Review of the Leica APO M-Summicron 35/2 ASPH.
15 May, 2021 - PART 3.
The final part of the Review is finally here. I took the time to explore the lens to it’s maximum capabilities. So, without much ado, let’s dig our teeth into it shall we? Keep scrolling down the page to see Parts 1 and 2.
The M-APO35/2 on the SL2S.
A View to a Kill:
This lens feels as natural and at home on the SL2S, if not even more than the M. Thanks to the gorgeous EVF. Which implies no fiddling with external EVF’s like in the case of the M10p, when you want to focus closer than the 0.7M into the magical 0.3M territory. It’s one seamless move. A long one, but seamless nonetheless.
As improved as the current EVF is, for the M10* over what we had with the M24* series, it’s still no match for the EVF on the SL* series. I don’t know about you, it’s common for my m10p safari to freeze every now and then when I use the EVF. Annoying to have to pull the battery out and put it back in to have a working camera again.
I do not like shooting directly with the LV/rear screen. It’s ok if I must. For a few shots. But generally speaking, I much prefer the OVF and the EVF. Hence my little quip above with the freezing camera due to the EVF, with the hope for improvement in the next iteration.
Performance wise, it is as perfect as it is on my M10p. As I write this, on the 1st of May 2021, there is no in-built camera profile for the APO35/2 on the SL2S. I am using the Leica M-L adapter and can confirm there is no profile. Perhaps with the upcoming Firmware update, this will be included (EDIT: the Firmware has been released but I sent the lens back in the meanwhile and am unable to retest).
The weight is comparable to an M digital body with a M lens. The size is nothing to complain about. And visually, it is sexy.
To my taste, the colors coming out of camera with this lens are great. Whether it is the DNG or the JPEG, the colours are rich and vibrant. Or course, they are a bit different to what i’m used to from my SL1, so I have to learn how to process the files to get the colours I like.
There is some darkening towards the edges of the frame, which I imagine will be gone with the upcoming firmware update, which may add a lens profile when used with the Leica M-L mount adapter (UPDATE: The new firmware is out but I sent the lens back to Leica, hence unable to test it with the new FW).
There really isn’t much else to write about. It’s a compact camera + lens package that will deliver fantastic results under any circumstance. 50,000 ISO on the SL2S is usable if you must need it. Thanks to IBIS, shooting stopped down to f5.6 or f8 and associated slow shutter speeds, in less than ideal light conditions is also possible. So why don’t we look at some images shot with the M-APO35/2 + SL2S combo?
Logos. Ethos. Pathos. Kairos.
This is a lens you buy when you know exactly what you’re looking for. Perfect rendering of the scene in front of you. Nothing added, nothing subtracted. Perfectly neutral out of focus areas, no aberrations whatsoever, and a fully manual construction so it will last a lifetime and keep delivering the goods with any future M or M mount compatible camera to come.
So what are you getting when you buy this lens? An APO corrected 35mm M lens? A modern 35mm M lens that focuses down to 0.3M? A future proof lens that can be used for decades to come, on M film and digital bodies, as well as the SLs?
The unsurprising answer is: all of the above. You do spend +/- €7,500, but you’re buying the King of the 35mm M lenses.
Again, this is a lens you can use to shoot that sunset, shoot a portrait and shoot a bee hovering over a flower. The one lens that does it all.
Take a look:
But I don’t really care for shooting flowers and bees at close range. What would I do with the close focus capability of the M-APO35?
Consider this example. You want to shoot something that caught your eye, but gets lost in a crazy sphagetti of detail in the background. Now you can selectively draw the viewers eye to exactly what you want them to see.
Kinda like this:
This also brings me to the greater scheme of things.
I use the M-APO50, M-APO90, M-APO135 combination. And till now, I paired the 35FLE with the APO 75.
Now that the APO35 is here, it has replaced the 35FLE. I can’t help but wonder if there are more M-APO Summicrons to come.
I would love to see a 21mm, 24mm and 28mm added to the roster.
And maybe v2 for the current APO Summicrons that would also focus down to 0.3M?
Fcuk yeah. Do it Leica!
I do wish the M-APO35 had a built in hood like the rest of its APO siblings.
APO Summicrons pictured below:
M-APO35, M-APO50, M-APO75 and M-APO90.
I like to maintain a similar footprint/design language for the images I shoot in a series, as part of a story. The 21Lux, 35Lux ASPH (preFLE) and 75Lux are a dream team. Likewise, the 28Lux, 50Lux ASPH and 90Lux are a perfect combo.
