the M-P typ 240, and is even better on my new M11, and the price is much more reasonable too. 

[S Maclean]

1 hour ago, sdk said:

A wavy field is probably fine for street photography and photojournalism, especially for centered subjects of interest, but a flat field or a predictable curved field is preferable for landscape and travel photography. And if you want precise focus on an off center subject with rangefinder focus, a flat field is what you want. Of course using an M11 or M10 with EVF focusing would also work for non-flatfield lenses. As landscapist who likes to hike with a light camera, I find the ZM 35mm/1.4 has been ideal. The Zeiss was great on the M-P typ 240, and is even better on my new M11, and the price is much more reasonable too. 

Interesting.  I have to see if I can get my hands on one to test it.  I have been using the Voigtlander Nokton 35 mm 1.2 and love it fully open, it is softer and does not have the punch or contrast of the summicron but its a beautiful lens for portraits and the bokeh is pure cream.  I believe it is a 12 blade D.  I ordered the new FLE.  Even when I do landscape and travel I like the character.

 

At this point I am completely over equipped on lenses.  I am new to the system so I am indulging quite a bit, hoping I will eventually keep 3 to 5 lenses only and trade the others for an M11-M whenever it comes out.

[yanidel]

On 9/19/2022 at 10:31 AM, junix said:

The new FLE is splendid.. but I’ll probably keep my “old” FLE for the time being.

Here below on my M-A..

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Great design.  Is up there with the 24mm Elmarit in the top ranking of  my Leica pageant beauty contest.

 

[Photoworks]

5 hours ago, sdk said:

A wavy field is probably fine for street photography and photojournalism, especially for centered subjects of interest, but a flat field or a predictable curved field is preferable for landscape and travel photography. And if you want precise focus on an off center subject with rangefinder focus, a flat field is what you want. Of course using an M11 or M10 with EVF focusing would also work for non-flatfield lenses. As landscapist who likes to hike with a light camera, I find the ZM 35mm/1.4 has been ideal. The Zeiss was great on the M-P typ 240, and is even better on my new M11, and the price is much more reasonable too. 

I am happy you found something you like, not everyone need to shoot Leica lenses.  Most landscape is probably done at faster then 1.4 f-stop. so that would not make much of a difference. 
Most companies of that lens is that it is sooo big, and block the ragenfinder.

Well I like the look of the summilux 35 FLE and bee using it for years to come.

 

The picture of the Queen is random, not sure what lens was used, but it seams on good timing with the passing.

 

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Edited September 20, 2022 by Photoworks

[sdk]

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Yes, if you are an RF-viewfinder-only user, any of the 35mm ASPH Summilux lenses will be better than the Distagon. I first got the ZF 355mm/1.4 when I was shooting M9-P and it was tricky. Framing involved wiggling the camera to see what was hidden and then recomposing. But with the later M-P and M11 and EVF I frame and compose in the EVF with all lenses and the length and protrusion of the Distagon into the optical finder is a problem that dropped away (cadit quaestio). The nice thing about the M11 is that the Visoflex EVF is really good enough to focus with too.

From Mount Katahdin in Maine two years ago, Distagon 35mm/1.4 on the Leica M-P with EVF framing (5 separate exposures).  And yes, F/11 probably which reduces the effects of optical differences in lenses.

Larger size viewable here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steven_keirstead/50872140717/in/dateposted/

 

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Edited September 20, 2022 by sdk
Clarity

[Jeremy Bunting]

Summilux 35mm FLE v2 arrived just about 30 minutes ago. First impression: I love the built-in lens hood. However, unlike my APO 50, which came with a beautiful metal lens cap that fits over the lens hood, the Summilux 35mm FLE II comes with a crappy plastic cap (the one with the side tabs) that will only fit on the lens when the hood is retracted. This will likely result in me either leaving the cap off most of the time, or leaving the lens hood retracted most of the time. Plus these little plastic caps just feel cheap. For the price I would've appreciated a metal cap like the one that came with my APO 50.

Second impression--the click past 0.7m is very subtle. You hear it more than you feel it. Not a big deal, as I imagine I'll know when I want to focus closer than 0.7m since I'll need to switch to live view, and I like that the whole focus dial still feels smooth.

I haven't had a chance to take the lens out but I did snap a couple quick test shots in my apartment to try out the close focus. Image quality is lovely. It feels like the colors have a little more saturation and contrast than the FLE v1, but I could be imagining it. Close focus with the LCD screen on my M11 is pretty simple. I don't feel the need to run out and buy an EVF.

It's nice how much you can fit in the frame of a 35mm lens at 0.4m.

At f1.4, unedited except to straighten a touch. These were both shot about as close as I could get to the little devil. I used the focus peaking assistant.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremybunting/52371490062/in/dateposted-public/

And this one at f2.8:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremybunting/52372435871/in/dateposted-public/

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by Jeremy Bunting

[phototrope]

3 hours ago, Jeremy Bunting said:

I haven't had a chance to take the lens out but I did snap a couple quick test shots in my apartment to try out the close focus. Image quality is lovely. It feels like the colors have a little more saturation and contrast than the FLE v1, but I could be imagining it.

Be careful of making such claims on this forum. You will likely be ripped to shreds (by v1 owners)

[Photoworks]

On 9/20/2022 at 3:14 PM, Al Brown said:

Peter Karbe... said... that you have to.... STOP DOWN???? OMG OMG THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH!!!

yes very funny, that is why Peter is no longer the optic developer at Leica.

it goes down hill so quickly...

[Pixeleater]

23 hours ago, Photoworks said:

yes very funny, that is why Peter is no longer the optic developer at Leica.

it goes down hill so quickly...

