A tale of two lenses - 1.4/35 SX SR, 2/35 APO, and some simple musings on nostalgia, shooting purpose, and lens choice.

[Winedemonium]

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I acquired the 1.4/35mm Summilux "Steel Rim" re-issue, and the 2/35mm APO-Summicron both within the last 12 months. They offer very different drawing styles, the SR, a dreamy, pastel sort of world that glows as if viewing a dream, wide open, and sharp, but still in a soft, gentle sort of way when stopped down. The APO is remarkably sharp wide open, very well controlled, with density in the rendering, and a velvet falloff from focus to OOF. I don't find it 'clinical', but I find it intense, vivid.

Choosing which to mount is an interesting choice. Though I have not done so before, I am struck by a suggestion @Steven made in another post - that he sometimes goes out with two lenses to choose from in the same focal length. I think that is a simple but brilliant suggestion, as you continue to "see" in one focal length, but have a choice of rendering. And what a choice these two provide (about as different as his 35SX SR originals, and 35AAs, or 28SX and 28 Summaron).

When I think of the 35APO, and other highly corrected lenses of the current era, I imagine the way they draw will be equated to "our times", in the same way as very swirly backgrounds will be associated with images taken over 70 years ago. At the time, they were the best lenses to provide a solution - fast glass for slow film. When I think of the 35SX SR, I think to use it to give images a softer, dreamier vibe. But I'm also conscious that the look is an anachronistic one - more so if the content of the image is 'nostalgic', or perhaps simply 'timeless'. 

That got me thinking about the nature of these choices. Do we choose lenses like the 35SX SR because we like the way they draw - pure and simple - or are we seeking something nostalgic?

When I look at contemporary photographs I see, very roughly, three types -
- those that are absolutely contemporary, either because the subject makes that clear (someone using iPhone 14 Pro, etc), or because the style of photography adheres to a very contemporary school, or is in its own way innovative;
- those that are timeless, that aside from a more forensic viewing, the image could really have been taken within a really wide latitude of time periods;
- those that are nostalgic by emphasis, using older lenses and choosing subjects like old American cars on Cuban streets, men in fedora hats, etc. 

The last of these sometimes remind me of Woody Allens' Midnight in Paris, where the protagonist is confronted by his own notions of nostalgia through time travel. 

My own conclusion is that I'm - personally - more interested in giving a glimpse of what is around me now, or timeless, rather than 'nostalgic', but without judgement for those that seek the nostalgic. Whatever spins people's wheels is fine by me, and some of that 'nostalgic' work is great, and I follow it. 

But all this makes me reflect on why I have these two 35mm lenses in such different drawing styles. Will one lead me to ditch the other (I have owned and tried most of the other Leica 35mm lenses over the past ten years)? Or will the choice of which to shoot become refined in some personal way, driven by the look I'm wanting to achieve for a subject? I suspect the latter, but there may be something subconscious and not fully thought through going on here too.

So, a bit of a ramble, with no clear conclusions. Think of this as simply a weekend invitation to reply with some thoughts of you own. Do you sometimes choose between two lenses of the same focal length because of the way they draw? Does that depend on the subject? Are you looking for something nostalgic when you choose a lens with an old drawing style? Do you pick the most contemporary lens for the most contemporary subjects? Or do you simply like the silver lens on the silver M? 🤣 (And why not?!)

 

[Olaf_ZG]

I somehow feel sometimes the same. Just not with 35mm but with 50mm.

[FrozenInTime]

I found when using the 35mm Apo-Lanthar I had a tendency to seek out more rigid technically polished and squared up in perspective images i.e. treating the camera as a miniature Linhof.  This is may be a mental block I can overcome, but it also my largest 35mm, which sucks some enjoyment away from it's use;  the smaller length Apo-Summicron was unobtainable and over budget when I bought this Voigtländer.

I am far more relaxed using the Summilux 35/1.4 pre-ASPH for friends, family and reportage; having owned this brilliant allrounder lens for more than twenty years.

I do sometimes seek to add distance from reality and modern perfect hyper-real sharp imaging by adding imperfection and mystery through the use of character lenses like the 35/1.4 MS Apoqualia, which has a wonderful glow wide open. This lens is however fiddly to use, so ultimately the Summilux SR would seem like the ideal upgrade ... one day, perhaps.

For travel I want a small lens that is predictable. In the past I did use the 35/2.5 Skopar then ZM35/2.8, but ultimately found them to be too slow. I am currently evaluating both the Nokton 35/1.4 II SC ( character seems controllable ) and 35/1.5 ( still to come to terms with it's focus shift, but coma seems good and has crisp sun-stars ).

 

[Bronco McBeast]

Yes, this stems from the basic concept of Two cameras with same lenses: for color and BW.

Anything else is a distraction.

[pippy]

3 hours ago, Winedemonium said:

...Do you sometimes choose between two lenses of the same focal length because of the way they draw? Does that depend on the subject? Are you looking for something nostalgic when you choose a lens with an old drawing style? Do you pick the most contemporary lens for the most contemporary subjects? Or do you simply like the silver lens on the silver M? 🤣 (And why not?!)...

When I look at contemporary photographs I see, very roughly, three types...

...(2) Those that are timeless, that aside from a more forensic viewing, the image could really have been taken within a really wide latitude of time periods...

Very interesting and thoughtful / thought-provoking post.

"All of the above...but only Sometimes"...

Yes. I'll quite happily take two lenses of the same f/l but with different rendering out on the same day each mounted on either of two bodies; one which can produce colour images (M-D Typ-262) and one an M Monochrom.

Subject-matter will decide which lens will be used for any one shot but this does not neccessarily mean an 'Old-Looking' subject will be shot on an 'Old-Rendering' lens. Frequently (perversely) the reverse will be the case. Similarily whether snapped in Colour or B'n'W will vary according to whichever whim takes me at the time although in truth as almost everything I shoot will ultimately be finalised as a monochrome image this point has little practical value.

As far as the 'Three Types of Contemporary Photographs' part goes I am very much interested in the second group. Some of my favourite snaps are those where it is nigh-on impossible to say in which decade - and in some cases in which century - the photograph was captured. I find this aspect of photography utterly fascinating.

Philip.

[didier]

21 hours ago, Winedemonium said:

Do you sometimes choose between two lenses of the same focal length because of the way they draw? Does that depend on the subject?

Hi @Winedemonium

thanks for your post. I am more of a 50 Guy, and I often choose the Lens I will shoot with among several 50s.

Noctilux when I want some dreamy portraits,

APO 50 (very often) because of its clarity and smooth bokeh, and overall versatility,

Summicron Rigid when I don’t want too much contrast (or in harsh lightning),

Elmar-M 50 for compactness, old school rendition of portraits and absolute resistance to flare

 

Didier 

[lct]

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On 7/22/2023 at 10:09 PM, Winedemonium said:

[...]Think of this as simply a weekend invitation to reply with some thoughts of you own. Do you sometimes choose between two lenses of the same focal length because of the way they draw? Does that depend on the subject? Are you looking for something nostalgic when you choose a lens with an old drawing style? Do you pick the most contemporary lens for the most contemporary subjects? [...]

Funny question with a banal answer revolving around objectivity and subjectivity. If i want to show things like they are i will take an "objective" lens i.e. preferably a Planar, a Summicron apo or any Karbe lens. If i want to show beings or things like i see them, i will take a "subjective" or character lens i.e. a Tessar, an Elmar or any Mandler lens preferably. YMMV.