This doesn’t mean the other versions are not up to mark, it only means that for my taste, these lenses render images for a story/body of work with a similar look and feel. For the one camera-one lens prowling moments, any version will more than deliver the results.
For artistry, I like the Summilux 24/1.4. And the Steel Rim 35/1.4. And the Summilux 35/1.4 AA. And the Noctilux 50/f1. And the Noctilux 50/1.2. And the Noctilux 50/0.95. And the Summilux 75. You get the picture.
With the APO Summicrons, we have “perfect” lenses. With the Heritage series, we have “artistic” lenses. Choice is always good.
What I appreciate is that there is a tool for the job. And it’s fun to break rules. So, whether you are a purist or a philistine, there’s something available to help your vision come to life.
It’s so much fun to get absorbed into gear discussions. I am clearly as guilty as the person on the guillotine, and unabashedly so. I love talking about equipment as much as I enjoy making photographs.
The ultimate question always has been: Quo Vadis?
„Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country“
What is your vision? What do you imagine? What do you want to create? The lens is more than capable of realizing what any of us intend to conjure up.
What do you plan to shoot with the lens? A body of work? Or Bressonesque singular moments frozen forever in time? Will you use it on an M body, or an SL body, or both? Comment below and let me know.
The final Hurrah goes out to the Leica Team.
To Dr. Kaufmann who embodies the saying “There is nothing permanent except change”. To fuse the spirit of the 70 year old Leica M ethos, with the digital spaghetti of today’s sensors / processors as well as EVFs / touchscreens, and to fuse it all into a metal body of film M proportions, with a superlative UI is no small feat. It is amazing to see him at the helm, navigating the current challenges and charting the course for a bright future for Leica for tomorrow and beyond. Of course, supported by the supermen and superwomen like Stefan Daniel, Peter Karbe, Stefan Janssen, Michel Razafimahefa, Karin Rehn Kaufmann, Kiran Karnani and many others, who are passionate about what they do at Leica. For they do it for you and for me.
Three cheers to Leica, and to you, for being part of the vibrant and thriving Leica Community. Stay healthy.
If you want to see a meticulous comparison of the M-APO 35 vs a bunch of other M-35mm lenses, David Farkas and Josh Lehrer did a fabulous job, the video is accessible here: https://youtu.be/dytLb7VrhU0
Jono’s articles have been enthralling us over the years, and his take on the APO35 is here: https://www.slack.co.uk/leica-35-summicron-m.html
Chats Chatterjee poured his thoughts over the lens on his website here.
Evris: where are the RocknRoll straps for the SL2S!?! 😁
05 April, 2021 - PART 2 OF THE LENS REVIEW.
PLEASE ROTATE YOUR PHONE/TABLET TO LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION (SIDEWAYS) TO SEE THE FILE NAMES FOR THE COMPARISON SHOTS.
Here comes the promised part 2 of the review, covering:
Lens size comparisons - APO35/f2 vs. 35/f2 ASPH v1, 35/f1.4 ASPH and the 35/f1.4 FLE
Performance comparison - APO35/f2 vs the 35/f2ASPH v1 and the 35/f1.4 FLE
Thoughts and Observations
Let’s dive into the details, shall we?
I’ve had the lens for a month now and i’ve been shooting with it extensively.
Indoors and Outdoors. At 0.3M, at mid ranges and at infinity. We understand each other very well.
As I pick the camera up, I often wonder how they managed to pack such incredible performance into such a compact lens. I shoot with the 35/1.4FLE most of the time, so the size and weight are quite familiar to me.
Which leads us to the first section -
(1.) Lens size comparisons - APO35/f2 vs. 35/f2 ASPH v1, 35/f1.4 ASPH and the 35/f1.4 FLE.
The exact engineering specifications for the lenses are easily available online, this is a “in my hands and in front of my eyes” kind of comparison. The comparison images have been shot with either the Leica Q-P or the iPhone, so there’s the 28mm distortion you will notice.
Most of the iconic Leica M images have been shot with either a 35mm or a 50mm lens. These focal lengths continue to be the mainstay of many M photographers. The Leica M philosophy has always been to achieve maximum performance in the smallest, lightest and most compact packages. As you can see from the comparison images above, the APO35 keeps with this tradition.
However, it also breaks tradition.
It is the first 35mm lens to focus down to 0.3M. For anyone with a digital Leica M capable of Live View or EVF usage, such as the M240/M246 series or the M10* variants, this is an amazing capability. APO image quality, wide open at 0.3M is truly remarkable. Of course you will expect the lens to set new standards from the usual 0.7M-Infinity operating distance. And it does. It not only meets your expectations, it exceeds them.
