Struggling with APO M 35mm f2

[EGD]

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Right off the bat before anyone reminds me, I have too many funds and not enough sense.  I know this, and when I forget my wife reminds me.  Anyway, I have the M11 with the Summilux 35mm f1.4 and love it, however I kept looking at the Summicron APO 35mm m f2 and my compulsion got the best of me so I ordered planing on selling/returning one.

I took a bunch of photos with both lenses and I can't get the APO to be sharper than the Summilux, not even close.  I have all the reviews about how great the APO is, but I am missing something as I am not getting better or even good photos in my opinion.

Are there different settings used for APO?  I will open myself up to ridicule from the masses if there is a solution to be had.

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[jaapv]

First show us some comparison shots.

[pippy]

1 hour ago, EGD said:

Are there different settings used for APO?

No.

[jaapv]

At this level sharpness [whatever that may be, I’ve never seen it caught in numbers or a graph] not an issue at all with either lens. The most you should see is a difference in contrast, micro contrast, bokeh, colour transitions etc. In short: rendering. If you are pixel peeping at 100% or more, don’t forget that at this MP count you are looking at a completely crazy magnification. 

[EGD]

Thanks for quick replies.  I will take same shots in the morning with both lenses and post for comment.  

[gotium]

1 hour ago, EGD said:

Right off the bat before anyone reminds me, I have too many funds and not enough sense.  I know this, and when I forget my wife reminds me.  Anyway, I have the M11 with the Summilux 35mm f1.4 and love it, however I kept looking at the Summicron APO 35mm m f2 and my compulsion got the best of me so I ordered planing on selling/returning one.

I took a bunch of photos with both lenses and I can't get the APO to be sharper than the Summilux, not even close.  I have all the reviews about how great the APO is, but I am missing something as I am not getting better or even good photos in my opinion.

Are there different settings used for APO?  I will open myself up to ridicule from the masses if there is a solution to be had.

To my untrained and unprofessional eye the f/2 APO is definitely and significantly sharper than the ‘lux. Something must be awry.

[Ktsa5239]

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To be honest, I did the same comparison and couldn’t tell the difference either. So I went with the 35lux for an extra stop of light and some savings for a nice dinner.

[EGD]

Image 146 is with Summilux Leica M 35mm F1.4

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Image 152 is with Leica APO Summicron f2.0

If you zoom in on the clock, the clarity of the words and also edges of the wood show the biggest difference

[EGD]

Summilux 35mm M f1.4 is top picture

APO Summicron 35mm M f2.0 is bottom picture

[GFW2-SCUSA]

It looks to me like the APO is sharper on the coasters and straws but not on the clock. Would that suggest its focus is a bit off? The coasters and straws on the Lux do not look as sharp but the clock it sharp. Is your APO front focusing a little? 

Or in the ten minutes between the shots you had a few shots and your focus was a but off?

[EGD]

I can see why you mean on the coasters and will take more pics from outside in morning.  

 

No shots yet tonight, though that would explain a lot.

[frame-it]

in case you didn't, use a tripod for this comparison test, and live-view or EVF for focus check

[gotium]

something definitely not right there, agree with the coaster sharpness issue, possible focus calibration problem

[MaticB]

It could really be the focus calibration problem, or, focus calibration of your eye! 35 APO is very, very sharp in the focus and even slight move from thack sharp focus could be identifiable. I wear glasses and sometimes have problem with sharpening with viewfinder.

[John Black]

These look they were shot handheld.  If testing for sharpness, take "you" out of the question.  Set up the M on a tripod.  Make sure it's square with the test subject.  Decide on item to focus - something specific, something easy to focus on.  Put the camera in electronic shutter mode (taking any vibrations out from the mechanical shutter out of the equation).  Set the timer to seconds.  Focus lens A via the EVF.  Snap the shot.  Swap lenses, focus lens B via EVF, and so on.  Best to compare like for like apertures.

It's all pain to do, but if wanting to put sharpness concerns to rest, details matter.

[EGD]

2 minutes ago, John Black said:

These look they were shot handheld.  If testing for sharpness, take "you" out of the question.  Set up the M on a tripod.  Make sure it's square with the test subject.  Decide on item to focus - something specific, something easy to focus on.  Put the camera in electronic shutter mode (taking any vibrations out from the mechanical shutter out of the equation).  Set the timer to seconds.  Focus lens A via the EVF.  Snap the shot.  Swap lenses, focus lens B via EVF, and so on.  Best to compare like for like apertures.

It's all pain to do, but if wanting to put sharpness concerns to rest, details matter.

Thanks for advice, I will do all above and compare

[Robert Blanko]

None of the photos looks sharp and perfectly focused. The sharpness achieved with my 35 APO is significantly better.

As others said: try using live view to exclude rangefinder misalignment.

[dpitt]

+1 for the focus issue. Look at the bottles in top right. They are definitely out of focus on the APO shot.

Use tripod and LV + magnification to verify focus to be sure. Do not rely on focus peaking. That is too inaccurate for this purpose.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[muskyvibes]

One is focused on the clock and the other one isn’t. Also there’s a difference in depth of field. Are they both wide open? At f1.4 the clock is in focus but the coasters aren’t. At f2 (I guess it’s f2) the clock isn’t in focus but the coasters are more in focus. 

[jakontil]

The bricks dont seem to focus on apo, i used to have both, they should at least have the same sharpness 

cant think of any to be sharper anymore