Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 11301 "STEEL RIM" reissue QC problems

[Qlan]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

It seems like people only use this lens at f/1.4 or stopped down to f/8 and below. What about f/2 to f/5.6 for portraits (using the rangefinder)? If focus shift is important at this aperture range, then this lens is not for me, and I'll forgo the glow/vintage look for a focus-shift resistant FLE or APO. My lens was just shipped from NJ to Germany now...

Edited July 25, 2023 by Qlan

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[hmzimelka]

12 hours ago, Qlan said:

It seems like people only use this lens at f/1.4 or stopped down to f/8 and below. What about f/2 to f/5.6 for portraits (using the rangefinder)? If focus shift is important at this aperture range, then this lens is not for me, and I'll forgo the glow/vintage look for a focus-shift resistant FLE or APO. My lens was just shipped from NJ to Germany now...

The sample that I've had access too, and perhaps the one I'm considering purchasing, was/is front focus calibrated (intentionally or by luck) at f/1.4. At f/1.4 the front focus is very hard to notice since the detail in the point of focus is shrouded in enough SA that it's unnoticeable. At f/2, the lens seems good with a minute front focus bias, and at f/2.8 a slight back focus bias. For my purposes, this copy would be usable from f/1.4 to f/2.8. From f/4 to near f/8 the back focus is noticeable. F/8 is mostly acceptable but the subject would be in the transition zone of the foreground focus falloff. 

My personal preference is that the lens is very intriguing, almost more so than the FLE. But the glowy f/1.4 look is too much for me, but f/2 and f/2.8 is rather charming. Perhaps a front focus bias or calibration for f/2 is a good starting point for this lens. 

However, I can't see this focus shift being any harder to compensate for than the Summicron 50mm V. 

Below is an image showing centre crops from an aperture series from f/1.4 to f/8, using the M11. Its rather large so open in new tab or download.

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!

 

[Qlan]

8 minutes ago, hmzimelka said:

The sample that I've had access too, and perhaps the one I'm considering purchasing, was/is front focus calibrated (intentionally or by luck) at f/1.4. At f/1.4 the front focus is very hard to notice since the detail in the point of focus is shrouded in enough SA that it's unnoticeable. At f/2, the lens seems good with a minute front focus bias, and at f/2.8 a slight back focus bias. For my purposes, this copy would be usable from f/1.4 to f/2.8. From f/4 to near f/8 the back focus is noticeable. F/8 is mostly acceptable but the subject would be in the transition zone of the foreground focus falloff. 

My personal preference is that the lens is very intriguing, almost more so than the FLE. But the glowy f/1.4 look is too much for me, but f/2 and f/2.8 is rather charming. Perhaps a front focus bias or calibration for f/2 is a good starting point for this lens. 

However, I can't see this focus shift being any harder to compensate for than the Summicron 50mm V. 

Below is an image showing centre crops from an aperture series from f/1.4 to f/8, using the M11. Its rather large so open in new tab or download.

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!

 

Thanks, I really appreciate the detailed answer and the test pictures. If the focus shift is normal, then I guess I'll sell my lens and get a FLE or APO. I'm okay with softer pictures for artistic effect but also want tack sharp pictures in other cases and I don't want to use LV (much prefer to use the rangefinder).

[hmzimelka]

3 minutes ago, Qlan said:

Thanks, I really appreciate the detailed answer and the test pictures. If the focus shift is normal, then I guess I'll sell my lens and get a FLE or APO. I'm okay with softer pictures for artistic effect but also want tack sharp pictures in other cases and I don't want to use LV (much prefer to use the rangefinder).

Focus shift is definitely normal for the SR

Even with some copies of the FLE it can be present, but to a much smaller degree and usually the subject (should) never leaves the focus plane. Often, the depth of focus extends further away but the subject remains sharp. See aperture series below; F/1.4 to f/5.6 with the 35mm FLE

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!

[Al Brown]

Just a heads up, replacement hoods (the vignetting one and the wobbly one) are shipping out.

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!

[Boojay]

I had a rush of blood, totally blame @jonoslack's review which I devoured again for the upteenth time, (Clint's fault) and ordered this re-issue lens earlier this week, apparently it will be delivered this afternoon.  Foolishly I sold my pre-ash V2 a year ago, and also my FLE, never really bonded with that one anyway, while going through a period of not really using my M.  Anyway, enough of that, I'm just wondering if my lens will come with the new hoods, or the old.  It's coming direct from Germany.  Do the re-designed hoods have different part numbers?

 

 

 

[lct]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Both hoods should come in the box IIRC but i have no experience with the lens so better ask more relevant users.

