Summilux 35mm pre-asph photos

One from the Christmas parade in town. For some reason they had astronauts dancing?

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M6, 1.4/35 pre-asph, Fomapan 400 at 250 in R09
 
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Dagg Falls. Main Range NP, QLD

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Queen Mary Falls. Main Range NP, QLD

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Both photos: M4 35/1.4 pre-asph v2, Fomapan 400 @ 250 in R09 + lots of ice.
 
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giulio stucchi said:
Nice Michael!
I see you were there with both the 35lux and the 21SA (I still don't have one yet...)

Giulio
Click to expand...

Thanks Giulio,

Yep, a nice pair! But do you get the Noctilux or the SA first...

I'm actually thinking about getting rid of my 21SA. A beautiful lens, but I get confused having two focal lengths and feel much better without the choice. The 35mm summilux is by far my favourite, and I'm much more comfortable with a 35mm. I don't know how you and Erik (and others) seem to move so seamlessly between lenses, always producing wonderful images with the same style. I find it very hard.
 
Michael, 35 is my main FL.
The Summaron 35 being my fave, the lux 35 the "special" and the cron asph the "modern" one.
I could get rid of the cron as it would be pretty easy to replace it at any time but I am getting attached to my glasses :)
Since last year I started using 50s ending up with a lux 50 (pre) the nikkor 5cm 1.4 in S-mount (need to use it more!) and the little Elmar-M
The 21SA would fit the rendering of the lux 35 and nikkor 5cm but I rarely going out with more than 1 lens..maybe that’s why I am postponing the purchase since years now…
The Noctilux is growing on me lately and I am looking for a copy but I am still not sure if it will ever happen.
Btw, you are doing great with the 21 + 35 so please keep both :) !

Giulio
 
Giulio, that's wonderful! You should cross-post this in "The Look" thread. These women's expressions are like my daughters' when I photograph them.
 
Replacement Focus Tab

Replacement Focus Tab

For such a brilliant lens, the thing that always got me (after the flaring hood problem was solved) was the dinky plastic focus tab. It's almost like the lens was made to a budget, which was exhausted before the focus tab was thought of. I have a few issues with the tab;

1) It's not really that deep, so I don't get a great feel from it. Unlike the more modern or older 'infinity lock' lens tabs which have are tighter radius and a deeper surface.

2) It breaks easily. When you see how it is secured, it's amazing any of them lasted so long. There is just not enough plastic to ensure it doesn't break. I think this limitation (having to secure it with a screw) influences the shape - it can't be deeper or either there isn't enough material for a strong(ish) attachment, or on the other hand it would protrude too far and hit a surface when you put the camera down.

3) Directly related to 2), Leica in their infinite wisdom will no longer sell the part to independent repairers. In fact, the only authorised repair service in Australia said that Leica won't sell the part to them and it would have to back to Germany to get replaced. At a minimum cost of 300 Euro. Plus shipping. Minimum!

So given all of that, I thought I'd make my own. I wanted it to fit securely using the existing screw (not glue on like some replacements are - how inelegant is that!), requiring no modification to the lens. I also wanted to get the shape of the focus tab as close as possible to that of the 21mm Super Angulon which I believe has the best shape tab. It is also similar to the modern lenses and older ones like the 35mm Summaron for example. I also wanted it to have a weak point so it breaks rather than the lens.

I'm currently of prototype #2. Here is a shot of the first prototype and the original tab to compare the shape of the tab.

U55701I1486701531.SEQ.2.jpg


You can see the original (broken and glued back together) is relatively shallow, while my prototype v1 is deeper with a tighter curve. Mine is also metal (this one in Stainless Steel, v2 in Maraging Steel), so I need less material for the screw while maintaining strength, allowing it to maintain a low enough profile. v1 had a few issues though. Firstly the "wings" were a bit long and thin and it made manufacture too tricky so for v2 they were shortened and the depth increased. Secondly I was planning on tapping a thread for the screw, but it proved to be too secure and difficult. Basically there would not have been a weak point and the lens would have broken before the thread gave out.

Here is a shot of prototype #2

U55701I1486701530.SEQ.1.jpg


You can see I've made the changes to the "wings". What you can't see is that I've changed from tapping a thread on the inside to gluing a nut to the inside. The aim is that the glue here breaks before the lens does in the event of an accident, and then it can be simply glued back on. Nothing broken.

Changes for v3 (and hopefully final version). The 2 dowels and the nut need to be moved 0.5mm down (towards the rear of the lens). At the moment, it attaches a little bit too close to the front of the lens - you can almost see it overhanging. It doesn't get in the way, but is not elegant enough. It should and can be better. Apart from that, I'm super stoked with it (that means over the moon for non Aussies). It gives a way more positive feel, where I always felt like my finger was going to slip out of the original one. It's like a new lens.

