The Bucket List Lens
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- Опубликовано: 8 июл 2024
- The Leica Summilux 35mm F1.4 is that special lens that can really define your work and after 4 months of non-stop use, I wanted to share my experience from around the world. Enjoy!
00:00 Designing the Perfect Lens
01:12 Summilux 35mm F1.4 Close Focusing
02:44 Integrated Lens Hood
03:11 Aperture Blades and Samples
04:27 Back to Studio
05:03 Interview with Leica
05:52 The Leica “Magic”
07:15 Leica Summilux 35mm F1.4 Build Quality
07:51 Night Time Performance
08:35 My Personal Journey
12:35 Closing Thoughts
14:07 Looking Ahead
Leica Summilux 35mm F1.4 FLE II: geni.us/Summilux35FLEII
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#leica #summilux #35mm
Shoot! I forgot to mention in this video that I started something new, that *some* of you might find a ton of value from. It's invite-only at the moment but you can find all the details here www.gajanbalan.com/churchxstreet
I'm not a photographer. Can't even afford a Q2. But I enjoy every M11/M lenses reviews just for the sake of seeing beautiful high quality pictures. This video didn't disappoint.
Thank you Erick, I appreciate that 🙏🏾
It was great seeing your images and getting your impressions of this lens. I’m on the waiting list as well, and this just made me all the more eager to receive it. Thank you.
Thanks Ben and I’m excited for you. The wait will be worth it ✌🏾
Thanks Galan. I’ve owned various film and digital M cameras over the years, as well as various versions of the 35mm and 50mm Summilux. I’ve always enjoyed not only the subject separation but also the sort of dreamy fall-off of the background (which, as you noted, can be avoided simply by stopping down).
Also, like you I don’t find Leica’s prices to be out of line when you consider the R&D costs, the very high skill level of fairly compensated employees, and the relatively small size of production. Leica is certainly out of most consumers’ reach (including me early on), but that does not make the prices unreasonable.
great video ! montage, storytelling, infos, everything is on point :) love it
Amazing images! I absolutely agree: it’s my holy grail lense as well!
Fascinating video. Lovely photos. Thanks
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Love this and excellent personable review of the 35mm FLE II. Great personal experience and stunning shots. Definitely a lens that's on my bucket list too.
Thank you, appreciate you watching 🙏🏾
@@GajanBalan and... just like that, mine is currently being shipped. Expensive but have a feeling it's going to be worth it, especially with the close focusing.
Respect!!! 🙌🏾 These gotta be some of the most beautiful photos I have ever seen... Thanks
I appreciate that, thank you 🙏🏾
Nice overview. Yes, the combination of close focus, more aperture blades and integrated lens hood make this a compelling offer. Definitely my next lens. BTW - the custom engaging on your M11 looks great!
Agreed and thank you Greg!
Great work brother! Loving your images!
Thank you brother 🙏🏾
Fantastic discussion! Enjoy it bud.
Thanks brother 🙏🏾
Thanks for this personal review of your 35mm lux. Stunning shots :)
Thanks for watching 🙏🏾
Suthipotukonga! Touchwood! I am inspired by your sincerity towards the making of this video. That's spectacular! keep it up. Enjoy!
Wow, your “mods” to the M11 look great! Great review. I’ve been getting by with the Voigtlander 35mm f/2 APO until the helicoid seized and sent it for repair. I finally ordered the new summilux and I like never leaves the camera. I love this for street photography, it’s just the right size and very very reliable. I’m sure it will join my beat up 50mm summicron v4 that I use in the day shoots.
Love your work BTW.
Thank you and congrats! Enjoy the hell out of that new Lux.
Great pics! The close-focusing on the 35 mm APO Summicron pushed me to add the Visoflex 2, and I'm glad I did; it makes it easier to focus those shots that are too close for the rangefinder.
Yea, I didn’t mention it here (saving it for another video) but I think the Visoflex is something that needs to be in most modern kits. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Thanks, very useful video.
Amazing I purchased the same setup a few weeks ago. - M11 and 35mm 1.4 - July G
Congrats! Enjoy the journey ✌🏾
Great video !! I love Leica glass, absolutely love them. And M-glass more than SL glass, due to their character. My favourite and everyday lens is the 28 Lux, just love the rendering and versatility of 28mm. would love if it also would come in a new version with close focus. But Im OK with 70 cm.
Enjoy you Gem!!
