peter_hoang1 Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 hello i an thinking about getting into the leica system. im thinking about getting an m6 model. i would like to purchase a semi wide angle lens. i really like the 35mm sunnicron but its about twice the price of the 40mm. i do realize that the m6 wont project 40mm framelines, but i dont think that would be that big of an issue. what are the maine differenced of these 2 lenses? thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35mmdelux Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 price, build quality, bokeh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob F. Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 If size ia an issue, and you would rather have the 35mm focal length, the pre-ASPH Summicrons are very compact as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul t Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 There's a real tendency for Leica and gear freaks to believe that the most expensive lens is always the best. In this case, there's no reason to believe it's true. <p> I own both, in my case a V2 Summicron, and FWIW I've concluded recently the shots with my 40mm Summicron C seem far superior; just a better tonal range, nice creamy mid tones for b/w work, and lovely out of focus areas. (Maybe the difference was due to the fact I mostly use the 40mm with a CL, as opposed to a 1970 M4 with the 35mmm lens, the so-called high watermark of Leica production!). On digital, with the R-d1, I didn't see any substantive differences. I haven't compared them on identical scenes with a tripod, so the perceived differences might be due to random factors, but I've seen no evidence that the 35mm is superior to the 40mm in any respect save the fact that the 35mm fits the 35 mm framelines (slightly) better. But if you're using an M6, the 35mm framelines are pretty close to the 40mm FOV in any case. <p> Look through a few older posts here, and for instance you'll find shots by Brian David Stevens (sp?) using an M6 and 40mm Summicron, that to me look far better than anything posted by bokeh-obsessed V4 Summicron acolytes. Oh, and the 40mm Summi C brobably boasts better build quality than the V4 Summicron, which is notorious for developing focus mount problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35mmdelux Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 The way I look at it is if I'm lugging a 40mm I might as well lug my 50mm Summilux! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james mitchell dc Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 The 40mm Summicron is one of the best deals in Leica glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andre_harrison Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 35mm Summicron or 40mm Summicron C? Depends on whether you're the a guy who likes to boast how much he paid for something - or one who likes to boast how little... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edsel_adams Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 OT question: what frame lines will the 40 bring up on a M4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_hoang1 Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 thank you for your replies! paul t, your right, leica fanatics can be a bit much. the main difference for me is the price, thats all. i dont care about cosmetics as long as its clear and functions perfectly. i would actually perfer a user 7-8+ m6 over a mint one, but its so hard to find one. i do take care of my equipment, though i dont want obsess over a scratch or ding. a camera is a camera, some are better then others, (my photography teacher in NY once said) in the end, you are as good as your last photograh. so...40mm summicron C it is. unless someone has a stronger argument then Paul T. thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael s. Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 When Paul A refers to "lugging a 40mm" I wonder if we're talking about the same lens ? My 40mm Summicron-C is a tiny lens. I'm with James Mitchell and Paul T on this one. And I think you'll find that the desirable 35mm Summicrons are more than double the 40mm's price. Also worth noting that the Minolta 40mm/f2 "cousins" of the 40mm Summicron-C -- the Rokkor and the slightly newer, differently coated, and I believe differently cammed Rokkor CLE -- are also excellent and they have the advantage of utilizing an easier-to-find filter size. Sometimes they're less expensive than the Leica-branded Summicron-C, but I've never heard anyone say that they are lesser lenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_hoang1 Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 hey paul T, you mentioned that the m6's 35mm framelines are closer to 40mm. does that include all 35mm framelines for the different viewfinder magnifications? are the viewfinders the same in the TTL model as well? one last question... im really not into the leica logos and markings on the m6. is there anyway of swaping out the top plate with another one? could i use a top plate from an m4? or somehting else? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafael_macia Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Peter my emails to you keep getting returned. Rafael Macia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_hoang1 Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Rafael contact me at developstopfix@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael s. Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 OT: General recommendation -- Post your email address with spaces and symbols. For example: joeblow <a> hotmail <dot> com That's still easy for your intended recipient to decode, but it's less likely to be picked up by spammers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_amos Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I have a 40 cron, but have never closely quantified how its framelines align with the 50 frame lines on my M6 (which an unaltered 40 cam will bring up.) I believe that close up, the 40 will give you more than the 50 framelines, but as your subject gets further away, the 50 frame line may get close to what the 40 sees. Having not studied it closely, I've been psychologically discouraged from using the 40 much lately as I now mainly use the M6. BUT... I have taken some of the most satisfying pictures with the 40 on a CL. I primarily relate to others' obsession about "bokeh" through my positive subjective perceptions of these wonderful images. I am not one of those people that says that shooting Leica is all about the glass because I respect the voigtlander lenses and the Leica body quality and feel is inspiring in use on its own, but still, if I was recommending a very effective bargain rangefinder one lens set up, I might suggest the Voigtlander aperture priority body that brings up the 40 frame lines and a good condition 40 cron: a new body and meter with the correct framelines and the wonderful economical 40 summicron all for about $750: wow, what a companion camera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard jepsen Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I had a mint 35mm cron v2. and now use a Rokkor 40mm. I prefer the 40 as it has a smoother, easier to reach aperture ring. The focal length is longer allowing for a stronger OOF blur. Optically I don't notice a great difference between the two with the exception of improved flair suppression with the Rokkor. With a .72 MP the 35mm frameline is very accurate using the 40mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_itard1 Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 You might want to audition the 2.8 Summaron. In my own test and in the posted images I've seen, the Summaron seems to exhibit more depth and nicer modeling in the out of focus areas. I thought it had a more interesting fingerprint, overall character, than the 40mm Summicron. The other lens I liked a lot was Hexar AF 35mm lens, but I could never get confortable with the expanding and contracting viewfinder lines on the Hexar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_elder1 Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 My son's 40 cron is just as good as my 35 cron(IV) believe it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyaitken Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I believe it. I'd agree with most of this. My 40 'cron is AT LEAST as good as my similar vintage 35mm v3 cron although the 35mm focusses a little closer and is a bit more solidly built. I also recently got a 40mm Nokton which everyone seems to say is sharper than the 40mm cron - I'm not so sure about that though, the cron seems sharper to me. As for the framelines here's my opinion. On and M4-P or later file the lug on the 40mm cron and it will match the 35mm frameline pretty exactly - except at under 1m. Same on the M8. On an M4-2 or older leave the lug alone and use the 50mm frameline and expect a little more on the neg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bds1 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hi the 40mm + m3 and m6 shots are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/briandavidstevens/sets/72157594529592293/ <br> <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/137/381686370_4d733db413_o.gif"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_kase Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Peter, I own and have used both...the 40mm summi is in every way a Leica Summicron...BUT it is the smallest and flattest of them all (I don't count the collapsables since they are not "at the ready" in their collapsed state...I can't bring myself to sell my 35 cron but I always use the 40 cause it's tiny and makes beautiful Leica images with my M2 or my RD 1...buy a 40 and save a bundle and give up nothing in terms of Leica quallity! George Chicago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul t Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 "hey paul T, you mentioned that the m6's 35mm framelines are closer to 40mm. does that include all 35mm framelines for the different viewfinder magnifications? are the viewfinders the same in the TTL model as well? " <p> As mentioned above, Leica changed the frameline sizes for the M4-P; they were comparatively undersized and are a pretty good match for the 40mm Summicron. A couple of people have mentioned they find it irritating; my main experience using the Summi C with 35mm framelines is on the R-D1, where they seem to fit almost perfectly. I haven't used the 40mm extensively with the M4 - I bought the 35mm Summicron so I wouldn't have to worry about the framelines, and obviously if you have the money knocking around, it makes life marginally simpler. However, more and more I've reverted to the CL and 40mm, it seems to make better photos for me for some reason, even tho the CL, while wonderfully compact, is ergonomically inferior. <p>The different FOV does make a difference, though; I too love the Hexar AF, where you'll often find yourself photographing people with a looser crop, and the pictures somehow end up looking very different to the CL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bds1 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I used the whole of the finder on the M3 for the 40mm seemed to work ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_neuthaler Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Peter, soon I will be offering my mint 40 Summicron (adapted to bring up the 35mm framelines) & my mint M4-P, + MR-4 meter. It will be a steal!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_mcbride Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Although I still own my 35 and 50, my 40mm Summicron-C is the one I always carry when I am out and about. I have taught myself to "zoom" with my feet and well over 90% of the time I can use the 40 effectively. If I know ahead of time that I will need to go very wide, I bring along the 21. If I have the need for anything longer than my 90, then I use an SLR. No lens I own makes sharper pictures than the 40mm Summicron-C. I consider it my most essentil lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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