Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The 35mm f2 Summicron-M ASPH lens is the latest, best version of the venerable line of Leica 35mm f2 Summicron lenses which many photographers have adopted as their primary lens for Leica M rangefinder photography, where it excels especially in unobtrusive street photography. Previous versions of the 35mm f2 Summicron have been quite good, but this lens is better than its predecessors especially wide open at f2 due to the usage of an aspherical lens element and some other special glasses made by Leica. Only the 35mm f1.4 ASPH Summilux M lens rivals this splendid optic wide open, but judging from reports I have read, the 35mm f2 ASPH Summicron performs much better at f2 than does the 35mm f1.4 at f1.4. At f2 both lenses are excellent, though I'd give the nod to the 35mm f2 ASPH for better contrast and resolution. Historically this lens was among the first of Leica's new superlative lens designs for its M rangefinder camera system; it is still among the best. This chrome version Leica 35mm f2 Summicron-M ASPH lens is noticeably heavier than the original black anodized version, due to the use of heavier metal components; those opting for a lighter M-mount rangefinder camera and lens combination should buy instead the original version.
I have owned the 35mm f2 Summicron-M ASPH lens and am quite impressed still with its splendid optical performance. However, I don't think it is markedly better than earlier versions of the 35mm Summicron when stopped down to f8 or f11 (I also own a third version Canadian-built 35mm Summicron lens with which I have taken superb street photography photos; some examples can be found under photo gallery at www.tamarkin.com.). Nor do I think that this lens is substantially superior than the relatively recently introduced Carl Zeiss Zeiss Ikon M-mount 35mm f2 Biogon - which is reportedly slightly better optically than the last, fourth version non-aspherical Leica 35mm Summicron lens - that is available from both official and grey market American dealers of Zeiss Ikon rangefinder cameras and lenses for at least half the current price of the 35mm f2 Summicron-M ASPH lens. It depends on you, the potential purchaser of this lens, whether one should pay the additional expense of acquiring a used or brand new Leica lens, or instead, consider seriously as a viable alternative, the much cheaper, but still optically superb, Zeiss lens. If your photography often requires using lenses at their widest - and thus fastest - apertures, then by all means, this lens ought to be your first choice.
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Product Description:
Leica M-System Lens 35mm f/2.0 Summicron ASPH Silver USA
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