Short praise for the Summicron 35/2 asph v2

[lct]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Short praise for the Summicron 35/2 asph v2
Not a new lens (2016) but the Summicron 35/2 asph v2 (11673) is a great little lens deserving to be compared to the v1 of the same lens (11879) IMHO. I did not expect to keep the demo copy of v2 i have on test as i was happy enough with my v1 copy which has no focus shift, contrary to its reputation, and its only cons, to my eyes, are a bit of color fringing and a somewhat busy bokeh at f/2.8. I have not checked focus shift and CA on v2 yet but so far so good, its bokeh is exactly what i was after. It is a matter of taste of course but how i feel it, it is smooth enough with neither gaussian nor busy blur at f/2 and f/2.8, so the 35/2 asph v2 could well dethrone my good old "KOB" (Summicron 35/2 v4) on this point. The KOB remains my favorite 35 for gentle portraits though. Only significant flaw of the Summicron 35/2 asph v2, for my taste, is its screw-in hood (12470) that i find too tall and takes too long to screw and unscrew compared to bayonet or snap-on hoods. My solution, for now, is to use the little hood of the Elmar-M 50/2.8 (12550) instead and to keep it permanently attached to the lens. Couple of snaps for sake of illustration below (M11, 35/2 asph v2, f/2.8).

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!

 

[crons]

The hood is too big. I don't use them so it's in the box.  

[Casey Jefferson]

I had two copies of the V1, both 6 bit coded. I've always feel my first copy is a little quirky but generally problem free. I sold it but acquire again together with another M body, the rendering immediately felt different, smoother and sharper, bokeh f2.8 actually became smoother than wide open if my memory served me right. OTOH I've also seen blogs comparing the V1/V2 bokeh, they looked virtually identical.

Same goes to two experiences outside of Leica world - Sony FE35 1.4 Zeiss and 24-70 f2.8 GM (V1), different color/contrast/bokeh outline/sharpness. I've since treat every copy of lenses as unique copy - if I like it and not seeing problem in real world, I'll see it as a good copy and hold on to it as long as I can instead of looking for a "better" one.

[lct]

4 hours ago, Casey Jefferson said:

[...] I've also seen blogs comparing the V1/V2 bokeh, they looked virtually identical.

Different experience here. The bokeh of my Summicron 35/2 asph v1 has always been a bit harsh, to my eyes, at f/2.8 but not at f/2. Same for my Summilux 50/1.4 asph v1 so if the v2 of the later is the same as the Summicron i could well think to update it as well. BTW i don't read reviews as often as i did in my youth but reviewers are interested in bokeh at full aperture generally, while it is also interesting at medium apertures where the DoF remains shallow. As a comparison, i've always found my 35/2 v4 the true KOB at f/2.8 but not at f/2. Now i would say the modern KOB is the Summicron 35/2 asph v2 at both f/2 and f/2.8. Subjective matter, i know, but interesting to share anyway.

[crons]

10 hours ago, Casey Jefferson said:

I had two copies of the V1, both 6 bit coded. I've always feel my first copy is a little quirky but generally problem free. I sold it but acquire again together with another M body, the rendering immediately felt different, smoother and sharper, bokeh f2.8 actually became smoother than wide open if my memory served me right. OTOH I've also seen blogs comparing the V1/V2 bokeh, they looked virtually identical.

Same goes to two experiences outside of Leica world - Sony FE35 1.4 Zeiss and 24-70 f2.8 GM (V1), different color/contrast/bokeh outline/sharpness. I've since treat every copy of lenses as unique copy - if I like it and not seeing problem in real world, I'll see it as a good copy and hold on to it as long as I can instead of looking for a "better" one.

I've never really paid attention to how bokeh looks. But for the other qualities it's hard to tell from these photos here.  Color,  contrary,  sharpness is all very nice on my copy. Focus is bang on. Great copy of the lens. The asph contrast look is there but it isn't too much. 

The examples above have a strong sort of "dry" high contrast look to them that I dont see on mine. If I did I wouldn't have kept it. 

