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

[Jeremy Bunting]

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3 minutes ago, charlesphoto99 said:

Please put a UV filter on that lens and leave the caps at home. You're making me/us nervous. 

(edit: just saw your post above about filters)

Hah! I use both. I throw the cap on when I know I won't be taking photos for a while (like when I'm in transit, or seated at a restaurant, etc.), thus losing the plastic cap to a subway door.

[phototrope]

21 hours ago, Jeremy Bunting said:

But it turns out that the metal cap that came with my 50mm Noctilux f1.2 reissue is a perfect fit over the lens hood of the FLE v2,

 

 

Well, as I have a silver FLE v2, it would be nice to get a silver Noctilux f1.2 lens cap for it.  But I checked the price for such a lens cap - and I don't know whether to cry or laugh hysterically.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304050791320?

Edited September 26, 2022 by phototrope

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[S Maclean]

5 minutes ago, phototrope said:

Well, as I have a silver 35mm FLE v2, it would be nice to get a silver Noctilux f1.2 lens cap for it.  But I checked the price for such a lens cap - and I don't know whether to cry or laugh hysterically.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304050791320?

I'd start crying first.

[Photoworks]

6 hours ago, S Maclean said:

Pretty much every Lens made by Leica is still a good lens.  I would leave the decision and desire to upgrade to the buyer, not to Peter K.  There are many reasons why one would want to upgrade, none need to be particularly sensible.

For me, I passed on getting the FLE and got the VC Nokton 1.2 instead, however the integrated hood, the .4 focus point and the 11 blade upgrade is enough to make me buy one of the new ones.  I love the Nokton, on the other hand it has opened my appetite for a fast (er) Leica 35. ( I have the summicron asph)

if I’m at the store and they have both the new and old FLE I would take the new.

On top of everything else it’s about $500 cheaper than the old here in the US

the strategy is that you buy every version, LOL

once everyone got the new lenses in 35, Leica will have a new 35 Noctilux LOL

[Photoworks]

4 hours ago, phototrope said:

Well, as I have a silver FLE v2, it would be nice to get a silver Noctilux f1.2 lens cap for it.  But I checked the price for such a lens cap - and I don't know whether to cry or laugh hysterically.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304050791320?

https://leicastoremiami.com/products/leica-metal-front-lens-cap-black-for-summilux-m-35mm-f-1-4-asph-fle?variant=34161521655939

Leica Metal Front Lens Cap, black for Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH FLE

 

[decurion99]

I got this from someone at Leica as well - he said the glass type is different, but the optical formula the same. So there should be a tiny improvement, but I don't own either lens - which is why a side- by-side would be instructive. He also added that Leica doesnt want to devalue the old lens which is why they don't say it out loud publicly. But the Summiluxes incl. the upcoming 50 are said to be better for the M11 ...

By only mentioning that the optical formula is the same they can avoid mentioning the glass type selection. But I don't know how in reality this makes a difference.

Edited September 27, 2022 by decurion99

[Robert Blanko]

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Hard to imagine what effect the potentially other glass type would have, if the optical design was not changed. Using the same optical formula IMHO suggests that the refractive indices of the glasses did not change, as otherwise the optical formula would supposedly not exactly work as 35mm lens anymore.

Maybe the glass has higher purity and less stray light defects - or it‘s mere marketing. 🤔

[vikag]

Does the optical formula have anything to do with focus shift we experience when we change aperture from 1.4 to 2.8 for the same distance? My current FLE has it and Leica told me at the time it is ans expected. Wondering if the new one is the same. That focus shift really bothers me sometimes. 

[jonoslack]

3 hours ago, decurion99 said:

I got this from someone at Leica as well - he said the glass type is different, but the optical formula the same. So there should be a tiny improvement, but I don't own either lens - which is why a side- by-side would be instructive. He also added that Leica doesnt want to devalue the old lens which is why they don't say it out loud publicly. But the Summiluxes incl. the upcoming 50 are said to be better for the M11 ...

By only mentioning that the optical formula is the same they can avoid mentioning the glass type selection. But I don't know how in reality this makes a difference.

My understanding is that the glass type is the same, the coating is the same, the optical formula is the same. The advantages are simply:

1. more aperture blades

2. new lens hood

3. close focus

Just That!

