Why I Adore The LEICA 35MM 1.4 SUMMILUX ASPH LENS
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 21. 08. 2024
- In the segment, I talk about why the 35mm is my go-to focal length and why the Leica 35mm 1.4 Summilux ASPH lens is my favorite lens of all time.
I also share some of my favorite images shot with this lens.
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Constantly blown away by the high standard of your content... And that intro... that apartment... traveling (well not right now I guess, lol) ... shooting animals (with a camera!)... supporting humans who help animals ... and yet again, being able to shoot those stories... you're living the dream...
The Leica 35lux is the gold standard. M10 + 35 lux is my go-to combo.
28 for streets, 50 for portraits. Enough for me.
What a masterpiece samples u have there. Brilliant.
Shuibullah Amran great set up , thanks for watching :)
28 is wonderful to use in street
@@cdgarcia I strongly considered it, great lens.
I romanced some with 28 for the streets. Too wide for my liking. It's just hard to make unchaotic composition and isolate subjects. But that's me. If I had some "access" to photograph people on event or some reportage, on the other hand, it's a great focal length - captures so much story.
This entire rig is my dream come true... And your photos blow me away every time. So beautiful. I love the color and rendering of this lens too. Your portraits from this lens are just wonderful. I too prefer horizontal portraits + this lens really does a beautiful job. Ultimately, it IS the talent of the photographer over the gear but yeah, this lens (& body)! Super inspiring as always....ahhh, (sigh), maybe one day soon.
I also use the Leica 35mm 1.4 a lot. And I also do people / portrait photographs in landscape. I like to photograph people in their environments/ surroundings, and I feel landscape is, for me, an easier way to do that.
35mm Summilux & M10-D. Thatâs the dream pair right there. Just found you through the Like A New Day podcast, love your work!
Nine Volt Digital Cinema Thank you đ, that was a fun podcast :).
I couldnât agree more Justin! 35mm is the way to go for, basically, 80% of photographic subjects. The undistorted view allows for various types of shots, personally I am using it for close ups, landscapes and street photography and works wonderfully for all of them. As for the Leica⊠for me that brand is synonymous to photography (though I never had one and canât afford it). Itâs all about aesthetics and inspiration. Image quality you can buy for a fraction these days and if you ask me, is pointless by itself⊠what matters is your eye and your creativity, and Leica somehow sparks creativity (Leica blog is my favorite source of inspiration).
Thankfully there are plenty of options for most people that canât afford a Leica. I am a vintage lens lover and, like you, I really appreciate a nice tactile feeling. My favorite lens is the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 and my second favorite the Meyer Trioplan 35mm f2.8 II. I love them both for their character. Lately though I bought a TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 for my APSC Sony a6000. The idea was to make my old camera a real MF X100V alternative for EDC and, thankfully, it worked! Itâs a really small and capable camera/lens combo that can fit in every bag, plus it costed me only 139⏠(for the lens, since I had the camera). For such a cheap lens it has great character and build quality.
My first lens for my 35mm SLR was a 50mm. However, I never cared for that focal length. It seemed too telephoto for my tastes.
Over a long period of time, I also tried 45 and 40mm and liked them better than the 50.
Later, I tried the 35 and the 28 finally decided that the 35 focal length was my favorite go-to focal length for shooting general subjects under general conditions. I shot with a 35mm f/2 and later a 35mm f/1.4. I flanked my 35mm lenses with an 85mm f/1.8 and a 20mm f/3.5.
When I decided to get a 35mm Leica rangefinder, I knew that the 35mm f/1.4 would be my first lens. I flanked it with a 90mm f/2 and a 21mm f/1.4. I use my three lenses on an M6 and an M10.
Amazing photos you have taken!â€
In the past I always use the tele-photo lens such summarit 75 and 90 summicron. After I try 35mm. I think if I can have for one lens this focal length is my answer. BTW, the 35 lenses that like itâs Zeiss 35 f1.4 and Leica 35 summilux pre-fle
Which one is better btw 35 FLE and PRE FLE ? Donât count about rarity and holding value
@@beaverunder7 Depends on what character that you like. FLE is perfect but I like the rendering of pre-fle. FLE is more 3D pop IMO
This lens is the most sexiest of them all. This and the 50mm Summilux make a one helluva combo!
That is a sexy combo :).
My favourite is 50mm 1.4 summilux, thanks, nice to meet you
I have to agree with you, that LENS is the BEST on any LEICA!