Once I have the final design down, I'll make a batch (likely in Bronze) and offer them for sale in the classifieds here. At the moment I'm piggybacking other jobs, so don't really get to choose the material... They'll cost about US$50, which is the same as some plastic ones that I've seen on the bay.

I *think* the 35mm v4 summicron has the same shape, but I'm not sure 100%

(This was also posted on LUF)
 
Srono said:
Kanto Japan has the similar http://www.kantocamera.com/repair/focustub/index.html
Click to expand...

Yep, I've seen that one, it comes to US$105 + installation (brings it to US$175) and appears to just glue on (they charge extra if the lens requires disassembly but if it is attached any way other that glueing then it will ALWAYS need disassembly). It's also just the same inadequate shape as the original so it doesn't fit the bill in my opinion.
 
michaelwj said:
For such a brilliant lens, the thing that always got me (after the flaring hood problem was solved) was the dinky plastic focus tab. It's almost like the lens was made to a budget, which was exhausted before the focus tab was thought of. I have a few issues with the tab;

1) It's not really that deep, so I don't get a great feel from it. Unlike the more modern or older 'infinity lock' lens tabs which have are tighter radius and a deeper surface.

2) It breaks easily. When you see how it is secured, it's amazing any of them lasted so long. There is just not enough plastic to ensure it doesn't break. I think this limitation (having to secure it with a screw) influences the shape - it can't be deeper or either there isn't enough material for a strong(ish) attachment, or on the other hand it would protrude too far and hit a surface when you put the camera down.

3) Directly related to 2), Leica in their infinite wisdom will no longer sell the part to independent repairers. In fact, the only authorised repair service in Australia said that Leica won't sell the part to them and it would have to back to Germany to get replaced. At a minimum cost of 300 Euro. Plus shipping. Minimum!

So given all of that, I thought I'd make my own. I wanted it to fit securely using the existing screw (not glue on like some replacements are - how inelegant is that!), requiring no modification to the lens. I also wanted to get the shape of the focus tab as close as possible to that of the 21mm Super Angulon which I believe has the best shape tab. It is also similar to the modern lenses and older ones like the 35mm Summaron for example. I also wanted it to have a weak point so it breaks rather than the lens.

I'm currently of prototype #2. Here is a shot of the first prototype and the original tab to compare the shape of the tab.

U55701I1486701531.SEQ.2.jpg


You can see the original (broken and glued back together) is relatively shallow, while my prototype v1 is deeper with a tighter curve. Mine is also metal (this one in Stainless Steel, v2 in Maraging Steel), so I need less material for the screw while maintaining strength, allowing it to maintain a low enough profile. v1 had a few issues though. Firstly the "wings" were a bit long and thin and it made manufacture too tricky so for v2 they were shortened and the depth increased. Secondly I was planning on tapping a thread for the screw, but it proved to be too secure and difficult. Basically there would not have been a weak point and the lens would have broken before the thread gave out.

Here is a shot of prototype #2

U55701I1486701530.SEQ.1.jpg


You can see I've made the changes to the "wings". What you can't see is that I've changed from tapping a thread on the inside to gluing a nut to the inside. The aim is that the glue here breaks before the lens does in the event of an accident, and then it can be simply glued back on. Nothing broken.

Changes for v3 (and hopefully final version). The 2 dowels and the nut need to be moved 0.5mm down (towards the rear of the lens). At the moment, it attaches a little bit too close to the front of the lens - you can almost see it overhanging. It doesn't get in the way, but is not elegant enough. It should and can be better. Apart from that, I'm super stoked with it (that means over the moon for non Aussies). It gives a way more positive feel, where I always felt like my finger was going to slip out of the original one. It's like a new lens.

Once I have the final design down, I'll make a batch (likely in Bronze) and offer them for sale in the classifieds here. At the moment I'm piggybacking other jobs, so don't really get to choose the material... They'll cost about US$50, which is the same as some plastic ones that I've seen on the bay.

I *think* the 35mm v4 summicron has the same shape, but I'm not sure 100%

(This was also posted on LUF)
Click to expand...

Bloody brilliant!
Have you considered chamfering the leading edge, like the 35/2.8 Summaron, and I expect the V1 Summicron? It creates a nice angle for the index finger knuckle to rest in.

I'm in for one regardless.

Cheers,

J :)
 
Mute-on said:
Bloody brilliant!
Have you considered chamfering the leading edge, like the 35/2.8 Summaron, and I expect the V1 Summicron? It creates a nice angle for the index finger knuckle to rest in.

I'm in for one regardless.

Cheers,

J :)
Click to expand...

That was my initial aim, but then you run out of room for the screw (which is very close to that edge), or there is too much material and it sticks out too far and touches when you put the camera down. :( Also, the limited space on the ring it attaches too means it's a bit thinner than those tabs, but thicker than the original.
 
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