Hello Leica users,

For those of you using the 35mm 1.4 ASPH, 2nd version, please give me your opinions, pros Vs cons on the lens.

Thanks, Tom

-- Tom Gallagher (tgallagher10@yahoo.com), November 23, 2001

Answers

Did you try poking around this site first? This topic's been talked about a bit. Look under 'My Next Lens' or 'Leica M.'

Here's a place you can start.

-- Tse-Sung Wu (tsesung@yahoo.com), November 23, 2001.

As far as I'm concerned, the only possible "con" to this lens is the price. When you have that covered, there is nothing left but "pros".

For me, it's the irreducible expression of all that is modern Leica. IOW, I like absolutely everything about it - the speed, the size, the tonality, the resolution, the flare resistance, the build quality. It's almost the Platonic Ideal of a Lens :-)

Yup, one fine, fine lens.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul@chefurka.com), November 23, 2001.

Two "cons" only: price and the size of the lenshood - it's a bit too big for my tastes. EVERYTHING else is a "pro" with this lens; resolution, performance wide open, ergos, you name it this lens delivers in spades.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 23, 2001.

I have to agree with Paul on this one, two thumbs way up! This lens is stunning.

Why not leave the hood off Jack? Flare is not a problem with this lens.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), November 23, 2001.

It kicks ass.

-- Chris Chen (furcafe@NOSPAMcris.com), November 23, 2001.

Sold my 35/2ASPH as soon as I got the first roll back from the 35/1.4ASPH. 3 stops faster than my Tri-Elmar. I wish it had a knurled focusing ring instead of a finger tab, but I'm sure I'm the only one on earth who thinks so.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), November 23, 2001.

John wrote: >Why not leave the hood off Jack? Flare is not a problem with this lens.<

John:

I agree that flare is not a problem with this lens. HOWEVER-BUT, IMO a lens hood serves two functions - flare mitigation AND lens protection. And I like to use them on my lenses for protection.

Tom asked for opinions from users on pros Vs cons of this lens, and I simply gave him mine. I respect that the lenshood size may not be considered a con for you or Paul, but it is for me -- albeit a small one ;-)

Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 23, 2001.

Jack, one of the things I've considered trying is replacing the hood with a couple of stacked filter rims. That would provide protection and sunshade, as well as intruding less into the frame.

Has anyone tried this on a 35?

-- Paul Chefurka (paul@chefurka.com), November 23, 2001.

Jack, an alternative to the big Leica hood is the smaller Kyocera Contax GG-1 46mm hood for the G-series 28mm & 35mm lenses. It's titanium & won't match the Summilux cosmetically but it doesn't protrude as much (but also doesn't provide as much protection); there's also a matching titanium hood cap (GK-54). The hood & cap are relatively expensive new (though not by Leica standards), but can be picked up for reasonable prices on eBay.

-- Chris Chen (furcafe@NOSPAMcris.com), November 23, 2001.

Paul and Chris: Both good suggestions. I've thought about using a step-up ring - 46-55 - in conjunction with a 55 filterless ring (per Paul) on both this lens and my 50 'Lux, but I'll check out the Contax hood too.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 23, 2001.

Hi I bought mine over a year ago and I am still thinking about this lens and if I will keep it. What I like about it is this...I like it's size/weight as compared to the lighter lenses because it is easier to focus for me than my previous 35mmf2's...and it keeps the camera weighted down nicely on a strap, not like the 35mmf2 which the camera swings around too much when walking. I also really like it's color rendition and its color wide open performance. B&W performance I'm not too crazy about and come to think of it I dont have any pics in B&W to compare to the 4th version that I traded in for this lens sadly enough.The bokeh is blocky and the lens lacks a certain character in B&W that the 35mmf2 has esp wide open.It's plenty sharp but perfect sharpness can be boring.Also low light shooting with street lights in the pic have a weird look that is the character of the aspheric I guess that leaves something to be desired.The lens blocks too much of the viewfinder which you get used to... but really sucks.I like to shoot in snowstorms and the 35mmf2 fit in my coat fine and convienent to shoot with and no viewfinder blockage and an easy to remove cap too.The 1.4 will not be this easy. I do like the 1.4 ability a lot and close focusing ability too so I will probably keep this lens but I miss my 4th version 35mm f2 a lot.I might get another one.

-- Emile de Leon (knightpeople@msn.com), November 23, 2001.

I have one and boy is it sharp. It's well balanced and well machined. Very easy to use and it's application is probably the broadest of any lens in the M range.

Downside? Price. Size relative to the 'crons, but no bigger than the 50's. The bokeh is weird and not anyway as pleasant as the non Asp lenses.