Edited June 9, 2024 by crons

[lct]

I won't do side by side comparos but i can't seem to see significant differences in contrast or acutance between v1 and v2 so far. Flare can be negligible when strong light sources stand inside the frame (link 1) and can look nasty when they stand outside of it (link 2). My other Summicrons 35 and 50 don't behave differently. Using a hood or the hand to make some shade can serve but moving the camera by a couple of centimeters can be enough to avoid that. As for color fringing, i can't seem to find any so far (link 3 & crop link 4) but i'll redo the test when i have more contrast (links to M11 + 35/2 asph v2 @ f/2.8, handheld w/o hood).

[Olaf_ZG]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I bought this one, hoping it would be my forever 35. However, somehow I don’t like its rendering. Next week I will sell it off, when visiting my Leica store.

[lct]

1 hour ago, Olaf_ZG said:

I bought this one, hoping it would be my forever 35. However, somehow I don’t like its rendering. Next week I will sell it off, when visiting my Leica store.

I could have been interested by yours but i bought my demo copy already. I just missed the lens cap in the box but i got this little gem for a fair price so it will replace my v1 soon or late together with my Ultron 35/2 probably.

Edited June 9, 2024 by lct

[dkmoore]

23 hours ago, lct said:

Short praise for the Summicron 35/2 asph v2
Not a new lens (2016) but the Summicron 35/2 asph v2 (11673) is a great little lens deserving to be compared to the v1 of the same lens (11879) IMHO. I did not expect to keep the demo copy of v2 i have on test as i was happy enough with my v1 copy which has no focus shift, contrary to its reputation, and its only cons, to my eyes, are a bit of color fringing and a somewhat busy bokeh at f/2.8. I have not checked focus shift and CA on v2 yet but so far so good, its bokeh is exactly what i was after. It is a matter of taste of course but how i feel it, it is smooth enough with neither gaussian nor busy blur at f/2 and f/2.8, so the 35/2 asph v2 could well dethrone my good old "KOB" (Summicron 35/2 v4) on this point. The KOB remains my favorite 35 for gentle portraits though. Only significant flaw of the Summicron 35/2 asph v2, for my taste, is its screw-in hood (12470) that i find too tall and takes too long to screw and unscrew compared to bayonet or snap-on hoods. My solution, for now, is to use the little hood of the Elmar-M 50/2.8 (12550) instead and to keep it permanently attached to the lens. Couple of snaps for sake of illustration below (M11, 35/2 asph v2, f/2.8).

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!

 

Very recently bought a KOB and it has quickly become one of my most used lenses. Beautiful rendering. 
 

Compliments the newer 35s well or could be my only 35. It’s very enjoyable. 
 

[lct]

1 hour ago, dkmoore said:

Very recently bought a KOB and it has quickly become one of my most used lenses. Beautiful rendering. Compliments the newer 35s well or could be my only 35. It’s very enjoyable.

+1. The Canada version was my first 35 in the eighties.I got the German version since then and it is still my favorite for portraits. It can do well on general photography too but its bokeh is a bit too busy for my taste at f/2 (link).

Edited June 9, 2024 by lct

[hansvons]

On 6/9/2024 at 7:50 AM, Casey Jefferson said:

I've since treat every copy of lenses as unique copy

Exactly. As the optics are the same, the V1 and V2 of this lens should draw identically. And if they don't, it’s the particular copy’s quirks, the age, etc. 

10 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

I bought this one, hoping it would be my forever 35. However, somehow I don’t like its rendering. Next week I will sell it off, when visiting my Leica store.

Before you do that, give it a second chance and shoot it without the hood and at full aperture in sunny environments. The ASPH flares super nicely and shows significant curvature/bent focal plane at medium distance and full aperture. It distinguishes itself from its predecessors by not showing smeary corners when shooting wide open despite the bent focal plane. It’s a character lens as any other Summicron before and not clinical at all. It even shows a reminiscence of the "Leica glow" at f/2 in the highlights. 

14 hours ago, crons said:

The examples above have a strong sort of "dry" high contrast look to them that I dont see on mine. If I did I wouldn't have kept it. 

