Any love for the first 35mm Summilux-M asph. ?

[a.noctilux]

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I know this lens is old and well know for the focus shift.

But visiting some old images from this lens which I rarely use these days,

I see that this lens is quite good even for point lights.

 

M-D 262 with Summilux-M asph. 1.4/35 asph first version

circonstance pix.

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[newtoleica]

It's still my favourite Leica 35mm lens, and in fact my favourite 35mm ever. Have used on for the past 12 years. Its very sharp in the centre and has a very nice rendering wide open with soft fall off and that was lost in the FLE update and is more 'modern' in the latest version.

The focus shift only matters in specific circumstances, closer distances at f4-5.6. I use it wide open or well stopped down, for street photography and its never an issue.

Image: 35 Summilux v1, M10-P

 

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[pgk]

The pre-FLE Summilux is my 'standard' 35mm lens. Despite the 'problems' with focus shift (not so significant as might be imagined from the posts about it) and its fast aperture, it is actually a great all-rounder, surprisingly flare resistant most of the time, can delivery crisp, punch images and is highly capable. I see no real world advantage to upgrading it to the FLE version for myself and it compliments a 35mm Summarit which I also use, extremely well.

[evikne]

I think the pre-FLE is one of the most praised lenses here on the forum, focus shift or not. I still regret not taking the opportunity once I could have bought a perfect copy.

[Rupert Greenwell]

I stupidly sold my pre - FLE for the FLE thinking that it would be "better". My FLE soon had a very  loose aperture ring and the lens shade would only stay screwed on with tape. I sent it to Leica and a couple of weeks after getting it back it developed the same problems. I then sent it to a UK based Leica specialist who told me that he couldn't think why Leica had changed the design of the aperture rings on modern lenses, they were easy to adjust in the past but this lens now required a special tool to open it up. 

I sold the lens and started to look for a pre-FLE. I tried copy after copy, returning them as they  all had  pronounced focus shift. Somewhere on the internet I read that Leica had improved the later copies reducing the focus shift. These copies were 6 bit coded at the factory.

I found a copy which had a late serial number and 6 bit coding and I bought it having tested it and I have  been very happy with the results. I had asked my Leica repairman to look out for a similar lens at the same time. I forgot to tell him that I was already fixed when I got a call from him with some good news !

I felt that I had to buy it as he had gone to some trouble to look out for one and  checking that it was a suitable copy. Again it was 6 bit coded with a late serial no. and no problem with shift. I don't pixel peep but the difference between the others that I had originally tried was very noticeable.

I have since sold one of the lenses and bought a 35mm ver 4 as a lighter alternative. I have no plans to buy a FLE again.

The pre-FLE just does everything very well with a pleasing retro look. I also like it's ergonomics .

 

[Ecar]

I agree: Leica must have done something to this lens shortly after the M8 was introduced, digital exposed the focus shift issue and people started to complain. As I mentioned in this forum before, my late, factory-coded copy doesn't exhibit any noticeable focus shift either. A wonderful lens.

[rtai]

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It’s my favourite Leica 35mm. I “upgraded” to the FLE but the pre had better tonality. I never did see any focus shift but I shot mostly between wide open and f2.8. I found a silver one used last year and sent it to Leica USA for CLA and 6 bit coding. 

[adan]

It would be my favorite Leica 35mm lens - except that 35mm needs to be my one really compact lens. And the 35 Summicron v.4 has a bit more center resolution wide-open, as does the original and rare Aspherical (the Summilux ASPH v.1 excels in the outer parts of the picture, however - virtually zero coma).

The couple of times I've had the ASPH v.1, I never encountered the focus shift - because I always used (and needed) either f/1.4 - or f/5.6-f/11. Stopping down "just a little" always seemed pointless.

At this point I have a 28 Summicron v.1 as my "fast medium-wide sharp-across-the-frame lens." Same era, same design team (Solms/Kölsch). Very similar feel to the pictures.