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75 Summilux and 35 Summilux Asph on the M8

mwalker

Subscriber Member
Damn everything is made better in France!

Love the shot! I've got some time this weekend so the challenge is on!:)
 

ampguy

Member
Never used a 35lux, but have owned 2 75/1.4 lux's, and used on various film M's, 4 RD1s, and the M8.

The key is to either send in your early 75/1.4 for collimation, or to use a late model 75/1.4, the flange and/or QC done on the later ones is key for accurate focus @ 1.4, at min distance, and usable that way on any properly working M body.

Question about M8/35 lux - how can one only get DOF in front of point of focus wide open, when say you are focusing at min. distance @ 1.4?? Doesn't sound right to me.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
I share Riccis experiences with the 35 Lux, ie.my silver chrome one never displayed any sign of focus shift. Because I sometimes get a case of the stupids I sold this flawless copy to Peter A along with a bunch of R lenses. He said the 35 lux worked perfectly on his M8 but I believe that somewhere along the way he had an accident and the lens was basically destroyed. Sad!

Woody
Good news Woody!!

I thought I had reported the outcome of my accident which occurred when I dropped my M8 down a flight of stairs and then watched in slow motion horror as the camera fell another meter or so onto concrete..

Long story short I thought I had destroyed the lens as it had very very stiff focus up to a point and then wouldn't budge ...

Sent camera into the dealer who sent it off to Solms - and hurrah a few weeks later - the 35lux was fixed and calibrated - like new - and my M8 with a ding on bottom and knick on top showing a touch of brass came back with fixed rangefinder as well!

Turns out that the 35lux had just bent the internal helical which was replaced - and everything is just perfect...-:)

I have never had a problem with focus issues with this lens before accident or after - but I give up recommending anything to anyone..after reading threads in here about this or that issue and multiple copies being tested for this and that and sent back and forth etc etc..

Leica isnt as bad with service as the internet boards suggest.

I am waiting for teh full frame M8.-:)
 
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stevem8

New member
Well I did it...

I have a 28 cron, 50 Lux ASPH and a 75 Summarit but I just bought a mint 9+ condition used 35 Lux ASPH in box from BH for $2920. So after I evaluate it I will have to sell either my 28 or 50 as I cant keep them all. If I like the 35 Lux ASPH, I may sell the 28 and 50 and buy a 24..would be nice to get the 24 Lux but not 100% yet. Either that or the 2.8.

That would make a great set..24 Lux, 35 Lux and 75 Summarit (which I do like quite a bit now) but when the FF M comes out (and it will) I know I will miss having a 50. Hmmmmmm
 

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
Good luck with the 35lux, it's all-around workhorse for me.

Won't be for a while yet ... but, I'll eventually add the 75lux (second favorite M lens on the M8 behind the 35lux) followed by a 21 or 24 lux.

Steve, the 50lux is a modern Leica masterpiece, but I just couldn't get used to that focal length (or the 28mm for that matter) on the M8.

Kurt
 

D&A

Well-known member
Hi All,

Regarding the 75mm Lux, it was mentioned in a number of posts above, that one of the keys to accurate focusing of this lens on an M8 is to obtain a late version of this lens with what I presume is a later version flange? Is that correct? Was it just tolerances that were different or something more? I presume all 75 Luxes in the red box were early versions? Any serial numbers that would constitute a late one? Thanks!

D&A
 

woodyspedden

New member
Good news Woody!!

I thought I had reported the outcome of my accident which occurred when I dropped my M8 down a flight of stairs and then watched in slow motion horror as the camera fell another meter or so onto concrete..

Long story short I thought I had destroyed the lens as it had very very stiff focus up to a point and then wouldn't budge ...

Sent camera into the dealer who sent it off to Solms - and hurrah a few weeks later - the 35lux was fixed and calibrated - like new - and my M8 with a ding on bottom and knick on top showing a touch of brass came back with fixed rangefinder as well!

