[Leica] Summilux Asph arrives: The Sequel

[jbcollier at shaw.ca (John Collier)]

Busy, busy, busy BUT I did manage to run three or so rolls though it.

First, this isn't a Noctilux anymore Toto. Yes, it is true, a couple of 
times the aperture ring stopped before I wanted it to. To be fair I 
would not have noticed if I hadn't had two years experience with a 
Noctilux in the bank. So dammit John, knock the speed down a stop why 
don't you? Well then you suddenly realize that also you do not have the 
mass of the Noctilux to damped your age/alcohol induced hand 
vibrations. Sigh, can you imagine missing the weight of the Nocti in 
the first three rolls! Strange but true. On the plus side, not once did 
I have to back up when using the Summilux Asph! Something I was 
constantly doing with the Noctilux and its one meter close focus limit.

Things are settling down mechanically and gradually the focusing action 
is getting smoother. Still hangs slight from 0.7m to 1.0 m but as the 
rolls click by it is getting better. Again the focus tab and locking 
hood are a treat.

So what about optically?

After three rolls of Provia 400F, it looks good to me. I do not measure 
anything and I do not shoot newspapers on the wall. Vignetting is there 
wide open but significantly less than the Noctilux. Bokeh is fine to my 
eyes: smooth without drawing attention to itself. Objects go out of 
focus smoothly and gradually with no double line faults or swirling 
effects. I like it. There doesn't seem to be any aperture/distance 
combinations to avoid as there is with the Noctilux. Performance is 
fairly even wide open with objects off centre remaining crisp (note I 
seldom place subjects beyond the 8 mm circle range). It handles the 
usual flare prone situations very well indeed at least equalling the 
Noctilux. Unfortunately if you place the sun just out of the frame 
(sunlight hitting the glass) you get buckets of flare. I do not shoot a 
great deal into the sun BUT I cannot recall my hoodless Noctilux having 
it as severe as this. As I said subjects silhouetted by bright windows 
are not a problem like they are for the Summicron.

Overall? Two big thumbs way up. It delivers great performance in 
difficult conditions in a light ergonomic package. Nothing is perfect 
but it is what I was hoping to get when I sold my Noctilux.