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35mm summilux asph focus shift

rayyan

Well-known member
I have correct focus at 1.4, after that it is all over the place.

I have bought a 'cron 35 to replace it while I consider what to do with this
$3500+ paperweight !

very disappointed.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Well, I think that Leica ought to make good on this lens.
Do you think it is possible?
-bob
 
S

Sean_Reid

Guest
Well, I think that Leica ought to make good on this lens.
Do you think it is possible?
-bob
To a certain degree, its just inherent in the design. Every lens design has to involve some compromises, despite various advertising claims to the contrary.

Cheers,

Sean
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
it looks like I may be in Walldorf some time in June.
since it is only an hour from Solms maybe I should drop in
and see what the factory has to say about it.
does anyone have a good contact who may be able to arrange
a visit?
-bob
 

woodyspedden

New member
This is all good information but out of curiosity, why is it less of an issue with the silver 35-lux’ lens? Of course, I’m spooked as well and that’s I why I ordered a silver 35-cron so as to stay as far away from this anomaly as possible.:confused:
Regards,
Daniel
Chrome Silver lenses are made with a brass focusing helicoid while Black are made with aluminum. I have never seen anyone fully explain exactly how this helps but anecdotal evidence from a number of folks seem to support this.

Woody
 

woodyspedden

New member
Daniel
Chrome Silver lenses are made with a brass focusing helicoid while Black are made with aluminum. I have never seen anyone fully explain exactly how this helps but anecdotal evidence from a number of folks seem to support this.

Woody
By the way, Peter A of this forum just got my silver chrome 35 Lux and confirms no focus shift.

Woody
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Mine looks fine to me at 1.4, it is 2.8 and 4.0 when I am close in that is an issue.
I used it in this shot at 1.4
-bob

 

PeterA

Well-known member
I can confirm what Woody says - no problem with focus on the silver 35 lux I bought from Woody. Oh and Hank teh 35 is glued to my M8 as well ..but I have an old style 50 lux and a brilliant 21aspherical siting in teh bag just in case! :)
 

Maggie O

Active member
Man, my Nokton Classic 35/1.4 is looking pretty damn good now.

BTW, has it arrived at your place, Sean?
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Daniel
Chrome Silver lenses are made with a brass focusing helicoid while Black are made with aluminum. I have never seen anyone fully explain exactly how this helps but anecdotal evidence from a number of folks seem to support this.

Woody
Slight correction Woody: Silver and black-paint lenses are all brass, but while black anodized lenses have aluminum barrels, they still have brass-on-brass focus helicals...

Moreover, focus shift has to do with the effective focal length of the lens changing as one alters aperture. Thus if the optical formulae are identical, one lens is focused at f1.4, stopping down without moving the focus ring should make no difference in brass or aluminum -- after all, you have not moved physical focus in either lens, just stopped them down.

I suspect there is something else in play here we do not know about...
 

woodyspedden

New member
Slight correction Woody: Silver and black-paint lenses are all brass, but while black anodized lenses have aluminum barrels, they still have brass-on-brass focus helicals...

Moreover, focus shift has to do with the effective focal length of the lens changing as one alters aperture. Thus if the optical formulae are identical, one lens is focused at f1.4, stopping down without moving the focus ring should make no difference in brass or aluminum -- after all, you have not moved physical focus in either lens, just stopped them down.

I suspect there is something else in play here we do not know about...
I yield to the master of all things photographic

Woody
 

lambert

New member
I believe that the perceived difference in focus accuracy between silver and black is just a sampling issue. Since many more black lenses are in use than silver you would expect more potential complaints.

Lambert

Slight correction Woody: Silver and black-paint lenses are all brass, but while black anodized lenses have aluminum barrels, they still have brass-on-brass focus helicals...

Moreover, focus shift has to do with the effective focal length of the lens changing as one alters aperture. Thus if the optical formulae are identical, one lens is focused at f1.4, stopping down without moving the focus ring should make no difference in brass or aluminum -- after all, you have not moved physical focus in either lens, just stopped them down.

I suspect there is something else in play here we do not know about...
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Could it be that the aspheric elements are selected or tuned for each lens?
I am having a difficult time imagining what else might be causing the variability in aperture related focal length shift.
-bob
 
S

Sean_Reid

Guest
Man, my Nokton Classic 35/1.4 is looking pretty damn good now.

BTW, has it arrived at your place, Sean?
Today...should be able to begin testing tomorrow. The two copies I've tested already *do not* look good at all compared to the Leica.

My own experience, and this is documented in the 35s review, is that while the 35 I tested (black) showed some focus shift, it wasn't major. Moreover, I've used a 35 Lux ASPH for various work (at all kinds of apertures) and the results have always been lovely.

So count me as a fan of the 35/1.4 ASPH.

Cheers,

Sean
 
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J

Jamie Roberts

Guest
Just another data point; I have a chrome 35 Lux ASPH and it is simply superb--one of the best lenses I have, if not the best, and probably the one lens I would keep if I had to get rid of all the others.

It's so sharp wide open it hurts and the focus point remains in focus while stopping down, though there is some focal field shift.

As has been mentioned, there's been a lot of internet noise on this one. Tim Ashley indeed had a terrible time trying to get a 35 that focused properly; on the other hand, at least one of his M8s had a mis-aligned sensor (!!) which makes speculation on the lenses a little moot :)
 
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