Review: The Leica Summilux-M 35 f/1.4 ASPH. by Jonathan Slack

[hdmesa]

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17 hours ago, garygraphy said:

The output certainly does not resemble the steel rim version of the 35 lux... The 35 lux steel rim is more well defined and less glowy. This glowy output is more akin to the later aluminium version of the 35 lux.

Disappointing.

11 hours ago, wattsy said:

The early demo photographs are not doing anything for me but this might be because they are digital photographs and the qualities of this lens may, like IMO the 28mm Summaron-M, be better demonstrated using film. I'm open minded about this new lens. The price is okay (I thought it would cost more) and the size is very appealing but it needs to do more than a bit of rainbow flare to tempt me to buy it. 

Are you both lost? This is the FLE II thread.

[wattsy]

7 hours ago, hdmesa said:

Are you both lost? This is the FLE II thread.

😂 Oh well, at least it has the same focal length.

[Jeff S]

Between the two new 35 Summiluxes and the still new 35 APO Summicron, Leica has provided for an unusual amount of forum banter and confusion, which already typically includes multiple, overlapping threads even after just one new release.  

GAS sufferers must be reaching for their pills, if not their wallets.
 

Jeff

[Jeff S]

@jonoslack  The ‘Mathphotographer’ commented in his YouTube review that the new FLE has aperture clicks that are far more distinct and solid, with no play, than any modern Leica M lens he’s tried.  He attributed this to better design, not just a lucky sample. Can you confirm the improvement with your lens, or based on any comment from Leica? It wasn’t noted in your list of changes.

Jeff

[elmars]

I can confirm this out of my own experience. 

[jonoslack]

8 hours ago, Jeff S said:

@jonoslack  The ‘Mathphotographer’ commented in his YouTube review that the new FLE has aperture clicks that are far more distinct and solid, with no play, than any modern Leica M lens he’s tried.  He attributed this to better design, not just a lucky sample. Can you confirm the improvement with your lens, or based on any comment from Leica? It wasn’t noted in your list of changes.

Jeff

Hi Jeff

Elmar has answered for me!

best

Jono

[Jeff S]

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43 minutes ago, jonoslack said:

Hi Jeff

Elmar has answered for me!

best

Jono

He provided his experience in another post; wanted to get your thoughts if this was by design. Did Leica comment?  Should this be added as a 4th bullet in the Conclusion section of your original post?  Loose aperture rings have been a relatively frequent concern for several recent M lens releases.  This would be noteworthy IMO.

Jeff

[jonoslack]

2 hours ago, Jeff S said:

He provided his experience in another post; wanted to get your thoughts if this was by design. Did Leica comment?  Should this be added as a 4th bullet in the Conclusion section of your original post?  Loose aperture rings have been a relatively frequent concern for several recent M lens releases.  This would be noteworthy IMO.

Jeff

Hi there Jeff

My report was on the basis of a prototype lens, and although it was finished optically, It did seem to me to be more precise . . . but it's hard to report on that stuff. I'd need to have a go with a series lens to confirm it (and I don't have one at the moment). But if Elmar confirms it, then it certainly is so!. 

Best

 

[elmars]

There have always been reports or complaints that the aperture ring can be adjusted too easily. Some said that the workmanship was poor. I cannot confirm either of these. As far as I know, it works similar to a ball bearing so far. I always liked it when it was easily adjustable. If that bothers you, you can have it tightened at Leica. The aperture ring definitely feels different than any other modern Leica M lenses I've seen. That's why I think they changed the technology.

[Jeff S]

5 hours ago, elmars said:

There have always been reports or complaints that the aperture ring can be adjusted too easily. Some said that the workmanship was poor. I cannot confirm either of these. As far as I know, it works similar to a ball bearing so far. I always liked it when it was easily adjustable. If that bothers you, you can have it tightened at Leica. The aperture ring definitely feels different than any other modern Leica M lenses I've seen. That's why I think they changed the technology.

Yes, it bothers me, and I now check samples before purchase when possible. But I would use DAG if needed, not Leica US, for better, faster work.  I hope Leica has figured out a better design and/or QC.  Didn’t used to have this issue with my older M lenses.

Just so happens that the aperture ring on my less than year old v1 35 FLE has loosened, prompting unintentional f stop changes.  Not sure it’s worth trading on a new version; possibly off to DAG.

