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which M lens for my first 35mm, summicron or summilux

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qianjin

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As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
 
Well, my first answer won't help. For me, the 28 and 35 are too close to spend the money and have both. It limits your "kit" to 28 & 35. Far better, again for me, would be to add the Summicron 50 which almost everyone ends up buying, so why not now?

Now, on to your question. For me it's always the Summicron, regardless of focal length. Across the aperture range, the Summicron performs best. Then, if you add that the Summilux is heavier, larger and more expensive, the Summicron is a fantastic choice - again regardless of focal length. However, since you plan on spending thousands - why not rent both for a week and decide for yourself. A drop in the bucket considering a big purchase. If renting doesn't jazz you, buy the Summicron and see how you like it. If you don't, you can resell for what you paid and buy a 'Lux. However, if you tack-sharp, smaller, great from 2.0 on - then I think you'll like the 'Cron.
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I will buy 50mm for sure, my question might be do I really need a 35mm since I already have Q2 with 28mm.

it seems the answer is no. So I will go with 50mm ‘Cron then. It’s smaller, less expensive. The dealer actually offered some discount on it too.
 
qianjin said:
Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.
Click to expand...
Honestly? Get the Voigtlander 35/f2 Ultron or 35/f1.5 Nokton, end up with a lens that is just as good (seriously) and use the change to buy yourself flights somewhere photogenic...
 
tassienick said:
Honestly? Get the Voigtlander 35/f2 Ultron or 35/f1.5 Nokton, end up with a lens that is just as good (seriously) and use the change to buy yourself flights somewhere photogenic...
Click to expand...
excellent advice

never used the Summilux 35 nor the Summicron, which many find even superior to its faster kin

I went with a 28 Cron, my favortite walk about lens with a busted lens hood, which decreases felon appeal

I love shooting live performances, particularly dance, needing lots of speed ...35 mm seems a more flattering focal length & for such I purchased a CV Nokton 1.2 v!

only downside is the exif can't deal with the 1.2, & I tend to use opened up almost always ...many complain about its heft, but I find it helps steady my hands. as I don't like using a monopod for dance

here is a nsfw sample, in which I focused my M9 on the L tassell

twirling all the thang in Texas

1/45s f/2.0 (???) Iso 160 theater lighting onlyLink to larger size & many others; https://pbase.com/artichoke/burlesque&page=3
1/45s f/2.0 (???) Iso 160 theater lighting onlyLink to larger size & many others; https://pbase.com/artichoke/burlesque&page=3

Art

:-)

--
pbase & dpreview supporter
DPR forum member since 5/2001
my PBase Galleries
"Avoid making a commotion, just as you wouldn’t stir up the water before fishing. Don’t use a flash out of respect for the natural lighting, even when there isn’t any. If these rules aren’t followed, the photographer becomes unbearably obtrusive" -- attributed to HCB
 
tassienick said:
qianjin said:
Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.
Click to expand...
Honestly? Get the Voigtlander 35/f2 Ultron or 35/f1.5 Nokton, end up with a lens that is just as good (seriously) and use the change to buy yourself flights somewhere photogenic...
Click to expand...
I ended up getting the 35 and 50 Leica Summarits for my M10-R, they are small and well built with beautiful rendering IMHO. For a fast 50 I bought the Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 II MC Vintage. Now I am contemplating the Voigtlander 35mm f1.5 Asph Type II. My only concern is the mid-zone softness that I have seen with this lens. I don't think it will be a huge issue for me. I don't need a fast 35 that often so buying a Summilux probably doesn't make the most sense but then deep down, I will probably get a Summilux at some point. I don't know, just an internal struggle for me.

I have been very happy with Voigtlanders that I own, not only in M mount but also for Sony and MFT. I can highly recommend the Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron Asph VM II. I am sure the Summicron's would have also satisfied me but for now, I am quite happy with the Summarits. I just did not see a real benefit, at least for me, between f2 and f2.5 or 2.4.
 
I would say the 'lux will give you a similar modern look to the Q2. I own both.

However, like so many here, if push came to shove I would sell my lux before my cron. I prefer the gentler fall-off in portraits.
 
qianjin said:
As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
Click to expand...
For the M11 a 35 Summicron. APO if you can find one. 50 is just not wide enough in a lot of cases and you can crop to 50 with the M11 and not lose much. Summilux is also nice but Summicron has a smoother image.
 
JDLaing50 said:
qianjin said:
As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
Click to expand...
For the M11 a 35 Summicron. APO if you can find one. 50 is just not wide enough in a lot of cases and you can crop to 50 with the M11 and not lose much. Summilux is also nice but Summicron has a smoother image.
Click to expand...
No disagreement but with the Q2, he can easily crop to 35 without any loss. To me the Q2 easily covers to 55 without concern for image loss. With the Q2, the 35 just seems too close.
 
one last question, which color... silver or black?

