35mm dilemma

[jrh68uk]

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Hi - I'm having a bad time of this and am going round in circles...

 

Here's the dilemma: I want a 35mm for my M7 but I just can't decide which to get. Having recently forked out an awful lot, I need to be careful.

 

I'd ideally like the 35/2 Summicron ASPH. Very expensive, both used and new, with the lowest I've seen being £800 for one described as EXC+. That's a lot of money for a used prime lens but I understand it's exceptional.

 

Other options: Summarit 35.2.5 : I think, if I were to fork out for one of those, I may as well get the used Summicron, or:

 

CV 35/2.5 PII, at a fraction of the price. I've heard this is good (and have seen many images online) but that it's measured f.l. is actually around 38mm.

 

Zeiss 35/2 Biogon: not sure I like the look, much. Or,

 

CV 35/1.4 Nokton, released mid-Feb. Scant details on this one.

 

I'm going to Paris at the end of Feb so would ideally like to have something by then. I'm reading and re-reading views and opinions on all of these (except the unreleased Nokton) and I just can't decide what to do. I'd hate to spend good money on a non-Leica only to wish I'd got a Leica in the first place (made that mistake before with Nikon stuff). Then again, maybe there's some sense in trying a 3rd party lens and upgrading at a (much) later date if I need to. I hear the CVs are very good for the money, but there has to be a reason that they cost a fraction of the corresponding Leica glass...

 

Does anyone have any views to sway me either way? I'd be grateful to have any informed opinions. Many thanks in advance,

 

Jason

[bill k]

I suppose it depends on how much money you have to spend.However you can't go wrong with a good used Summicron. In fact there is a an older Summicron on my M7 and I also use it on my M8.Kindest regards,Bill

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[earleygallery]

John,

 

If I was able to afford it I'd probably buy the Summicron - if buying s/h I'd want to make sure it was near perfect.

 

However, with plenty of other financial commitments I decided to buy a CV 35 2.5 Skopar and I'm very pleased with it. Sharp nicely contrasty images and its light and compact.

 

The forthcoming 1.4 looks interesting - i'll be watching out for that one, but who knows when it will be available to buy in the UK.

 

I don't know about the Zeiss, I'm sure they're great too, but its much more than the CV and if I was spending that much I'd rather pay a little more for a nice Summicron.

 

The other option is a 2.8 Summaron but they aren't that easy to find without goggles and in very good condition (in my experience) otherwise they are approaching s/h Summicron money.

 

The 3.5 Summaron is less expensive/rare, meant to be fine stopped down to 5.6/8 but again its finding a really nice one, and I would think the CV is better overall as an all rounder (and its very good at 2.5 too).

 

So - given your timescale stump up for the Summicron if you can find one, or go with a CV Skopar for the time being, you'll hardly lose anything when/if you sell it anyway.

[wizard]

As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a bad Summicron . They're all good, VERY good in fact. My vote would go for the current 2/35 asph, but the immediate predecessor, the version IV Summicron 35mm is still competitive at anything except full aperture, and can be had somewhat cheaper than the current version.

 

Andy

[timd.]

hi i just can second james in his thoughts:

if you've got the money, go and get a summicron. i assume buying a zeiss, which is not cheap at all, you will always ask yourself if it had been better to spend a little more on the used 'cron, no matter if there's much sense in spending that extra money.

if you don't have the money, there's the pancake c/v. great lens, and selling it later when you upgrade to a 'cron you won't loose much. if you decide to keep it, you'l save even more!

 

-tim-

[Mark Antony]

Another thought if you are really strapped for cash is the Canon 35mm F2 LTM.

The lens can be found pretty cheaply, has pretty good performance compared to a 1970's 'cron and is the design that the 35 F2,5 Skopar is based on, but has a full F2 aperture.

 

I have the even cheaper Canon 35 F1,8 which is softish till F4 but its so good I'm not looking to replace with anything but the Leica 35mm ASPH which would cost over 5 times more used and for me is more flare resistant than the cron.

here is a test:

Photo Utopia

and an image

Mark

[echorec]

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You should also check out the version 2 of the Summicron. I have had all versions incl ASPH of Leicas 35mm lenses and I kept version 1 (8-elements, expensive), version 2 (not expensive, very good), Summaron 2.8 (super sharp, a bit less of the "Leica glow") and the old Lux (not the sharpest but lots of personality...). I sold both the Lux & cron ASPH...

