Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux Steel Rim Remake Review (compared to Pre-A and Voigtlander Nokton)

[@johannesbasuki391]

I got SteelRim , after a month dust went in to the inner glass, and some spots spots found at the front element, I returned it to the dealer for a service, and to my surprise Leica Australia replaced with a new one. What a fantastic service. My copy is perfect, no aperture ring wobble, smooth focus, and on top of that beautiful images and colour.

[@JimmyCheng]

That’s great! Good to hear!

[@D.Trider]

Thanks for the great video. You’re the type of guy I could just sit and chat about Leica over a frosty cold beer. 🍻

[@JimmyCheng]

haha thanks for the kind words!

[@joshuarothman]

FWIW-I own both the new Steel Rim and the Nokton and I vastly prefer the Steel Rim. I don't feel that they're actually comparable lenses. It's true that at f/1.4 the Steel Rim's glow is kind of out of control, but there are times when that's actually useful, when you want those glowing highlights. And at f/1.7 the glow is tamed a great deal, and the sharpness and texture of the images stands out to me. From f/2 I find that the SR is like the perfect Summicron / Ultron that I always wanted, with a vintage OOF look but modern contrast and gentle falloff. Overall I find the pictures more vibrant and the colors richer with the Steel Rim. The differences are very visible to me after shooting thousands of photos of all kinds with both lenses. Not to say that the Nokton isn't a great lens, especially for the price. But I don't think these types of test shots can really capture what makes a lens unique-for that you need to really shoot a lot in a variety of real-life situations. In terms of build quality: I like the handling of my Steel Rim quite a lot, but I also wish that the aperture ring were more dampened. I shoot it without a hood, using just a filter on the lens. No lens is perfect, and I feel that the Steel Rim is quite a niche lens, but for me it's proven to be my one-and-done 35mm.

[@JimmyCheng]

I’m glad you enjoyed your copy!

[@GastonShutters]

Yes!! Popcorn in hand. About to make my review in a few days too. Love this lens after DAG tighten the aperture with a 10 days turnaround and paid around $120.

[@rexgigout1472]

Well-done! Beautiful images! No surprises. I agree with your findings. I test-shot a Voigtlander Nokton II MC at a coffee shop meet-up about a year ago. Then, last May or early June, I test-shot a pre-aspherical Summilux Version II, a demonstrator Summilux ASPH FLE, and my Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM, together, at a Leica dealer. Then, at the end of June, Leica USA, in New Jersey, received a shipment of the Re-Edition Steel Rim lenses. I ordered quickly, before they were sold-out. I was blessed to receive a good one. My Re-Edition Steel Rim Summilux may well remain my only Leica-brand M lens to have been bought new, rather than pre-owned, so, I am glad that it was a positive experience.

[@JimmyCheng]

I'm glad your copy is a good! Quite a few ppl have to deal with QC issues lately.

[@CrueLoaf]

I’ve got a 35mm Summilux f1.4 from 1981. It’s got a wonderful vintage character.

[@j.k5654]

Thanks Jimmy. To my eyes, the film images make this lens a super star than the digital ones.

[@amaniahnuar]

i LOVE the look of that MAP exclusive Nokton Classic. Brass, the barrel design is very much like the first version but the optical used the second version which reduces the focus shift. it's SUCH a beautiful package! (edit: seems like MAP exclusive might use the v1 optical design, apologies from me) I do think the focus shift in Nokton is causing that loss of sharpness and that's a common problem among lens of that formula. Refocusing differently might be the solution but it's not a big deal especially on mirrorless.

[@kurocamera]

The glass used is the V1 for the Map version, not V2 unfortunately.

[@amaniahnuar]

@@kurocamera interesting. i may have mistaken because i read somewhere Voigtlander used the new dispersion element there but i Googled again, some says it's the version 1 too. Sorry for the wrong info!

[@dlyon9673]

Thank you for this very interesting, honest review. Your photos look beautiful! And now I'm very interested in searching out the Nokton.

[@JimmyCheng]

Ha! Not what I expected I thought you would want the Steel Rim haha. They are all good lenses!