I love that you got the silver version and you talk about putting your own "lovemarks" on the lens.
Thanks! Really enjoying this one.
Great video Gajan - I have the this lens' predecessor (ASPH FLE), and I know what you mean... The microcontrast and Leica look I get with this lens is spectacular. Though I have other focal lengths , this one is almost always paired with my M.
Good job!
Really well done review of this optic. I want one for my M6.📷
Absolutely beautiful lens. I’m still loving my 28mm Elmarit and 50mm Summicron combo. Every once in a while I get the Summilux itch though. 🤤
Such a great kit. What I cut from this edit was me originally looking at a cheaper 28/50 combo to get started! it was either 2 great lenses or my one bucket list lens.
Too many great choices out here 😂 Thanks for watching ✌🏾
@@GajanBalanah, but which 28? I am a v1 Summicron that I have been wanting to go to version 2, but now I’m interested in v3 for the close focusing. There’s also the Summilux pulling at my wallet.
Thanks for this review, Gajan! This lens combined with the M11 produces some stunning images. I think that you may enjoy the experience even more on the SL2-S considering the high resolution EVF. The cameo by James Stacey caught me off-guard! I had the pleasure of meeting him, his wife, and some of the Hodinkee staff at a Leica Watch event at the DC Leica store in November. As much as I love the images, the Voigtlander lenses do make purchases like the Summilux 35mm a hard sell, but there's no doubt that this is a grail lens. Congratulations on getting this!
Thanks for watching and James is awesome. Looking forward to test driving this lens on the SL2-s soon.
Amazing work men! Great explanation about the lens! Greetings from Lisbon
Thanks for watching, I miss Lisbon. Hoping to come back soon.
Damn.. those example images
Thank you brother. Doin my best to show the work ✌🏾
Every time I watch a video like this it has me taking inventory of which body parts I need, and which I can sell and still survive.
Hahaha! If there’s anything I learnt in university, it’s that the human body is quite resilient 😂✌🏾
Just joined the Leica craze on Saturday and picked up a Q2. It’s my favourite camera ever. And the lens is just staggering. If I had to pick one lens, this 28 would be it!
FOV is more like 24mm
Wow, congrats! Enjoy the journey.
@@janfrosty3392 Only had it 48 hours but I love it. It doesn’t seem that wide.
@@janfrosty3392 25mm thereabouts. So when you add distortion correction, it becomes 28mm
yep
My go to is the Voigt 28 Ultron II and the 50 lux. The Voigt is awesome (really).
It shouldn’t, but it does: the Voights deliver great results that make you question how affordable they are. Really great stuff.
That black M11 looks sick Gajan! Love the stealthy look, red engraving (your homeland I guess) and the shutter release button. Hot!
Thanks Karim! And yes, the homeland. Check out the video before this one to see the behind-the-scenes of the engraving.
I have Gajan, loved it! Perfect descriptions of the passion we share for photography and the Brand …. By the way, I see Michael at Leica quite often as I live near Wetzlar! :)
I’d love to imagine such a beautiful and versatile lens like this on a medium format camera (like hopefully a Leica SL medium format camera at 100mp)
😮💯👊📷
One lens that could be used in sooo many situations. Great vid!👊
I have the FLE v1, and it’s so versitile that it’s almost the only lens I use. The thing is the 0.7 m… I would love to have the FLE v2 to get closer. And the number of aperture blades would also be welcome, because you can’t use 1.4 all the time, and bokeh at 2.8 is not the same as 1.4. Now you have given me GAS again😂. You are partly responsible for me going from Fuji to Leica.😊
This summilux sure is an impressive lens… Maybe even more impressive is the quality you get out of lenses that Leica made 40, 50 or even 60 years ago. I have a 35mm summaron from the 1960’s (the one with the goggles) that’s glued to my M2 and it’s an amazing lens. So while they’re expensive, you can enjoy your summilux for the rest of your live 😊.
Very true, a lens for life. Thanks for watching!
When you shoot flash with the M11 you're able to use TTL or manual flash only?
For the majority of last year, it was manual (either directly or through remote) but Profoto just released their Leica trigger so using TTL there for fast paced environments.
Hi Gajan, great video. I own this lens too. So special. Any advise for consistently getting the eyes in critical focus at f1.4? I’m hitting it about 50%. Your enthusiasm for your craft is inspiring. Thank you.