I entirely agree with you. I own several Leica bodies and lenses. Great video
RS. Canada
i have the 35 mm 1.4 and Iâm in love with it . i have the Sony A7 and itâs mad official
C Y Thatâs a nice setup CY :)
Hi Justin! Big fan of the channel. Recently just got this lens - I know this is such a noob question, but do you use UV filters as protection in your travels for your glass? I know you go to a lot of remote places and was wondering what your take was on that! Been very inspired by your channel! Keep it up!
Thanks for commenting and for the kind words. I use a UV filter on all my lenses for protection but I never use lens caps.
Glad this came across my feed! Subscribed immediately. đ€đŒ
Benj Haisch Thank you Beni, I appreciate that :).
I've done a ton of horizontal portraiture with a 24. Haters gonna hate.
Juha Immonen the horizontal portrait revolution has begun Juha :)!
something tells me if they came out with a Q35mm it would crush literally everything from a sales perspective based on the hundreds of CZcams comments I've read researching the camera system.
Youâre probably right , I know Iâd find it more intriguing.
Ă'm a 35mm guy too: for me it's the VoigtlĂ€nder Ultron 1.7 which delivers super quality from wide open at a non-eyewatering price point. My second most used lens is the humble 50/3.5 on the Fuji GFX system, which roughly translates to a 40mm. Back in the day it was the75mm on the Pentax 67, so I see a trend here ;-). Like you, I love the versatility, and the still pretty neutral depiction of a scene for a wide angle. I shoot at least 80% of my work with those two lenses.
I've been a 50mm shooter for about 20 years and I probably shoot 90% of my work on the 50...but I am so intrigued by the 35mm. I want to give it a real go. Cheers.
For me it was great, for a while, and then I started wanting the 50 back. So it turns out 28mm is so much more useful for me than 35mm.
Just ordered the 2022 version of this and can't wait to get back to SEA with it.
Congrats Marcus , enjoy it :)
@@AskMOTT I will, thanks. I envy you being in SEA - it is by far my favourite photo destination. I have shot in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and the Philippines and always enjoy them all. Can't beat a Bia Hoi on a small plastic chair in the Old Quarter of Hanoi!
50 Summilux is sharper and better but both are great. I have both.
Great review. Iâm glad things are going well in Hanoi. Also find the 35 equivalent is my most used lens. đđ»
Jack Kurtz great to hear from you Jack, hope things improve in the USA soon.
50mm for me. Itâs great when itâs your only lens. But I always found nearly wanting something narrower or wider. It was quite annoying for me. So 28&50 make the perfect pair for me.
50f1.4 Summilux may be my dream lens.
These videos are so cool (as if I didn't want a summilux already). Dude, I miss you! I wish we lived closer.
Fotografamos Miss you too Pedro, how are things? I really need to get back to Portugal once the world is normal again.
@@AskMOTT You know you have a place to stay when things do get back to "normal" :)
Fotografamos Thank you, same for you guys in Hanoi .
I love this lens. This and the 50mm counterpart are my favorite lenses and focal lengths. The size of it is indeed crazy impressive compared to Canon.
The size alone makes me love it.
What M mount 35mm did you have before this? Maybe that can be my next stepping stone. Iâve been using a voigtlander 35mm 1.4 classic on my M6 for years. Itâs small, well made, and definitely has character but that comes with a hefty amount of barrel distortion, and it lacks the micro contrast I see from leica glass. It also doesnât deal with difficult lighting very well and flares even when it really shouldnât. Itâs limitations didnât bother me as much when I was just shooting black&white and working in the darkroom but Iâve started processing color and itâs pretty clear that I need to step up my M 35mm.
Iâm also really into the fast and wide look and know that if I got the summicron f2, Iâd always be yearning for those extra stops of light and shallow depth of field.
Rangefinder systems (digital or film) wouldnât lend themselves to most of the commercial work that I do, so that 5k number has been harder to drop.
I have 21, 28, 35, 50 and 75mm for the Leica M system. I take aways 2 focal length with me. Because they are so small. I like my 35 its the 35 f2.5 Summarit. Obviously its not the Summilux but is still a solid performer. I am mainly buying used Leica lenses. The depreciation value is nearly zero with used Leica lenses. I think if you know before what are you going to shoot then you know wich lens suits for the job. In your case it make sense to have the LUX since you make money with it. For me is just passion and a hobby.
MrBillboeing awesome set up, youâve got everything covered.
Yeah man i feel the same!!! 35mm and orizontal portraits all the way
Pasquale Russo letâs start a revolution Pasquale :).
