35mm Summicron Germany vs 35mm Summicron Canada

[bert26]

Hi,

I have a Canadian 35 v4 (says Leitz with a serial number on the lens and Made in Canada on the bottom.) As I've said before, it was a nightmare getting the index straight but it's FINALLY good to go. Never should have sold my v3 but then again I didn't know the first v4 i got (because it was $250 more than the v3 after selling it) was gonna get destroyed by customs or DHL.

ANYWAY, a friend of mine is wanting one. The German ones are pricier than the Canadian ones but I know that other than the plastic bits and the front of the lens being held together by glue (LOL) they're the same.

So, I don't know what to tell him. The Canadian one has been CLA'd and the indexing is perfect and the hood is square. If he bumps the 12524 hood against something, is the whole front ring (where hood clips in) fall apart or does it take way more than that? I've only heard of that happening when mounting or dismounting using the hood but some minor bumps shouldn't ruin it, right?

If so, I'd even sell mine but I've gone through hell and back to get this **** proper and I can't go through the nightmare of selling it and having it destroyed in the mail and/or getting a messed up v3. Ergonomics on v4 is perfect.

So I don't really know what to tell him. The German one is like $600 more. Both in tip top shape.

Seems like he won't go through the nightmare I did. Are ASPH's held together by glue and plastic too?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Plastic parts exposed.
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/plastic-king-of-bokeh.432072/

I think in some ASPH they switched to silumin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silumin

 

[Huss]

Plastic parts exposed.
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/plastic-king-of-bokeh.432072/

I think in some ASPH they switched to silumin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silumin

Interesting. So the Canon lens at 1/20th of the price is built better. Guess we really are paying a markup for the branding!

 

[Fjäll]

The square hood can get crooked if you mount/dismount the lens by gripping the hood instead of the barrel. It's because the tiny screws on the side of the front part becomes loose after a while. This is easily fixed by tightening the screws with a small amount of Loctite. I have completely disassembled v3 & v4 several times . The v3 is quite a bit heftier than v4 but I wouldn't worry about the plastic parts or build quality of the v4.

I much prefer how the v4 performs over the v3.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Interesting. So the Canon lens at 1/20th of the price is built better. Guess we really are paying a markup for the branding!

Canon optics are different from Leitz optics. Especially for color.
But build and construction are better with Canon. I disassembled both.
Same lens as is the link I provided, is smooth to focus. None of the old Leitz I have was like this. New lubricant didn't helped.

 

[Gregm61]

Stay away from the hood when mounting and removing the lens and the problem will not happen, unless a prior owner did and the problem is already "initiated". It's the same issue but worse with the 28mm f2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH because there's so much less "real estate" on the lens to grab onto when mounting and dismounting, so one's hands tend to go straight for the lens hood for a better grip, which is a major no-no.

I have tried several 28mm f2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH units, the version 1's that use the exact same plastic hood as the original 35mm f2 ASPH. More had various amounts of play in the front group from grabbing the lens hood to mount and remove the lens than were like-new solid. Not sure I'd buy a version 1 of the 28mm f2.8-M ASPH without being able to physically try it first, unless it was new old stock.

 

[bert26]

The square hood can get crooked if you mount/dismount the lens by gripping the hood instead of the barrel. It's because the tiny screws on the side of the front part becomes loose after a while. This is easily fixed by tightening the screws with a small amount of Loctite. I have completely disassembled v3 & v4 several times . The v3 is quite a bit heftier than v4 but I wouldn't worry about the plastic parts or build quality of the v4.

I much prefer how the v4 performs over the v3.

The Canadian v4s don't have screws, the front ring the hood clips into is held together by glue.
Yeah I much prefer it too and the aperture ring and focus throw couldn't be better.

 

[bert26]

Stay away from the hood when mounting and removing the lens and the problem will not happen, unless a prior owner did and the problem is already "initiated". It's the same issue but worse with the 28mm f2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH because there's so much less "real estate" on the lens to grab onto when mounting and dismounting, so one's hands tend to go straight for the lens hood for a better grip, which is a major no-no.

I have tried several 28mm f2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH units, the version 1's that use the exact same plastic hood as the original 35mm f2 ASPH. More had various amounts of play in the front group from grabbing the lens hood to mount and remove the lens than were like-new solid. Not sure I'd buy a version 1 of the 28mm f2.8-M ASPH without being able to physically try it first, unless it was new old stock.

Okay cool. I know mine personally had to be taken apart and put back together by Don so I'd assume he glued the hell out of the front ring (no screws cos it's Canadian) and I should be good to go. So basically, as long as ya don't mount/dismount using the hood, it's all good? Bumping the hood against something (these things happen) wouldn't likely cause the glue to come undone and send the front ring out of alignment? Not talking about banging it into something super hard, but little bumps and things that happen. The great amount of torque required to mount/dismount using the hood can't compare to a bump against something. If that's the case, it's a no brainer to get the Canadian one as long as he mounts properly and for real that's kind of common sense.

 

[Pál_K]

...
I have a Canadian 35 v4 (says Leitz with a serial number on the lens and Made in Canada on the bottom.) As I've said before, it was a nightmare getting the index straight...

My 35/2 v4 Canadian has misaligned indices, if that's what you're referring to. I bought it from a friend. Optically, it's perfect and I'm happy with it. I noticed the misalignment only later.

I never use the hood because I like the small size of the lens and uncluttered viewfinder.

 

[Gregm61]

I've played around with the idea of just using my 35mm f2 ASPH without the hood. It came to me used, but in the box with all the accessories originally sold with it, including the nice push-on cap used when the hood is not mounted. Without the hood there's virtually no intrusion into the 35mm frame lines.

 

[bert26]

Yeah when I first got it the indexing was off about 45 degrees rendering zone focusing useless which I use a lot. And the hood sat 45 degrees off too obviously. Oh my god it took the shop in town like 2-3 months to “fix” it only to send it back put together improperly and loose but I got my money back and the seller covered the CLA since he ****ed me over. Then Don handled it but took him a few tries cos I was nit picky (as I feel is okay after spending way too much on this lens and $$$ for a CLA which he said was done improperly at the shop but luckily they didn’t **** anything up.)

But yeah it’s CLA’d and perfect now so it’ll never be sold just wondering if it’s likely to knock the **** outta place again with the hood brushing up against something or a bump or whatever cos I don’t baby my gear but I also am not careless.

Isn’t there a ton of flare, especially on the v4? The glass isn’t recessed into the barrel at all. I like the way the hood looks and the obtrusion in the VF has never bothered me. I have all the frame lines except for 28, 35, and 50 removed from my m6 so maybe that’s why.

 

[Gregm61]

Yeah, flare definitely an issue with the ASPH, whether the sun is in the FOV or just out and, in my experience, with or without the hood fitted, hence my willingness to think about possibly just going without the hood. I’m already doing everything I can to avoid contra-light shooting with it anyway.