Personality difference among different Summilux-M 35/1.4 and advice manuals, books, treatises and pdf

[Shepherdphotographer]

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Hi everyone, I have been shooting with Leica R lenses for several years, which I am in love with, first only on a Nikon D810 reflex (replacing the bayonet), then alongside the D810 with a Leica SL (TYP-601) and now I have decided to use only the Leica SL, flanking it shortly with an SL2 or an SL2-S. In the kit, consisting of many Leica R lenses (as written in the profile), I feel the need to include a Summilux-R 35/1.4, even though I own the Summicron-R 35/2 v1 and the v2 ROM: in the kit I already have the Summilux -R 50/1.4 v1 and the Summilux-R 80/1.4, which I know in terms of performance, even if they always continue to surprise me and I am sure that I will never be able to fully understand them. So I know what to expect from a Summilux-R and I know what I am looking for; the Summicron-R 35/2, even in the most "poetic" version, the wonderful v1, has a different tone than a Summilux. There's nothing to be done........ I don't like post-production and for personal satisfaction I prefer to be able to get what I want by choosing and then using the right lens, that is, the one with the personality for the result / photo I want to get, that I have in mind before shooting. At the same time, I would also like to delve into the world of Leica M lenses, which fascinates me and on which I am still ignorant, fasting. I really like the Summilux-M 28/1.4 Asph from 2015, but I have to give precedence to a Summilux-R 35/1.4, which I miss as a tool. Since I really like the 2015 Summilux-M 28/1.4, I thought I would look for the candidate among the Leica M lenses, which fascinates me and also because the Summilux-R 35/1.4 is too expensive and difficult to find. So I looked for the 35 brother of the 28/1.4 Lux M Asph, but again the cost of a used one is prohibitive; furthermore, another problem arose: I realized that there are many versions of the Summilux-M 35/1.4, from the first pre-aspherical to today's version and each one has a different performance from the previous one, a different personality. I noticed, only from online photos, unfortunately, that the first Summilux-m 35/1.4, a pre-aspherical lens, has a price that is affordable for my budget, but its performance is very different, of course, from the 2015 Summilux-M 28/1.4 Asph, of course, but also from my Leica R, and that's another problem........ After this long introduction, I come to the point, asking you for help: could you, at least in broad terms (because the matter is certainly very complex), describe and distinguish the personality of each version of the Summilux-M 35/1.4? I have Putt's manual, but it is too technical for what I am looking for, it refers to sharpness, distortion, light fall-off....., that's not what I am looking for....... I am looking for the opinion of someone who, having used them, understood the personality of each (or some) of them, the performance in particular conditions. Aside from this discussion about the Lux 35/1.4, are there any books, manuals, texts, that you can recommend (on Leica M lenses in general, not just the Lux 35/1.4 M)? Any pdf texts to download online that you can recommend) Thanks in advance!!!!

Edited November 23, 2024 by Shepherdphotographer

[3D-Kraft.com]

tldr;

You are in the international part of this forum, where we communicate in English language.

[Shepherdphotographer]

2 minuti fa, 3D-Kraft.com ha detto:

brevemente;

Ti trovi nella parte internazionale di questo forum, dove comunichiamo in lingua inglese.

Now it should be visible in English, tell me if I'm wrong: it automatically appears in Italian to me......

Edited November 23, 2024 by Shepherdphotographer

[Shepherdphotographer]

5 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

tutte le Summilux 35 pre-asph hanno un carattere luminoso e morbido anche se molto aperte.

Excuse me, but isn't it a general rule that a lens is softer wide open?

[Ernstk]

There are so many myths that surround the 35 Summilux pre aspherical, along with disinformation, which means that you have to be careful.

There was a significant amount of production variances across all of the models, which means that being definitive regarding quality is quite difficult.

The biggest myth is that the first version of the lens (the steel rim) has better performance than later versions. It doesn't 

If you can find a V2 lens, it has reformulated optics and later, better coatings and this version would be my personal choice. The serial numbers for this version are   2166701 onwards.

Ernst

Edited November 23, 2024 by Ernstk

[Shepherdphotographer]

I'm interested in color rendition, blur, bokeh and the differences between each version of the Lux 35 and whether or not they resemble the Summilux-R 50/1.4 v1 and Summilux-R 80/1.4 that I already have, regarding personality, obviously, because they are very different focal lengths.

[Shepherdphotographer]

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Below I insert the links of two photos taken with the Lux 28/1.4 Asph of 2015: I consider it monstrous, in terms of performance, and, despite its performance being very different from the Elmarit-R 28/2.8 (to stay on the same focal length.....), I like it a lot, even if, above all, it is very different from the R lenses that I own....... I don't know how much they have been modified in post-production though....... Is this the normal color result without any subsequent modification in post-production, with a Leica SL (TYP-601) or SL2, for example?

https://www.juzaphoto.com/galleria.php?l=it&t=3592108

https://www.juzaphoto.com/galleria.php?l=it&t=3450589

Edited November 23, 2024 by Shepherdphotographer

[Ernstk]

14 minutes ago, Shepherdphotographer said:

I'm interested in color rendition, blur, bokeh and the differences between each version of the Lux 35 and whether or not they resemble the Summilux-R 50/1.4 v1 and Summilux-R 80/1.4 that I already have, regarding personality, obviously, because they are very different focal lengths.

