M mount 35's I want your imput

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

M mount 35's I want your imput

I am always very amazed, how some people that seem to know everything and always get bored with everything, give themselves the trouble of posting their not less boring opinions on threads that don't interest them!
When I find a thread that doesn't interest me, I read further on and don't go polluting that person's question.
It is just as simple as that...
Besides, there are people in this world that weren't born masters, and might be knew to "Leica wisdom", or might be knew here im forum, or maybe only now wish to buy a specific item.
I have been photographing with Leicas for over thirty years now, but I never thought that I know "everything" about Leica, NOT BY FAR!
For instance, if I would wish to buy a 75mm, for example, I also could post a lot of questions, as I never used one. That would certainly not diminish my "quality" as a Leica user, much less as a photographer, although that questions could be rather boring to all the 75mm experts.
The person who is asking the question might even be a master photographer, but maybe only now wishes to buy a 35mm for his Leica (as a matter of fact, he even tells us that he already owns a Nikkor...).
So please, instead of telling us all how things bother you, just don't bother yourself to answer. Your answer might also bother someone else.
Now my little answer and opinion to the theme:
In 1980 I bought a 35mm Summicron, and I never fellt need to buy any other 35mm for my Leicas. I love the compactness and the optical quality (character) of that lens. I call it the "queen of the 35's", as you can see on a post I did on my blog about my 35's - link below.
(Yes, I also have other 35's: Distagon, Flektogon, Nikkor...
No, I don't have all the money to buy all 35mm's to compare and be an expert... I don't know everything about everything. I have a lot to learn!).
Greetings from this small corner of the world,
Rui
AL-MOST-LY PHOTOGRAPHY

 

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

M mount 35's I want your imput

Excuse me that I bother you again.
I don't think that Flikr is a good place to see the inherent qualities of a given lens (or camera, or photographer), as the photographs are displayed rather small.
That would make sense in a Gallery where you could see relatively big enlargements, and where you could watch carefully ORIGINALS.
I am afraid to disagree with some experts on the point that seeing a smaller than postcard image on a computer screen is enough to tell me about the quality and character of a lens, much less of it's bokeh...
But this is only the opinion of a non-expert...
Rui

 

[Krosya]

As far as CV 35/1.4 - I looked very hard at this lens from when it came out. Sounded like a good idea on paper. I see several people have it. I'd love to see some pics from as everything (with very very few exceptions) I have seen from it so far just doesnt impress me. So, for the owners that have CV 35/1.4 and love it - post your pics to show why you love it, pls.

 

[Krosya]

Oh and as far as my suggestion - Summicron ASPH or V4 or UC-Hexanon would be my choices for a great compact 35mm lens.But since compact size is not that important to me as lens' signature, I'll stick with CV 35/1.2 and M-Hexanon 35/2 for now. 😉

 

[maddoc]

Dear Rui,

I don't think that the comments made here were purely "We know it all and know it better". A question like the one from the original poster comes up quite often (especially for common focal length like 35 and 50mm) and the replies are always more or less very influenced by the bias of the owner of the recommended lens(es).

Your point that having a look at galleries and see prints of photos taken with a specific lens is for sure a good advice, the only problem is (to my knowledge) that the used equipment is rarely mentioned in galleries / exhibitions.

flickr is for sure not optimal to see the real qualities of a specific lens but it is a very good starting point to get some first impressions, IMHO.

Cheers,

Gabor

 

[Krosya]

Gabor, Are you telling me that you dont have a gallery on EVERY corner of every block, where you live with LARGE photos exhibited from all the possible lenses that you are interested, all marked below each print? 😉 Cause apparently we all do and thats why we NEVER use flickr to examine pics to help us with lens selection. 😉 LOL

 

[takeda72]

I had the CV 35/1.4. I really liked it, the performance wide open is very good. But I had the chance to buy a Summicron IV and I was forced to sell the CV. I am pretty sure this is the 35 lens for me. Yes, it's f2. Yes, it is not that sharp wide open. But when I see my shots taken with the Summicron and the CV, I have this feeling that the Cron has more character. Maybe it's just me. I don't know. 🙂

