A
asabet
Guest
Thanks for the comments Helen! As you know, I haven't had the 35/1.4 long, but I really enjoy the lens. At f/1.4, the bokeh can be harsh, especially at close focusing distances. The CV lens renders bokeh very nicely at f/2 and up IMO, and the f/1.4 is there for when you need it. I try to avoid certain types of background elements when shooting at f/1.4.
I'm not talking about Sean when I say this, but I think a lot of folks give Cosina an unfair evaluation when considering bokeh characteristics. When a 35mm pre-asph Summilux or even a lowly 40mm Summicron-C demonstrates doubling and other harsh bokeh elements wide open, it is generally overlooked or mentioned as part of the character that keeps the lens from being too clinical. The same characteristics in CV lenses are deemed "bad bokeh".
For example, the "word on the street" is that the CV 40/1.4 has very harsh bokeh. Yet, here are a couple tests showing how it compares to Leica lenses:
1) Roland Ruehl's bokeh test of the CV 40/1.4, which shows nicer bokeh for the CV lens than the Rokkor or Summicron-C at f/2.
2) Jürgen Kook's bokeh test of the CV 40/1.4 against the pre-asph and asph 35mm Summilux lenses. To me, the CV lens shows similar bokeh to the pre-asph Summilux in those comparisons. The pre-asph lux shows the same bright edges and nisen bokeh.
I don't know if Sean provided similar comparisons when he commented on the CV 35/1.4 bokeh, but I'd be surprised if side by side testing showed anything of concern, particularly at f/2 and above.
I'm not talking about Sean when I say this, but I think a lot of folks give Cosina an unfair evaluation when considering bokeh characteristics. When a 35mm pre-asph Summilux or even a lowly 40mm Summicron-C demonstrates doubling and other harsh bokeh elements wide open, it is generally overlooked or mentioned as part of the character that keeps the lens from being too clinical. The same characteristics in CV lenses are deemed "bad bokeh".
For example, the "word on the street" is that the CV 40/1.4 has very harsh bokeh. Yet, here are a couple tests showing how it compares to Leica lenses:
1) Roland Ruehl's bokeh test of the CV 40/1.4, which shows nicer bokeh for the CV lens than the Rokkor or Summicron-C at f/2.
2) Jürgen Kook's bokeh test of the CV 40/1.4 against the pre-asph and asph 35mm Summilux lenses. To me, the CV lens shows similar bokeh to the pre-asph Summilux in those comparisons. The pre-asph lux shows the same bright edges and nisen bokeh.
I don't know if Sean provided similar comparisons when he commented on the CV 35/1.4 bokeh, but I'd be surprised if side by side testing showed anything of concern, particularly at f/2 and above.