These are complex questions to answer and have so many variables. I've given you my broad opinions on the lens. Beyond that, you may have to do your own research.

Also, there are entire threads on the forum dedicated to the 35 'Lux pre.

Ernst

 

[Ernstk]

11 minutes ago, Shepherdphotographer said:

Di seguito inserisco i link di due foto scattate con il Lux 28/1.4 Asph del 2015: lo considero mostruoso, a livello di prestazioni, e, nonostante le sue prestazioni siano molto diverse dall'Elmarit-R 28/2.8 (per restare sulla stessa focale.....), mi piace molto, anche se, soprattutto, è molto diverso dagli obiettivi R che possiedo....... I don't know, however, how much they have been modified in post-production....... Is this color result normal without any subsequent modification in post-production, with a Leica SL (TYP-601) or SL2, for example?

 

https://www.juzaphoto.com/galleria.php?l=it&t=3592108

 

https://www.juzaphoto.com/galleria.php?l=it&t=3450589

Your post is half Italian and half English, which makes a reply impossible.

[Shepherdphotographer]

6 minutes ago, Ernstk said:

Il tuo post è per metà in italiano e per metà in inglese, il che rende impossibile una risposta.

I tried to put it back in English: is it readable in English now? I set the forum to automatically translate the answers into Italian. Sorry.

[Ernstk]

25 minutes ago, Shepherdphotographer said:

I tried to put it back in English: is it readable in English now? I set the forum to automatically translate the answers into Italian. Sorry.

No. Still half Italian.

[Shepherdphotographer]

6 minuti fa, Ernstk ha detto:

No. Ancora mezzo italiano.

I can't get it back to English. What do I do? I went to "Language" and it says English, but it automatically translates to Italian after a second.......

[Ernstk]

Here is the 35 'Lux pre thread. Lots of comments and photos.

 

[Shepherdphotographer]

1 minute ago, Ernstk said:

Ecco il pre thread del 35 'Lux. Tanti commenti e foto.

 

As soon as I can I'll read it carefully..... Thanks!

[pippy]

1 hour ago, Ernstk said:

There are so many myths that surround the 35 Summilux pre aspherical, along with disinformation, which means that you have to be careful.

There was a significant amount of production variances across all of the models, which means that being definitive regarding quality is quite difficult.

^ This ^

The non-ASPH 35 Summilux was in production for a rather staggering 36 years from 1960 to 1995 and, unsurprisingly, there is quite a bit of sample-variation even between lenses made in the same year. Most members here who own such a lens will have their own view (pun) of how their lens(es) perform; there is no One-Answer-Fits-All reason to have one apart from the generalisation that they will all exhibit a certain amount of 'glow' at f1.4 & f2.0 after which the effect of the inherent optical aberrations diminishes.

Another factor which must be taken into account when considering the purchase of one of these lenses is that even the newest examples are thirty years old and the early ones are entering their 66th year! Wear and Tear; Haze and Fungus (etc.) could well be an issue...

As Ernst mentions there is an entire thread dedicated to these lenses. Have a look through it and see what you think. Many of the photographs will have a caption which tells which version and year the lens used was made.

Philip.

Edited November 23, 2024 by pippy

[Shepherdphotographer]

2 minutes ago, pippy said:

^ Questo ^

Il Summilux non-ASPH 35 è stato in produzione per ben 36 anni, dal 1960 al 1995, e, cosa prevedibile, c'è una discreta variazione di campione anche tra obiettivi realizzati nello stesso anno. La maggior parte dei membri qui che possiedono un obiettivo del genere avrà la propria opinione (gioco di parole) su come si comportano i propri obiettivi; non esiste una ragione valida per tutti per averne una, a parte la generalizzazione che tutti mostreranno una certa quantità di "bagliore" a f1.4 e f2.0, dopodiché l'effetto delle aberrazioni ottiche intrinseche diminuisce.

Come dice Ernst, c'è un intero thread dedicato a queste lenti. Dateci un'occhiata e dite cosa ne pensate. Molte delle fotografie avranno una didascalia che indica quale versione e anno è stata realizzata la lente utilizzata.

Filippo.

I go!

[J S H]

1 hour ago, Shepherdphotographer said:

Below I insert the links of two photos taken with the Lux 28/1.4 Asph of 2015: I consider it monstrous, in terms of performance, and, despite its performance being very different from the Elmarit-R 28/2.8 (to stay on the same focal length.....), I like it a lot, even if, above all, it is very different from the R lenses that I own....... I don't know how much they have been modified in post-production though....... Is this the normal color result without any subsequent modification in post-production, with a Leica SL (TYP-601) or SL2, for example?

https://www.juzaphoto.com/galleria.php?l=it&t=3592108

https://www.juzaphoto.com/galleria.php?l=it&t=3450589

There are some wonderful images in that gallery !

[lct]

Marco Cavina in Italian
Marco Cavina translated to English

[jaapv]

Fortunately our member Thorsten Overgaard has posted links to books by Erwin Puts, many of them free. They are arguably the best source to answer questions like this.

https://www.overgaard.dk/LP-Leica-books-by-Erwin-Puts-on-lenses-cameras-and-the-history-of-the-company.html

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Ernstk]

1 hour ago, lct said:

Marco Cavina in Italian
Marco Cavina translated to English

Thank you for this. What a great document.

Ernst