[maxpower]

1 hour ago, Boojay said:

I had a rush of blood, totally blame @jonoslack's review which I devoured again for the upteenth time, (Clint's fault) and ordered this re-issue lens earlier this week, apparently it will be delivered this afternoon.  Foolishly I sold my pre-ash V2 a year ago, and also my FLE, never really bonded with that one anyway, while going through a period of not really using my M.  Anyway, enough of that, I'm just wondering if my lens will come with the new hoods, or the old.  It's coming direct from Germany.  Do the re-designed hoods have different part numbers?

 

My experience was posted above but I can repeat it; when I bought the lens recently the round hood was omitted from the box, whether this was on purpose or mistake was never clarified. However, after a conversation with customer service a replacement was sent to me and I was sent the new version of the hood immediately. 

There was a photo posted earlier in this thread as well showing the old and new version and based on that it's pretty simple to find out if you have the new one or not – I believe the biggest difference is just that it's a little shorter. I believe they have the same part number? But I never had the original hood so can't speak out of experience on that.

[Boojay]

29 minutes ago, maxpower said:

My experience was posted above but I can repeat it; when I bought the lens recently the round hood was omitted from the box, whether this was on purpose or mistake was never clarified. However, after a conversation with customer service a replacement was sent to me and I was sent the new version of the hood immediately. 

There was a photo posted earlier in this thread as well showing the old and new version and based on that it's pretty simple to find out if you have the new one or not – I believe the biggest difference is just that it's a little shorter. I believe they have the same part number? But I never had the original hood so can't speak out of experience on that.

Thanks... I hadn't noticed the other thread which is where you had talked of your experience... lots of information there regarding the hood, and I'm happily now able to confirm mine has arrived with the newly designed round hood.

 

[RobW0]

2 hours ago, Boojay said:

I had a rush of blood, totally blame @jonoslack's review which I devoured again for the upteenth time, (Clint's fault) and ordered this re-issue lens earlier this week, apparently it will be delivered this afternoon.  Foolishly I sold my pre-ash V2 a year ago, and also my FLE, never really bonded with that one anyway, while going through a period of not really using my M.  Anyway, enough of that, I'm just wondering if my lens will come with the new hoods, or the old.  It's coming direct from Germany.  Do the re-designed hoods have different part numbers?

 

 

 

I received this lens a few days ago. It has a 2023/07/17 date on the box. I have not verified it 100% but I think it came with the new redesigned  round hood. I have not had a chance to fully test the lens yet.

[Paco TG]

Hello! Greetings to the Forum!!

Well, bad start for me in this forum. New to Leica this past July, my two entry-level lenses have been this 35mm and the Summilux-M ASPH 50mm f/1.4 (Limited Edition).

I have been bitter when reading this post and I would like to know if someone can tell us the part number of the new lens hood for this 35mm Steel Rim.
And in the best case, post a photo showing the one that comes or came with the lens and a new replacement. New to the forum I am unable to find any photos of them.

I have not seen a forum for presentations. I'm Paco from the Canary Islands. Lifelong fan, advanced, perhaps?

My lens seems to be manufactured on 2023.05.16.

Thanks in advance

[trisberg]

7 hours ago, Paco TG said:

Hello! Greetings to the Forum!!

Well, bad start for me in this forum. New to Leica this past July, my two entry-level lenses have been this 35mm and the Summilux-M ASPH 50mm f/1.4 (Limited Edition).

I have been bitter when reading this post and I would like to know if someone can tell us the part number of the new lens hood for this 35mm Steel Rim.
And in the best case, post a photo showing the one that comes or came with the lens and a new replacement. New to the forum I am unable to find any photos of them.

I have not seen a forum for presentations. I'm Paco from the Canary Islands. Lifelong fan, advanced, perhaps?

My lens seems to be manufactured on 2023.05.16.

Thanks in advance

You probably have the old hood, I just received my lens with the old hood two weeks ago. Here is a link to a picture from Fred Miranda's site that shows the difference https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/ufiles/41/2584741.jpg

-Thomas

[Winedemonium]

8 hours ago, Paco TG said:

and the Summilux-M ASPH 50mm f/1.4 (Limited Edition)

By "limited edition" do you mean the black chrome version, 11688? If so, I hate to break it to you if you haven't discovered this, but the supplied hood has a problem with filter compatibility. See this (now long) thread on that subject. The good news is that there is a filter that works (see post #421, p22), or in ahy case Leica will now supply a replacement hood that screws into a filter if you prefer that (see post #406). But in the end I found that one blocks the viewfinder too much, and is heavy (brass), so Thorsten's hood (post #403), or some other solution is probably better.

Happy shooting! 

