Wide angled noob: suggestions for which 35mm to get

[dankwan]

A huge tremendous thanks for all the help guys...so heres the first step in my redemption to semi-wides, I kinda agree with benny that something a little wider like a 28 would also be a useful tool in the arsenal....

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you guys are the best! now comes the slippery and extremely painful slope of building the 35s.....:cry:

 

[dankwan]

Oops!!! You are right on e price. Hahahahaha!!!

Saw the price tag wrongly. The 35mm FLE is 8k??!!??

Is it really worth the big price tag???

its a little less..... see this thread

that is, if you can get your hands on one

 

[Cougar159]

Righty!

Read the thread. But just curious. Would the price of such premium leica lens vary much when supply is stable leow?

 

[dankwan]

Righty!

Read the thread. But just curious. Would the price of such premium leica lens vary much when supply is stable leow?

Doubtful, even now the quite old lux asph is still hovering around s$5k new, this leading edge lens, at best may come down by 10% with "stable" supplies

 

[LowLights]

Righty!

Read the thread. But just curious. Would the price of such premium leica lens vary much when supply is stable leow?

Leica has a crazy habit of increasing it's price from time to time .. You may question the logic ... I do ... Anyway it does help to appreciate the value of your existing gears a little or at least your "investment" does not drop like **** .. The premium we pay are from the dealers .. m9 is case in point. So I guess the answer is yes in a way.. But the troubling fact is when will there be sufficient stock before the next price hype.. Cause in point 50 Summilux
So if have deep pocket and want to get a new lens, then get it when you have the opportunity to.
But with the said .. The local second market for older gears are about 20% cheaper .. But you have to be patient and hunt it down .. But part of the hobby is hunting down Leica gears

So welcome and have fun


Cheers

 

[dankwan]

Leica has a crazy habit of increasing it's price from time to time .. You may question the logic ... I do ... Anyway it does help to appreciate the value of your existing gears a little or at least your "investment" does not drop like **** .. The premium we pay are from the dealers .. m9 is case in point. So I guess the answer is yes in a way.. But the troubling fact is when will there be sufficient stock before the next price hype.. Cause in point 50 Summilux
So if have deep pocket and want to get a new lens, then get it when you have the opportunity to.
But with the said .. The local second market for older gears are about 20% cheaper .. But you have to be patient and hunt it down .. But part of the hobby is hunting down Leica gears

So welcome and have fun


Cheers

Lowlights put it much better than I did, I'd like to add that if you can afford it why not? The product you know is quality, well regarded and probably the "best". Using it or owning it may give you an intangible effect, unfortunately this is a hobby and not an investment although with well regarded objects, the likelihood of depreciation is less, of course, as there will always be some form of market for it. It's really unlike electronic products, it's a hand made, hand crafted piece of precision engineering, no electronics at all.

 

[NazgulKing]

Leica is pretty much run by a management determined to preserve the brand as a luxury brand. However, I suspect that the recent rise in rare earth prices might lead to rises in lens prices. A lot of the low dispersion glass and high refractive index glass use rare earths like caesium, which is ironically used for atomic clocks.

BTW, Chiif was telling me the 35mm/f1.2 Nokton in its current form has been discontinued.

 

[nex100]

Leica is pretty much run by a management determined to preserve the brand as a luxury brand. However, I suspect that the recent rise in rare earth prices might lead to rises in lens prices. A lot of the low dispersion glass and high refractive index glass use rare earths like caesium, which is ironically used for atomic clocks.

BTW, Chiif was telling me the 35mm/f1.2 Nokton in its current form has been discontinued.

Does that mean that there will be a new version of the 35mm f1.2 Nokton coming out soon? Maybe one that is smaller I hope?

 

[NazgulKing]

Does that mean that there will be a new version of the 35mm f1.2 Nokton coming out soon? Maybe one that is smaller I hope?

That's a big if man. A lot of the newer Voigtlander lenses have a focus shift issue. And they are taking a long time to replace some of the older discontinued lenses like the Nokton 50mm/f1.5.

And apparently, it's official, the lens is discontinued.

 

[nex100]

just when i am making my choice of 35mm lens for my M8. now what should i do? lol

 

[sweat100]

I would like to seek opinions from people using the nokton 35mm f1.4. The reviews has been very mixed. Some say the distortion is very bad, some say the focusing tab isn't well made etc. Some say the images are better than the 35mm summilux pre-ASPH. Users or past users of this lens, how do you like or hate this lens? Thanks in advance.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I would like to seek opinions from people using the nokton 35mm f1.4. The reviews has been very mixed. Some say the distortion is very bad, some say the focusing tab isn't well made etc. Some say the images are better than the 35mm summilux pre-ASPH. Users or past users of this lens, how do you like or hate this lens? Thanks in advance.

Lets just put it this way.

You wouldnt find another modern lens of 35mm F1.4 at SGD780 at Chiif's brand new! Even vintage lenses which are slower than it cost more & you risk getting a lemon at times.

Based on my experience, its fast, light, small & compact.

I'm not sure on why the focusing tab isnt well made for some, prob they have toes for fingers?

