Poll: 35 Lux Aspheric good on film but not M8

[KM-25]

I just bought a mint used 35 Summilux asph off of a guy who rarely used it.

I got it mostly for use with Kodachrome but would like to be able to use it with my M8 as well. I know I stand a very good chance of having it exhibit back-focus or focus shift problems with the M8 so if it turns out to be like that, I simply will stick to my 28 cron and 50 aspheric which are *perfect* on the M8 at any focus setting / aperture. As I hate taking the IR cut filters on and off to go from film to digital, it would not be the end of the world if it was great on film and not on the M8.

I get it later this week and in addition to checking it on the M8, I will also run a quick roll of color neg. in one of my film M's to see if it is good all around.

So here is the question: How many users of the 35 Lux / asph had problems with the lens on the M8 but not with film?

And have any owners of this lens had problems with it on both?

 

[nahum]

I had a serious problem of back focus with my Zeiss 50 1.5 and my M8.
I find it hard to focus accurately with my Summicron 90 at 2
Never had any problems with the 35 asph even at full apeture

 

[dreamsandart]

Don't have an M8 so can't comment on any focus issues with that camera, but an RD-1 which I use my 35 aspherical on. Focus is perfect even close and at f1.4. The thing I like about the lens is that its tone in B&W, higher contrast than my 4th version 35 Summicron at the wider apertures but not so much as the Voigtlander 28/3.5 which can be a bit too much at times.

Its the 'just right' I am looking for, and a fast 'normal' lens.

 

[Peter Klein]

Mine works on the M8 exactly as described in LFI: Spot on wide open, with a slight focus shift to the rear at f/2.8-4 or 5.6. When I say slight, I mean slight. The zone of focus will be just behind the place you've focused on if you pixel peep at 100% on the screen. When you look at 50% (which is a good size to judge how an 8x10-ish print will look), you will find that what you've focused on is at the front edge of the actual focus zone.

Usually it's not significant photographically. If you have the chance, at medium apertures, focus on the closest thing you want in focus, and you'll be just fine.

This is how a 35/1.4 ASPH will function IF it is in adjustment. Film is a little more forgiving, because it has thickness. So the M8 does seem more finicky. But focus shift is just something that high-speed lenses do. You work with it, and life is good.

Now, a lens that consistently back-focuses wide open is a misadjusted lens. At which point you need to send it to someone who will fix it right. IMHO, in the U.S., DAG (Don Goldberg) is that person.

--Peter

 

[awilder]

I spoke to Don a few days ago. He is SWAMPED with work mainly due to people sending in lenses for back focus adjustment for use on their M8s. Backlog on most repairs can consequently be a bit longer than expected. He does great work but he's a one man outfit and can only do so much.

 

[jackal2513]

got a 35 lux asph on monday and it works perfectly on my m8 and esp. wide open at close distances

but then, i adjusted my M8 cam some time ag now so my Noctilux, 75 lux and 90 cron also work dead on wide open. Had I not adjusted the cam, the 35 lux would be way out as would all the other lenses.

 

[dseelig]

35 asph lux

35 asph lux

It seems though of us who have a chrome or titanuim have much better luck with focus shift or sharpness wide open. My balck lux was terrible wide open.

 

[KM-25]

I got mine last week, it has both back focus and focus shift on my M8. The M8 works perfectly with my 28 cron and 50 lux, so I am leaving it alone unless I start getting soft chromes back.

Right now, it seems Ok on the film rigs.

 

[F456]

Just saw this thread a bit late in the day! Have a 35/1.4 Summilux ASPH and it's absolutely fine with my M8, and I found the results stunning. Before I first used it on digital I had similar anxieties, but as long as your M8 is correctly zeroed you should be fine. As it happens I've coincidentally only used it at full aperture or f/5.6 and beyond, so the backfocusing problem should not be noticeable. Unintentional, but useful! My advice would be not to worry about using this lens on digital, even though it is true that film is more forgiving. Digital results from the 35/1.4 ASPH seem to be every bit as good as with film, unlike from some lenses that don't seem to measure up to digital sensor demands.

Good luck,
Tom

 

[Ascender]

35 Lux Backfocusing issue...

35 Lux Backfocusing issue...

I just bought a mint used 35 Summilux asph off of a guy who rarely used it.

I got it mostly for use with Kodachrome but would like to be able to use it with my M8 as well. I know I stand a very good chance of having it exhibit back-focus or focus shift problems with the M8 so if it turns out to be like that, I simply will stick to my 28 cron and 50 aspheric which are *perfect* on the M8 at any focus setting / aperture. As I hate taking the IR cut filters on and off to go from film to digital, it would not be the end of the world if it was great on film and not on the M8.

I get it later this week and in addition to checking it on the M8, I will also run a quick roll of color neg. in one of my film M's to see if it is good all around.

So here is the question: How many users of the 35 Lux / asph had problems with the lens on the M8 but not with film?

And have any owners of this lens had problems with it on both?

I did but sent it to Solms together with my M8 and now they're perfect. Haven't tried it on film yet. One small point, you don't have to remove the IR cut filter to use the lens on film (and that came from Leica Germany).

-charlie

 

[BennyC]

I have used my 35mm ASPH Summilux on the M8. I don't have a problem either. Focusing is fine.

The only thing is, somehow or rather cropping to a 50mm equivalent (with the sensor) is just not the same as shooting a true 50mm on film.