Other manufacturers throw tons of corrective lensgroups into their lenses. That is why other lenses are so big. Leica does not have the space in their M llenses for corrective groups. They need to make the initial image of the lens as good as possible. And that costs some money. Additionallly to that they are a small company. They are smaller than Pentax. People often forget that because everybody talks about Leica.
Would be interesting to compare to the ‘Rit ASPH at the same aperture. One of the things I love about mine is the falloff and balance between character and clinical.
Great suggestion
The "Holy Grail" / "Desert Island" / "Glued to the Camera" lens idea is very interesting, especially for what it says about the photographer's style. The person who most favors a lens in the 30-50mm range can often say, "I can do almost anything I want with this lens." On the other hand, the person who finds their best work uses the 85-105mm range will likely say, "Yes, but I need something wide for many tasks."
My favorite images tend to use the longer, telephoto end. My 'minimalist' option would have two lenses, a 85-105mm and a 28-35mm lens. With only the telephoto, I would miss important images. With only the wide, I would miss taking advantage of my most effective photography.
There is this aperture blade issue going around with some copies of this lens and that is preventing me from pulling the trigger. I also wish they update the 50 lux with close focusing.
Interesting, I haven’t heard of that specific issue. And yea, would love to see the 50 get this similar update.
2nd vid of your I watched today. I like the enthusiasm you have for it after you have used it. Questions. If this lens didn’t arrive in time for your India trip, what would of you used, or what were you using before this lens? I know the difference between 2 & 1.4, what is the difference in shooting this lens & the more expensive 2..0 lenses?
Thanks for any replies.
Would’ve used my Summarit 35mm 2.4. Would’ve made it work but definitely limits what I could’ve done.
i bought this lens 3 days ago...is it true that focus on view finder its not correct in 40 cm but i have to see on live view... thanks
I have 2 35mm FLE 1.4 lux not bad
I'm REALLY wanting to compare this lens to the Sony 35/1.4GM
Do it!
Great to see your passion for the new lens. If it stays on the body and gets banged up to hell, you know you made the right choice.
Haha, completely agree with you Trev. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Nice work regardless of the camera and lens.
Thanks Craig ✌🏾
Great shots. Were you using the EVF to nail focus on the close-ups?
For most of the shots no. Only got the Visoflex a few months later and use it at night predominantly. Under 0.7m the camera switches to live view for focusing.
Hmm, I'm contemplating getting a Lux, initially it was 50mm, but after watching this, the 35mm, functionally would be better because of that closer focus and better bokeh, maybe more crispier pictures as well. I may sell my ASPH 35mm summicron if I do😅get this.
My only "hatred" is that I have the previous generation. It's frickin' spectacular, and I got such a deal on it...But the close focus would be nice.
I hear ya. On the bright side, you have one and that’s still one special lens!
Great review Gajan - inspiring me to ditch my DSLR for a Rangefinder and MF. BTW what flash trigger do you use?
Thanks for watching. Previously it was the Godox but migrated to the new Profoto Leica trigger.
Gajan, how did you "black out" your red dot??? Were you able to find black out ones and replaced it, or did you paint your red one black? Great video man...Love to see you shooting on a M11
I found a seller on eBay that takes Leica logos and repaints them black. Then it’s a matter of carefully twisting the existing logo off and putting the new one. Hope this helps!
I love the square hood on the previous model, but it vignettes like mad, maybe due to the hood but I think it’s just the lens itself. It’s the same optically isn’t it?
Interesting. Didn’t notice that with this lens at all.
I feel the same way about my new Nikon 50mm f1.8 S 😂 Well may be not the size, but it made me realize the importance of glass…
Yes! Oh man, I have this 85 1.4 for my Nikon F5 that feels the same for me for my film shooting. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Love the channel Gajan! I've followed for a long time. I'm a Fuji X & (rented as needed) GFX shooter that's lusting after the M11. A bit off topic question for you. Would you keep your GFX for commercial work if you could tether the M11 into CP1 or do they truly fulfill different niches and you'd continue to use both systems? Maybe a video about set workflow with clients regarding cameras systems / tethering / strengths and weakness between GFX & Leica as tools for a working commercial pro could be interesting..... I just can't see not tethering being ok on my shoots with art directors, MUAs, Stylists etc. Anyways, thanks for all the effort you put into these videos!
