Alternative to Leica 35mm Summilux 11873 ?

[Steadimann]

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Hello everyone,

are there any alternatives to ultra rare 11873 35mm Summilux image/aesthetics wise?

Tomas

[evikne]

I think perhaps the 11874 “pre-FLE” is the closest in terms of rendering, and at a much more achievable price.

[3D-Kraft.com]

Take a look at this thread:

Perhaps Zeiss ZM 35/1.4 "2A"

[69xchange]

I agree that the Leica 11874 is probably closest in terms of rendering. There was a comparison thread on FM by a member with the two lenses. I am selling my 11874 if you are in North America. 

[Ecar]

4 hours ago, evikne said:

I think perhaps the 11874 “pre-FLE” is the closest in terms of rendering, and at a much more achievable price.

Yes, definitely.

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

As said above, the ASPH pre-FLE will deliver 

I have all the 35 Summilux versions, the ASPH is my fav 

[Steadimann]

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On 10/31/2024 at 11:38 PM, TheGodParticle/Hari said:

As said above, the ASPH pre-FLE will deliver 

I have all the 35 Summilux versions, the ASPH is my fav 

If you have both lenses, could you please make a side by side comparison? Just shoot same shot wide open with say 1-1.5m focussed object and visible background?

[Eoin]

I could never discern any noticeable difference between images I'd seen with the 11873 and my own pre FLE 11883.

However, I was troubled with focus shift and was happy when I bought the FLE v1.  

[fil-m]

I recall an article that you can still find here, which highlights the (subtle) differences between the two.

I've sold my pre-FLE so I can't make any up to date comparison, but I recall two things that give the ASPHERICAL a very small edge, though obviously not worth the price difference which is more tied to its collector status. Its lower purple fringing which in my view beats any of the new 21-35 modern Lux's still in production, and its very slight and subtle glow in OOF areas under some conditions. Again, these are subjective assessments, not based on fair comparative tests.

In any case, the pre-FLE asph is a gem, especially given its price. I don't see myself buying a new FLE Lux as long as I can find pre-FLEs in excellent shape. But that's me. 

[lifeandmylens]

The pre FLE is the closest.  Here is a quick comparison I did with the AA and the Pre FLE

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1822408/0

[KenLW]

I got the pre-FLE 11874 for this exact reason. I have never owned the 11873, but the 11874 has very pleasing bokeh and is sharp in the center when you need the sharpness in a pleasing way. IMO, it pairs very nicely with older M digital bodies such as the M9 (showing a picture here). I haven't tried it on film yet, but I heard it is pretty good too! One issue to keep in mind is the focus shift (the focusing may not be accurate with aperture 2.8 to 5.6 with a rangefinder). You should ask the seller to test it before buying. With that said, I heard you can mostly resolve these issues with a CLA.

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Edited November 9, 2024 by KenLW