I went bonkers

[Doug]

Not quite sure how I got GAS for a 35 Summilux ASPH, but reading Sean Reid’s review and then seeing the low pricing (well, for a Summilux, that is) available in the UK, not to mention the rebate too, just tipped me over the edge of sanity. And I ordered one. This will be equally useful for film and digital. (I will keep my Type 1 Summicron and likely sell the 1.4/35 Nokton.)

And then I saw a lovely red Artist & Artisan strap at PopFlash that would go well with the next installment of insanity (well, Tuesday is my birthday)...

A Konica Hexar RF Limited, body-only, offered by Matsuiya Store for not much more than I’ve been seeing the used regular ones. Yes, I do like the easy loading, autowind/rewind and the .6x finder with really easy-to-see 28 and 35 finder frames.

Once it all arrives, I will put the Summilux on the Hexar with the red strap and go stylishly shooting Fuji NPS 160 to see how nicely it all works.

My black Hexar needs to go off somewhere (but where?) for service, since it suffered a slight impact and the RF needs vertical alignment.

 

[noimmunity]

sweet combo and happy birthday!

 

[infrequent]

sweet! i am sure gary weber can sort out the black hexar RF, so it can find a new home!

http://webercamera.com/

 

[payasam]

Lunacy begets rationality. Happy birthday.

 

[Doug]

Thanks gents! And the Weber link will be useful...

 

[Doug]

The Hexar RF Limited is only different from the black Hexar RF in exterior finish, right? No internal differences? And what IS the exterior finish? Looks like chrome...

 

[RayPA]

The Hexar RF Limited is only different from the black Hexar RF in exterior finish, right? No internal differences? And what IS the exterior finish? Looks like chrome...

So sweet looking, Doug. Congrats! Happy Birthday!

.

 

[infrequent]

The Hexar RF Limited is only different from the black Hexar RF in exterior finish, right? No internal differences? And what IS the exterior finish? Looks like chrome...

Yeah, just the colour finish is different. Both are punched out of titanium afaik. One is a black epoxy finish. I think for the Limited, they just left the titanium look without any paint. I could be wrong though.

The internals are of course all the same.

 

[peter_n]

The 35/1.4 ASPH is a wonderful lens. Congratulations Doug! 🙂

 

[peter_n]

Hmmm. RFF compression hasn't helped that one! 🙁

 

[Al Kaplan]

Doug, great shot, fantastic composition, really "capured the moment", but I think the lady would have preferred the results from the original first model 35/1.4 Summilux. Sharpness isn't always a good thing.

 

[jmkelly]

Not quite sure how I got GAS for a 35 Summilux ASPH, but reading Sean Reid’s review and then seeing the low pricing (well, for a Summilux, that is) available in the UK, not to mention the rebate too, just tipped me over the edge of sanity. And I ordered one. This will be equally useful for film and digital. (I will keep my Type 1 Summicron and likely sell the 1.4/35 Nokton.)

That was my calculus as well: kept the Summilux, sold the Nokton. The Nokton was a GREAT lens on the Hexar, but for a tiny lens the UC Hexanon was just that little bit better. The Summilux is bigger, but is in a class by itself image wise. And I love shooting it on the Hexar. Congratulations!

 

[akalai]

Bonkers in a GOOD way! Happy Birthday Doug!!!

 

[amateriat]

Yeah, just the colour finish is different. Both are punched out of titanium afaik. One is a black epoxy finish. I think for the Limited, they just left the titanium look without any paint. I could be wrong though.

The internals are of course all the same.

That's pretty much the gist of it. Lovely either way.


- Barrett

 

[Doug]

A textured & polished plain titanium finish sounds excellent to me; thanks for the info. And thanks to all for the encouraging good wishes.

John, you kept the fine Hexanon too? Have not tried one of those, but I figure on keeping a 2/35 Biogon as well, along with the old Summicron (small, with character). The Nokton just finds itself the odd one out...

Al, sorry to say that shot is Peter's... which I had admired in another thread. It really has a nice look to it despite the scaling!

Hey Ash; thanks! The titanium lovely is on its way from Japan, but it looks like a bit of delay on the lens as Rob't White restocks. Must... wait... patiently... :bang:

 

[peter_n]

Doug, one of the things to expect from the lens is a wee bit of vignetting wide-open or close to it. Some users have criticized this but I rather like it. As Al says it is quite sharp but it also has "features" that make it look like an older lens. I particularly like the OOF rendering and about the only thing I don't like about the lens is it's size. But when you look at the pictures, they are very good indeed.

 

[Doug]

Thanks, Peter; I'll be looking forward to getting acquainted with the Summilux. The non-focus areas of your shot above look very attractive while the subject is crisp. I'm not in the portrait or wedding biz, so my shots of people are not intended to flatter by suppressing detail... Of course I don't want to embarrass people either. I expect the 35 Summilux ASPH is great for environmental portraits such as yours.

The Limited body arrived yesterday from Matsuiya, looking like new but without box, strap, manual, etc. No 1.2/50mm either, drat it, but then I didn't pay for one either. The titanium body is beautiful, and distinctly a shade of grey darker and warmer looking than chrome. I put my chrome 2.5/50mm Skopar on it, and the difference in tone is clear.

 

[peter_n]

Doug here's a shot that shows the vignetting. Taken wide-open or thereabouts. The f1.4 allows hand-held shots like this that you just wouldn't be able to get with a slower lens.