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Some images with the new Leica 35mm Summilux

LCT

Member
Sharpness is not obvious on little pics like that but bokeh looks smoother than the previous version.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Sharpness is not obvious on little pics like that but bokeh looks smoother than the previous version.
HI There
Quite agree about the little pics - but it's certainly sharp, rather reminiscent of the 50 'lux and 75 'cron.
The bokeh varies - it sometimes looks a little brittle on high contrast backgrounds with lots of detail - other times it's really gorgeous.
I don't have the older lens to do a comparison unfortunately (never had one).

I'll post more later on - finding the time is the thing!
all the best

Graham - I'm sorry for my part in the damage to your wallet - mine is certainly going to be similarly damaged :eek:
 

lmr

Member
Jono.. thanks for making us drooollll :)

Quick question on "Bokeh"... I thought Asph lens does not render almond shape bokeh towards the edge like the on of the Cross in the first page.

THX.
Robert.
 

JPlomley

Member
Would like to see how this lens compares to the 35/2 Cron Asph. Is it worth the extra $2K for that one additional stop, or can we expect better performance than the 35/2 at similar apertures?
 

Paratom

Well-known member
is it larger than the "old" 35/1.4asph? or is it just that I got used to the size of the 35 Summarit?
 

ashwinrao1

Active member
THanks, Jono. Interesting that the character of the lens, as posted by your wonderful images and those of Steve Huff on his site, seems very similar to the previous Lux asph. I am curious if you know whether addition of the floating element was coupled with any optical/lens changes? I couldn't find that in any of the literature posted, so I figure the optics are basically the same, but the mechanics of the floating element compensate for previously discussed focus shift.

Regardless, wonderful pics all around, and this lens will be POPULAR. I am hoping that I will be able to resist, as I really love my current 35 'Lux asph
 

jonoslack

Active member
Lots of questions . . I'll do my best
Thomas, with respect to size,
Old: Length 46mm diameter 53mm weight 250 gm
New: Length 46mm diameter 58mm weight 320 gm

so, it's slightly heavier and fatter, but the same length.
design seems basically the same, except that all the elements behind the diaphragm move on the new lens.

here are some more play shots from today:

















with 100% crop:



All these are compressed DNG files taken from the camera to Aperture to jpg - nothing else done (except that the bee shot is cropped).

Nothing is perfect (especially me), but this does seem like a lovely lens
 
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glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Jono

Looks like quite a lens. Thats best in class sharpness and rendering of fine detail. (I have the cron asph and the version I asph 35/1.4 . ) Bokeh looks like the 50Lux asph it suffers in some instances because of the strength of its microcontrast . Like you said trade offs . Want smoother bokeh go with a lower contrast 35 like the 35 summicron IV.

If you get a chance some nights shots would be useful .

Very nice images easy to see the lens characteristics.

Roger
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Bokeh looks like the 50Lux asph it suffers in some instances because of the strength of its microcontrast . Like you said trade offs . Want smoother bokeh go with a lower contrast 35 like the 35 summicron IV.
My initial thoughts from looking at the shots wide open were similar. The bokeh looks to me to be less 'creamy' than the current 35 'lux to my eye. There's almost a certain nervousness to the rendering which I don't see with my current 'lux. (for example in the background of the 2nd playing dogs wide open and the cat shots).

Perhaps some more low light shots with highlights or similar such shots would show the bokeh better.

My 'lux is my primary lens so I'm very very interested in the new lens. I may have to order one just to get in line just in case. :bugeyes:
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
After having seen some more images similar to my own in style / lighting over at Steve Huff's site I've changed my mind about the bokeh. It seems as beautiful wide open as the current lens. Bugger. There goes that rationale for not wanting one. :ROTFL:
 
C

chase.salva

Guest
Lots of questions . . I'll do my best
Thomas, with respect to size,
Old: Length 46mm diameter 53mm weight 250 gm
New: Length 46mm diameter 58mm weight 320 gm

so, it's slightly heavier and fatter, but the same length.
design seems basically the same, except that all the elements behind the diaphragm move on the new lens.

here are some more play shots from today:


















with 100% crop:



All these are compressed DNG files taken from the camera to Aperture to jpg - nothing else done (except that the bee shot is cropped).