Thanks to the APO correction, the total absence of any kind of aberrations is really noticeable in the images.
I am spoilt by the clean images coming out of the SL series. And it is refreshing to see this level of performance from a 35mm M lens. Do note: at the time of writing this review, Lightroom does not have a lens profile for the APO35, so no software correction is being applied.
Coming from my 35/2ASPH v1 as well as the 35FLE, I know I will have to spend time correcting images for Aberrations. Both Longitudinal as well as Lateral Chromatic Aberrations. Here is a good source to understand what these Aberrations are caused by, and how they negatively affect images: https://www.image-engineering.de/library/technotes/750-longitudinal-and-lateral-chromatic-aberration
In lightroom, the embedded lens profiles help to some extent in controlling these aberrations automatically, but they don’t always get fully removed. You can use the manual dropper tool to select the color of the aberration you want to correct, but it usually causes funky colours in other areas of the image.
The APO designation for a 35mm focal length could be mistaken as a Marketing statement.
However, having shot over 2,000 images in color with this lens, many of which are Torture Tests, I can state with confidence that there is real world benefit from the APO correction. Scroll down to the first part of the lens review below to see the Torture Test images.
The acuity, clarity and sparkle I see in the images are like nothing i’ve seen from any 35mm M lens. The definition of fine details wide open and the superlative performance at f5.6 is something else.
Which brings us to the next part of this review:
(2.) Performance comparison - APO35/f2 vs the 35/f2ASPH v1 and the 35/f1.4 FLE
This section features the Full Image, and crops of the center, top-left. bottom-left, top-right and bottom-right. 100% crops are too easy for this equipment, so let’s take it to the next level and examine 300% crops. Go grab a coffee, tea, beer or a glass of wine. There are many images coming up.
To even the playing field, all images have been shot on the M10p Safari, with the camera recording a steady ISO200 for wide open shots ISO320 for shots stopped down to f5.6 for all lenses, at a minimum 1/500 shutter speed to mitigate any shake. If the wind blew the foliage around, c’est la vie.
The lens sequence is: APO35/2, followed by the 35/2 ASPH v1, and finally the 35/1.4 FLE at f2 as well as f1.4, for the heck of it.
The file names are at the bottom of the images so you know what you’re looking at, and what i’m communicating with that picture.
The images are uploaded in the order of: Full image -> 300% crop of the center -> 300% crop of the extreme Top-Left, 300% crop of the extreme Bottom-Left and 300% crop of the extreme Bottom-Right. Understandably, I did not take crops of the plain blue sky you see Top-Right.
As you can see, the APO35 clearly beats the 35/2ASPH v1 as well as the 35/1.4FLE
If I had to rank the performance, the winners of this test are: (1.) APO35 (2.) 35FLE and (3.) 35/2 ASPH v1.
Here are additional test images, shot with the sun in the 11:00 position, to test how well the lenses hold contrast/saturation, how they suppress flares/ghosting, and how they control Longitudinal as well as Lateral Chromatic Aberrations. Do see the 300% crops of the middle of the frame, as well as the top-left from where the sun is hitting directly.
Which finally brings us to:
(3.) Thoughts and Observations:
The APO35 has earned the crown. “The King” of M-35mm focal length. Hands down.
The 35ASPH and the 35/1.4 FLE haven’t become lemons overnight, due to the release of the APO35. They still are amongst the world’s best 35mm lenses and they will continue to deliver amazing images for many decades to come. The APO35 simply takes it to the next level. Yes, it costs €7,300 here locally, but it delivers what it promises. At this level, that extra performance squeezed into a tiny body comes at an exponential cost.
Factors such as the RF alignment, lens calibration and a steady hand are critical to get the maximum out of what the equipment is capable of delivering.
Leica clearly rolled out the Red Carpet with the APO35 and offers a future-proof lens for the next generation of Digital M cameras.
I am currently using the APO35 on the Monochrom, as well as the M2, M5, M6 and M7 with various colour and B&W films. I will update this review in about 2 weeks from now.
Special bonus if I get this done in time will be a review of the APO35 on the SL2S body.
Hope you had a great Easter celebration with your near and dear ones. Stay safe.
Phew. This was a ton of work.
Hope this is of help to you. Do write your thoughts below to keep my motivation ongoing, and stay tuned for the next parts of the rolling review.
