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My new buddy: Summilux-M 35 mm f/1.4 asph II

RF_Licks

New member
Congrats Ashwin, another stellar lens to you collection! Very nice set of test shots and thanks for sharing your mini review. Can't wait to see more pics from you with this lens.

Joe
 

D&A

Well-known member
Ashwin wrote >>>"Its almost as if the new lens is behaving more contrasty, more aspherically (I don't know if that's a word), with possibly harsher OOF transitions."<<<

Interesting. What it appears to me after conducting focus bracket tests to eliminate any possible focusing errors (user created and/or otherwise)...it seems the Ver II on axis in the central part of the frame is very slightly shaper wide open (pixel peeping of course) than Ver I (possibly due to some residual spherical aberations in Ver I when used wide open compared to Ver II). If this hold true, then I have generally found that a slight increase in sharpness/contrast on "subject in focus with Ver. II, can also lead to slight increase in perceived sharpness/contrast in OOF areas and this is possibly what we might be seeing. Another way to put it, is much like you did in your statement above.

Agree, the lens may be more of a optical match in terms of "look" to the 50 Lux asph/75 cron etc, (a bit more so than Ver. I)...yet in many ways its also different than them. It definitely has a unique signature but so does Ver I in its own right. I believe there were some optical tradeoffs necessary in order to achieve what was changed in Ver II lens compared to Ver. I, yet there are many things that are extremely attractive in Ver I, especially for photographing certain subjects. It leans towards the same analogy (but for different reasons) why some prefer the 50mm Lux pre asph and some the 50mm Lux asph. Each superb in its own right with a series of optical properties that suits the individual needs of those using them.

Now what I'd like to do is win the lottery, so I can have one of each of all these great lenses. Please forward the winning #'s :)

Dave (D&A)
 
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ashwinrao1

Active member
Thanks to you all for your kind words,

1. Dan, thanks. Yes the camera was on auto WB. I suspect that part of the coolness of the images was my artistic inclination in processing the shots, using direct positive and old polar LR3 filters as part of my workflow....I felt cold and blue, but definitely, the lens contributed to this....

2. t-streng, you should get your name back on that wait list. Resistance is futile :ROTFL:

3. Woody, thanks so much for the kind words and referencing that article....I'll have to send Steve an update once I complete my assessment of this lens....Congrats, by the way, on getting your copy, and I am excited to see what you magic you can render with it!

4. Mohammed, thanks as well, and I'd love to see what you are doing with your copy, certainly in warmer climates than I have access to now.

5. Robert, thanks for the sale and kind words. I leaned upon the "test shots" analogy to make sure that I had a fall back in the event that people didn't care for the images ;). Seems that the images are going over okay....

6. Joe, many thanks, and I'll keep shooting.

7. Dave, thanks for the feedback, thoughts, and input. You have clearly done a lot more thinking about this lens' qualities than I, and I will try to pay more attention in the coming months to see what I think...I agree that the Lux asph II has a more "unique" signature than the 50 lux asph or 75 cron...there's something a bit wilder about it, but at the same time, it's got a certain critical sharpness that the other aspheric designs possess, even more than the prior version.

In some ways, it could be thought of, maybe, as a "lens with a look", like either of the Noctilux f/1 or 35 lux pre-asph (I'd throw the 24 lux asph and 35 lux asph I into that category as well). Leica seems to manufature a set of lenses that approximate perfection clinically (50 lux asph, 75 cron, 90 cron, 24 elmarit, 35 cron asph), and others that have a certain character....I guess this is all overdramatization of a lens' properties, but it is fun to hypothesize and further the internet fodder :LOL:
 

mjm6

Member
Looking at my own shots, one could postulate areas of "nervous bokeh", which have been mentioned before for this lens...I actually like a slight bit of activity in the bokeh in certain circumstances, can really add to the atmopshere of the shot....

Ashwin,

I can see the nervous bokeh in the images. It's funny, but I find I prefer MOST of the older non-ASPH Leica lenses for this reason, even though there is surely a slight reduction in absolute sharpness at the plane of focus.

That works out well for me, because the older lenses are cheaper!

There are certainly benefits to the more nervous rendering in some image types, and ultimately it is an aesthetic preference anyway, so everyone is right, and everyone is wrong...

The images look great, and I certainly wouldn't feel bad if I had that rendering at all, because it isn't too nervous, but I find I prefer the smoother rendering of the older lenses.

Thanks for sharing.


---Michael
 

ramosa

Member
Ashwin:

Man, is there a cool lens that you don't have?!

That, of course, was a rhetorical question. Hey, love the captures. Great glow. Really like the third one. Well composed, fine mood, great blues.

R
 

ashwinrao1

Active member
hahha, well, I don't have the 21 lux, 35 pre-asph cron, 35 cron asph, 28 cron or 75 lux...used to have a few of those....
 

D&A

Well-known member
Ashwin Wrote>>> "I agree that the Lux asph II has a more "unique" signature than the 50 lux asph or 75 cron...there's something a bit wilder about it, but at the same time, it's got a certain critical sharpness that the other aspheric designs possess, even more than the prior version.

