[Leica] 35 Summilux question

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

Going from the academic world to the business world is what I thought I was
obviously implying not any kind of insult but a reality shift its why you
bought the camera it looks like. And congrats for finishing school!
I graduated in 1976 and that's the year my r?sum? starts.

" and tell me, when did the world's fastest
35mm lens go from a professional
tool to a collectible? Was it the day
that the first version ASPH was
announced or the day that it hit the
shelves in 1994? "

I think this is a simple issue of how many were made.
When things had been made in small amounts it's usually best to let the
inflated money that gets spent on them get spent by collectors. At least
till your rich.


--------------------
Mark William Rabiner
Photography
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
mark at rabinergroup.com
Cars:   http://tinyurl.com/2f7ptxb




> From: Philip Forrest <photo.forrest at earthlink.net>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:53:53 -0400
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] 35 Summilux question
> 
> Photographers don't look into the front of my lens to see which version
I'm
> shooting. If they're doing that, they're missing the shot.
Photographers don't
> feel like they are competing with a collector
unless I'm using a Barnack, in
> which case I'm shooting film so it's not
for immediate publication.

"For
> someone becoming a photographer..."

I'm finishing my degree, not becoming a
> photographer, I've been
shooting for 17 years. 

The thing about Gandy is that
> he's one of the top distributors for
Cosina products. Modern optics, modern
> coatings acceptable QC. He has
an agenda. The same with E. Puts who doesn't
> sell things directly but
is still a mouthpiece for Leica products. 

The real
> cool thing is that I listen to people with experience with
products that I
> might purchase in the future. I don't have the money to
just buy a 35 Summilux
> ASPH FRE even though I'd love one. I have to get
perfectly good used optics.
> And tell me, when did the world's fastest
35mm lens go from a professional
> tool to a collectible? Was it the day
that the first version ASPH was
> announced or the day that it hit the
shelves in 1994? 

It doesn't matter what
> the lens says or what the lens does as long as
the photographer using it can
> capture the shot that they need. 

Phil Forrest


On Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:22:24
> -0400
Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote:

>
> http://en.leica-camera.com/assets/file/download.php?filename=file_1748.pdf
>
> An 83 page pdf;  
> Leica M-Lenses Their soul and secrets by Erwin Puts.
> 
>
> Turn to Page 35 for today's reading
> 
> " From f/2.8 both the Summilux and
> the Summicron have a very similar
> optical ?fingerprint?. Indeed the
> performance is so similar at medium
> apertures that one is inclined to assume
> that the Summilux is a
> Summicron design opened up just one stop too far. The
> higher inherent
> flare level of the Summilux reduces the rendition of very
> small
> details in the field more than the Summicron does. The performance
> of
> the Summicron- M is excellent and would be called outstanding if the
>
> Asperical version did not exist."
> 
> The above an out of context quote to be
> sure so go to page 35 after
> you download the thing which takes 7 seconds and
> read the surrounding
> paragraphs. He takes each version of the 35mm
> Summicrons and
> Summilux' s one by one.
> 
> I look at the whole thing this
> way: For someone becoming a
> photographer... We have in hand a current seven
> thousand dollar
> camera body. In the front of it that's not where I'd get
> creative.
> Not everybody is going to be sold in "the Glow" I'd start out with
> a
> bread and butter lens which was at least putting the best cutting
> edge
> current image making optic there is. 
> 
> S. Gandy says pre ASPH Summilux' s
> were made in limited qualities so
> are in store for being put in the category
> of "collectors items".
> http://www.cameraquest.com/mlenses.htm
> 
> I'd put
> my money not on collector value glass but shooter value glass.
> A camera is a
> life support system for the lens. A lens choice is not
> a time to get quaint
> its a time to break the bank.
> Start out the image making clarity. Then later
> experiment with
> interesting fingerprints.
> The Glow fingerprint you get
> wide with 35mm pre ASPH Summilux actually
> replicates an actual smeared thumb
> print of Oscar Barnacks on the
> outer element of the lens. I think its in the
> optical formula.
> This the effect gets called the "glow". But people put
> Barnack on a
> pedestal they think he's some angel or something. Its producing
> an
> image with artifacts you just don't want to have to explain to people.
>
> Stop down one it goes away. And you have a Summicron. Which is the
> best lens
> to get anyway. Leica is Summicron.
> It's a pity the ASPH versions of the 35mm
> Summicron and Summilux are
> not virtual pancakes like the pre apsh versions
> and have quite a bit
> more bulk and weight. If I was a gentleman photographer
> out nurturing
> my own interesting quirks and not being responsible for
> bringing back
> a image somebody is paying for and or to be used in the media
> I'd
> search the Leica books which I have for the coolest lens to put in
>
> front of it with a real out of the ordinary look in both the images
> it makes
> and how it looks on the camera..
> 
> A fairly current Leica Asph renders
> astounding images which can be
> cropped till the cows come home or be
> enlarged hugely. Amazing clarity
> And the reason why you get a Summilux
> instead of a Summicron is to
> use it at f 1.4. 
> Both Summilux and the
> Summicron ASPH's have cool concave outer
> elements which make it harder to
> catch stray fingerprints. And are
> real conversation starters. "hey! How come
> you have an innie and I
> have an outie?" But the concave shape can catch
> lint. So bring a
> compact Featherbrush
> http://www.gordonbrush.com/feather-brushes.html
> 
> I'd start out with the
> best lensI can finance then later on after I'd
> made some money off it I'd
> then experiment with offerings from the
> galaxy of options out there.
>
> Instead of Barnacks finger print somebody really out there....
> RICHARDO
> MANITOBAN As Khan Noonien Singh in The Wrath of Khan.
> The Klingons made
> great glass; except if they made it on a Friday.
> 
> A fairly current optic
> from Leica really is a step up from all the
> other peoples stuff the are
> turning in with their Canon's and Nikons.
> You have them really psyched out
> and they know it.
> But with interesting relic of past optical engineering in
> front of
> that camera maybe not. As they feel they are competing against a
>
> collector.
> 
> --------------------
> Mark William Rabiner
> Photography
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
> mark at rabinergroup.com
> Cars:
> http://tinyurl.com/2f7ptxb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > From: Lluis Ripoll Querol
> <lluisripollquerol at gmail.com>
> > Reply-To: Leica Users Group
> <lug at leica-users.org>
> > Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 10:37:02 +0100
> > To: Leica
> Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> > Subject: Re: [Leica] 35 Summilux
> question
> > 
> > 
> > Phil,
> > 
> > Mine is #3253605, when I've purchased
> the M8 I've asked the Leica
> > distributor in Spain, they said that it should
> be modified, the cost
> > would be 210 Euro. On the list I've read the opinion
> of Gene and
> > others and I've decided try it on the M8, I take carefully
> "the
> > risk", and no problem at all.
> > 
> > Good lock!
> > 
> > Saludos
>
> > Lluis
> > 
> > 
> > El 31/10/2010, a las 2:23, Phil escribi?:
> > 
> >> Can
> anyone say, with any reasonable accuracy, which versions and/or
> >> serial #
> ranges, of the 35 Summilux pre-ASPH will work on the M9
> >> without
> >>
> modification? I've read that some have the light baffle which
> >> needs to be
> cut by a technician and I'm wanting to find out what
> >> vintages of Summilux
> this applies to.
> >> 
> >> Thanks all!
> >> Phil Forrest
> >> 
> >>
> _______________________________________________
> >> Leica Users Group.
> >>
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more
> >> information
> >
> 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users
> Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more
> information
> 
> 
> 
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