I appreciate that Chris. I wouldn’t get rid of my GFX solution for an M kit for my commercial work. At least for me, tethering and even the grip, I just need that in the studio.
That being said, I’ll be stress-testing and SL system over the next few months as I transition from Fuji to Leica. If that exceeds my expectations, I’ll likely migrate my from GFX. Hope this helps!
@@GajanBalan Thank you so much for the thoughtful reply! I love the fuji colors for personal, street and editorial, but I'm sure like you, everything is color checkered on the commercial shoots. The benefit of the fuji film profiles is thrown out the window for accuracy. The SL system looks very interesting too and I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the system. Thanks again for all the content!
Man, your video of the M11 was the first that allowed me to appreciate the experience of a Leica system. Q: Are you using the Leica for client projects too? I suppose it’s the same pace as a GFX :)
I appreciate that, thanks. I’ve started to integrate into client work but looking at pairing this with the SL2-s as a real studio solution.
I shouldn’t get that lens, but if I take the step to buy Leica Glass I would LOVE to get the 50mm version 😍
That 50 is really nice as well!
@@GajanBalan I can imagen! But for now I’ll get the Voigtlander 50mm f1.2 Nokton. :)
I'm curious to know if anyone has upgraded from the Voigtkander 35 mm F1.7 Ultron to this FLE Leica lens.
I am late to the comments. I had a chance to walk around a city environment with an M10P and a 50f1.4 ASP. I enjoyed the feel and quality of construction and had a number of images I liked. I can appreciate the rangefinder experience. But, there was nothing I could not have taken faster and easier and at least as high image quality with my Sony A7R5 or A1 and a corresponding GM lens. It is a case of practicality and logic over the experience I would guess. I know what I would want to use if I had to get a job done.
The M can be a great challenge :) probably one of the reasons everyone needs to have one 😅
Although Leica products are way out of my reach I enjoy watching reviews and no one does it better than you. Can you say something about that leather bag? What brand is it? Regards.
I appreciate that, thank you. It’s the Ona Backpack in leather (they make a canvas version too). Love this one.
Was this filmed on the Panasonic S5 Mark ii
Nope, Canon C70
Hello my friend. I am a fan of your channel and your work . I have a Leica M10R camera. Is the silver lens like the one you have better than the black one?
Not better. Same glass. But I think silver looks damn nice on a black body. Especially with that red text.
@@GajanBalan thank you 🙏
I have the lens since couple of days and when using it with hyperfocal (F16 and my focus tab set to 2.5 meters) I don’t get the sharpness (close and at infinity) I get with the summarit 35 mm in the same configuration… maybe this is not the Leica vision for that lens - mostly used at 1.4 and stopping down at 5.6 …
I can hardly watch this damn review. I bought the old version a month before this one came out. I’m crying a little 😂- no close focus for me!! Jk - wonderful as always. My favorite photography channel.
Haha, I hear ya man but at least you can rest ways knowing it’s the same glass. Appreciate you watching, thanks!
The images shown made me crave for one. I might have to sell my Rolex but I'm thinking it only tells the time; a Citizen should do that better. 😂 The M11 will have to wait tho. 🤔
Bro we got Zeiss 1.4 on a helicoid adapter to sl2 or FP welcome to 2023
Tamil Eealam engraved on a Leica ? Nice ! Greetings from France !
Thank you brother ✊🏾
Have you tried this lens on a Leica SL? I did some tests with a SL2-S and the result was particularly disappointing. 😢
Really? That’s exactly what I’ll be testing next week so I’ll be sure to see how it goes.
