Leica 35/2 Summicron Version 1-4 ASPH and Summilux 35/1.4 ASPH comparison

Avotius said:
this will probably get me kicked out of the leica club, but I like the bokeh on the cron asph better then the 4th

I like the cron asph as well. I'd heard some people bag on it before buying, but I've been happy. I'm pulling mine from the classifieds since no one is interested. I remember seeing Jim Arnold's site and liking the asph. Like Tom said the transition to OOF occurs sooner behind the focal point but I've rarely had the background be distracting or 'funky'.

Tim Arnold's comparison
 
MikeL said:
I like the cron asph as well. I'd heard some people bag on it before buying, but I've been happy. I'm pulling mine from the classifieds since no one is interested. I remember seeing Jim Arnold's site and liking the asph. Like Tom said the transition to OOF occurs sooner behind the focal point but I've rarely had the background be distracting or 'funky'.

Tim Arnold's comparison


A little secret for you, I was tempted by your asph cron but just couldn't fit it into my budget right now.
 
Dear Alkis - funny how to my eye the differences are Earth-shattering!! 🙂 Even between the two ASPHs - but Platinum moved in a little on the vase for his ASPH 'cron shot with respect to his ASPH 'lux one, and I suspects he captured a yellowish reflection in so doing.

I know they are to you. As far as I am concerned, I am happy that there is some sort of consensus that there is indeed a factual difference. To some of us the parameters involved are so complex that determining what the difference is, is forever beyond our capacity of recognition. As you know, I believe otherwise. Now, what everyone of us makes of that difference and how it is utilised to best effect is, well, a personal matter.

There's also, I hope, room for a common ground even within the disagreement about optics. There is, I think, something in what the professional says when she claims that these differences do not matter. When I use my lenses on the street and with fast film, optical differences evaporate. If not the film then vibration or slow shutter speed obliterate apparent sharpness. But when you use something like Delta 100, Kodachrome 64, or even TriX and HP5 in well-controlled shots, the differences emerge. They may be striking when you photograph people you know well.

Of course: Puts had been saying that all along. His verbose writing has earned him many detractors but there is no reason to dispute him just for the sake of his style.

As we've said before, the ASPH 'lux's macro-contrast is 'gentler'.

Agreed.

The one I like the least based on these shots is the 'cron (IV). I've yet to see a photograph taken with this lens whose tonality is not 'indifferent' - to my eyes.

Not an uncommon complaint. This will not matter to a PJ. If you treat photos like paintings it may be a concern - among many other darkroom related ones.


Dear Vladimer - but your new 50mm ASPH does have a tab!!! 😕

By the way, I just called over a colleague at work - no involvement in photography apart from P&S on holidays, etc. - and asked him what he thought of the two ASPH shots. He compared, reflected for twenty seconds, and said: 'the first one is more realistic, the second more artistic'. He had to leave so we didn't continue.

This is interesting. If you gave him twice the same photo and asked him to find a difference, because there is one (so you would claim), do you think he 'd come up with one? Of course now we have the benefit of knowing that the photos were taken with different lenses, so there must be some difference, must it not? I don't have the answers (just the questions).

From 'real life' experience I 'd tend to describe the performance of the two Asphs. as quite similar. We know the Lux Asph flares more than the Summicron Asph - that's not to say much, the Cron is essentially flare proof. The Summilux also seems to be a tad less contrasty.

My best as always,
[/QUOTE]

All my best,
 
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Platinum RF, glad to meet your here. You should paste your test work here eariler. Here has some quite make-sense discuss.
 
Its become an internet myth that the Summilux ASPH is more flare prone than the Summicron ASPH. In the comparision shots I made side by side the Lux handled flare better, much better in strong back light situations.
 
roundg said:
Platinum RF, glad to meet your here. You should paste your test work here eariler. Here has some quite make-sense discuss.

Nice to see you here. That forum has changed from pour hobbist to commercial forum. I think some of the members act like FLG.
 
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Platinum RF said:
Nice to see you here. That forum has changed from pour hobbist to commercial forum. I think some of the members act like FLG.

haha, I still hog on that forum, at least with my friends of Minolta MF gears.
 
Thanks for the comparisons. I own only one of your 35mm models, the first version. All lenses seem to be doing fine.

Raid
 
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