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Summilux f1.4 fast 35mm or 50mm (asph vs pre asph)

S

SAKIIMAGES

Guest
Hi everyone,

This subject may have been discussed before but I struggled to find a thread.
I am looking at investing in a fast 35mm or 50mm lens (summilux range). I have yes been bitten by the Leica bug so I am at this stage only considering Leica however happy to have peoples views if they have used other lenses and can compare them to Leica.

I have the 75mm and 28mm f2 Summicron in my kit and a 50mm f0.95 M converted Canon. The later is hard to use and focus and more a hobby lens.

I am torn between were I invest the next $ and wanted some views as to which lens would be more useful the 35mm or 50mm. Also how do people find the 50mm pre asph. I hear its a beautiful lens and very sharp too. I do like shooting in close so short distance focusing is important to me.
The difference in price is approx $2000. The 50mm 1.4 ASPH is $4,500 (AU) and $2,500 (AU) for pre-asph... $2000 can go a long way to maybe even invest in a 2nd M8 body (or upgrade current body with new upgrades) so the pre-asph is looking like a good option.

Thanks for listening and for any feedback.

Sakiimages
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
I've got both and I use the 35 focal length more but both are excellent. My 50 is a asph. I think it all goes back to your style of shooting.
 

ElvisKennedy

New member
Oh boy! Which Leica lens to get is a big challenge not many are up to facing. You have the 28 and 75 which means an argument can be made that a 35 is too close to the 28 and the 50 is too close to the 75. I don't agree, but that argument can certainly be made.

What is the 35/50 for? Speed or all-around use? I can find no fault with the 35 cron and find that it is my most used lens on the M8. Plenty fast, nice bokeh and a great all-arounder. Portraits and scenics are handled well with this one lens.

I also have experience with the 50 1.4 pre-asph and the current asph. I definitely prefer the pre-asph for portraits. Not as biting as the current version. Yes, the current is state-of-the-art but is too clinical for portraits if that's your thing. Plus, you have the 75 cron which renders similarly to the 50 apsh.

You could probably pick up a 35 cron AND a 50 pre-asph for roughly the same price as either the 35 lux or the 50 asph lux. That's what I would do.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Oh boy! Which Leica lens to get is a big challenge not many are up to facing. You have the 28 and 75 which means an argument can be made that a 35 is too close to the 28 and the 50 is too close to the 75. I don't agree, but that argument can certainly be made.

What is the 35/50 for? Speed or all-around use? I can find no fault with the 35 cron and find that it is my most used lens on the M8. Plenty fast, nice bokeh and a great all-arounder. Portraits and scenics are handled well with this one lens.

I also have experience with the 50 1.4 pre-asph and the current asph. I definitely prefer the pre-asph for portraits. Not as biting as the current version. Yes, the current is state-of-the-art but is too clinical for portraits if that's your thing. Plus, you have the 75 cron which renders similarly to the 50 apsh.

You could probably pick up a 35 cron AND a 50 pre-asph for roughly the same price as either the 35 lux or the 50 asph lux. That's what I would do.
Very thoughtful Elvis. I also like the 35 cron - I think the simple 'cheap' lenses quite often get passed by here. I love my 75 'cron, clinical or not, so that if I were in Sakii's shoes I think I'd be looking for a 50 pre - asph to start with . . . and then perhaps you're right, a 35 'cron.
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
...

I also have experience with the 50 1.4 pre-asph and the current asph. I definitely prefer the pre-asph for portraits. Not as biting as the current version. Yes, the current is state-of-the-art but is too clinical for portraits if that's your thing. Plus, you have the 75 cron which renders similarly to the 50 apsh.

...
I totally agree with Elvis here. I have had both the 50 f/1.4 pre and ASPH (both at same time for a while). I have now settled on the pre-ASPH and am very happy with it.
 

ElvisKennedy

New member
I think that those two shots demonstrate the fine capabilities of the lenses. Amazing detail without being clinical (although posting to the forum seems to add some sharpening). Smooth gradations of tonality. Pleasing bokeh.

They also say a lot about the M8's ability to perform.
 

woodyspedden

New member
I also enourage you to look at the 35 Lux vIV pre asph. If you like the 50 Lux pre-asph (as I do) the 35 is molded in that same tradition.

Woody
 

Chris C

Member
I heartily recommend you subscribe to Sean Reid's Reid Reviews and absorb yourself in his fascinating review of certain 35 mm lenses; it could even save you a lot of money. You pay considerably for those wide apertures, and not only financially. Whilst some 35 'lux users report no problems of focus shift at various apertures with this lens, you could do worse than find Tim Ashley's long thread [M8 Forum, LUF] about 35 'lux focus shifts.

Read Sean, there is some brilliant work to help your decision there.

............... Chris
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
The 50 asph renders similar to the 75 summicron. I believe I read that the formulas are similar. I also find it difficult to use the difference between the two lenses. The frame lines are just too close(and they are notoriously inaccurate). I would skip the 50 asph for now.

