I use one of these from time to time and want to know how it compares to the new one.

-- Tim (timphoto@ihug.com.au), July 27, 2001

Answers

are you talking about the first 35/1.4 asph, with two aspherics elements

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), July 27, 2001.

The one that was made in about 1989 ish. The aspheric elaments were ground in canada and when production moved to Europe the machine could not get the same tolerances.Leitz then took this lens off the market and looked into molded asp elements like Cannon had done.I think this info is about right. Tim

-- Tim (timphoto@ihug.com.au), July 27, 2001.

Tim,

There were not too many of the first version of this lens out in the real shooter's world, I've read that the target was for 2000 lenses. As far as comparisons to the second version, I looked in the new book from Erwin Puts on Leica lenses and found the following:

Regarding the ASPH (2nd) version, Quote "... Generally this lens performs in an identical way as the "aspherical" (1st) version. there are a few subtle differences: the ASPH version has slightly lower contrast on axis, but more even performance in the field at apertures f/1.4 and f/2.0. From f/2.8 both are equal in image quality. Vignetting is slightly higher..., and distortion is visible.

"The fingerprint differences are really very small, if measurable and I would not be put to the test to identify which lens is used when presented with some pictures." -Unquote.

I hope this information is helpful.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), July 27, 2001.

Tim,

I have a friend who had both lenses and compared the 2 and said that he could find no difference when comparing chromes side by side. He ended up selling the 2nd version and keeping the first. That lens is quite collectable and from what I've seen very pricey.

TG

-- Tom Gallagher (tgallagher10@yahoo.com), July 27, 2001.

Tom, what is your friend doing with such a lens.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), July 27, 2001.