Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've been intrigued by the recent comments on the 35/1.4 Summilux as this was the first Leica lens I got to use with my first M4. I had been a committed Nikon user since my early teenage years and at the time (1984) had an F2A and a Nikkormat EL with motor winder with 20mm/f4, 35mm/f2, 55mmMicroNikkor, 85mm/f2, 135 and 200mm lenses. I went along to a Leica day at Fox Talbot in the Strand in London and met Nick Vlakos (he has long since retired from Leica UK). I wanted a fast wide-angle lens on a quiet body I could use for available light photography. He tried his hardest to persuade me to buy the 35mm/f2 and not the Summilux regarding the faster lens as being rather soft at full aperture. I now use the 35/1.4 Summilux as a standard lens on my M6 and am constantly delighted by the consistency in its performance and a sharpness that defies more modern lens computations. I use it fully open without significant problems from flare or vignetting - in fact I feel it is the most consistent lens I've ever used in this respect. I have to agree with John Brownlow that focus is critical and that you do have a shallow depth of field (but hey! that's why we use rangefinder focusing). For those who are interested I sold my Nikon birthright! After choosing the M4 with the 35mm Summilux and a Tele-Elmarit 90mm f2.8 to work with the Nikon system above within the year I sold all the Nikon equipment to buy a Leica R4 with 24mm/60mmMacro Elmarit and 180mm f4. I changed the M4/MR meter combination in 1986 for the M6 when it was new and have never looked back. That being attested by the fact I have not bought a new piece of camera equipment for over 15 years! (Nick showed me something about firing an M series shutter - when I first picked up the M4 in the shop he said "You've never used a Leica before" as I stabbed at the shutter release with the end of my index finger. He said "Lay the first joint of your index finger across the shutter 'depression' and simply flex the joint when you want to take a picture". Using this technique you can pop-off ridiculously long exposure hand-held shots with no significant camera shake. Is this something well known in Leica circles?) - -- David G Prakel The Benchmark Press http://www.cix.co.uk/~benchmark/