highdesertmesa
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 Re: LLL 35 Cron v1 (8 element) replica Leica lens discussion & image thread | |
Ended up with both the standard LLL 8 Element and the Collapsable 8 Element version to try out.
Summary: Decided to keep the Collapsable version
I think the regular version copy I got was defective (I forgot to check the version number before re-boxing, but Popflash's photos show V7LC). At f/2 at the hard stop, infinity was correctly in focus but with each smaller f-stop, infinity jumped closer and closer. By f/8, I had to focus well before the hard stop to get infinity sharp – even then at f/8, infinity away from center was not sharp. Pretty sure that is not normal for the 8 element.
I thought the build quality of the Collapsable 8 Element was slightly better and it was easier to use. Not to say the regular version was not excellent build, which it was – the collapsable just felt better. Focus movement on the collapsable was a little heavier ("thicker" but not "stiffer") and the infinity lock on the collapsable was easier to use for me (plus using it side-by-side with the 28 Summaron will help with muscle memory, since it has the same infinity lock and focus handle style). The shorter 0.5m MFD of the collapsable makes more difference than the 0.2m difference would imply, but of course that makes no difference to those using an M body without an EVF. Since I'm use the SL2-S, the shorter MFD is more useful.
Collapsing the lens can be done at several points while turning the lens barrel, but for correct alignment of the aperture numbers, it needs to be done so that when set wide open to f/2, the *orange* f/2 marking is aligned with the infinity mark after it's been turned and locked into place. This allows the orange aperture number in use to be aligned to the infinity mark while focus is locked at infinity –> this means when focus is rotated all the way to the MFD-stop, the white aperture number in use is now aligned to the infinity mark. Since the aperture ring rotates with focusing, it's best to only adjust the aperture while at infinity or MFD, then focus as needed. That said, I can still move the aperture ring at any time and estimate what I changed it to by the number of clicks felt.
Interesting things about the collapsable:
– It is an LTM screw-mount lens and comes with a LLL M adapter pre-attached
– Comes with a plastic rear cap and a metal rear cap, both are full thickness and not like the thin ones from the regular 35
– Extended size is of course identical to the regular 8 Element
– Collapsed size is similar to the 28 Summaron
– Hood has felt lining on the entire interior, which IMO was a mistake because it keeps the cap from pushing on far enough, so it's easily bumped off. The regular 8 Element cap fit much tighter, and Popflash let me swap the lens caps before I returned the possibly-defective regular 8 Element. I think the idea was to protect the almost-flush built-in UV filter at the end of the lens; however, the regular cap with just the felt lining around the edge does not contact any part of the front of the lens anyway. I think they should scrap the special hood lining they're using on the Collapsable.
– Has no filter threads and comes with a built-in UV filter at the end of the lens
– No currently-available hood or way to use filters
Here is what I heard from LLL via Popflash about the hood and filter situation:
"A planned A42 lens hood based on the FISON is designed solely for the Collapsible Eight Element and will come alongside A42 filter accessories with the Barnack Standard replica."
So it sounds like they are making a clamp-on hood and clamp-on filters if I'm interpreting that right. Also sounds like this release of an LTM lens means it will be paired with their Barnack replica that is currently in prototype.
– Lens flaring on the collapsable version seems identical to what I see from the regular 8 element samples, which is no surprise since the optics are the same, and as far as I know, so are the coatings.
– IQ/sharpness from MFD to infinity is very high at f/2 except for the corners.
– Stopped down to f/5.6-f/11 the corners at infinity improve but remain slightly soft at the very smallest part of the far corners. For comparison, the area of the soft corners of the Q/Q2 is larger. I would feel completely comfortable using this lens for landscape.
– Microcontrast is a bit lower than most modern lenses, on par with the CV single coated lenses I've tried.
– Macro contrast seems good.
– Color is much more saturated/vivid than I expected, better than some current Leica M lenses like the 50 Cron v5. I'd rate the color from the 8 Element Collapsable on the SL2-S as better than I got from the CV 50 APOs and on par with the Fujiflm GF lenses on the GFX 100S. I'm impressed – perhaps this is a combination of the flint glass with the LLL coatings – IDK, but I like it!
– This lens is a blast to use.
A few quick samples taken in the past 24 hours below.
SL2-S -|- LLL 35mm Collapsable 8 Element
No in-camera profile/corrections
Some of these have minimal processing, some have quite a bit – should be obvious which is which 
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