Re: [Leica] 35mm Summicron Comparisons

[Bud Cook <budcook@ibm.net>]

Thank you very much Charlie.  One of my original questions was whether
or not it
was worth giving up the convenience of the RF-Summicron on an M3 for the
improved
optical quality of current Summicrons.  I believe that I'll go ahead a
sell my
RF-Summicron and buy a new lens.  I can always pick up an M body if a
new goggle-less
Summicron proves too much of a hassle on the M3.   

I didn't know that the ASPH version had a 39 mm thread.  Thanks for that
bit of Info as well.

Finally, thank you for the offer to compare color transmission of the
various lenses but I don't think it will be necessary.  I'm going to
follow the assumption that all modern Leica lenses (w/the possible
exception of the Noctilux)
have a neutral color rendition.

Thanks to you and to all who have kindly responded to my questions.

Best Regards,

Bud


Charles Dunlap wrote:

> > a) is the
> >ASPH worth the extra cost when I'd seldom use the lens wide open?
>
> Perhaps not. I have used my 35/2 wide open on numerous occasions, taking
> some of my favorite photos this way.
>
> > b) how much
> >would I want to use my 39 mm swing-out polarizer with this lens?
>
> I'm not sure why this is an issue. Both ASPH and non-ASPH lenses have 39mm
> filter threads.
>
> >d) is a late Canadian Summicron likely
> >to be more reliable than a lens from Solms?
>
> The Solms reliability debate has always seemed suspicious to me. I've had
> lenses from both and no problems with any of them. Mechanically the
> Canadian 35 Summicron seemed a little more shakey than the two Solms
> lenses, but this was probably due to age.
>
> >Erwin Puts mentioned that the ASPH lenses may be somewhat warmer than the
> >non-ASPH lenses.  This is important to me since I'm extremely concerned about
> >the color rendition of a lens and I want all of my later lenses to be equal in
> >this respect.
>
> I can't understand why the new lens would be slightly warmer. I've
> discounted this statement because Erwin Puts reviewed an early example
> (pre-release) of the lens. Leica can control the warmth of the lens via the
> lens coatings and has a stated policy of maintaining color balance across
> the range of modern lenses. I would be more concerned about differences in
> color balance among older lenses than in the modern designs. With that said
> I've never noticed and problems with color balance in any case.
>
> If you like, I will take photos (pick a slide film) with the new ASPH 35/2,
> latest model 50 Summicron, and latest 90/2.8 Elmarit (same scene, same
> aperture) and send them to you. The only problem is that Leica will not
> tell Don Chatterton when they expect my new lens to arrive! I can
> understand production delays, but Leica is also being evasive about when my
> new M6 0.85 will appear. No one there seems to know when to expect
> deliveries from Solms, nor do they seem to care about customer frustration.
> When I call (no more than once in a week) they act inconvenienced by my
> requests for information. Well, this isn't relevant to you.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Charlie
> --------------------------------------------
>              Charles E. Dunlap
>          Earth Sciences Department
>           University of California
>             Santa Cruz, CA 95064
> Tel.: (408) 459-5228    Fax.: (408) 459-3074
>
>          mailto:cdunlap@es.ucsc.edu
> --------------------------------------------