My dream set M10d +35mm asph
It's what I shoot about 90% of my work with.
Dude your images are insane. They really tell a story within seconds of viewing. Lens looks nice too đ€·ââïž
I appreciate that Austin , thank you :).
i follow you on instagram. didnât know you had a youtube channel too....instant follow, keep up the good work and i absolutely love your series about the rhino keepers.
unknown9274 Thanks for following and for watching. I just posted a new episode about the northern white rhinos đŠ:)
Hey Justin, thanks for the video. I love my 50lux and will never sell but wanted something wider. Picked up a mint/excellent+ 35lux FLE. focus is stiff like any new lens out of the box but the aperture is quite loose out of the box and i keep nudging it unknowingly from 1.4. My buddy with the same lens states his aperture ring on the 35lux FLE is the loosest too on that compared to his other lux'es. How is yours and did you have adjusted?
Nice review. I was about to buy it a few months ago, but the focus shift at f2.8 and f4 pulled me back. Did you have any issues with it? How do you deal with it? Regards
FLE version (newest) does not have any focus shift at any aperture
Luke Schwandt Glad to hear that, itâs a issue repeatedly reported for the latest âFLEâ version (back focus to be more precise). Happy to know that your copy doesnât suffer from that. Enjoy it, itâs a beautiful lens!
Hey Justin! Love your videos, this video is amazing as I was debating over which 35mm to get and you've convinced my to get this lens....Question for you, i'll be shooting with an M6, which film would you recommend if i'll be shooting in color and most likely when it's bright outside (I live in Hawaii and it's pretty sunny here). Thanks so much and please keep posting great videos!
Got a smoking deal on a Leitz edition a couple months ago. Itâs a never sell lens. I donât think I will ever need another 35mm lens. Ever.
Christopher Coppola I like youâre set for life :).
Have you tried the 35/1.4 on the SL2? If so what is your impression of the handling and image quality.
Les Rudnick I tried it on the SL1 just got a few days and it was great.
Wow, wanna say Hi from Cambodia đ°đ Great video bro
Hello back, I love Cambodia :).
How tempted are you by the new 35 mm summilux close focus?
Not so much as I love my current version and I bought the updated 50mm lux.
I'm not yet into Leica N but the 35mm f/2 is my favourite with the Nikon full frame cameras. :)
I'm equal opportunity for 35mm lovers Bjorn, any fan of a 35 is a friend of mine :).
I just bought this lens a day or two ago, and I paid even more for it than you did. It was great - really great - to hear that it's your favorite lens. My only question is: why do you have black electrical tape on the top of your camera?
Itâs an incredible lens , congrats on the purchase. Hope you used the affiliate link in ky page :) ha ha www.justinmott.com/my-photography-gear
I tape my cameras as to not attract attention to the brand for thieves.
@@AskMOTT , I would be interested in hearing how you handle your equipment when you're traveling. For example, do you worry about rain/high-humidity when you're shooting. How many batteries do you carry? Where do you charge the batteries?
Love your Leica gear videos
Mohamed Alfaris thanks đ, more
coming soon. Let me know what youâd like to see more of.
Great review. Proper review by a proper photographer. Love your photos!
Thank you Scot :)
Beautiful pictures! Should receive this Lena this week. I like your strap, where did you get it? Thanks
Thanks Douglas , here is the strap I use. www.barton1972.com
i shoot with only a 35mm on my sony a7ii for my job at my college. the other photographers think im crazy since they all use 24-70s but i just love the 35 too much to ever take it off my camera haha
You're doing the right thing Nathan, I guarantee you're getting more unique images and it's making you a better photographer.
I use 24mm and 50mm when I'm traveling with two lenses, 35mm when I'm only taking one with me. Why are you using the 35mm Summilux and not the Summicron, that would be a bit smaller?
Andy the Summilux is still pretty tiny and I love shooting at 1.4 .
Thank you. Beautiful shots. Just got my m10 with 35 lux. My first Leica and very excited about it.
dc52e55 congratulations youâre going to love it :).
Excellent size, ergonomics, and rendering, but the flare and distortion is actually pretty bad even if it were half the cost. I chose the zeiss 35 biogon c, which just absolutely crushed the 35 fle even in my "price is no object" search for a 35. The ultra clean, high ISO capabilities of modern cameras resolves the aperture limitation.
f/2.8... :/
I love the 35mm but canât stomach the price of the body and lens. Iâm interested in the Q2 which offers the 28, 35, & 50 lengths with the 1.7. Do you think 1.7 lux is wide open enough compared to the 1.4 lux you have? Thx!
