Worldinlens wrote:
If the price good for you - grab it and be happy. The micro-scratch on the front lens will be in your mind only, not on the pictures. If for you comfortable with that's mind why not?
P.S. but I'm personally don't buying similar lenses for myself, except the situations, when the price too low.
P.S.-2 by my opinion the price a bit expensive, this is temporary version before latest Leica and it's in not so good condition.
I get what you're saying, if the scratch won't hurt image quality [or my ego], then I plan on keeping the lens.
For me, lenses are tools, not toys.
I have a 14 day return window to test this sucker out, so if the lens has issues I'll be sending it back.
We'll find out.
As long as the lens in proper working condition, then I'll be happy.
This my logic, I love Leica and the look their lenses usually give.
A close second to the Leica-look is Zeiss, but they're usually super punchy (which is good for a lot of applications, but maybe not for environmental portraits.)
So when it came down to it, I had the choice to either get the 35/2 R or the 35/2 ZF.2 and I personally prefer the Leica look.
In all reality, I would have paid at least 1K for the Zeiss, if not more.
For this reason, I put a max of 1K for investing in the 35 Summicron-R.
I know the lens shows some pretty obvious signs of use [marks on the barrel & the front element],
but I've been keeping my eyes peeled for an affordable 35/2 and the cheapest I've seen we're listed for at least $1,200.
Some of these lenses are going for insane prices, up to $2,000 for the latest versions.
I couldn't even find a canadian or Ver.I copy for less than 1K.
Is this due to inflation and growing popularity in alt. use of R lenses?
In the last year, a lot of people have started using them for mirrorless cameras which seems to have effected value.
Now with the metabones SB, I'm guessing even more people will start snatching up these lenses.
What's the formal title of this lens?
Is it a E55 or a ROM? Pardon my ignorance, but I'm still adapting to the lingo.
The lens is the R Summicron 35mm f2.0 lens. It is the last version of this lens design for the Leica R system. The E55 relates to the 55mm filter size. These lenses were available in the 3 Cam and the ROM versions (I am not sure if they came out for the 2 Cam version). The latest of the these lenses came out in the ROM version after the introduction of the R8. The ROM is only usable for added information to be provided between the lenses and the R8 and R9 cameras. A ROM lens will not fit the Leicaflex manual cameras as I recall which includes the original Leicaflex, SL, SL2, and SL2MOT. They will fit the Leica R3-R7 which were based upon the designs of the Minolta Camera bodies including the XD11. The 2 and 3 CAM versions of the Leica R lenses I believe will fit all Leicaflex and Leica R cameras.
The lens is the R Summicron 35mm f2.0 lens. It is the last version of this lens design for the Leica R system. The E55 relates to the 55mm filter size. These lenses were available in the 3 Cam and the ROM versions (I am not sure if they came out for the 2 Cam version). The latest of the these lenses came out in the ROM version after the introduction of the R8. The ROM is only usable for added information to be provided between the lenses and the R8 and R9 cameras. A ROM lens will not fit the Leicaflex manual cameras as I recall which includes the original Leicaflex, SL, SL2, and SL2MOT. They will fit the Leica R3-R7 which were based upon the designs of the Minolta Camera bodies including the XD11. The 2 and 3 CAM versions of the Leica R lenses I believe will fit all Leicaflex and Leica R cameras.
The lens was mod'd by Leica to fit all R camera bodies and (hopefully) the metabones speedbooster.
Would my lens have a 55mm thread or no?
I noticed that some 35/2's will very close serial numbers to mine have different lettering on the front [E55 Leica, no Leitz.]
Do the lenses labeled E55 preform better than the copy I purchased?
Paul Yi wrote:
Mine is ROM version, but the front element says Leica....
And the serial number begins with 3477.....
I guess they changed the lettering some where along the line....
The name E. Leitz which was the parent name for the 3 divisions of Leica Camera, Leitz Microscope, and Leitz instruments. E. Leitz was retired because the Leica name was better recognized than the name E. Leitz the world over. E. Leitz started as a Microscope manufacturer (Ernst Leitz the founder of the company worked for Zeiss Microscopes before starting his own firm). For those that are unaware, the name Leica came from the Lei from the Leitz name and the Ca stood for Camera. So the name was a contraction forming the registered trademark Leica.
The company was subsequently broken into 3 entities and the Microscope Company now owns the trademark name Leica. Leica Cameras has the permission to still use the name to this day. All 3 companies with the Leica name still have ties one another. How close I do not know.
Paul Yi wrote:
I'm just curious....
I haven't seen a lens with "Leitz" lettering with ROM version....
Perhaps, Brody's lens had the ROM added in Germany....
Paul,
The ROM must have been added later. I am not sure where the lens is from but, Leica USA used to install them as well. In fact, my 280mm f2.8 Apo was possibly the first of these lenses to have the ROM added to the first version of these lenses in the US.
Yeah....
I was at the Leica NJ the other day, and asked them if they would install the ROM on my Summilux R 35, but they told me that they no longer do that...
Infact, they told me that even Leica in Germany often refuses to do it because of the shortage of the parts...
Brody LeBlanc wrote:
The lens was mod'd by Leica to fit all R camera bodies and (hopefully) the metabones speedbooster.
Would my lens have a 55mm thread or no?
I noticed that some 35/2's will very close serial numbers to mine have different lettering on the front [E55 Leica, no Leitz.]
Do the lenses labeled E55 preform better than the copy I purchased?
The two versions are so close together I doubt there are big differences. The most would probably be a coating update.
Both 3-CAM, R, and ROM lenses all fit all the modern (R) cameras. I think only some 2-CAM (and 1-CAM?) lenses don't work on some of the newer cameras. The 3-CAM refers to the sloped cams, the R mount is the stepped cam, and the ROM refers to electronic contacts.
^ The Summicron's great, but definitely center weighted as far as sharpness goes. The corners get decent on a FF stopped down to f/5.6, but are never letter perfect. However, it's got a stunning draw with great colors. The only thing that supplanted it in my heart is the Summilux 35.
And now couple from the SF Zoo with the 250/4 on the NEX 7, wide open, hand-held.
