arduluth wrote:
Thanks for sharing! Is your FD 35/2 the original FD or a New FD? I recently switched from the FD 35/2 SSC I (concave thorium) to the New FD 35/2 and have been pretty happy with everything about it but size and the occasional veiling flare. The New FD 35/2 is pretty impressive - no glow, quite sharp, and contrasty right at f/2. Other than my Contax G 45mm f/2, it's the only f/2 or faster lens I have that is this nice wide open.
I'd love to find a smaller fast 35, but this will do in the mean time. The New FD is pretty light (245g), but I wouldn't mind a more compact lens for something like this. I can definitely see swapping my Contax G 45mm f/2 for a 35/2 if I can find something with similar wide open properties (no glow, good contrast, good sharpness) that manages to be around the same size....Show more →
I'd previously been using a new FD 35 F/2, and it met most of my requirements given that I do a lot of back country hiking - small, fast, sharp and affordable. I'd looked at almost every other offering, but wasn't completely happy with any of them for various reasons - the Distagon 1.4 is over 600 gm, the Sonnar is slow, and the Loxia, Summarit and Summicrons are expensive for what you get. I've been very impressed with the CV Ultron 21 and reworked Heliar 15mm III, so looked at the Nokton 35 F/1.2, but its built like a grenade. By contrast, this new VM mount version of Ultron 35 seems to meet my requirements pretty well, although I need to do more testing to see if I can live with the magenta corners - I certainly find correcting them very straightforward with the 21mm using a preset. And I like the bokeh on the Ultron 35mm more than on the nFD 35 when both are shot at F2 - a bit smoother and less nervous. And last, it's great reducing down to just one adapter. John
ps - it has a concave front element like the old SSC 35mm
New VM Ultron 35 alongside the nFD 35 F/2 - add hoods and the size contrast is increased
navmannz wrote:
I'd previously been using a new FD 35 F/2, and it met most of my requirements given that I do a lot of back country hiking - small, fast, sharp and affordable. I'd looked at almost every other offering, but wasn't completely happy with any of them for various reasons - the Distagon 1.4 is over 600 gm, the Sonnar is slow, and the Loxia, Summarit and Summicrons are expensive for what you get. I've been very impressed with the CV Ultron 21 and reworked Heliar 15mm III, so looked at the Nokton 35 F/1.2, but its built like a grenade. By contrast, this new VM mount version of Ultron 35 seems to meet my requirements pretty well, although I need to do more testing to see if I can live with the magenta corners - I certainly find correcting them very straightforward with the 21mm using a preset. And I like the bokeh on the Ultron 35mm more than on the nFD 35 when both are shot at F2 - a bit smoother and less nervous. And last, it's great reducing down to just one adapter. John ...Show more →
Yeah. I suspect I'd love the Loxia, but $1300 is more than I'm personally willing to spend on a lens that is locked into to E mount and has a smaller resell crowd than the AF lenses. I really like the Biogon look, at least on the Contax G 28mm.
I wouldn't mind being on one adapter, especially for lenses that are already pretty small. I don't mind having an adapter married to each lens for convenience for day to day shooting, but for backpacking it'd be nice not to duplicate the adapter weight.
navmannz wrote:
ps - it has a concave front element like the old SSC 35mm
FWIW, in New FD there is only the convex (element bulging out). The breech lock FD had a few versions, only one had a convex front element. Here is a photo (from eBay, not mine) of the 35/2 convex thorium:
Quick shot from the Loxia 50mm on my A7II - This is the second time owning this lens.....Had if for a bit sold it and then missed it. I also had the 35mm but IMO it's a bit over priced - Found this copy on eBay for 700.00 and convinced myself I needed it.
A few shots from my favorite sushi place.... or straight from the tackle box . This is a fairly good place to test closeup capabilities of new lenses and the Batis 25mm is high up there.
. This is a fairly good place to test closeup capabilities of new lenses and the Batis 25mm is high up there. 
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