Terry
New member
Just came across this about the 35 Lux
http://gizmodo.com/5540164/leica-updates-m-line-with-summilux+m-35-mm-f14-asph
http://gizmodo.com/5540164/leica-updates-m-line-with-summilux+m-35-mm-f14-asph
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New 35 Lux announced
- Thread starter Terry
- Start date
ashwinrao1
Active member
yeah, they got it from Leica Rumors, who had it posted about a week back....
ashwinrao1
Active member
new one is reportedly heavier, and will have a screw in hood. Old one has a clip-on hood...
Stuart Richardson
Active member
It will be interesting to see the actual difference, because performance at close distance was not really a problem for the old version. As far as I am concerned, the only problem with the old one was focus shift, and that was only really a problem on digital. If they can keep all that was good about the old one and just remove the focus shift, then it might be interesting. Otherwise, I am curious to see how the lens draws -- the 35/1.4 ASPH version 1 (not the rare 35/1.4 aspherical) has a lovely look, bridging the new and old Leica lenses. Hopefully the new one has not inherited the harsher look of some of the newest lenses.
glenerrolrd
Workshop Member
Stuart
My guess is that primary motivation of producing the new 35/1.4asph is twofold: (1) make it easier to produce..less dependence on special glass and elements (2) minimize the focus shift issues which must be showing up in high warranty repairs.
All the new glass has the new signature (except for maybe the Noctilux where they really worked on the bokeh) . The new signature has higher resolution especially wide open and high contrast .. I think if they could hit 100% with a straight line on the MTF charts they would .
When I look at a file taken with a 28/2 I often think.. beautiful rendering. When I take the same scene with 24/1.4asph ..I think crisp,sharp lots of detail. Depends on what you shoot which is appropriate . But the 35 1.4asph will look a little better than the 24/1.4asph and not quite as good as the 50 1.4asph. It will be better close up and will have sharper and harsher bokeh. You will feel the floating elements and its will not have the damping of the older (brass ) lenses.
Those are my predictions and I would bet I will be close.
innerimager
Member
I think you are going to prove out on this Roger. I often call the 28 cron the most "beautiful" of my lenses, and I happen to love every aspect of my 35 lux asph. It's plenty sharp wide open, displays no focus shift detectable in real images, and has just enough of a slightly damped contrast and soft bokeh, that I can't see how it can be beat unless one wants the higher contrast look the new one will have.
JimBuchanan
New member
I can appreciate the fact that you like your 35 lux ASPH, but focus shift is not a variable trait among various samples of the mark. The design either has it or it doesn't, and the overwhelming voice and data is that they most all do, and thus the 3rd reformulation of the ASPH version proposes to do away with it with floating elements. This new lens will add to the focus shiftless lenses, the 50 lux ASPH, and 75 Sumi ASPH.
Can you explain your statement, "displays no focus shift detectable in real images"?
thrice
Active member
Jim, I think he means it does not diminish images in practice, but only in very deliberate measurement at MFD. I can attest to that, I shot a whole wedding at f/2.0 on that lens (when I used the 35 lux asph - which was often) with no pictures missing their intended focus point.
One mistake he made though, the newer one will render identically, without higher contrast as it is the same optical formula with the groups behind the diaphragm floating.
Also Roger is off the mark as well, as the optical formula has not changed, glass types will remain the same and the more elaborate focusing mechanism will mean construction is more complex and cost of building the lens will likely be higher.
One mistake he made though, the newer one will render identically, without higher contrast as it is the same optical formula with the groups behind the diaphragm floating.
Also Roger is off the mark as well, as the optical formula has not changed, glass types will remain the same and the more elaborate focusing mechanism will mean construction is more complex and cost of building the lens will likely be higher.
jonoslack
Active member
Hi There
Well, I think that the initial reason for this release is to cure the focus shift - which is obviously a design issue - I'm still confused by claims that it varies from lens to lens.
Having decided to re-issue the lens I'm sure they will have taken the opportunity to bring it 'up to date'.