 

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

M mount 35's I want your imput

Dear Krosya,
Of course we don't have that Gallery on every corner and everywhere.
Where I live, for sure not. I am living for over one year now, and the only tripod and the only Leicas (or almost any other camera for instance) that I saw around here where mine.
But I maintain that looking at true (quality) photographs is the ONLY way to be able to judge the lens (and the photographer). That's why I talked about enlargements. Cheap super-market postcard prints won't do either!
As an alternative you may look at well-printed books.
And just because I live in a place without photo-exhibitions, it doesn't mean that I can't drive sometimes somewhere to see one... You can learn a lot there, as you can set standarts to yourself, to compare your own skills.

Looking in Flickr does give an IDEA that's true (I also look there myself), as discussing in this forum gives an IDEA (lots of them!) too. That's why we are here, right?
I know that 50mm and 35mm are very popular themes, but as I said before: who is bored with the thema (I am also, very often!), doen't need to answer or even read. Just jump to next one, as you might jump to what I write!

By the way, one of the things that bothers me on the Internet, is that it seems that people worry too much that someone robs their images, so they show them very small. Well. I had already images of mine robed by many people, even reputable magazines, even just scanned from books!

Nevertheless, I think that I am very "democratic" and show my images in a decent size on my blog. If you click on them, they will almost fill your screen. That can make already some sense in showing something, on my opinion. But not even that is really optimal to judge a lens quality.

Looking at some negatives and transparencies with a magnifying loupe is a little better, although also not enough...

As you see, I personaly think that it can get rather complex. Maybe that's why people ask so much questions...

If you don't feel like, don't give them answers, also not the wrong ones.

Cheers, Rui

 

[ferider]

All the lenses mentioned above are great. I tried many, and kept Nokton 35/1.4 SC, Summicron v3 (both for use), and Nikkor 35/1.8 (more for collection).

If compactness at f2 or faster is important, and .7m min. focus (as it is for me when doing env. portraits), nothing can beat a Summicron v2, v3, or v4.

Have a look:

The Nokton SC is an amazing color lens if you are into that. Very unique. For example:

Best,

Roland.

 

[Al Kaplan]

The important thing is making a good interesting photograph, which usually has little to do with this lens being a tad sharper than that lens in the corners, or which one has the least flare at exactly f/6.8 in the rain. The sad truth is that different lenses have different characteristics depending on the subject contrast and color, how contrasty the light might be, the direction of the light sources both inside and outside the picture area if they strike the lens, the focusing distance, your choice of film and its spectrral response, as well as how grainy it is. Buy what you can afford, or choose a lens because you already have filters in that size, or because it looks cool on your camera, all valid but perhaps contradictory reasons. Some folks even think that you should only put a chrome lens on a chrome camera, although you'll have big problems finding a matching hood.

The 8 element first model Summicron and the 35/1.8 Canon both have a very "1950's" look to their rendition, but are very sharp. If you want a soft 1960's look with a bit too much flare then get a first model f/1.4 Summilux. They're all reasonably compact.

 

[bastian a.]

I would take one of these four lenses:

Summicron 2/35 asph.
Summicron 2/35 (IV)
Summilux 1.4/35 pre-asph.
Canon 2/35 LTM

 

[maddoc]

Very good comments by Al, Roland and Bastian ! Roland, that is a very nice shot !! 🙂

I am die-hard fan of the 35mm Summilux pre-ASPH and have a set of shots taken with this lens here. This lens has it flaws but also some character.

 

[boy_lah]

Shots below taken using 35/1.4 MC.

More pix on flickr here: CV 35/1.4 MC and Summircon IV

 

[photogdave]

As far as CV 35/1.4 - I looked very hard at this lens from when it came out. Sounded like a good idea on paper. I see several people have it. I'd love to see some pics from as everything (with very very few exceptions) I have seen from it so far just doesnt impress me. So, for the owners that have CV 35/1.4 and love it - post your pics to show why you love it, pls.