There is slight barrel distortion for this lens but honestly very minimal. I'm not sure which CV lens has focus shift issue but doesnt the 35mm lux have that problem as well? :bsmilie:

I've never experienced focus shift wide open on the Nokton 35mm F1.4, build quality was well made.

Of course, the ego of the 35mm lux owner will tell you its a special design character to bring out art in your pictures (pay so much cannot lose face ma, so must defend abit) but in engineering terms, its just bad design :bsmilie:

okok, better run for bomb shelter, alot of people gonna kill me for my statements!

My set on Nokton 35mm F1.4:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agnosticgary/sets/72157623823257717/
let your eyes be the judge for barrel distortion

 

[K3N]

Does anyone have any experience or opinion of the first 35mm Summilux Aspherical f1.4. The one with grounded aspherical surfaces. How does it compare with the latest 35mm ASPH FLE?

 

[NazgulKing]

Lets just put it this way.

You wouldnt find another modern lens of 35mm F1.4 at SGD780 at Chiif's brand new! Even vintage lenses which are slower than it cost more & you risk getting a lemon at times.

Based on my experience, its fast, light, small & compact.

I'm not sure on why the focusing tab isnt well made for some, prob they have toes for fingers?

There is slight barrel distortion for this lens but honestly very minimal. I'm not sure which CV lens has focus shift issue but doesnt the 35mm lux have that problem as well? :bsmilie:

I've never experienced focus shift wide open on the Nokton 35mm F1.4, build quality was well made.

Of course, the ego of the 35mm lux owner will tell you its a special design character to bring out art in your pictures (pay so much cannot lose face ma, so must defend abit) but in engineering terms, its just bad design :bsmilie:

okok, better run for bomb shelter, alot of people gonna kill me for my statements!

My set on Nokton 35mm F1.4:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agnosticgary/sets/72157623823257717/
let your eyes be the judge for barrel distortion

:thumbsup:

Sometimes I regret not picking the 35mm f1.4, choosing instead the f1.2. Now that the f1.2 has been discontinued, I don't regret it, but I am still mighty tempted to pick up the f1.4 because of the size, really.

 

[nex100]

i am quite skeptical abt the size of the cv 35mm f1.2. All of it is nice but from the dimensions, it seems longer than the 50mm nokton f1.1 but smaller in diameter. I held a nokton 50mm f1.1 before and the first thing i felt is its weight.

Is the cv 35mm f1.2 really that heavy?

 

[NazgulKing]

i am quite skeptical abt the size of the cv 35mm f1.2. All of it is nice but from the dimensions, it seems longer than the 50mm nokton f1.1 but smaller in diameter. I held a nokton 50mm f1.1 before and the first thing i felt is its weight.

Is the cv 35mm f1.2 really that heavy?

It is a heavy lens. About half a kilogram. Depends on what you want really.

I have been using the lens with my R2M from the start and I got used to the size quickly since it's about the same as going around with my GF1 and the 7-14mm lens. The weight is of course altogether different.

My suggestion is go to Chiif and try out the lens with say a mirrorless camera if you have one. Hold the lens, see the pictures, then decide. Hurry fast though. Chiif may not have many copies left. He told me he had one or something.

 

[sweat100]

Lets just put it this way.

You wouldnt find another modern lens of 35mm F1.4 at SGD780 at Chiif's brand new! Even vintage lenses which are slower than it cost more & you risk getting a lemon at times.

Based on my experience, its fast, light, small & compact.

I'm not sure on why the focusing tab isnt well made for some, prob they have toes for fingers?

There is slight barrel distortion for this lens but honestly very minimal. I'm not sure which CV lens has focus shift issue but doesnt the 35mm lux have that problem as well? :bsmilie:

I've never experienced focus shift wide open on the Nokton 35mm F1.4, build quality was well made.

Of course, the ego of the 35mm lux owner will tell you its a special design character to bring out art in your pictures (pay so much cannot lose face ma, so must defend abit) but in engineering terms, its just bad design :bsmilie:

okok, better run for bomb shelter, alot of people gonna kill me for my statements!

My set on Nokton 35mm F1.4:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agnosticgary/sets/72157623823257717/
let your eyes be the judge for barrel distortion

Thanks for the recommendation! Today I tried at Chiif place, the weight and size is really good. The images should be good as well judging from your flicker.

 

[DoveVadar]

Does anyone have any experience or opinion of the first 35mm Summilux Aspherical f1.4. The one with grounded aspherical surfaces. How does it compare with the latest 35mm ASPH FLE?

It is sharp by old standards and a rather rare gem if you come across one. Made in germany and weights quite abit But I dont think you can find one nowadays. Expect to pay alot for one.
The modern 35lux is by far more superior optically, the FLE I havent try but looking at the mtf and distortion, it is really the best 35 you can get in modern times.

 

[K3N]

It is sharp by old standards and a rather rare gem if you come across one. Made in germany and weights quite abit But I dont think you can find one nowadays. Expect to pay alot for one.
The modern 35lux is by far more superior optically, the FLE I havent try but looking at the mtf and distortion, it is really the best 35 you can get in modern times.

There are two going on ebay for approx 9000-10000 USD. They're more expensive than a new 35mm lux FLE!

Thanks.