Jeff

Edited November 2, 2022 by Jeff S

[hdmesa]

5 hours ago, elmars said:

There have always been reports or complaints that the aperture ring can be adjusted too easily. Some said that the workmanship was poor. I cannot confirm either of these. As far as I know, it works similar to a ball bearing so far. I always liked it when it was easily adjustable. If that bothers you, you can have it tightened at Leica. The aperture ring definitely feels different than any other modern Leica M lenses I've seen. That's why I think they changed the technology.

Do you think they went to the Q/Q2 aperture ring design? The Q lens aperture clicks are sublime. I've had two Q, one Q2M, and three Q2s, and the aperture rings were perfectly consistent across all of them, and none of them changed tension over time.

[elmars]

vor 6 Stunden schrieb hdmesa:

Do you think they went to the Q/Q2 aperture ring design? The Q lens aperture clicks are sublime. I've had two Q, one Q2M, and three Q2s, and the aperture rings were perfectly consistent across all of them, and none of them changed tension over time.

Might be, but I know the Q only from testing a few times. The new design feels more like Voigtländer aperture rings. I think it is not a question of quality but of taste. I like the old, easy adjustable way a bit better.

[Jeff S]

6 hours ago, elmars said:

 I like the old, easy adjustable way a bit better.

For me there’s a key difference between “easily adjustable” and “easily displaced,” i. e., too loose. My older Leica lenses fit the former description; many recent releases seem to fit the latter.

Jeff

[dickgillberg]

I'm waiting to get mine delivered. Has anybody heard anything or the ones who lenses got back to Leica?

[Bear]

3 hours ago, dickgillberg said:

I'm waiting to get mine delivered. Has anybody heard anything or the ones who lenses got back to Leica?

I placed my order on release on September 15 with B&H Photo in NYC. I just reached out to get an update on when they expect stock, but they reported they haven't heard anything back from Leica yet. I'm assuming Leica dealers are getting the first distributions. Any one have any news from BH or other dealers? Unfortunately, I'm expecting a long wait for this one 😐

[georgechan]

6 hours ago, Bear said:

I placed my order on release on September 15 with B&H Photo in NYC. I just reached out to get an update on when they expect stock, but they reported they haven't heard anything back from Leica yet. I'm assuming Leica dealers are getting the first distributions. Any one have any news from BH or other dealers? Unfortunately, I'm expecting a long wait for this one 😐

9 hours ago, dickgillberg said:

I'm waiting to get mine delivered. Has anybody heard anything or the ones who lenses got back to Leica?

You might want to take a look at this thread - basically they halted everything and they are not willing/cannot provide an ETA for this lens due to a production/QC issue. 

I got in touch with the Leica team in Australia earlier today again and nothing has changed. 

"You are more than welcome to keep your order and when it finally ships there is one assigned to you, or request a full refund."

That's what he said. 

[Herr Barnack]

On 9/24/2022 at 11:44 AM, elmars said:

Yes. Not a big deal. But better is better. 

 

Quote

...colour fringing at open aperture at higher contrast...

There are some things that may not be correctable under the currently known laws of physics and how those laws affect light.  This may be one of them.

If "nearly no color fringing at maximum aperture when shooting against the light" is the best Leica can give us with this lens, I think I can live with that.   It turns out that perfection is much easier to demand than it is to deliver. 

JMHO.

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by Herr Barnack

[Bear]

18 hours ago, georgechan said:

You might want to take a look at this thread - basically they halted everything and they are not willing/cannot provide an ETA for this lens due to a production/QC issue. 

I got in touch with the Leica team in Australia earlier today again and nothing has changed. 

"You are more than welcome to keep your order and when it finally ships there is one assigned to you, or request a full refund."

That's what he said. 

Thanks for sharing this thread! I had no idea. How sad 😪 this wait has now become indefinite. 

[georgechan]

5 hours ago, Bear said:

Thanks for sharing this thread! I had no idea. How sad 😪 this wait has now become indefinite. 

Yes...I would rather telling me I have to wait for two years so I can make up my mind to get a refund. Now I am worried what if I cancel the order and they resume the shipping next week...

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[Bear]

4 hours ago, georgechan said:

Yes...I would rather telling me I have to wait for two years so I can make up my mind to get a refund. Now I am worried what if I cancel the order and they resume the shipping next week...

Right there with you on that. Thankfully for my situation, BH doesn't charge until they're ready to ship so I can keep myself on the waiting list until it does come around. My hunch is that it will be closer to two years than next week 😩