35mm Summilux pre-ASPH performance examples

[david_kieltyka]

I owned one of these for a few years and only sold it because someone offered me silly money for it (I have a 35 Summicron too). It's basically a 4th gen. Summicron with an extra stop of emergency speed. Even f/1.4 yields good photos (lens performance-wise anyway) under the right conditions. Keep flare-inducing light sources away from the frame and you'll be fine.

 

-Dave-

[paul_chan4]

On hindsight there's no regret in not having sold mine after all these years. For its diminutive size and sheer compactness this lens can still pack a full punch against all other current brand counterparts. The mystical bokeh, magical glow or call it what-you-like. I'm keeping mine. Thanks for the reassurance, Rob.

[rgh]

The one equipment change I've made that was maybe the most 'used-less' was trading my

old 35mm Summilux which had been 'glued' to an M4, for the 'newest/better' [and bigger/

heavier] ASPH version.<p>

 

The ASPH lux lens is a fantastic lens no doubt about it, but for size and interesting image

quality at the wider apertures the old lens is just as fantastic in a different way. I had used

that older Summilux for 20+ years and just recently got the bug and bought another, very

happy again. I just did my own comparison test this past week with a 35 8-element

Summicron and a modern coated 35 f2 UC-Hexanon. Hard to see any difference between

the Summicon-Summilux (of course the lux has a extra stop if needed), with the Hexanon

modern coating making a slight difference in some situations (only if you are comparing

side-by-side).<p>

 

All in all, I'm still surprised at how good the pre-ASPH Summilux is for such an 'old

design'. Its still my favorite lens on one of those nice overcast days or early morning with

slow film, wide open, and used with people in nature. Its very well built, wide apertures

can have a 'glow' but it still is sharp enough in the center with nice out of focus character,

and stopped down to f8 as a daytime walk around lens its as good as anything out

there.<p>

 

 

<img src = http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/2015730-lg.jpg>

This was taken in Thailand in the early morning - probably around f2.8-4, I like the

character on the hillside in the background, and the 'glow' on the riverside reeds and

monk gives it a

magic quality.

[george_conboy1]

The pre-Asph 35 'Lux is my favorite lens, not because it is the sharpest but because it is compact enough to take everywhere.<div></div>

[george_conboy1]

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[david_kieltyka]

Robert, I love your Thailand photo. It would probably work with any 35mm lens but the Summilux's non-clinical rendering sure doesn't hurt.

 

-Dave-

[rgh]

Hello David and sorry this is a bit late getting back to you. Thanks for the kind words. The

picture has always been a forvorite of mine. I was staying at a friends bamboo river raft/

house, up early as usual for a bird watching walk and the monks were making their

morning gifts of food rounds in the small boat. The details and real high-lights are lost in

this small download reproduction, but I guess it gets the feeling across.

 

Cheers,

[lluisripoll]

I've just buyed one some months ago in apparently cosmetically excellent condition, I have also a Summicron 35 4th generation, and I realize that at 1,4, even at f2 Summicron is better. Yes I have an extra stop, but I don't like the results if I use it, I would try do a CLA, maybe this solve the problem, on the other hand I like very much it's typical Leica design, is a compact and small lens, the new ASPH is big!

Regards

Luis