The ASPH captures a tad more information in the shadows than its predecessors, leading to higher contrast. However, the contrast in many images on these forums is edited, which makes it impossible to evaluate a lens’ contrast from looking at these example images. 

On 6/8/2024 at 11:29 PM, lct said:

The KOB remains my favorite 35 for gentle portraits though.

Of course it’s entirely up to one’s taste and preference, I want to point out that the ASPH is not a harsh-rendering lense. Quite the opposite, actually. I find that the 35mn ASPH and the regular 50mm Summicron pair up nicely by showing a similar mild micro-contrast in their rendering, being gentle to the people's skin without losing sharpness. That changes a bit when stopping down, but nowhere gets as harsh as it gets with many modern-day 35mm lenses. The ASPH is a film era design and it tells.

The 35mm Summarit which is designed similarly and is also using an ASPH element, has a different character. Making it flare is close to impossible, and the curvature is almost non-existent. I wouldn’t call it clinically either but it surely is a highly neutral lens. It was one of the first M lenses designed with digital sensors in mind. 

Please note that I speak from my personal experience derived from my particular copies which I shoot mostly on film. Both have been CLA-ed by Leica two years ago.

[hansvons]

Shot at f/2 a month ago. Tri-X.

I wouldn't say that this is a clinical lens.

 

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 June 10, 2024 by hansvons

[hansvons]

For comparison, the same motif, similar light, and same film on another day shot with the Nokton f/1.4 SC at f/2, which is basically a Steel Rim copy.

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!

[lct]

2 hours ago, hansvons said:

[...] I want to point out that the ASPH is not a harsh-rendering lense. Quite the opposite, actually. I find that the 35mn ASPH and the regular 50mm Summicron pair up nicely by showing a similar mild micro-contrast in their rendering [...]

+1 for 50/2 v4 or v5 which come from the Mandler era but i don't find significant differences between v1 and v2 of the 35/2 asph in macro or micro contrast. Both contrasty lenses with modern rendition the way i see them. To pair the 50/2 v4 or v5 i still prefer the 35/2 v4 but it is a matter of taste as you say.

[Lelmer]

15 hours ago, lct said:

I could have been interested by yours but i bought my demo copy already. I just missed the lens cap in the box but i got this little gem for a fair price so it will replace my v1 soon or late together with my Ultron 35/2 probably.

Latest Ultron Aspherical? If yes, how does it compare to the Summicron2?

[dkmoore]

5 hours ago, hansvons said:

Exactly. As the optics are the same, the V1 and V2 of this lens should draw identically. And if they don't, it’s the particular copy’s quirks, the age, etc. 

 

The draw is slightly different because they changed the number of aperture blades. A minor difference but a difference. 

[lct]

26 minutes ago, Lelmer said:

Latest Ultron Aspherical? If yes, how does it compare to the Summicron2?

Latest i don't know, my copy is the Ultron 35/2 asph from 2018. Very good lens, very small, modern rendition, very sharp with rather busy bokeh. Here on M11 at f/2, full frame (link 1) and crop (link 2).

[crons]

18 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

I bought this one, hoping it would be my forever 35. However, somehow I don’t like its rendering. Next week I will sell it off, when visiting my Leica store.

That's too bad. You sure gou didnt get a bad copy? I think of the ASPH lenses I've owned this one is my favorite. It may be my favorite leica lens so far in terms of having a modern rendering. Overall my 50 cron is still king as I am a 50mm shooter.  But this 35 is perfect. It's modern but with character. Ive heard people say it's "clinical". I dont know what that means to them but it's not to me. It has its own charm. 

This was my first snap the first day I took it out. Everything about it is the  perfect modern look without being too much. For my taste at least. 

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 June 10, 2024 by crons

[cheeseyk]

Bought this lens in 2018 as my first Leica lens. Since I bought the 35 Apo a couple of years ago it sits unused in the cupboard and is likely to be sold in the next few weeks along with a 35 lux FLE.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Antonio Russell]

Its my favourite lens by far (Had both V1 and V2)  Nice and compact with superb image quality. If is good enough for Alex Webb its good enough for me :-)