March 05, 2021 - PART 1 OF THE LENS REVIEW.
Stefan Janssen asked me if i’d like to Test the Leica APO Summicron 35/2 ASPH.
What a question 😍
The lens was not released yet and I only had a brief look at it over a video conference. And now it was on it’s way to my eager hands.
This is a rolling review, and will evolve over many weeks. This is not a review written with the lens in hand for a short period of time. I am using the M-APO35/2ASPH on the Leica M10-p Safari, M10 standard, M9Monochrom as well as a few Film bodies such as the M2, M5 and the M7.
The review will contain:
(1.) thoughts on the lens performance
(2.) comparison with the Leica 35/2ASPH
(3.) as well as the Leica Summilux 35/1.4 FLE
Let’s get started with (1.) Lens Performance:
One word to describe what i’m seeing coming out of this lens. Astounding.
End of review.
Simply go to the shop closest to you and buy a copy of this lens. Go back home and sell a kidney if you must.
I have a pretty large collection of M lenses, both old and new, and I often felt like the performance wasn’t upto the SL lens standards. With the SL lenses, the optical perfection is clearly visible. In every single shot, in any circumstance. I have shot with the SL system literally since the day it was launched.
But, in defence of the M lenses, most of the M lenses are small and weigh a fraction of the SL lenses.
Sure, the M-APO50/2, M-APO75/2, M-APO90/2 and M-APO135/3.4 deliver the goods, but the SL lenses are simply on a different level altogether.
Enter the M-APO35/2. Astounding. Seriously. Those who know me, known that I am not prone to throw superlatives often, or claim every new product launched is the Holy Grail, but I must make an exception here. The Leica folks have not just knocked this out of the ballpark, they have literally kicked this into orbit.
35mm is my most used focal length. And I have more 35mm lenses than common sense.
All variants of the 35/1.4 Summilux - right from the Steel Rim, to the 35AA to the 35/1.4 ASPH (preFLE) to the 35/1.4 FLE. In some cases, multiple copies of the same lens. I also have the good fortune of having most variants of the 35/2 Summicron, And the 35/2.8 Summaron. Both the LTM as well as the native M mount variants. Same for the 35/3.5 Summaron.
I not only enjoy collecting, I am a prolific user as well. I put every single item in my collection to good use. I have shot thousands upon thousands of images with the aforementioned 35mm focal length lenses. On the M9, on the M9M, on the M240, on the M246, on film cameras in both color as well as b&w and now, on the gorgeous M10-p Safari as well as the normal M10. On different continents, over the different seasons, and at almost all hours of day and night.
But no 35mm M lens has astounded me before. This lens finally reaches the same level as the SL counterpart.
Not only has the performance bested any 35mm that ever existed before, it is the first M lens to focus down to 0.3M natively. Without any macro adapters. Without any OUFRO rings. Without any Visoflex. You can take that close-up shot of the flower, and the scene unfolding on the street and capture that gorgeous sunset. You will see the same astounding performance wide open at 0.3M, as you will at f5.6 and infinity.
Whether it is the incredible correction of chromatic aberration, the total lack of any green/red fringing, the superlative flare control, or the rich contrast and saturation in images shot contre-jour, this lens delivers the goods.
To top it all off - all this performance is tightly compressed into a small body that’s 41mm long, 53mm in diameter, and weighs just 320 grams. It takes the same tiny 39mm filters like all 35/2 summicrons.
Maybe one word on the build quality of the lens - LEICA.
Enjoy the images below, these have been processed to my taste.
I will include a separate section further below for the “Torture Tests”, do take a look at the Proof of Performance.
TORTURE TESTS:
The section below will showcase images that are straight out of the camera, deliberately shot to demonstrate the extreme performance of the lens.
Wide Open Aperture shots of bright metallic objects against the sun, white fabrics in broad daylight that result in tons of purple fringing, bright edges that usually glow with green and red fringing, chrome plated car / motorbike parts, 100% crops, 200% crops, 300% crops … you get the idea.
All the dont’s from the book photography for dummies 101.
““Never stop down if you do not need the depth of field.” - Peter Karbe”
A big Thank You to Stefan Daniel for blazing through the official processes and making this happen. A big Thank You to Stefan Janssen for the great discussions, and for sending the lens over at lightning speed.
A big Thank You also to Jono, Chats and Evris for all the great conversations over the years.
And a big Thank You, to you, for taking the time to read this Review. Write a comment below and let me know if you like something, or if you feel something can be improved. Constructive criticism is welcome.