Nothing is perfect (especially me), but this does seem like a lovely lens
These are the best pictures so far. Looks like you have used the lenses. I am absolutely new begginer with Camera so could you please give me some tips on clicking sharp images like this?
 

jonoslack

Active member
Graham - Glen - Robert - Ashwin
With respect to the bokeh - unfortunately I can't compare it with the previous lens (not having had one).
Still, I'm not a great believer in the conventional wisdom about the newer lenses, microcontrast and edgy bokeh - I still think the 75 'cron produces wonderful bokeh . . . . and I've definitely seen 'nervous' bokeh with the 35 IV.
It seems to me that this lens does have a lovely bokeh in most circumstances, but I'm not sure that ANY lens does a good job with high contrast foliage which is just beyond the depth of field.

I've had a series of 35 lenses which I've liked but not really engaged with - to me this lens really seems to hit the spot, and it hasn't left the camera since I've had it.

I've made prints of some of the shots, and the shot with the bee in particular does really well - 3D and glow.

all the best
 

jonoslack

Active member
These are the best pictures so far. Looks like you have used the lenses. I am absolutely new begginer with Camera so could you please give me some tips on clicking sharp images like this?
Thank you!
tips . . . I really think that it's practice - you have to get a 'feel' for when it's in focus, I don't think it's about fabulous eyesight (although I wear contacts I can still see when it's in focus without).
I think it's really a case of rushing around the place taking lots of pictures with wide open lenses (that way you know whether it really is in focus). Start with static objects, check the sharpness - you'll just get better at it (quickly as well IMHO).

all the best
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
Great shots Jono! You really do a nice job with this.

I will note that I do not think that there is any difference in bokeh whatsoever compared to the 35/1.4 ASPH version I. It has been my most used lens for five or six years now, and I have seen the bokeh look extremely similar to your photos in lots of different pictures. Bokeh is a interplay of optics, focused distance and background, so it is always possible to make a lens that generally looks good look bad, and the opposite. From looking at Jono's generous sample, I would say it looks identical to the lens I own. This is of course perfectly in line with logic, since they are the same optical formula.

I will also say that I use the 35/1.4 ASPH on the M9 all the time, and I have not had many real world problems with focus shift. It DOES exist -- I can provoke it myself with my lens in tests, but it does not usually show up in my photos. But I think it is great that Leica has addressed the problem in the version II, while having the sense to not mess too much with a good thing. It makes perfect sense to me that you have embraced the lens -- it is one of those few lenses where I just have not had any real complaints -- it is very sharp, nice bokeh, extremely useful focal length and speed, nice ergonomics, fairly compact and light. It just ticks all the boxes.
 

D&A

Well-known member
Hi Jono,

Can't thank you enough for taking the time to post these shots and the wide variety of shooting situations you tried to cover....to demonstrate examples of bokeh, sharpness and close focusing performance. I'm already using the current 35mm Lux Asph optimized for f2 (set up by Leica to have a slight amount of front focusing at f1.4 if pixel peeping), so it's a difficult choice as to whether to upgrade or not. Clearly Leica took great pains to keep its successful optical formula the same while addressing the most often heard concerns about the current lens, most notably focus shift and slightly better close focusing performance. I think this conservative approach as opposed to redesigning a whole different lens, was a good one, in my opinion. I too feel that even the great lenses that invoke extremely desirable bokeh, can be provoked into displaying jittery OOF areas, if the background subject and lighting conditions are "just so"..such as contrasty lighting and busy foliage background just beyond the depth of field (with the possible exception of the Noct 0.95, although I'm sure someone could come up with an example).

As Stuart aptly said, Leica seemed to tick all the right boxes with this one. Thanks.

Dave (D&A)
 

Seascape

New member
Thank you for the samples Jono. I look at this collection of images and they certainly look exactly like the type of imaging I get from my current Lux ASPH.

Seeing as the design is almost identical except for the floating elements, it is not surprising that the optical signature appears to be the same.

Thankfully I see no need to upgrade my current Lux.......and it's chrome to boot :rolleyes:
 
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