@@GajanBalan then, the Leica Store in my city lent me the 35/1.4 Asph Fle II lens as it normally does with all long-known customers. It was quite cold, and I admit the light wasn't ideal at all, but I still managed to shoot for at least an hour. I shot in both the standard color profile and the regular black and white profile. All the images were taken in Raw, ISO up to 1600, and apertures 1.4 and 5.6, in order to then be able to see the same scene comfortably at home on a large screen, first with reduced depth of field and maximum bokeh, then with greater depth field and greater sharpness. what I can say is that the result is, precisely on a Leica SL2-S, very homogeneous with the same apertures. At 1.4 the sharpness is good, but not extraordinary, on the point of focus, the bokeh is interesting. However, an annoying magenta cast appears (try to photograph a white wall) and the fall of light at the edges is, in my opinion, really annoying. At 5.6 everything improves, the magenta cast has disappeared, the sharpness increases, even if not at stratospheric levels, across the whole field. To conclude, I think it is a partial compatibility problem between "M" lenses and SL bodies, even using the original adapter, a problem I also encountered with other "M" lenses, especially with focus point at infinity. After all, I've seen your photos and they seem more than good, even considering the passage on RUclips which certainly doesn't improve them. To conclude and give you a more concrete evaluation criterion, I must tell you that by shooting at 5.6 with the 35/1.4 Asph Fle II I obtained a result equal to what I normally get at 2.8 with the Leica APO-Summicron SL 35/2 Asph. It doesn't seem possible that there could be all this difference: the Summilux 35/1.4 Fle II should always be used on digital "M"s and occasionally on "SLs". Greetings
I got a Leica Q2 and before I had heard it was the entry way for leica...now i am wanting an M body and Im not even a professional smh
Congrats! Put a ton of mileage on those bodies and enjoy the journey.
zeiss 35mm 1.4 zm distagon is still king 👑 Leica didn’t know how to beat this lens . are your photos straight out of camera ? the skin tones looks orange 🍊 overall too saturated
Feel free to drop a link to your Zeiss images. Would love to see what that lens could do as well as your colour ✌🏾
@@GajanBalan hello sir , I was asking you why the skintones are orange 🍊 are these files straight out of camera or did you edit them ? The black and white photos are very good 👍 , I have nothing against Leica I used the brand from 2012 to 2015 , I had at that time the summilux 35mm 1.4 there was a problem with the aperture blades , I sold it after the repair and bought the 35mm 1.4 zm distagon , I don’t own this lens anymore but I have another distagon for Nikon f mount , cheaper and the IQ is similar to the ZM , the ZM was one of my best lenses better then Leica , the only difference is size and Zeiss has a little more contrast out of the box that’s it . If you want I can drop some links to the distagon f mount the image quality is 95% of Leica for a fraction of the cost . Thank you sir and have a great day
@@lukykentucky I hear ya. I appreciate the context. Getting “95%” of the look just isn’t the same, and not enough to be king. At least in my opinion.
All my images are edited unless otherwise stated. If you’re looking for clinical reviews with SOOC results, this channel isn’t for you. Thanks for stopping by though.
Nah no hating on Leica. Money is what you give value is what you get. They’re great machines and feel incredible in the hand.
But if I went somewhere with a camera and came back with amazing images I’m not sure it matters what camera or lens I took.
The photo at 3:53 is outstanding. I thought if you had a 28 you’d get the batsman completely in frame but then you’d lose the bowler. Ahh compromise
It’s all subjective at the end of the day. The gear matters to a point and then it doesn’t. That point is what varies and differentiates peoples’ experiences.
And thank you, I had a few with him in frame but I kinda like the one where it’s tight and more in the action. Though I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking these decisions 😂✌🏾
I wonder if photographers thought as much about their lenses as everyone seems to do these days, I think they thought more about composition and other things than lenses!
I like to believe as complex creatures we can do both.
@@GajanBalan Well, no matter what lens you have, it can never replace the human visual way of creating an image!
A bit concerned about it getting marked so easily it would make you think before buying one
To be fair, I’m treating this thing more like a sibling than a son. If that makes sense 😅
Thanks. I'm about to be 5K poorer.
🤣
Lens looks amazing but.... if you're trying to shoot close-focus at low aperture (especially portraits) WHY would you be shooting with an M camera? Your focus is way off on most of these shots.
Maybe the compression of this video misrepresented the focus for you? Looking at the files and prints of these images on my end, the focus is exactly where I’d want them to be.
There’s one B&W night shot, wide-open that was handheld and has a little bit of blur if you punch in. But again, looks great when viewed on a screen or print. Feel free to drop a time-stamp if you disagree.
Everybody using this on digital. I have not seen any being used in a film M. Somebody make a film use review.
I'm sure its great but at 6 grand, no dice
Not for everybody 🤷🏾♂️
Well this was an expensive video to watch. 😂 anyone in the market for a 35 summicron? Q2? Both…..
Haha, I’m sorry 😅
8:10 organic... wtf and skipped this video immediately
lol cool bro ✌🏾
*rubs hands like Birdman while looking for v1 copies*🫦🤝🏽
Thoroughly enjoyed it as always, Gajan.
HAHAHAHA! Yesss brother!!
Appreciate the support as always ✌🏾