CV 35/1.4 SC wide open:

 

[venchka]

Other Forums have FAQ stickies. Why not this one? 35mm Lenses could be at the top of the list. Followed by "50mm lenses", "chrome lens on black body", "black lens on chrome body", etc.

Perhaps the correct response here would be to list unacceptable lenses. Dogs. Really awful lenses that should be avoided. Assuming there are any. My experience with lenses for several formats in many focal lengths spanning the last 100 years: There really aren't any bad lenses. Different? Sure. Bad? I haven't found any.

 

[capitalK]

I don't find my Biogon f/2 to be too big, especially without the hood.

 

[januaryman]

Canon 35mm/2.8 ............ $150
Canon 35mm/1.8 ............. $350+
Canon 35mm/1.5 ............. $350+
Summicron V1 ................. $750+

Prices can vary depending on the moods of the buyers and sellers when a transaction is being made. The 35mm/2.8 is a best buy.

Again Raid disses the Canon 35mm/2.0 by omitting from his list this "best of show" 35mm lens in the Canon class, or (maybe) any class.

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

I am always very amazed, how some people that seem to know everything and always get bored with everything, give themselves the trouble of posting their not less boring opinions on threads that don't interest them!
When I find a thread that doesn't interest me, I read further on and don't go polluting that person's question.
It is just as simple as that...
Besides, there are people in this world that weren't born masters, and might be knew to "Leica wisdom", or might be knew here im forum, or maybe only now wish to buy a specific item.
I have been photographing with Leicas for over thirty years now, but I never thought that I know "everything" about Leica, NOT BY FAR!
For instance, if I would wish to buy a 75mm, for example, I also could post a lot of questions, as I never used one. That would certainly not diminish my "quality" as a Leica user, much less as a photographer, although that questions could be rather boring to all the 75mm experts.
The person who is asking the question might even be a master photographer, but maybe only now wishes to buy a 35mm for his Leica (as a matter of fact, he even tells us that he already owns a Nikkor...).
So please, instead of telling us all how things bother you, just don't bother yourself to answer. Your answer might also bother someone else.
Now my little answer and opinion to the theme:
In 1980 I bought a 35mm Summicron, and I never fellt need to buy any other 35mm for my Leicas. I love the compactness and the optical quality (character) of that lens. I call it the "queen of the 35's", as you can see on a post I did on my blog about my 35's - link below.
(Yes, I also have other 35's: Distagon, Flektogon, Nikkor...
No, I don't have all the money to buy all 35mm's to compare and be an expert... I don't know everything about everything. I have a lot to learn!).
Greetings from this small corner of the world,
Rui
AL-MOST-LY PHOTOGRAPHY

Dear Rui, I assume you are refering to my comments in this, and similar threads. I too have been a photographer for many years ( over forty ), and - no, I don't profess to know everything, if that's how it seems to you!. I was merely making a comment on the increasing number of very similar posts that are appearing, that could very easily be answered by the author, with a little intelligent use of other threads and readily available information. Yes, we do have the option to look elsewhere, or switch off, in the same manner as when watching a poor TV programme, but if we never commented or passed an opinion, things would never alter or improve. Unless we are in complete agreement, and encouraging an article - are we to keep quiet?
From your number of posts, I assume that you are a fairly recent contributer here, and hope that you long continue, so to do, but in the three years or so that I have held an interest, many former stalwarts of rff have gone elsewhere, IMHO - due in some part to the general decline in content quality.
Regards, Dave.

 

[raid]

Again Raid disses the Canon 35mm/2.0 by omitting from his list this "best of show" 35mm lens in the Canon class, or (maybe) any class.

Jim,
I forgot about my newly acquired Canon 35/2. What is it worth? Recently. there have been buys at very low price levels. I value my lens at $200-$800. 😀

 

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

M mount 35's I want your imput

Hello everybody,
Okay,maybe I "boil" sometimes too fast...
My apologies.
And yes, I am new here, and I don't always think that we should keep quiet. That's why I opened my mouth...
Well, I also wish to keep for long around RFF.

Friends again?

Cheers!
Rui