The new Leica 35 Summilux ASPH 1.4 Announced!

18 Comments

1. Hi Guys,

   Just for the record, the new 35 is not just the old 35 with the focus shift corrected. I’ve had a couple of great 35 Summilux’s for years and whilst there is some focus shift, it never really bothered me. One of them was optimized for f/1.4 and the other for f/2. However this new 35 which I have had since December 2009, is a very different lens indeed. There is no difference in sharpness from f/1.4 to f/5.6, similar to the 50 f/1.4 ASPH. The same dreamy look that one would get from the old 35 f/1.4 @ f/1.4 is present only throughout the aperture range. Not only that, it’s contrast is as beautiful at f/1.4 as it is at every other f/ stop.

   Now is the lens over-priced, well only you as individuals can answer that but lets just say I feel very fortunate to have this lens and one might as well have glued it on my M body as it hasn’t left it in almost six months.

   ~Br

2. Seems they took it down which means one of two things. They “accidentally” put it up and someone is in trouble or more likely it was done on purpose to leak it out and generate some buzz. EIther way, the lens is for real 100%. When will it be available to buy? I have no clue as Leica are slow as molasses these days.

3. Yeah! price drop on, now last version of 35mm lux 🙂

4. [Quote:] I will NOT be buying the new one. [/Quote]

   Steve, I belive you will have to eat up those words before next X-mas. ;D

5. naturally, having finally given up on ever having the privilege to give leica my money for a 50/1.4, i just ordered yesterday and had a brand new 35/1.4 shipped to me today. so this news, even though i knew it would be coming eventually, seems timed to deliver the maximum personal insult to me for having the temerity to buy into such a quality camera system. (of course, i don’t /actually/ take it personally, but the pain feels real nevertheless.)

   i would still be waiting for a copy of the 50 were it not for the fact that i have an important trip coming up, and i needed a good standard lens to take with me. and i tried to find a used copy of the 35/1.4 so the hit wouldn’t be quite as painful when the new lens was announced, but i couldn’t find a decent coded one for sale.

   probably i /will/ eventually upgrade to the just-leaked version of the 35, since i love the look from the current 50–it’s exactly what i wanted in the first place. but it will be very hard to take a $2000+ hit to make that trade.

6. Thanks Max and Steve. I have a feeling the film M has already met with it’s destiny and these newer ones might be Leica’s attempt to do the same for the digital M. As you point out Max, the 50 year old lenses on film defy belief (certainly your pictures show that to me anyway) so those of us that shoot film might be in luck as M9 owners ‘shift’ 😉 their ‘old’ luxes down the line and into our laps 🙂 I would encourage anyone with an ‘old’ lux to get the new one asap and to send me their old useless one 😉

7. There are improvements with the new version but it is in the way it renders. The current ASPH even though it is a newer version of the 35 lux will now be the “classic” version. The new version is more corrected and perfect, like the 50 ASPH. Think of the 50 ASPH but in a 35. That will be the new 35. I’ve seen images from it. If you do not own a 35 Lux and want one AND shoot an M9 AND want a NEW lens then it makes sense to buy the new version. As I said, the current ASPH is $4500 new. The new version is $500 more.

   Of course you can get the current ASPH for $3-$3400 used so that may be the better deal. For film? Hell, even the old pre-asph rocks. 🙂

   Steve

8. I have the now old version and had zero focusing issues with the M9 or my film cameras. For existing owners, trading for this one just seems silly and for new owners…well, if one has $5K to spend, go for it. Improvements become marginal after a while (as you know a 50 year old lens can still record a damn fine picture) and it’s just a question of cash and wanting to buy the newest release. From what I read on the PDF, they are really pushing this lens to M9 owners so they are going after that market.

   @ Stephen B.
   Stephen, I would challenge anyone to find the difference between this version and the previous, with film. I doubt there would any difference with digital either but according to Leica there are improvements for the M9.

9. I have the “old” 35 Lux that I purchased 10 months ago and i just love it. Any focus “issues” with it have been user error 99% of the time…the shift is very minimal if and when it does occur and you have to zoom in at 100% and really scrutinize to find or see it…if it’s there at all. That said, I can’t say that my heart didn’t leap when I read this new version was for real…but the price…I just think I’d be nuts to sell my current one and pay that much more-the difference would have to be compelling to say the least!

   I have a feeling that the difference in imaging is going to be similar to the new Noctilux f/0.95 vs the previous f/1 version where there may be a tad more sharpness with the new one….but does it still have that gorgeous dreamy, Leica glow of the older version? I would love to see a comparison between the two (hint, hint)!

10. Hi,
    well I have the actual ASPH and it would be nice to test the new one. Nevertheless I don’t think that focus shift can’t be solved completey. Some body of Leica also has told me.
    What I don’t like is the hood. It’s horrible and only works with screw.

11. Well, my dream lens have finnaly arrived (and it will remain a dream since I’d have to sell my 35mm Summarit, empty my bank account and take my credit card to the limit!!!). I agree that it’s too expensive even for a Leica. I am also worried about the optimisations they made for digital. It would be nice if you get one for a test to make a perfomance comparison between film and digital M’s.

12. What exactly is the LCI price listed on your PDF Steve? Seems to be about half of the retail price.

13. I just asked about this yesterday at the Leica Roadshow and the guy tried to tell me it was ALL rumor… Problem is he had a smirk on his face. LOL

14. Yep, a cool $5k but what did we expect? The current 35 Lux with some shift thrown in is $4495 these days so a new version will be more. I actually thought it was going to come in at $5495 so I bet we see it as $4995. CRAZY prices for these lenses no doubt.

    For film, I would stick with the old one. I will NOT be buying the new one. Out of my league $$$.

    Steve

15. Steve, I see there is a lot made of the correction of focus shift but is this not more for digital rather than analog? Would it be safe to assume that on a film M there is not a lot to be gained by the new version?

16. That’s just insanely expensive. That’s a vacation in India and a Zeiss 35/2.

    I hope the images are astounding.

    Jay

17. Great ! focus shift is gone, but definitely the price is astronomical !

18. And it will take 2 years to get one. LOL!

Comments are closed.