[@dlyon9673]

I'm curious as to how these lenses might compare to the new Nokton f1.5 35mm lenses -- maybe another video?@@JimmyCheng

[@JimmyCheng]

@@dlyon9673 well honestly you can’t really compare the 1.5 ii to these old design lenses. The 1.5 is much sharper with its aspherical design, especially in the corners. That’s why I compared it with the lux asph and the thypoch 35 asph in my last video. Optically they are in different leagues.

[@dlyon9673]

Oh, that's very good to know. Thank you. @@JimmyCheng

[@wilfredshum3703]

I have your titanium version of the pre-ASPH and the reissued steel rim. Both have that Leica glow at wide open aperture. It is a bit hard to definitively say which lens is better because the glass of the vintage one might have some imperfections that I am not aware of. I probably should use these two lenses more than the vintage 35 mm Summaron f/2.8 lens that I like a lot. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@JimmyCheng]

Thanks for sharing your experience as well!

[@emmanueltsI5]

that chrome nokton renders as it should plus is a beauty. Quite unfortunate that VC do not offer this under their regular line-up. Thx for the video!

[@JimmyCheng]

thanks for the comment. Yeah that chrome Nokton is such a beauty

[@kurocamera]

Titanium pre asph is the best! Love it :D

[@JimmyCheng]

Yeah it’s handsome!

[@Paco_TG]

Great review and video. Thank you.

[@JimmyCheng]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@akesun1]

Thank you for a honest review😀

[@Igyuanliu__]

你做的视频太好了 👍🔥 是我在KZbin最喜欢的徕卡器材相关的博主 继续关注你 🔥🔥

[@hdm-nm]

The Voigtlander 35 1.4 Nokton II currently sold addresses the issues of the v1 optics: distortion, focus shift, and field curvature. The Map Camera version is the old v1. It's too bad we don't have a v2 version with the brass construction of the v1 Map Camera special edition.

[@JimmyCheng]

Hmm. Unfortunately there's still quite a bit of distortion and field curvature as you can see from the test photos (I tested the v2 mc not v1).

[@hdm-nm]

@@JimmyCheng I see. I'd read the vII improved on all those issues over the vI, but perhaps not as much as I thought. Thank you for the clarification. I thought you were using the Map Camera version for the testing, but I probably wasn't paying close enough attention.

[@JimmyCheng]

@@hdm-nm nah it was my bad, I forgot to point out it is the v2. I have not really test them side by side tbh, I thought the map camera one has the newer optic. I'll do some comparison to see if that is or is not the case.

[@hdm-nm]

@@JimmyCheng Yes, it's my understanding that there are two types of the version I: the regular black production version and the special edition silver Map Camera version. And I read there is only one version II, which is also black. If there is indeed a silver and brass vII, it would mean Map Camera made two separate special editions.

[@richardsimms251]

Nice video. Thank you RS. Canada

[@theodahlem857]

Great review Jimmy. Where to find the Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 Silver Map Camera Special edition M Steel Rim?

[@GunstonGun]

i own the germany copy of V2 pre-A, was quite intrigued with the steel rim reissue look, after viewing your review, it deter me to pull the trigger due to ... not so solid build.

[@junichinomura4810]

nice comparison video jimmy, and about that leica steel rim many complaint in that build quality maybe they are build or assembled in Portugal not germany ? 😅 because many of leica Summicron lenses are made there and also so can make more of that in order. I will stick to my Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm F1.5 II. it`s small enough and great built quality than that NOkton 35mm F1.4 even on the mark 2 version side by side I tried it.

[@JimmyCheng]

They are built in Germany as far as I know (as engraved), Only a handful of lenses are built in Portugal and they are cheaper than the German counterparts actually. The 35 1.5 ii is my favourite 35 right now! Sharp yet with smooth bokeh.

[@wheezzy101]

It is a love hate relationship for me. The SR is my favorite lens I have used but its currently in Germany because the aperture ring seized up and was very hard to move. So we will see....going on Month #3 of it being gone. Kind of thinking of picking up a v2 and selling the SR when I get it back.

