Re: [Leica] ASPH Flare and harsh Bokeh

[John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca>]

My 35/1.4 Asph is so good at flare control that I do not use it with 
its hood. I have NO problems at all with flare. My 35/2 (fourth 
version, latest non-asph formulation, late German production) was very 
good at flare control too but not as good as the 35/1.4 Asph. I am not 
alone in this opinion and I picked it up from watching a mpg of DAH at 
work.

I also have the 24/2.8 Asph and have read elsewhere of flare complaints 
against this lens. All I can say is that I have had no problems myself 
but it is one of my less used lenses.

I largely agree that the Asph lenses have a slightly harsher bokeh. It 
bothers some people and they have returned to, or stuck with, the old 
spherical designs. I tested my 35/1.4A against my aforementioned 35/2 
and I could indeed see the difference. The 35/2 is the by far the 
smoothest performer at f/5.6 or so; but, wide open, it is a mess. A 
good deal of my shooting is wide open and the Asph lens wins hands down 
every time.

So it depends on how and where you use the equipment. One person's 
delight is another's pain.

John Collier

On Saturday, April 26, 2003, at 12:16 PM, Thomas Pastorello wrote:

>    I must agree with Dan States about the flare
> proness of the Tri-Elmar.  I sold mine.  I also sold
> my 24mm-M ASPH for the same reason.  It is my
> experience (and my careful reading of tests
> reports)that all ASPH lenses are more flare prone than
> the pre-ASPH Leica-M generation.  Leica paid too high
> a price for the corner sharpness that comes with the
> ASPH design. I speculate that the ASPH flare problem
> has to do with the molding technique used by Leica to
> create the aspherical elements.  I say this because I
> own a 35mm-M f1.4 Aspherical (not ASPH). This is the
> original lens with two HAND-POLISHED aspherical
> elements.  It is totally flare free under all
> conditions without or with hood! Unfortunately, like
> all ASPH lenses it has poor bokeh in close range,
> compared to the pre-ASPH  Leica-M generation.  (It is
> better than all the ASPH lenses, however, in regard to
> bokeh.  Yes, I do believe the 35 Lux Aspherical to be
> superior to the 35 Lux ASPH.)  I won't use ASPH
> lenses.  If I want extra sharpness, I need only scan
> and process through Photoshop -- that way I get all
> the virtues of the pre-ASPH lenses (including
> beautiful bokeh)and ASPH lenses (extra
> sharpness)without the drawbacks of the ASPH lenses
> (flare and poor bokeh). I don't miss the Tri-Elmar.
> Tom
> P.S.  Read the Putts reports carefully.  Even he
> indicates (inconspicuously) that the out-of-focus
> images of the ASPH lenses shatter (i.e., harsh bokeh).

- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html