Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/08

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Subject: [Leica] Advice needed on 35mm lens for Leica M
From: red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone)
Date: Tue Mar 8 16:20:39 2005

This is a repeat of the answer I gave to another with the same issues.....

Here's the tradeoffs.....

There are 4 lenses involved.... The F1.4 NON-ASPH and the ASPH; The F2
NON-ASPH and the ASPH.

USED Costs..... from that auction place.....F1.4ASPH $1400-1600; F1.4
$900-1100; F2ASPH $900-1100; F2 $550-750

Filter Size... I forget the details, but the weight and filter sizes are in
proportion.. the heaviest uses the biggest filters, the lightest, smaller
filters.

Weight from Heaviest to lightest..... 1.4ASPH; 2ASPH; 1.4; 2  ( Figure the
F2 and 1.4 are almost the same weight.  The ASPH versions are heavier, with
the 1.4 much heavier than the F2 "Classic")  You could look these weights up
to be accurate....

Performance:  The 2 ASPH lenses are incredible.  Almost a match for each
other.  The classic  F2 is a great lens, the classic 1.4 is less than these.
Look in the archives for the "testing" I did to prove this to myself.

OK.. confused yet?

My precise ( ???) testing says the 1.4 classic lens is NOT as good wide open
or at F2 as the Classic F2 lens.  Stopped down, I doubt there is little
difference... but I did not test this.  The F2 is a really good lens.

There is 1 issue I did not bring up.... the issue of lens clarity or haze.
Make sure that any lens you buy is CLEAR.  I am not talking about little
spots of dust, but rather the haze from the lubricants that comes with
lenses made in the 60 and 70's... roughly the serial number range of 2M to
2.6M.  Haze is possible to remove, but why bother when if you look a little
longer, you can find a clean lens......  Theses lenses are not
rare.....thgere are "millions" of them out there......

Here is the REAL difference...... If you want the best performance on the
planet, and to use the highest shutter speed you can, AND you shoot in dark
places, get the 1.4 ASPH.  If you are dollar challenged, get the F2 Classic,
and never look back.  If you want speed and light, the 1.4 classic is the
lens for you.  If you want incredible optical quality, but want a little
less weight, and save a few bucks, get the F2ASPH.

Bokeh... The ASPH lenses have basically none.  They are technical lenses.
The 3rd generation classic Summicron has lots of Bokeh.  So does the first
generation, but the price is higher, by a lot.  the classic Lux does have
bokeh, but wide open, it is just not as sharp.  If you want a really high
bokeh lens, get the classic Summicron.

Frank Filippone
red735i@earthlink.net


I would like my "new" lens to have the smooth
bokeh of the Summicron.  Does the ASPH share the
"look" or the non-ASPH Summicron?

Does the Summilux (pre-ASPH) also have smooth
bokeh?  Does sharpness suffer because of the
f/1.4 maximum aperture?



Replies: Reply from foto at cinemaminima.com (Foto) ([Leica] Advice needed on 35mm lens for Leica M)
In reply to: Message from smcj35 at yahoo.com (Colin Yastrzebski) ([Leica] Advice needed on 35mm lens for Leica M)