Archive 2024 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

mikegao
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p.1 #1 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

Hi:

I bought a Leica M11 a week ago. I also tried out the 35mm summicron asph apo in the store. I was blown away by its performance. I took a picture of the salesperson at an 8-foot distance, and I can zoom in 100% to count his forehead's pores! Obviously, I don't have the cash for that lens. I wonder, is there any lenses out there that are at most $3500 but have close to 90% of the summicron apo's performance? The lens I have right now is the Voigtlander 35mm f2 Ultron, 35mm f1.7 Ultron, Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 III, Voigtlander 35mm f1.5, LLL 35mm f2 (character lens and I love it), Zeiss 35mm 1.4 zm (bought it this week, but still in transition), and Minolta 40mm f2, Voigtlander 40mm f1.4. I am thinking to trade in some of these lens to get one very sharp/detail lens, and have a couple character lens in my collection.

I am thinking about the Zeiss 35mm 2.8 or the Voigtlander 35mm f2 apo (a little too big for a f2 lens). I don't know which Leica summicron can get close to the apo's performance (and doesn't cost an arm and a leg).

Can anyone help me with this?

May 24, 2024 at 11:09 AM

RustyRus
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p.1 #2 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

The voigtlander 35 Apo
The 35 Lux Asph Fle v1 is also a great option that does everything very well.

I would choose the 35 lux - modern character and very sharp stopped down.

May 24, 2024 at 11:40 AM

1bwana1
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p.1 #3 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

That 35mm Leica APO-Summicron is an exceptionally sharp lens from wide open . I think the Voigtlander M 35mm APO-LANTHAR is your best performance match across all available M mount lenses. The size is the price you will have to pay to get that kind of performance at a lower price.

May 24, 2024 at 11:52 AM

goodbokeh
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p.1 #4 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

Well yes the Voigtlander's size is the downside but if you want to get really close to the Leica M 35/2 APO performance the 35/2 APO-Lanthar is the only ticket. The Zeiss 35/1.4 is also large but is a real gem. You may want to roll with that for awhile since the M11 has no ibis and that 1.4 will be handy in low light.

May 24, 2024 at 11:53 AM

Timphoto
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p.1 #5 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

1bwana1 wrote:
That 35mm Leica APO-Summicron is an exceptionally sharp lens from wide open . I think the Voigtlander M 35mm APO-LANTHAR is your best performance match across all available M mount lenses. The size is the price you will have to pay to get that kind of performance at a lower price.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said.

May 24, 2024 at 11:55 AM

Desmolicious
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p.1 #6 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

If you can't count pores with your Zeiss 35 1.4 Distagon, you may be missing focus.

May 24, 2024 at 02:16 PM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #7 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

I also prefer the Lux FLE.

May 24, 2024 at 02:22 PM

1bwana1
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p.1 #8 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

airfrogusmc wrote:
I also prefer the Lux FLE.

My favorite 35mm M lens as well. Makes up about 75% of my M images.

May 24, 2024 at 02:26 PM

mikegao
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p.1 #9 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

Thank you all for your input! As my Zeiss 35mm 1.4 zm is still in transit. I will do a test as soon as it arrives and see if I get a good copy. I have enough lens laying around that I will trade up to a fle.

May 24, 2024 at 04:09 PM

lifeandmylens
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p.1 #10 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

I've had all the lenses you currently own and also the Leica 35 APO and Voigtlander APO. If sharpness is your priority the Voigtlander APO is your best option next to the Leica. After that, the Distagon as the next best option. It's also one of my favorite 35's, just very large. I'd personally pick the Distagon over the CV APO, but see what you like best.

May 24, 2024 at 04:32 PM

wdshuck
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p.1 #11 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

+1 for the 35 Lux. I�ve had the 35 distagon and loved the rendering, but the size left me using it less. I find the 35 Lux FLE to be a great combination of sharpness and size in a fast lens.

RustyRus wrote:
The voigtlander 35 Apo
The 35 Lux Asph Fle v1 is also a great option that does everything very well.

I would choose the 35 lux - modern character and very sharp stopped down.

May 25, 2024 at 05:03 AM

RexGig0
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p.1 #12 · 35mm lens recommendation for Leica M11

I do not have an M11, but, well, my Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM is the main reason that I did not acquire a Summilux ASPH FLE in 2023. I did a side-by-side test shoot, after having first looked at numerous on-line imaes, posted by others. The Distagon has just enough character to make people look beautiful, capture an amazing amount of detail, and, I prefer the smoother, less-�busy� background blur rendered by the Distagon. Unlike the other Zeiss ZM lenses, which were designed in the film era, the Distagon was specifically designed for high-resolution digital cameras, though, of course, sensors of today now pack more MP than the sensors on 2015.

Having said this, the Cosina-manufactured Viogtlander 35mm APO Lanthar is newer than the Distagon, and Cosina makes the Distagon, for Zeiss. For images of people and pets, I am perfectly content to use the Distagon, and, I often want to shoot at apertures wider than f/2, but, I want to break away from this mega-metropolitan place, and drive through and around the North American West, so, I may well add an APO Lanthar, especially if I also add a higher-MP camera body, that can accept an adapted M-mount lens.

The comparison landscape images that I have seen, on a paid subscription site, shot with both the APO Lanthar and Distagon, indicated that the APO Lanthar has a flatter field, which is probably more important for architecture and landscape images, than for many other types of shooting.

May 25, 2024 at 07:22 AM


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