[decurion99]

Is what I was told that the new lenses are a bit better for the M11 - that's why I said proof would be side-by-side comparisons with test targets. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by decurion99

[S Maclean]

1 hour ago, decurion99 said:

Is what I was told that the new lenses are a bit better for the M11 - that's why I said proof would be side-by-side comparisons with test targets. 

There are some stores that are stating that, same in the internet.  Nothing actually official.  Another question is what a "bit" better means really.  There is no question that there are some changes as stated before and on press. Focus distance, hood and blades.  One could state those are improvements for any camera. One can wax poatic and say the changes will be reflected more in a higher definition camera (like M11) But really, it is kind of going very very granular on this issues.

The lens is a new lens, it has some improvements and is less expensive to me than the FLE.  All those things make it an easy choice for me.  But I do have the summicrong 50 APO and the Summilux 50 and if they issue a new summilux 50 with similar improvements I don't think I'll switch.  

Now, if they made the Lux 50 a little ligher, that would be an improvement.  It is currently a weapon weight peace of metal.  (great images though)

[jonoslack]

1 hour ago, decurion99 said:

Is what I was told that the new lenses are a bit better for the M11 - that's why I said proof would be side-by-side comparisons with test targets. 

I understand that's what you were told (as were others). But what I understand is that they considered doing this but didn't . . . and that the old document which was leaked is not actually the case . . . It would be incredibly difficult to test this with side by side comparisons with test targets (sample variation would likely be more significant). . . . maybe it's better to just believe what Peter Karbe and my contacts are saying, which is that optically the lenses are identical. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by jonoslack

[Dennis]

On 9/24/2022 at 4:35 AM, phototrope said:On the right,  35mm Summilux FLE V2 on Leica M11
On the left, APO 50mm Summicron on Leica MP film

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Beautiful combos!

If they just were black 😆

[M11 for me]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb decurion99:

Is what I was told that the new lenses are a bit better for the M11 - that's why I said proof would be side-by-side comparisons with test targets. 

In the video above Mr Karbe is asked the following: If a customer claims that the actual 35 Summilux creates faults of any kind on the M11 (it was not specified and it could even be hypothetical negative effects of the lens paired with M11) should that customer then buy the new lens in order to get rid of the problems? Mr Karbe claimed that he did not hear about such arguments or he did not know the discussion thread in question but he said clearly that such an unhappy customer would have no improvement with the new lens and the same photographs.

[Gelatino]

14 hours ago, jonoslack said:

My understanding is that the glass type is the same, the coating is the same, the optical formula is the same. The advantages are simply:

 

 

3. close focus

Just That!

Just that makes  it a new lens for me. 

[Photoworks]

21 hours ago, vikag said:

Does the optical formula have anything to do with focus shift we experience when we change aperture from 1.4 to 2.8 for the same distance? My current FLE has it and Leica told me at the time it is ans expected. Wondering if the new one is the same. That focus shift really bothers me sometimes. 

funny. I have tested my FLE and there is no focus shift.

[junix]

4 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

funny. I have tested my FLE and there is no focus shift.

The focus shift of my FLE (every fast lens has a certain amount of it..) is minimal and is within the greater depth of field (zone of acceptable sharpness..) of the smaller aperture when the lens is stopped down.

I suppose @vikagFLE is not within standard and should be fixed od replaced by Leica.

[vikag]

On 9/28/2022 at 9:29 AM, junix said:

The focus shift of my FLE (every fast lens has a certain amount of it..) is minimal and is within the greater depth of field (zone of acceptable sharpness..) of the smaller aperture when the lens is stopped down.

I suppose @vikagFLE is not within standard and should be fixed od replaced by Leica.

Well I have email from Leica confirming the focus shift as normal behaviour when I sent my lens to them for this specific reason. 

Edited September 29, 2022 by vikag

[hdmesa]

On 9/27/2022 at 11:38 AM, jonoslack said:

My understanding is that the glass type is the same, the coating is the same, the optical formula is the same. The advantages are simply:

1. more aperture blades

2. new lens hood

3. close focus

Just That!

We also have a brand new lens housing, so there could be some things affected such as internal flare reduction and/or a reduction in copy variance from ideal spec.

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[junix]

11 hours ago, vikag said:

Well I have email from Leica confirming the focus shift as normal behaviour when I sent my lens to them for this specific reason. 

I’m sorry to read this. My dealer would have replaced the lens immediately no questions asked, the FLE is too expensive to exhibit considerable focus shift.

But you can always use it on a film Leica where the problem disappears. 😜

Edited September 30, 2022 by junix