35 lux non asph

[grduprey]

I also have the titanium version, and is often mounted on the M8 these days. Very sharp when stepped down to 4. But shot wide open, it has a certain aura; not razor sharp but lots of 'presence'. Finding the original hood (12504) could be a problem though. The 50 summicron DR is my first love (too bad it could not be mounted on the M8!), and then the Konica 60/1.2 came along. But if there's a desert island fast lens, the summilux would be my choice.

Thomas

I also have the Titanium version, love it. Low contrast but real nice images so far. Not noticed any flare after 2 years of use. I bought mine as NOS, probably paid too much, about half new price, but have been satisfied with purchase, and feel it makes better images with the M8 than with my M6TTL. Pretty much my standard lens on the M8, with the 28 Elmarit Asph next in line.

Gene

 

[grduprey]

I bought one recently to replace my Voigtlander Ultron 35/1.7, simply because I've always wanted one.

I did a bit of research before buying, and it seems that although the optical formula of the pre-aspherical remained the same, the lens mount changed in 1966 (serial No. 2,166,701 and above), and these later lenses are apparently less flare-prone owing to improved lens coatings.

The first time I used my Summilux, I found it flared much more than my Ultron, even af f5.6-f8 and using the correct round vented hood - admittedly I was 10,000 feet up a mountain with lots of glare! Taking off the UV filter and using my hand as an additional shade alleviated the problem temporarily.

I decided that the although the round hood looks cool, it's rubbish and barely works - and that the Summilux really needs a decent hood to stop flare. I bought a rectangular 12524 rectangular hood, which is nice and small and works much better, and which now lives on the lens.

The rear element is protected by a metal shroud. Unfortunately, it seems that that Leica made a minor change to the shroud length at some stage, so the shroud on certain Summiluxes fouls the bottom ledge on the inside of the M8, preventing the lens being focused at infinity. This was the case with my lens. I have no idea what identifies Summiluxes affected in this way (e.g. the serial number).

The youngest pre-aspherical Summilux is still over a decade old, so I decided that my "new" lens could do with a CLA, - and asked for 1 mm to be machined off the the shroud's height at the same time (cost me £10 extra!). This wasn't done all round the shroud but only for that part of the shroud's circumference encompassed by measuring 7 mm inwards from the bottom of the shroud - this allowed the shroud to clear the ledge without removing more of the shroud than necessary, so the element is still well protected.

12524 hood tips:

• The hood blocks the viewfinder slightly, which might not bother you. It did me, so I made a small cut-out, like Leica does to some of its other rectangular hoods.

• The hood rotates: to stop this, put a thin rubber O-ring (or insulating tape) in the groove on the lens in which the hood tabs locate, to grip the tabs.

• The rubber lens cap 14043 fits, but is prone to falling off. I bent the side tabs inwards, using boiling water, and the cap is now much more secure. If I lose it, I've heard that dense foam cut to size and used as a "plug" is a good alternative.

Sorry folks - typo: the hood is 12524 not 12534. It's for the 35mm/f2.0 Summicron-M.

Interesting, my Titanium 'Lux has yet to show any flaring, whereas my 35 Ultron was very flare prone and the hood with it is totally worthless, I used the Leicqa 12545 hood with it. Mine has the 12504 hood originally sold with it. Works fine,but rotates and the mounting tabs are very close to the aperture ring tabs, a bit anoying at times. Mine has the short rear lens collar, so no problems mounting or metering with the M8. It is a German made unit. Very satisfied with it.

Gene

 

[RichC]

Interesting, my Titanium 'Lux has yet to show any flaring

Doesn't flare with the new rectangular hood. I think the vented 12504 hood is a poor design: adequate if used in normal conditions, but useless in high-contrast light (up a mountain, or at night with bright lights) - it's very shallow, and the vents let in light, causing veiling flare. Also, a round hood is not the best shape for a hood, which is far, far more efficient if rectangular or petal-shaped, to match the film/sensor shape: there's a very good reason why (most) of Leica's current wide-angle lenses use rectangular hoods.

The main design flaw is the filter holder - this holds the filter about a mile from the lens' front element, and it's very poorly shielded; and those vents don't help.

When I was up Mount Etna, removing the UV filter made a huge difference - much more so than removing the filter from any other lens I've used. (Loathe to do that with all that volcanic grit swirling around but needs must...)

My rectangular hood can't take filters and the lens has no filter thread, so I'll be using Blu Tack to hold my filters on...

 

[tomasis]

it's interesting that newer hood for 35mm cron helps better. I use old type round vented hood and wonder how to use the newer type rectangular hood together with a filter? I haven't figured out yet how to find suitable filter and mount this on the lens for glass protection without a hood.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Tim,

Since getting an M8 almost a year ago, I have used it mostly with two lenses, a 1.5/50 Sonnar and the pre-aspheric 35 Summilux which has been my standard lens on film for 25+ years; when one was stolen, I replaced it immedately. It has bad astigmatism (much worse than the 35/1.7 Ultron, which I also have) but I have never noticed flare problems with film or digital.

As far as I am aware, Leica does not offer an IR filter for use with the hood 12504. I second Gene's comments about the 12504 hood tabs, but I've got used to it.

I tried the Aspherics (both generations) and they're gorgeous but the small size and sweet handling of the old Summilux makes me prefer it, even though it is objectively much inferior. I had a 35 Summicron, too, but as I normally use fast lenses at f/5.6 or below, or wide open, I preferred the extra stop of the Summilux to the higher sharpness and better illumination of the Summicron. At f/5.6 or below there's really very little in it. Then I tried the 35/1.2 from Voigtlander, and although I was much impressed, again, it's so big I prefer the Summilux.

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

 

[nzhang]

Rich,

I am on market for a hood for my summilux pre-ASPH. I am wondering how well the 12524 hood mounts to lens physically. I measured the diameter of front ring of summilux which is 39mm. I don't have a summicron IV, but I measured a 39mm leitz filter, which has a diameter of 40.5mm. Seems 12524 has a larger inner diameter for me.

 

[RichC]

I am on market for a hood for my summilux pre-ASPH. I am wondering how well the 12524 hood mounts to lens physically ... Seems 12524 has a larger inner diameter for me.

Fits my Summilux perfectly - that's the second pre-asph version that takes series 7 filters. The only problem is that the hood will rotate unless you use a rubber band or tape in the groove in the lens, as I described above. I've just used a bit of tape, and the hood is held very securely.