In some ways, it could be thought of, maybe, as a "lens with a look", like either of the Noctilux f/1 or 35 lux pre-asph (I'd throw the 24 lux asph and 35 lux asph I into that category as well). Leica seems to manufature a set of lenses that approximate perfection clinically (50 lux asph, 75 cron, 90 cron, 24 elmarit, 35 cron asph), and others that have a certain character" <<<


Ashwin, Your description is truly apt for describing what is seen with this lens and some of the others you mentioned vs. the neutral technically perfect lenses such as the 50 Lux asph, 75 cron, 90 AA and some others. I'd also put to some degree (although not completely) the 21mm Lux in that former group.

By chance I also came across the strange focus anomoly in the Ver II lens that Tim Ashley initially described on the Leica forums many months ago when being one of the first to aquire this lens. I also mentioned it recently over there. It's hard to consistantly reproduce but it relates to something in the optical design and might even contribute to its signature. I won't get into this further unless some can't find Tim's original postings regarding this.

I look forward to your further work and images with this lens as well as others who are using or awaiting their own. Thanks!

Dave (D&A)
 

ashwinrao1

Active member
A few more indoor test shots at ISO 640, indoor lighting, LR3 B&W conversions. All shot wide open...







Finally, pulled away from the cell phone:

 

CharlesK

New member
Ashwin, beautiful images!!! Superb rendering in low light.
My 35 Lux II is arriving this morning :D I was unsure at first, as there have been varying opinions, but after seeing your images, I cannot wait :D

It is wonderful to see how the new 35 Lux II performs in low light.
 

D&A

Well-known member
Ashwin, lovely images and B&W conversions. The signature of the lens really comes through. I especially like #1 where the subtle light from her cell phone reflects off her face while she's in deep thought. The bokeh and tonality of #2 is excellent! These images in some respects show a different dimension/character of the lens, than the first set (of images) you posted. Very Nice!

Dave (D&A)
 

ashwinrao1

Active member
Thanks, Dave and Matt....

Here's yet another set, indoor lighting, a bit different:









A couple of more in color:






I gotta say, that for an f/1.4, this is an easy lens to use...with fun results. Seems to generate the ole' nervous bokeh on occasion, but in other instances, the out of focus areas are creamy. The images, for whatever reason, seem lively....they pop like the 50 lux asph, but in their own way.
 

D&A

Well-known member
Ashwin, subtle lighting in some of these and it looks good! It appears the light of the cell phone (in your previous set & this) is now becomeing the popular choice of adding highlights to ones face...the heck with umbrellas and speedlights, I think you found the ultimate portable light source :)

Assume you added grain (noise) to some of these B&W conversions (in this set of images?)

I believe you hit the nail on the head with your statement---->>> "Seems to generate the ole' nervous bokeh on occasion, but in other instances, the out of focus areas are creamy. The images, for whatever reason, seem lively....they pop like the 50 lux asph, but in their own way."<<<

Dave (D&A)
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Double Negative

Not Available
There are some great shots here. But dare I say it, I think I prefer the look of the previous version, at least the OOF areas. Otherwise, the IQ is simply amazing. Tough choice!
 

D&A

Well-known member
I agree Double Negative and echoed the same sediments in one of my posts above. It is a tough choice and probably most dependent on what one expects and looks for in such a len....and of course their needs specifically for their type of imagery.

Dave (D&A)
 

ashwinrao1

Active member
Agreed with both what Dave and Double Negative have said. The older version seems to have a creamier, gentler, and more controlled OOF to me...The new version seems more aspherical, a bit wilder (actually).

Both would do just fine in most circumstances, though I do feel that if you have the version I and enjoy it, you may want to stick with it. If you want the latest and greatest, a "sharp" low light performer, the new version would be champ....
 

Paratom

Well-known member
From the images I see here I also would agre that from first impression I would slightly prefer the look the Vers.1 of the lens produces - however the fact that the Vers.2 lens doesnt suffer from focus shift any more is a BIG thing for me. It would mean for me that one finally can use the lens at all f-stops without having to worry about correct focus.
 

exile

New member
More gorgeous images Ashwin!

Regarding the colour discrepancies between our two early adpoters, I note that Ashwin mentioned a UV filter in his first post. Did you use that during the shoot?

I have never used the 35lux ASPH ver 1, but I shot with the 35cron ASPH for a couple of years and now own the CV 35/1.2 ASPH Nokton. I have to say that the new 35lux ASPH ver II looks very similar indeed to the 35cron ASPH in character. In comparison to the 35/1.2 it looks considerably sharper and contrastier wide open with a very abrupt transition to out of focus, but is not as creamy as the 35/1.2 in those out of focus areas. Flare resistance on both is great. The new 35 Lux really looks like a superb lens. Enjoy!
 

archiM44

Member
Ashwin
Your pictures are really wonderful. So much so that I didn't really look at what the lens did. Especially the first shot at the piano - for me beautiful and moving.
maurice
 
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