Summicron 35/2.0: Which version? Does it Matter?

Need to get up here for the first weekend in April: Battle of Shiloh re-inactment at the Battlefield. Going up to shoot some soldiers...so to speak. Quite an event, although, thankfully, bloodless...muddy, but bloodless. 150th anniversary already being planned for 2012. Ought to be something to see. Might participate myself. Want to play US Grant: at least the bourbon part!
 
Finally, and I do mean finally, the ultimate question in my mind is...Version 4 or Hexanon 35/2? Same build quality, I am told, and images...?
Any final thoughts here, because I am at deision making time.
 
Oldoc,
Cron IV is usually compared to UC-Hex 35/2 (or the other way around) since they have similar size, similar optics, etc. UC-Hex focuses down to .9m, while cron - down to .7m. Now, this is not to be confused with M-Hexanon 35/2 - which is larger - looks very similar to Summilux sizewise. M-Hex focuses down to .7m also and draws more like Lux IMO.
 
...Version 4 or Hexanon 35/2? Same build quality...
Click to expand...

Not really close. The Hexanon has exemplary build quality, while the version 4 Summicron tends to unscrew itself in normal use. Even disregarding that, the Hexanon just feels better-made in the hand. The aperture ring, in particular, is something Leica would do well to copy.

The Hexanon is also a better performing lens at f2.0. And it's several hundred dollars cheaper on the used market. The only downside it has, relative to the Summicron, is it's larger size, if that matters to you (it takes 46mm filters.) I used to use mine paired with a pre-Aspherical Summilux 50, and they made an excellent team. 🙂
 
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