[@JimmyCheng]

is yours the remake or original?

[@wheezzy101]

@@JimmyCheng I have the reissue. It was even the newer version that included the thinner hood.

[@JimmyCheng]

@@wheezzy101 Great! I'm glad that you enjoyed the lens (at least more than I did).

[@AdamCzarnowski]

I picked up a black v2 lux and hood in perfect shape for roughly half what the steel rim remake would cost. A magic lens.

[@ianforber]

I am thinking about saving up for the steel rim but, in the meantime, I got the Voigtlander 35mm f1.5 Nokton. A bit bigger than the f1.4 but I can live with that as I found the f1.4 just a bit difficult to use. It’s so good I’m wondering whether to bother saving up for any other 35mm

[@JimmyCheng]

the 1.5ii in brass is my current fav vm 35

[@Mrcj0630]

請問是否所有leica的鏡頭 光圈環都會有輕微上下郁動的感覺 我的apo好像有點

[@peterebel7899]

Glow is generated by lens geometry, not by coating.

[@webersteve1547]

Is the steel rim not made of brass? I didn't expected this

[@JimmyCheng]

It’s made of brass, but somehow it feels very plasticky. I don’t know how Leica manage to do that actually 🤣

[@TheVFXbyArt]

Ever think you’d ever walk into a leica store and ask for a steel rim job and be charged thousands?!😂

[@JimmyCheng]

Really? 😮

[@kinkwanphoto]

當我想入手remake版時看到這影片跟留言有點保留。Voigtlander 銀色那支造功看來真的不錯, 但是是特別版嗎? 一般看到都是黑色版的。

[@JimmyCheng]

嗯沒錯。 voigtlander那支是map camera限量發售的，記得有500枚。現在市場價會比發售價貴不少

[@four-kings]

你桌上那个音响我也有

[@JimmyCheng]

哈哈好看但音质不太好

[@jsnlyng]

I think the glow on the 8-element at f2.0 is just right, and the steel rim or pre-asph at f1.4 is a bit too much. As for the build quality, for sure, Leica has cut corners for modern products. I doubt i will buy any of these newer lenses (newer than 11663) because of the look, ergonomics, or build quality, and that’s a big problem for leica.

[@JimmyCheng]

agree and agreed

[@huanliya]

东京旅游会出期节目吗？

[@JimmyCheng]

应该会！

[@yikongxu6115]

啊，这个不是发过吗

[@JimmyCheng]

没有啊

[@yikongxu6115]

@@JimmyCheng哦哦我记错了！没开声音以为是leica 维修回来的那台钢嘴

[@ccoppola82]

I cannot believe a premium product takes 6 months to replace a manufacturer defect. That’s unacceptable.

[@dacookieman_]

It's a rite of passage for every Leica user. Besides your camera freezing on you. 😂

[@ccoppola82]

@@dacookieman_ I’ve oddly never bought a new Leica item. All used and I guess I’ve been lucky. The only thing I had to do once was replace the focus tab in my 35 pre asph lux. I got it so cheap because of the broken tab and it took a $40 part to repair.

[@JimmyCheng]

Yeah it’s a bit of an unfortunate situation for Leica users out there. But at least they replaced it and send back the updated hood instead of the original design.

[@frankphotography8470]

Great review, it’s seems that the SR is a little underwhelming

[@kade3087]

P R O M O S M

[@klarkolofsson]

Half a year later? That's unacceptable for the price. Simple as that.

[@JimmyCheng]

this has been the turn-around time if you send anything to Germany these days unfortunately. If I include the communication time, it's 8 months.

[@klarkolofsson]

@@JimmyChengI will not buy any new Leica gear anytime soon. Thank you for the information.

[@michelbirnbacher]

I think, they did a little bit of new production/design staff and send you the „new“ version - so you had to wait for delivery????

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

The re-make is poorly made and overpriced .

[@JimmyCheng]

agreed. Pricing wise I think is fine, but the build quality is simply not there.

[@vyacheslavdurov8007]

Great review and video. Thank you.