I know it's a kind of personal question, both side has strong reasons go one way or the other, and I also have done the research, silver is brass and heavier, black is aluminum and lighter.

My OWN PERSONAL reason favouring black over silver:

1. lighter

2. less conspicuous

3. wife wouldn't even know I got a new camera (since I have Q2 already)

and silver over black:

1. more traditional look and feel

2. seems more hefty

3. looks different from Q2, as I have never owned a silver M Leica.

Actually weight is not a big concern to me. So it comes down to the durability (brass is better than aluminum?), and look-and-feel (conspicuous, more noticeable, wife will know kind of thing? )
 
JDLaing50 said:
qianjin said:
As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
Click to expand...
For the M11 a 35 Summicron. APO if you can find one. 50 is just not wide enough in a lot of cases and you can crop to 50 with the M11 and not lose much. Summilux is also nice but Summicron has a smoother image.
Click to expand...
Yep cropping is a good point, 35 to 50 is an easy cropping operation, but no way from 50 to 35.

now it gets me to think more. Too many choices
 
DenverSteve said:
JDLaing50 said:
qianjin said:
As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
Click to expand...
For the M11 a 35 Summicron. APO if you can find one. 50 is just not wide enough in a lot of cases and you can crop to 50 with the M11 and not lose much. Summilux is also nice but Summicron has a smoother image.
Click to expand...
No disagreement but with the Q2, he can easily crop to 35 without any loss. To me the Q2 easily covers to 55 without concern for image loss. With the Q2, the 35 just seems too close.
Click to expand...
That’s true but he’s talking about an M not a Q.
 
qianjin said:
JDLaing50 said:
qianjin said:
As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
Click to expand...
For the M11 a 35 Summicron. APO if you can find one. 50 is just not wide enough in a lot of cases and you can crop to 50 with the M11 and not lose much. Summilux is also nice but Summicron has a smoother image.
Click to expand...
Yep cropping is a good point, 35 to 50 is an easy cropping operation, but no way from 50 to 35.

now it gets me to think more. Too many choices
Click to expand...
😃
 
JDLaing50 said:
DenverSteve said:
JDLaing50 said:
qianjin said:
As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
Click to expand...
For the M11 a 35 Summicron. APO if you can find one. 50 is just not wide enough in a lot of cases and you can crop to 50 with the M11 and not lose much. Summilux is also nice but Summicron has a smoother image.
Click to expand...
No disagreement but with the Q2, he can easily crop to 35 without any loss. To me the Q2 easily covers to 55 without concern for image loss. With the Q2, the 35 just seems too close.
Click to expand...
That’s true but he’s talking about an M not a Q.
Click to expand...
Yes, but he has a Q2 - so that's part of the context of him asking what he should buy. It's been discussed throughout this thread.

--
It's just my educated opinion. Don't get bent out of shape.
Steve
 
Last edited:
DenverSteve said:
JDLaing50 said:
DenverSteve said:
JDLaing50 said:
qianjin said:
As title suggests, I am going to go for a 35mm m lens for my upcoming M11.

I have used Q2 for couple of years and really love the 28mm summilux lens.

I decided to enter into M system recently and will pick up the camera later this week. Along with it, I am going to buy my first m lens on 35mm.

Now the question is should I go humble first with summicron or go bold all the way to summilux? I know there is a price difference of about 2000-ish.

by the way, if going with summilux, I saw a new 2022 version, which is a bit cheaper. What's the difference there?
Click to expand...
For the M11 a 35 Summicron. APO if you can find one. 50 is just not wide enough in a lot of cases and you can crop to 50 with the M11 and not lose much. Summilux is also nice but Summicron has a smoother image.
Click to expand...
No disagreement but with the Q2, he can easily crop to 35 without any loss. To me the Q2 easily covers to 55 without concern for image loss. With the Q2, the 35 just seems too close.
Click to expand...
That’s true but he’s talking about an M not a Q.
Click to expand...
Yes, but he has a Q2 - so that's part of the context of him asking what he should buy. It's been discussed throughout this thread.
Click to expand...
He should buy a 35 Summicron for an M11. He can also crop to 50 using the Q. Two whole different kinds of cameras.
 
Imo, getting The m11 and not getting a summilux is missing out. Which focal length is up to you, but I think the 35mm is very special.
 
I would get the lux for the one stop handheld advantage on the 60MP sensor. I would also check out the VM 35/1.2 III. It seems a even better option as the bokeh is smoother, the sharpness is comparable to the lux and the price is 1/4 of the lux.
 
Last edited:
I was using the Voigtlander 50mm APO with my M11 and now bought the 50mm Summilux. While the APO performs better wide open at f2, the Summilux has way better color fidelity and WB is spot on. With all my Voigtlander lenses the camera always messed up WB and had to spend much more time in post to correct the colors. I know CV are great lenses but I still advise you to stick to Leica. I would say go for the 50m Cron, fabulous lens but for the Lux in the 35mm. The 35mm Cron is underwhelming, at best.
 
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