 

Here is a picture with the cron version 2:

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[peter_n]

There is also the UC Hexanon from Konica at US$890. I don't know if that is over your budget. Here is one for sale: Konica UC HEXANON 35mm f/2 Black Leica L mount it is a little jewel of a lens. Here's some threads about it with example shots from the RFF: Konica 35/2 UC-Hexanon LTM, First shot from 35/2 UC Hexanon, UC Hexanon 35mm vs M Hexanon 35mm, UC Hexanon 35mm First Shots, Hexanon 35 uc and 35 cron IV

[Arif]

Another vote for the cron. I have an older version (IV) as well as the current one and love them both. You will always recover your money if you ever decide to sell. Save money on your Paris trip by hitchiking, taking canned food, and staying with new relatives (guard the camera).

 

best of luck,

Arif

[rob_x2004]

Dilemma.

Easy just to say hang the expense and get as up to date in Leica as you can.

But I dont think you will find a "bad" Leica lens, they will just be "different".

You will wind up being confident with pretty much whatever you buy, and your images up to a point will reflect that lenses qualities.

A 35 on an M7 might well be the only lens you use for a long time too.

[nikau]

I'd thumb rides, eat canned food and go for the latest Summicron, or of that just doesn't work, go for its immediate predecessor which stands up very well against its replacement, in my view (having, for a period, owned both at the same time and able to make comparisons).

[Ronazle]

The Summicron 35mm ASPH is wonderful and worth the wait. Get the CV and use it until the Cron ASPH is affortdable. Overall quality of the CV is probably better than all 35mm Summicrons prior to the ASPH (I suspect a bokeh attack from true believers). You'll probably be able to get most of your money back on the CV. The only real fault the CV has is a slight tendency to flare when facing into harsh (i.e., most) light sources.

[earleygallery]

I've yet to have any issues with flare from my CV 35. I posted a few pics in a previous thread about this lens, one of which is against strong sunlight.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/43726-cv-35-2-5-color-skopar.html

[ylianos]

I had the same dilemma, I've just ordered a CV 35mm pancake... Sure, I would like the summicron but it is too expensive for me right now and I can't wait without having the 35mm angle of view on my photos (I have the 50mm summicron).

I hope I won't regret it.

 

What is the slowest speed(on hand) without blurring you can achieve on a 400 ISO film with this lens?

[earleygallery]

What is the slowest speed(on hand) without blurring you can achieve on a 400 ISO film with this lens?

 

That depends on how still you can hold the camera! I can usually handhold with sharp results to 1/8 second, below that its hit and miss.

 

You definately won't regret buying the CV.

[bill]

Another vote here for the CV. I have the 35 2.5 in LTM mount and I use it on my M7. The fact that it is in LTM means that I can also use it on my IIIc and IID, which I regard as a big advantage.

 

I had a 35mm V4 Summicron, but I am not a 35mm type of person. For the use I made of it I set the Summicron free, selling it to someone who would appreciate it more. The CV has been a revelation to me, giving sharp contrasty results. I use it witha small metal hood most of the time, but hooded or not I have never got it to flare.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[Perspectics]

...another vote for the 35mmCron ASPH. If you click the URL in my signature and then enlarge the first pic you see - the guy with the yellow post-it on his forehead - you`ll get to see the violent sharpness of this lense. Adorable.

[thomasw_]

Do some of your investigation of the different options here: Flickr: M-mount (Leica, Zeiss, Voigtlander)

 

FWIW, I have owned the asph cron 35 and iv cron. I sold them both because I prefer the signature of the zm 35/2 over either of the summicrons i used; it is at bottom an issue of preference. Leica's summilux 35 asph would be the only 35 lens I might consider at some later date, as the signature is lovely to me and the extra stop would be very useful as well. I have found the zm w/o a shade to be less prone to flare than my crons and that I can shoot it 95% of the time w/o a shade, making it quite compact for regular usage. I recommend you look at images made by the different potential lenses in the type of conditions you prefer to shoot and with the type of films you prefer; that way you will get the best idea of what you will be getting. That is, if you have no way of actually "trying them out" prior to making your purchase.

 

respectfully, thomas

[jrh68uk]

Thanks so much, everyone, for your views. I still have some thinking to do but these comments are a great help.

 

Incidentally, I've just had the test film back from my "new" M7/50 set and I have to say that that cron is superb, wide open or otherwise. The standards are set high for the forthcoming 35mm..

 

Cheers,

Jason

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[R.Morrison]

I agree with James with respect to the VC 35mm COLOR SKOPAR - no flare.

I also have the 35mm COLOR SKOPAR PANCAKE II. It vignettes at times and the 'wings' on the aperture ring have a tendency to knock about a bit an I wind up shooting at some unintended aperture and exposure value. It will, however, shoot straight into a light source with little flare.

 

Yours,

R. Morrison, M4-P, etc.