It's definitely an investment. I haven't used the Q2 but I did test out the original Q a few times and it's nice but I don't like the weight of it and the build compared to the M's. It works well, great files, and a sharp lens, and the benefit of being weather resistant is nice, but it felt too much like a digital camera where as the minimalistic feel I want.
Great video again!!đđ» Did you use manual focus on the videocamera as well đ. Would love to be able to try a Summilux one day. Would probably end up with me selling the car, and buing the lens. But that would be good for the environment. Hmmm...hold that thought...
Per Wilhelmsson Thanks for watching. I have the camera set to my eyes for focus so sometimes showing the product it takes some luck to get it right :).
Per Wilhelmsson also , who needs a car
Great video! What made you choose the Lux over the Cron? I have a 35 Cron ASPH V1, a lens I have used ever since I started with Leica M6 over 25 yrs ago. Did upgrade my 50 Cron this summer to a 50 Lux and have been smitted by the 1.4 aperture and bokeh on the 50. Dabbling with the thought of upgrading the 35 Cron to the FLE if a find a good priced one. My concerns are the viewfinder blockage from the huge hood as well as weight. I will be able to squeeze into my beloved Dome F-803 which I initially didn't think I could. Would be glad if you gave your input into the +/- 's.
Thanks for watching Patrik, I chose the Lux over the Cron because I love shooting at 1.4 both for low light but maining for the pop you get on your subjects when you shoot at 1.4. I'ts a big price jump but I use that lens more than anything else so it was worth it for me.
@@AskMOTT Many Thanks for the ultra speedy reply! HAGWE.
I could not decide which is my favorite,so I bought each one in evey focal lenth from 24 to 90 24/3.8 35/1.4 fle,50 apo,75 apo and 90 apo whth my m10r
Xia Yu wow, what an amazing setup Xia :). What youâre favorite ?
Justin Mott, To be honest, the most used two is 35 1.4 fle and 28 5.6, these two lenses have some very unique characteristics,the floating elements in the 35 sumilux create a cinematic atmosphere in the photos, the exceptionally high contrast and thick colour rendition transform some ordinary street sense to magic moment.
28 5.6 is a classic reborn, in my opinion, this is the must-have for a street photographer, it keeps all the vintage looks of the original lens in the new body, and it makes m as a snap camera,the vintage look in this lens is breath taking.
If you are still in Hanoi Vietnam then can you sometime make a POV Street photography with a leica M camera, especially with m11 if you had a chance to have a hand on
my favourite focal lenght is zoom
lĂąnchĂĄnÄá»i nguyá» n đ
I love your video ! â€
Thank you Alaz, I appreciate you commenting.
Why is there tape on the top of your camera?
I get asked that a lot, I gaffer tape up logos as an attempt to obscure the brand names and to make it look less appealing overall to potential thrives. Also, helps prevent scuffs in case I want to sell it.
I love a 35mm lens or things that equivalent with that. Greetings from Indonesia.
Thanks for watching Motret, greetings back from Vietnam.
Hi.
I would like to ask you about this lens, is it German or Portugal made? Because I wanted to buy one but when I heard it was Portugal made, I hesitated. As you know, the German industry is second to none.
35mm 1.4 is the last one I need for my set..
Saving the best for last :)
Do you still have it now, with the release of the version 2 closer focus? Thx. Like your vids./ Good job!
Still got it and still love it :)
From VN with love â€ïž
Thanks , same to you :)
Everything Leica is beautiful! Have used the APO 35 at all? I f so, how does the photos compare? PS: nice pad!
Never used it Ted sorry .
great review, I subscribe ! I'm more a 50mm guy (I have the Noctilux), but I find interesting to hear another point of view. if you could make a video about how you take portraits with your 35, it would be great ! Alexandre Alexander (Bangkok)
TravelJournalist.com Thank you Alexandre, thatâs a great idea for a vlog, coming soon. Enjoy that Noctilux, what a beautiful lens.
Justin Mott thanks Justin !
is that the floating lens element one?
It is. 11663
Iâm thinking about this lens. I have a 50mm summilux and Iâm debating on selling it for this lens.
If the 35mm suits your style of shooting go for it, you won't regret it.
What about the Viewfinder blockage? Is it severe or modest? Great channel!
remove the lens hood its not terrible
Luke Schwandt I can imagine flare being horrendous though.
@@billyabroad8057 it isn't...the FLE version may be the best 35mm lens on the planet. its a benchmark lens that i'd categorize as legendary.