Karbe is the head of lens design and will be speaking at the upcoming Annual Meeting and Conference in Dublin, Ireland. Wish I was going. Beautiful city.

 

[Ktsa5239]

Does anyone have a size comparison photo with the v1 and v2 side by side please? 

[MarkP]

On 9/16/2022 at 12:16 AM, OThomas said:

There’s enough 35mms in current line up. How about a new 24mm for a change?  

To digress…

I love my 3.8/24 which is a stellar lens which I think would be hard to improve upon.  It has that modern transparent rendering of the  M APO lenses. 

Or are you after a faster 24? The 24 Summilux never tempted me (but I do have the 21).

 

Regarding the 1.4/35 FLE, mine was a love-hate relationship so replaced it with the 35 APO-Summicron. No regrets and no interest in the new 35 FLE. Although at some stage I may want  a pre-FLE 35 Summilux.

if anything needs updating it might be the 2.0/90 APO-Summicron which I do not own.

Edited September 23, 2022 by MarkP

[sdk]

2 hours ago, MarkP said:

To digress…

I love my 3.8/24 which is a stellar lens which I think would be hard to improve upon.  It has that modern transparent rendering of the  M APO lenses. 

Or are you after a faster 24? The 24 Summilux never tempted me (but I do have the 21).

 

Regarding the 1.4/35 FLE, mine was a love-hate relationship so replaced it with the 35 APO-Summicron. No regrets and no interest in the new 35 FLE. Although at some stage I may want  a pre-FLE 35 Summilux.

if anything needs updating it might be the 2.0/90 APO-Summicron which I do not own.

I agree the Leica 24mm/3.8 ASPH is fantastic, as is the 21mm/3.4 ASPH. But I can see why people might like f/2.8 versions with high performance and closer minimum focus distance. With the M11 and its EVF being so good, there is an opening for new close focusing M lenses. There have been a few Zeiss and Voigtländer lenses that focus to 0.5M, but I thought when the Leica M typ 240 family was released, more lenses would have been released that focus 0.7 M. That did not happen, but now I think we really will see more. Perhaps some real macro lenses like a 90mm/2 or 60mm/2 with 1:1 focusing (or at least f/2.8 ones) ? That would be cool. New Macro lenses could even leave out the rangefinder cams and be for EVF focusing only to cut costs.

[sdk]

Of course right now you could use Leica R or Nikon F macro lenses with an adapter on the M11. I should try my Zeiss 100mm Makro Planar ZF.2 on my M11 for kicks. Of course it already is pretty amazing on my D850 with native function and auto diaphragm. Might be able to just eke out a bit more detail with a 60MP sensor though, which could be good fro digitizing some of my old medium format negatives.

Edited September 23, 2022 by sdk

[Photoworks]

3 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Size and shape comparison with older (2010) and new (2022)

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how do you feel about the F-stop ring been right on top of the focus ring ?

[Photoworks]

20 hours ago, Pixeleater said:

Karbe is the head of lens design and will be speaking at the upcoming Annual Meeting and Conference in Dublin, Ireland. Wish I was going. Beautiful city.

 

For sure, but he is passing the torch to Dietmar Stuible

[S Maclean]

Took this recently with the Voigtlander Nokton 35 mm 1.2  Exif says taken at 1.4.  This is why I love the wider apertures on 35 mm.  Waiting for the lux to arrive to see how it renders in comparison.  I expect it to be sharper and strongert in contrast but what I am curious about is the softness and elegance of the bokeh.

 

I also have the cron 35 mm but I am just not getting this same eveness on the out of focus areas. Not quite as elegant.  Although I suspect it is just me as I recently saw an image BY BIGBABYEARL ON THE SUMMICRON 35MM IMAGES THREAD that completely challenges that statement. 

 

 

The Nokton has 12 blades I believe.

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Edited September 23, 2022 by S Maclean

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Hallo,

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[Antonio Russell]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:25 PM, Jeremy Bunting said:

Summilux 35mm FLE v2 arrived just about 30 minutes ago. First impression: I love the built-in lens hood. However, unlike my APO 50, which came with a beautiful metal lens cap that fits over the lens hood, the Summilux 35mm FLE II comes with a crappy plastic cap (the one with the side tabs) that will only fit on the lens when the hood is retracted. This will likely result in me either leaving the cap off most of the time, or leaving the lens hood retracted most of the time. Plus these little plastic caps just feel cheap. For the price I would've appreciated a metal cap like the one that came with my APO 50.

Second impression--the click past 0.7m is very subtle. You hear it more than you feel it. Not a big deal, as I imagine I'll know when I want to focus closer than 0.7m since I'll need to switch to live view, and I like that the whole focus dial still feels smooth.

I haven't had a chance to take the lens out but I did snap a couple quick test shots in my apartment to try out the close focus. Image quality is lovely. It feels like the colors have a little more saturation and contrast than the FLE v1, but I could be imagining it. Close focus with the LCD screen on my M11 is pretty simple. I don't feel the need to run out and buy an EVF.

It's nice how much you can fit in the frame of a 35mm lens at 0.4m.

At f1.4, unedited except to straighten a touch. These were both shot about as close as I could get to the little devil. I used the focus peaking assistant.

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!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremybunting/52371490062/in/dateposted-public/

And this one at f2.8:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremybunting/52372435871/in/dateposted-public/

 

Nice, how is the finder blockage?

[decurion99]

I heard that the new FLE is actually more different than people think. Leica apparently used different glass types with higher transmission factors meaning the resolution should be improved a bit. Not sure how true this is - would require a side-by-side shot of a controlled scene by someone who just got the FLE2 and is about the sell the FLE1 ...

Would be super appreciated if someone could shoot a textured scene and focus on infinity with both lenses ... ie fixed camera on tripod and then swapping the lens.