Curious as to whether, with M6's shutter speed selections, the upcoming rumored 35 f/1.2 would be that much better than the f/1.4. Seems there was mention of the M7 being able to exploit the new aperture setting better. Thanks.

-- James (snodoggydogg@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002

Answers

In my opinion, the only way to exploit a 35mm f/1.2 lenses features besides shooting in low light, is to use it in daylight at f/1.2 to take environmental portraits.......but the shutter speed has to support such a technique....the M6's biggest weekness in my opinion. Somthing I used to do with my old 35mm f/1.4 on my FM3a.

Anyway a reliable source has advised me that we're all on the wrong track about this lens. plus if it was true, who could affford it....better call my friend at Microsoft...hm.....what's his name...Billy?

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002.

There is NO upcoming rumored 35/1.2. The guy who wrote about it made the whole thing up. There is no such thing.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), February 11, 2002.

Sure would be nice if voigtlander/cosina made such a superspeed lens .

-- leonid kotlyar (kotlyarl@mail.nih.gov), February 11, 2002.

You can shoot at f/1.4 @ 1/60th, but you can't set the current M6 to f/1.2 @ 1/90th (or whatever the midway point would be from 1/60th to 1/125th). If you kept the shutter to the same speed, and used the extra half of a stop, you might see some more shadow detail. The best use of those in-between apertures is when you are shooting on a camera with a step-less shutter, that can actually go in-between speeds with a measurable accuracy. Maybe something's coming in this regard, but with the thousands of M users out there that won't give up their classic cameras, who is to say a half of an f-stop is worth getting excited about?

If this lens does exist, I am still at a loss as to why it was though to be needed. The current ASPH Summilux is still world class for this aperture and focal length. There are still some focal length / aperture gaps in the world of real everyday shooters. I'm still patently waiting for that small moderate aperture 75mm lens from Leica... the one Cosina built several years ago.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), February 11, 2002.

Ummm, you are all pulling our collective legs, right? Up where I live light does not come in whole stop graduations. I frequently use the "inbetween" aperture settings. Sometimes plus or minus a third stop or a half stop or whatever is required. The ability to get a half stop more light on the film could be very useful at times. Having said that I have no plans on selling my 35/1.4A ever.

The M camera has a stepless shutter! The intermediate speeds are useable except between 1/30 and 1/60 (except for 1/50) and 1/8 and 1/15. The important thing to remember that the shutter speed dial resistor only has postions for the marked speeds on the dial. So meter, then set the intermediate speed and do not meter again until you set the shutter dial back to a marked setting.

As to whether there is a new 35/1.2 lens coming, I have no idea. It seems rather unlikely to me but then a number of Leica's recent offerings have had me puzzled. 135/3.4APO, 50/2.8, LTM lenses, etc

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), February 11, 2002.

Well I think the rumor is really just that, but it would be a partner to the Noctilux, on the assumption an f1 35mm is just too expensive to make. Not quite sure I get the shutter speed argument. Sometime the light is such that f1.2 would be the perfect exposure. After all with any lens the light may not allow full aperture whether f1.4 or f2.8 if you want perfect exposure.

It is all academic anyway. This is just a fantastic rumor.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002.

FWIW i had a Canon 50mm f1.2 lens.I have also used the original Leica 50mm f1.2 lens.Whats the point? Its only a half stop faster than the f1.4.The depth of field becomes critical.There is so little,even with 35mm lenses.I think a 28mm f2.o does have use,but faster,not for me. With todays fast films,i reguarly use Fuji 800 color neg.I like the warmth,in available lite.Also a lot of photography is done with fill flash these days,so really no point whatsoever.

-- jason gold (leeu72@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002.

John,

I use mid-point apertures also. I was just saying that if your meter is reading a correct exposure for f/1.4 and any speed, then opening it to f/1.2 without a corresponding shutterspeed increment is kind of a non-benefit. Of course if the aperture is wide open (f/1.2) and then the meter reads correct for any whole speed, then the benefit of that extra half of a stop is clear. I just don't think this is something that would make people get rid of their current Summiluxs.

In terms of the question James asked, I still think that any advantage of this lens would be best realized on a camera like the Hexar RF, (or the M7?) where in minimal light, you could rack it wide- open and let the shutter pick anything, like 1/22nd or 1/43rd of a second on aperture priority.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), February 11, 2002.

Yes Al but that argument applies to any lens. Is it always better therefore to have an electronic shutter? Yours argumentatively! No need to respond, of course. I am at a loose end.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002.

Hi Al,

The M cameras already have a stepless shutter as I pointed out above. On the M6 cameras you have to meter with the shutter set at a marked speed but you can set it any interval you like (except for the above mentioned speeds). Whatever the wide open aperture is on a lens, you might get to use it with a marked speed or not depending on the light levels. A f1.2 lens is just as likely to end up with a marked shuter speed as a f1.4 lens is.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), February 11, 2002.

"Sure would be nice if voigtlander/cosina made such a superspeed lens . -- leonid kotlyar (kotlyarl@mail.nih.gov), February 11, 2002. "

In reponse- sure it would be nice, but why, when it would be NICER, but useless for Leica to do such a bold thing.

Go on Cosina....I dare ya!!!!

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), February 12, 2002.

Let me get this straight. Am I reading that if I set the sutter speed dial somewhere between 1000 and 500 that I will actually get a shutter speed between 1000 and 500?

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), February 12, 2002.

Probably, but on most M's if you set the shutter speed at 1/1000 you will also probably get a shutter speed between 1/500 and 1/1000!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), February 12, 2002.

Hi Jim,

Yes.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), February 12, 2002.

Wow, I learn something new every day here. Thanks.

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), February 13, 2002.

Me too, very interesting.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), February 13, 2002.

The problem is you have no way of determining where that intermediate speed is. But close enough for Government work, as they say... Or for c41 print work, to be more precise.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), February 13, 2002.