I'm going to be a heretic here though - I don't much like the bokeh of the famous version IV - it seems to me to often be rather edgy and unpredictable. On the other hand, I rather disagree with the conventional wisdom that the current pair of similar lenses, the 50 lux and the 75 'cron are more clinical.
I actually think that both of these lenses have delightful and gentle bokeh - never agitated, and the combination of this with the crisp micro-contrast and gentle roll-off makes them my favorites (yes, even over the much vaunted 28 'cron which I also have). I'm hoping that the new 35 'lux will be a stable mate of these two lenses and the new noctilux (which I don't have
).
Well, I think that the initial reason for this release is to cure the focus shift - which is obviously a design issue - I'm still confused by claims that it varies from lens to lens.
Having decided to re-issue the lens I'm sure they will have taken the opportunity to bring it 'up to date'.
I'm going to be a heretic here though - I don't much like the bokeh of the famous version IV - it seems to me to often be rather edgy and unpredictable. On the other hand, I rather disagree with the conventional wisdom that the current pair of similar lenses, the 50 lux and the 75 'cron are more clinical.
I actually think that both of these lenses have delightful and gentle bokeh - never agitated, and the combination of this with the crisp micro-contrast and gentle roll-off makes them my favorites (yes, even over the much vaunted 28 'cron which I also have). I'm hoping that the new 35 'lux will be a stable mate of these two lenses and the new noctilux (which I don't have
).
scott kirkpatrick
Well-known member
BTW, has anyone followed the various prices quoted in Europe for this lens? Originally (in the Ukraine, where all bets are off), it was quoted at 3750 EUR plus VAT, then there were multiple plausible leaked documents saying 4823 EUR plus VAT, and now we are back to 3750 EUR again. The quoted US price hasn't budged from $4995 during this oscillation, nor has the UK price, which I forget. Of course, the Euro itself has varied wildly in value during this period. Are these prices firm, or will we see further changes?
scott
scott
jonoslack
Active member
Hi Scott
as I understand it the price is €3750 including VAT at 19%, so if your VAT rate is different then it'll be different. Of course, I could certainly be wrong!
jonoslack
Active member
Hi PeterI'd appreciate a link which has something definitive and sensible to say about focus shift and the 35mm asph lux..:deadhorse:
in the meantime I will continue pretending my chrome version doesnt have any dreaded fearful and scary 'focus shift'.
Hmm - I think Tim Ashley did some 'definitive' tests, and Leica have certainly acknowledged it as a feature of the lens. Never having owned the lens I can't remember the tests, but presumably you focus at around 2 metres at f1.4 on a point on a receding scale, and then change the aperture successively downwards and look at the point of correct focus - I remember seeing examples where the focus point at f1.4 was well out of focus at f2 until around f8 (where the dof rescued it again).
But maybe you have a magic lens?
all the best
scott kirkpatrick
Well-known member
The equivalent tax rate for Internet purchases sent to the US (or picked up in the EU by travelers to distant lands) is 0%. That makes 3750 EUR a $350 savings over the untaxed US price. I think it beats the UK price as well.
I'm still puzzled about where the 4823 EUR came from, and disappeared back to.
scott
Hacker
New member
And the Noctilux ASPH too
.innerimager
Member
Just as I said, I've never had an image (out of thousands) suffer from OOF because of focus shift shooting from 1.4 to 8. I even tested mine and found very tiny degree of shift that was covered by increasing DOF stopping down. I know this is not always true, but there are many happy users of this excellent lens who have reported the same experience as me.
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thrice
Active member
Not saying it doesn't shift, just saying it's not a real problem for me.
Leica saw a demand, an opportunity to sell a bunch of new lenses, so they took it. They're also perfectionists and it's not that much more effort for them to re-manufacture the same optics in a different focusing mechanism.
People slammed the 35 lux asph for shifting for so long I guess sales slowed down.
Leica saw a demand, an opportunity to sell a bunch of new lenses, so they took it. They're also perfectionists and it's not that much more effort for them to re-manufacture the same optics in a different focusing mechanism.
People slammed the 35 lux asph for shifting for so long I guess sales slowed down.