-- Simon Wong (drsimonwong@hotmail.com), November 24, 2001.

RE: Using Contax lens shades on black lenses. Contax did make some black versions of all their shades for use with the limited-edition black camera sets. They show up used (KEH has had them occasionally).

Just in case you like the idea but want the cosmetic consistency.

There's also always black tape or paint 8^)

ALSO, I've found the Contax shades are designed with some leeway regarding vignetting, and successfully used the 45mm shade on the Contax 35 (without filter). In case all you can find is a 45 shade (GG- 2). Whether it will work on the Leica 'Lux will depend on how deeply seated the front element is.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), November 24, 2001.

As a follow-up, I went to my local camera store and looked at the Contax shades. GG-1 for the 35 and GG-2 for the 50. Very nicely made, high quality, but silver on the outside and expensive. I ended up buying two 46-55 step-up rings, and three old 55mm filters - two Hoyas and a Tiffen - for about $20 total. An adapter plus one ring for the 35 and an adapter plus two rings for the 50. Got em home, removed the glass (easier on the Hoyas), cleaned them up and painted them flat black. They look pretty good and appear to to work pretty well. The shade for the 35 intrudes a bit more at the apex of the ring, but less at edges due to its being round, so I call it a wash for now. The shade for the 50 intrudes almost the same as the built- in one -- no significant difference here. I shot a few frames to see if they vignette, and even added a 55 filter to the end to see if that vignetted. No biggie if it does, as it is easy to unscrew a ring before mounting the filter, but I was curious. I'll let you know how it all turns out when I get the film back and have used them on- camera for a few weeks. I like the idea of only having to carry 55mm filters around too. (BTW, a 55mm filter will kind of srew in to the front of the Contax shades. They're not threaded, but have ridges that the filter threads to.)

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 24, 2001.

Yea, there is no "con" as others have noted. OK, price is high, but you knew that's true of much of the Leica gear. Always a great value, IMHO. The only significant contrast is with respect to the 35/2 ASPH Summicron. It is diminutive, ultra sharp, has a better hood, and is a total pleasure to shoot with. An M6/35 'cron is the ultimate street shooter, again, IMHO. I'd love the extra stop some times, but you will have to prior the 'cron from my hand before I'd ever give it up.

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), November 24, 2001.

This is _the_ lens. Pair it with a 24 asph and you're set. Both outstanding lense optically, ideal for intimate docu-style photography.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), November 25, 2001.

"Jack, one of the things I've considered trying is replacing the hood with a couple of stacked filter rims. That would provide protection and sunshade, as well as intruding less into the frame.

Has anyone tried this on a 35?"

This is exactly what I've done and it works fine, at least as far as vignetting goes. Whether it cuts flare as much as the Leica shade, I don't know.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), November 25, 2001.

Tom

I have the original (first version) of the 35/1.4 Aspherical Slux, which is the same mechanically and cosmetically and very similar optically (the same nine elements), except for the presence of two hand polished asperical elements rather than one glass moulded element. The optical performance of the two versions is said to be identical or nearly so.

I am not overly impressed with the build quality of the lens. It is very good, but not superlative (considereing its expense) as, for example, the early chrome 35/1.4-Summilux 7-element lens. The aperture ring has a tiny bit of play, which such a high performance lens should not have.

That said, I cannot criticize the optical performance. Wide open, at night, with bright lights in the scene and good quality color slide film, I have never seen any better perfromance from any lens. The shadow detail and color fidelity are unsurpassed. When this lens came out, it was one of the two lenses that caused the most excitement among Leica users; the other was the 100/2.8 Apo-Macro- Elmarit-R, an equally amazing lens.

This lens is the prototype for the new 28/2.0-Summicron-ASPH, which has a very similar optical layout. I remeber when the 35/1.4 Aspherical first came out, the rumor had been that the new M-lens was to be a fast 28 mm. Aparently Leica did not like the performance of the original 28/3.0 they had been working on, and scrapped it.

Anyway, if you are considering the 35/1.4-Summilux-ASPH, it is expensive, but you will not be disappointed in its performance. Also, regarding the lenshood, it is large but it's design is superb and it is very well made. When circumstances warrant, this hood will certainly do the job.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), November 25, 2001.

Eliot:

I am sure you already know this, but have to pass it on anyway... If you indeed have the first version 35 asph that has "ASPHERICAL" spelled out completely on the filter ring, as opposed to having it abreviated "ASPH", you have a *highly* collectable lens. If it is in good shape you could sell it, and replace it with a brand new 35 asph, AND a brand new Noctilux, AND probably even have a little change left over!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 25, 2001.