The 50 pre asph is a great all around lens on the M8 ...excellent wide open with smooth bokeh and glowing highlights . I think it works well with the 28/2 as a pair .

The 35/1.4 is really an alternative to the 28/2 ...I prefer it when I want the wider aperture....but rarely would carry the 28 and the 35 at the same time.

You really can t go wrong with any of the three alternatives. A lot depends on the type of work you do and the look that you prefer.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Roger: FWIW the new framelines are significantly improved for the 50 and 75 :)
 
S

SAKIIMAGES

Guest
Hi everyone. Well some valuable input. I like your thinking too Elvis about the pricing of the 35mm and 50mm pre-asph for what I would pic up one of the asph lenses.

I love my 28mm and usually shoot within 1 - 1.5 meters of the subject, so I am not sure if the 35 is the go here since its too close in the range of the 28. I am leaning towards the 50mm pre-asph due to price and that the 50mm asph is draws simular to the 75cron.

My shooting is mainly street, portrait and fashion with some abstract urban stuff. In your opinion with this type of shooting what would get more use 50mm or 35mm?

I could sell the car and buy both :)
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Jack

Patiently waiting for my call for the upgrades. :D

Roger
And it'll be worth the wait. Note that for the 50 (I don't own a true 75 anymore, just the 73 Hektor) the lines now work as they did on the M6/M7; outer edge for 2M distance, inner edge for infinity. (Hektor shoots just a tad loose using the 75's, which really isn't an issue for me.)

You raised another point and that is the relative closeness of the 50 and 75 focals. Intuition and logic say that they should be significantly different in rendering, but for whatever reason, I'd agree that in practice they really aren't; the 75 acts like a tight 50. By contrast, the 90 is pretty significantly different. Weird how that works...

Cheers,
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Since I am fortunate (or crazy enough ) to have all of the lenses being considered , I generally am faced with putting together a kit for a specific shoot.

I have found the 90:2 asph to be one of my favorite lenses. It just seems to work well on the M8 . I find it useful on the street when its just not practical to get closer(like around water,bridges etc). I like it a lot better than either of the 75 s which with the old frames are really difficult. I guess its what works for the photographer..I am confident that I can frame and focus quickly with the 90 and my hit rate is very acceptable.

Several issues in building a working group of lenses may be worth mentioning:

1. biggest decision is whether you plan to use two M8s . If you do you can go wider or longer otherwise ..you will be forced to the middle. Since most photographs have been taken with FOV between 35-70....that makes the 28/2 cron and the 50 1.4 preasph a great combination. But if you have 2 bodies ..you might go wider or longer.

2. If you plan to have 5-6 lenses at some point ..then adding a 21 or an 18 on one end and a 90 on the other increases your range.

Just a couple of ideas.
 

Tim Gray

Member
I think 28+50 is a great combo. So much so that I just spent a butt load of money to move from a 35+50 setup to a 28+50 setup. It cost a lot of money because I decided that I wasn't happy with my 50 options either and just received a 50 Lux ASPH today.

My take on the 50 Lux ASPH. Mind you have I haven't shot with it yet, but, this is seriously one of the best lenses ever made. Its fast, its sharp, its good up close, its pretty flare resistant, it has a built in hood, its not that big, it has nice bokeh (from what I've seen). The only downside in my mind is it's expensive.

I know that I will use the 50 close up, since I used my other two 50's close up, and my 35 close up, and all my lenses on my SLR close up, so the fact that the pre-ASPH falls apart a little close up turned me off. Some people like the slightly dreamy looks of the close-up pre-ASPH and the wide-open 75 Lux give you, but I'd rather have sharp. I can get dreamy with my $250 Nikkor 50/1.4.

The style of shooting question is really the one that needs to be answered. I personally like 35mm, but found that it was too close for me to 50mm to ever really use my 50. This in turn resulted in me being unsatisfied with some portraits because they always seemed a bit wide. I have the 28+50 combo on my SLR and really liked it and decided to make the move to the same on RF. I think I'll enjoy it. I'll keep the 35 around for 1 lens shooting, though I might gravitate to the 28mm even for that. We'll see. I do know that 75 is too close to 50 for me, and once I hit 90 or 135, I'd rather just spend less money on a fabulous SLR lens at that focal length.
 
S

SAKIIMAGES

Guest
Again very valuable comments... now I am considering a wide and a 90mm I think I need a new bank manager. Seriously though I am in love with my 28mm Cron (shooting about 1 to 1.5 meters to the subject brings out the most amazing images. I am starting to also really enjoy the 75mm just getting used to the frame lines though is a bit of a pain... but hey I am resilient. I think I may gravitate to the 50mm (so I may try some both the asph and pre-asph). Will keep you posted.

As for the longer lenses I do have a canon system 1DsMII which with 2 amazing L series lenses 70-200mm f2.8 and 135mm f2 (which is a dream) so I don't think I want to go longer at this stage with Leica... definitely want to go wider though and the new 21mm f1.4 is appealing (if it wasn't for the price).
 
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