I am planning to get one of the two lenses: the Leica M. 50mm f1.0 and the 35mm f1.4. I would like to know how good they are wide opened and the sharpness compared with each other. I would appreciate your information very much, thank you.

-- Johnny Nguyen (HackerG2000r4@cs.com), March 09, 2001

Answers

Depends on what kind of subjects you favor and what equipment you already have, Johnny. The 50/1 Noctilux is a VERY specialized lens for shooting in "available dark". As such, it has a lot of design compromises, particularly noticeable vignetting at full f/1 aperature.

The 35/1.4 Summilux would likely be your better all-around choice. There really is no comparing the two as far as general image quality - the 35 wins handily - esp the ASPH version. It is also lighter and less expensive, and affords better viewing through the viewfinder.

But again, depends on what you're shooting and what you already have. Unless you have a very definitive need for the f/1 aperature (and a lot of loose cash sitting around) the 35 is probably your best bet.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), March 09, 2001.

I faced the same decision this summer, and went with the 35. As Ken says, the Noctilux is a very specialized lens, and you have to be sure you need it. It's good for available-dark shooting, and pretty awkward for anything else. It would not replace a 50 Summicron for most day-to-day shooting due to its bulk and finder obstruction.

The 35/1.4 ASPH is a top class daily shooter, and its quality at 1.4 has to be seen to be believed. The fact that it's a 35 means you can shoot it at slower speeds than the 50, offsetting the loss of that stop of lens speed. I've had great results shooting at night by candlelight, wide open at 1/8. It's a true go-anywhere, do-anything lens. You can shoot from 12 noon to 12 midnight, and be assured your images will lack nothing (technically, anyway).

The 35 is a fabulous lens, with none of the compromises imposed by the Noctilux. Now, I don't have the need orthe urge for the kinds of images the Nocti can give. People like Ted Grant or Tina Manley (two prefessional denizens of the LUG mailing list) swear by it, and produce fabulous images with it. But they also both own the 35/1.4 and do substantially more work with that lens. The Noctilux is the sort of lens you have to be absolutely sure of your need for, and that need exists within a fairly narrow range of photographic applications, as far as I can tell.

-- paul_chefurka@pmc-sierra.com (paul_chefurka@pmc-sierra.com), March 09, 2001.

Johnny:

I have to agree with what Ken and Paul said above. I recently ran a series of tests that included the Noctilux and the 35 Summilux asph. (Results are listed below in posts on 2001-03-08.) Here is a synopsis:

SHARPNESS: At f8 and above, there is virtually no difference between the lenses. From 1.4 to 5.6, the 35 Summilux asph is only slightly sharper at the corners, but blows the Noctilux away in the center. At f1, the Noctilux wins hands down! :-)

FLARE: The Noctilux controls flare better than any lens I have seen, especially at f1(!), but the 35 Summicron asph controls flare very well also.

HANDLING: There is no other way to phrase it, the Noctilux is a pig compared to the 35 Summilux asph. The Noctilux is slow to focus, and very heavy (it weighs about as much as my M6TTL body!) However, this weight and the resulting inherent inertia, may actually improve it's slow shutter-speed hand-holding capabilities -- something I should probably test. Also, at f1 the DOF is so slight, that if you engage in the practice of focussing on peoples noses as I do, then their noses will be sharp and their eyes will be slightly soft! (Really, I am not exaggerating here folks!) In short, I am just not good enough to handle the Noctilux "fast", so in many cases it defeats the purpose of having an M.

NOTE: All the above being said, there is a quality that exists in images made with the Noctilux that is beyond description; and people just love seeing the result photos taken with this lens.

CONCLUSION: So, my advice is that if you're not married, put in some overtime and buy both! If you can only buy one, buy the 35 Summilux asph first... that is unless you already own a 35 'cron!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 09, 2001.

Johnny, if you should decide to get a 35mm pre-ASPH Summilux, you should get one with serial # 2166702 and up. That is the point at which the non-ASPH was recomputed. Earlier ones have less good image quality.

Regards,

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), March 19, 2001.