Turns out that the 35lux had just bent the internal helical which was replaced - and everything is just perfect...-:)

I have never had a problem with focus issues with this lens before accident or after - but I give up recommending anything to anyone..after reading threads in here about this or that issue and multiple copies being tested for this and that and sent back and forth etc etc..

Leica isnt as bad with service as the internet boards suggest.

I am waiting for teh full frame M8.-:)
Wonderful news Peter. I really should have kept this lens. From the reports on various threads this may be the only copy out there that doesn't have focus shift.

Woody
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
I have never heard this before, and frankly I am a bit skeptical about it. I have a fairly early version of the E60 lens, and it focuses fine on the M8. There is focal shift, but it is spot on at f/1.4. The optical design did not change, so assuming it is focusing properly at f/1.4, all generations should be equal. There is no magic bullet. Any lens and body are going to work better together if you send them both to be calibrated at the same time.
 

stevem8

New member
My 3 Lux arrived today and man oh man...

THIS is the lens I have been WANTING all along with the M8. This passes my 28 cron and my 50 Lux ASPH. I bought it used from BH in a 9+ condition. Box, case, paperwork, hood, etc. Looked untouched. Tested all apertures and I can detect no focusing issues, except my 1st shot here with it :)



Now to sell my 28 and pick up a 24 (I may skip the 24 lux and go with the 24 Elmarit) and I will be done!
 

cam

Active member
is it not amazing, Steve? i knew you would love it!

what i am finding with mine is that it has all of the glow of the pre-asph, but has the ability to capture fine detail wide open. sharp, but never clinical, a kind of ethereal lushness.

even when you don't nail focus (twitchy nephew) at f/1.4, it's capable of beautiful images. more of a soft focus look than something badly focused.... (will put up an example later)
 

stevem8

New member
It is pretty amazing actually and I am liking it better than my 50 ASPH already. Just took some quick shots around the house/yard and I like what I see. Can't wait to see some of your pics...
 

ampguy

Member
Hi Stuart,

You are correct, an adjusted early one will work fine, and I agree, optical design is the same, in fact it's possible the glass sources were the same.

However, later ones do have a different flange material, and in 2 examples I've owned, did not need any sending off for adjustment, nor do they have any focus shift on film, RD1, or M8.

Many, many folks with early ones have trouble focusing these, some, even after sending in. Check out the threads on RFF archives. At one point it was suggested that early ones were slightly off focus by design. I am not saying that, but that thread and user experiences of non-adjusted early luxes with critical focusing wide open, min. distance, and at all other distances, apertures indicate something in the QA process changed, IMHO.

For other lenses (35 cron, etc.), I'm very happy with the Canada ones. For this particular lens, I'm willing to pay more for the later one. That's just me, and my observations, and discussions with some Leica techs.


I have never heard this before, and frankly I am a bit skeptical about it. I have a fairly early version of the E60 lens, and it focuses fine on the M8. There is focal shift, but it is spot on at f/1.4. The optical design did not change, so assuming it is focusing properly at f/1.4, all generations should be equal. There is no magic bullet. Any lens and body are going to work better together if you send them both to be calibrated at the same time.
 

cam

Active member
Hey Cam, do you have any focus shift after 2.8?
um, actually before.... need to play around with some more, but there does seem to be back focus wide open at f/1.4 and f/2. f/2.8 is almost there, f/4 is spot on.... think it may need a tweak or two as i heard it best to optimise for f/2.

(it sounds like you're lens was optimised for wide open shotting and would thusly shift at the mid apertures and probably come back around f/8.)

then again, two people (who's opinion i respect) did not seem to have a problem with this lens, so now i'm wondering if perhaps my body is slightly out. lens and body (along with my Nocti and 75 Lux are probably going in to service when my Epson is done to try and make everybody play nice with each other.... sigh.

ah well, i'll get to play with my new old Nikon F i got from my dad :D
 
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