If you want to see the actual lens, skip to 4:00
Ha! I know that bridge you were on at the start of the video!
Zach B itâs Long Bien Bridge , isnât it so photogenic, one of my favorite places in Hanoi.
Justin Mott when I visited the city in 2019 I took pictures there of the morning market off the side, the boats on the river and of the small train station. Haha small world.
If you had to post a picture of your lifetime. What camera and lense would you use.
M10D with a 35mm 1.4
@@AskMOTT wow very interesting. Then ill skip all the throw away stuff inbetween and save up. Thanks for your answer. All the best
I want the 35mm is a favorite, love photos taken by 35mm but never my oven, have a hard time to like it,
In my experience the 35mm just takes time to get good with, itâs a lens that plays hard to get :).
What's your favorite focal length?
My favorite focal lenght is also the 35mm. I have the Summarit f/2.4, the Voigtlander 35mm f/2.5 Color Skopar and the Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 Nokton Classic. I don't know if I should sell all of them and buy the 35mm Summicron V4 hahaha. Do you think the Summilux is intrusive and block the viewfinder?
@@TENGUJAPON 35cron v4 is a safe bet, superb quality on both Leica and Sony bodies, the value also goes up every year.
@@jqueryrocks I saw it! Really expensive. What about the 6-bit ASPH Summicron? It's also small
@@TENGUJAPON The ASPH is also a great choice, it's sharper, but of course a bit bulkier and heavier.
@@jqueryrocks Thank you!
Just one comment on the plastic and rubber - metal lenses in subzero temp are really very annoying
drzak0o1 Thatâs a very good point , not too much if that here in SE Asia luckily :).
Sorry to be a downer but the focussing (or lack thereof) is petty distracting and annoying. Why not just set it a constant f5.6 or so?
Like the way I love my Canon 6D.đ
I owned that camera a long time ago and always felt the 6D was underrated, itâs a great camera and incredible value.
Need.
They should have autofocus for that price and image stabilizer. Lol
im so lucky i have an even better 35mm lens ,the zeiss 35mm f1.4 zm
stephen edmunds People love that lens as well , I only hear great things about it.
@@AskMOTT i think both the summilux and the distagon are beautiful lenses,i went for the distagon because its cheaper and half my stuff is at infinity and the summilux is maybe not as strong on distortion as the zeiss.
The Zeiss 35mm 1.4 controls purple fringing better, but the 35 lux has better colour rendition and ergonomics.
@@jqueryrocks both top lenses of course but i do half my stuff at infinity on a tripod and the zeiss is much better on field curvature and distortion,,,totally agree with you about ergonomics but rendition is subjective.
And a much bigger lens.
and the leica M system is so DISCRETE! especially the black one.
I sold mine because it was way too sharp for my liking even with full open. Bokeh was too perfect and boring....
I've never heard that way of putting it, very interesting and thanks for sharing. What did you go with instead?
@@AskMOTT Yeah, I know, complaining for being perfect. I Like the look of Voightlander Prominent lens adopted for Leica M. I think Lens is not perfect or miscalculated and they produce very strange images.
Good lord.
It'd be interesting to see a working pro compare the 35 1.4 FLE to the 7artisans 35 1.4 which around $400. This would be interesting because all the points you covered for the FLE the 7A has for under 1/10 of the price.
the 7artisans is good enough unless you're a pixel peeper.
50mm is way better. Thereâs too much negative empty space with a 35.
Canons monstrosity of a lens
Seriously, your hat... thingy....
I'm in too deep with it, it's my signature look and no turning back now :).
@@AskMOTT love it
So much bs oh man. âFeels goodâ and thatâs it.
Iâve used it for 2 years non stop so itâs not BS and I absolutely love it , but to each his own.
@@AskMOTT I got that. Iâm so sorry brother. Reading again my comment I felt so rude. Typically like those haters that I hate so much đ Anyway I guess that at the end I was jealous that I donât have a Leica đ Despite that I must politely say that I was expecting more technical reasons. Who knows maybe there is not even a technical reason. Itâs really about the feeling and confidence that a Leica gives. I photograph with an Olympus Pen F from the 60s. All manual not even a light meter. I just love it. No electronic interference of any kind. As mechanical as it can be. So I totally understand your idea of âfeels goodâ đ€đœđ€đœ Sorry for any inconvenience.
Just talk less
Joe Kesrouani Probably not going to happen but thanks for the feedback Joe.
This lens in Netherlands from 3000 Euro. Why this lens is so expensive ?