Summicron 35 old vs new

Hey everyone!
I plan on selling my digital camera gear such as a Canon 7D + a couple of lenses as well as my Voigtländer 35mm f/1.4 in order to afford a Leica Summicron f/2 lens.
Right now I am still unsure whether the newer ASPH or one of the older lenses will do the trick for me. I shoot a lot of black and white but also some Portra 400.
Online I only found very unconsistent results. Has anyone experienced differences in terms of handling, such as the smoothness of the focus ring? The Voigtländer's focusing system moves rather stiff in my opinion which I would love to avoid.
Thanks for all the replies!
-Lukas

Hi Lukas,

Big question is: how big do you print?
I can speak only for 50mm - for prints up to 30x40cm I don't see difference between my Type 3 and newer Type 4 and 5 (apo summicron 50mm is so expensive which makes it equal as still unavailable).

I regularly print 11 by 14 inch with the 50mm summicron that came with my Leica R3 when it was new (1982 or thereabouts) so while I have no clue what vintage it is, or model, or all that bumpf, I do know it is a very fine lens, a vastly better lens than I am a photographer.

Buy whatever lens you can afford and don't sweat the models. The differences, on a scale of 1 to 100, are between 96 and 97, if that. Remember, HCB did pretty darn good with whatever glass leica was flogging back in the 1930s.

You have lots of options

Have the CV/1.4 serviced lots gum up to extent of needing rubber gloves
Swap it for single coated or multi coated CV/1.4 dependent on which you have already
cron I
cron II
cron III
cron IV
aspheric cron
LTM CV /1.7
summarit/2.5
CV/2.5
LTM CV /2.5 (either)

If you want an investment any of the Leicas will do.
The type IV is the Boke king but needs the hood
If you want nice colours a SC CV /1.4 or cron I
If you want sharp at /5.6 either of the CV /2.5 are cheap, you will need a tripod to separate one from a Leica in corners.

I went LTM /2.5 cause I use a CanonP as well as a M2.

Hm I think you guys are right about what you have said...
There probably is no wrong choice with Leica glass other than buying scratched glass hehe
What exactly does infinity lock refer to though? Can you lock the focus with a button or something like that?
Thanks for all the quick answers by the way!

LuckyLuki said:

Hm I think you guys are right about what you have said...
There probably is no wrong choice with Leica glass other than buying scratched glass hehe
What exactly does infinity lock refer to though? Can you lock the focus with a button or something like that?
Thanks for all the quick answers by the way!

Click to expand...

The infinity lock on Leica rangefinder and similar lenses does, yes, lock the lens at infinity, but only at infinity. The original Leica had a hocky-stick spring on the body that hooked onto a projection on the lens. The later models with interchangable lenses had a knob on the lens that engaged a small latch on the body of the lens.

why? I have no clue why the original Leica had one except perhaps to keep the lens focused at the farthest point for snap shooting, or just to keep the lens from flopping around -- Germans like things tidy. Screw mount -- and later M lenses -- have the infinity lock so when you want to unscrew/unmount the lens, you have something to grip.

Other than that, no big deal. Canon and similar lenses have the same lock. If there is enough exposed base of the lens that you can grab that, it probably hasn't got one.

Got it, thank you! "German like things tidy" - being German myself this actually made me laugh
Do you know anything about the smoothness of the focusing-ring by any chance... does one type move smoother than the other, so to speak?

Being entirely unfamiliar with high end lenses - if you don't like the smoothness of the lens focus ring, can't you have it serviced and request a different grease?

I only know that with cheap FSU lenses they gum up badly as the grease ages, and replacing the grease brings them right back. Which grease, much like which engine oil, is almost a religious debat. So if you specifically want a light action, might it be better to buy a slightly cheaper lens and spedn the extra money to have it rebuilt, specifically asking that a "light action" grease be used?

LuckyLuki said:

Got it, thank you! "German like things tidy" - being German myself this actually made me laugh
Do you know anything about the smoothness of the focusing-ring by any chance... does one type move smoother than the other, so to speak?

Click to expand...

No the Leica, Cosina and Canon rangefinder lenses should all rotate to focus easily. They are stiffer than some SLR lenses cause there are two (or three) heliciod but should be easy to focus with one finger on focus ring button or pin.

This is true even with floating element lenses.

The Cosina lenses can need relubing as they have limited dirt tolerances and a factory lube that can be stiff, even from new.

Unless there is damage they should be no different from Leica ones.

I have no clue whether you can ask for a different grease at the customer service. The reason I ask for the smoothness is because the Voigtländer lens I am using right now feels a bit too stiff for my taste...
Maybe I should go to a Leica store to check the lens out myself to get a feel for it.

what those guys said -- when made, all lenses focused pretty much the same. As they age the grease in the focusing threads can become old and stiff .... so the focusing can get harder, even a bit jerky. Doesn't make the lens any less sharp, just means the lens feels old. It is impossible to say which lens will feel which way -- with any lens more than 20 years old it will be very individual.

Having one serviced will bring it back up to specifications, but I use lenses that are 50 years old and feel just fine.

LuckyLuki said:

Do you know anything about the smoothness of the focusing-ring by any chance... does one type move smoother than the other, so to speak?

Click to expand...

The smoothness of the focus ring is often less to do with grease than alignment of the flange. Old grease just makes the focusing stiffer, but still smooth. But over the years, and not many years with some lenses, the torque of turning the lens off and on the body mount causes the lens mount to shift a bit, the screws holding it on loosen a fraction and despite the screws appearing tight the mount has shifted off centre. This makes the focusing jerky and often lenses go for expensive CLA's because of it. But the solution can be simple and an easy DIY job. Loosen the screws on the lens flange, you don't need to take them out all the way, and then tighten them again very gradually and 'opposite to opposite' (like fitting a cylinder head). This re-centres the lens flange and smoothness is restored, and it also works for CV lenses.

Steve