[Paco TG]

4 hours ago, trisberg said:

You probably have the old hood, I just received my lens with the old hood two weeks ago. Here is a link to a picture from Fred Miranda's site that shows the difference https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/ufiles/41/2584741.jpg

-Thomas

Thanks so much Thomas!!  Tomorrow i claim for this one. Greetings!!

2 hours ago, Winedemonium said:

By "limited edition" do you mean the black chrome version, 11688? If so, I hate to break it to you if you haven't discovered this, but the supplied hood has a problem with filter compatibility. See this (now long) thread on that subject. The good news is that there is a filter that works (see post #421, p22), or in ahy case Leica will now supply a replacement hood that screws into a filter if you prefer that (see post #406). But in the end I found that one blocks the viewfinder too much, and is heavy (brass), so Thorsten's hood (post #403), or some other solution is probably better.

Happy shooting! 

Yes, it's 11688, black, and I had seen Thorsten's review before the purchase. I am not one to use filters, and to use them would be in the wide lens. For this 50mm occasionally, it will be enough for me to remove the lens hood,
however I will ask for the adapted one.  Greetings!!

[Al Brown]

On 8/5/2023 at 3:27 PM, Paco TG said:

And in the best case, post a photo showing the one that comes or came with the lens and a new replacement. New to the forum I am unable to find any photos of them.

No need to go to the FM forum, the picture of the NEW VS. OLD SUMMILUX 35 STEEL RIM REISSUE VENTED LENS HOOD side by side by @Crem was posted right here. (the search function on this forum is a drag, I know).

The part number is identical BTW.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Al Brown

[Paco TG]

1 hour ago, Al Brown said:

No need to go to the FM forum, the picture of the NEW VS. OLD SUMMILUX 35 STEEL RIM REISSUE VENTED LENS HOOD side by side by @Crem was posted right here. (the search function on this forum is a drag, I know).

The part number is identical BTW.

Thanks so much Al Brown. Yes i have the picture. On the go I have requested a Leica, my purchase was last July. Greetings

[Smudgerer]

3 hours ago, Al Brown said:

No need to go to the FM forum, the picture of the NEW VS. OLD SUMMILUX 35 STEEL RIM REISSUE VENTED LENS HOOD side by side by @Crem was posted right here. (the search function on this forum is a drag, I know).

The part number is identical BTW.

Hello Al, well I got my replacement vented hood in the poste from Leica today, ( did your's arrive yet? ), and here's the take-away. It's nicely made, as one would expect of course and correcting this error on their part must have cost them reputation wise and financially, but, yes here it comes, there's still issues at least with this new vented hood.

When it's mounted on the lens directly with no filter, no problems. There's no vignetting and the vents/slots line up to minimise viewfinder blockage as they should, however put on a filter and then the new hood and although so far there's no vignetting that I can see with the B&W UV or the Leica 6 ND, the vents in the hood do not line up with the viewfinder so there's blockage or half blockage. No point in having a vented hood if the vents don't align, may as well be solid. Doesn't Leica test this stuff?

As the hood is "screw-in" the alignment of the vents of course will vary according to the thickness of the filter mounted behind the hood, and ok I wouldn't expect Leica to try to make them align with all filter makes, but when one of their filters are used I would expect it to be different, but it isn't. With any Leica filter I have here when I screw on the new "improved" hood the vents are not where one would expect them to be. Huh!

But my cheapo, ( 8 Euros ), SION all metal vented hood bought off of Amazon EU as an interim solution to the vignetting issues lines up ok irrespective of whichever of my 46mm filters I am using, not perfectly with every filter but good enough and better than either of Leica's efforts so far in this silly saga. So I will be staying with the SION hood from now on.

The "OLLUX" hood I never use anyway so that's long-napping in the original box, too large, too much VF blockage and no way at all to mount a filter............Nice to look at, but stupid.

[Al Brown]

8 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

Hello Al, well I got my replacement vented hood in the poste from Leica today, ( did your's arrive yet? ), and here's the take-away. It's nicely made, as one would expect of course and correcting this error on their part must have cost them reputation wise and financially, but, yes here it comes, there's still issues at least with this new vented hood.

Mine arrived but I am in Central America (with the Steel Rim) so no cigar until the end of August. 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[bpultorak]

I bought the new steel rim 2 days ago and it focuses too far throughout all distances and all apertures. I have few cameras and few lenses and it’s definitely this lens fault. I know I should send it back but it’s so annoying.

Do you guys know how to calibrate it other than sending it back?

Is there any servicing information available?

 

PS focus on “30” in the photo. F2.8

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!

Edited August 12, 2023 by bpultorak

[pedaes]

1 hour ago, bpultorak said:

Do you guys know how to calibrate it other than sending it back?

I would not mess with it as you would void the warranty. It would be quicker if you get your dealer to exchange for another rather than wait for it to be adjusted.