Leica R 35 f/2 Summicron v2 Filter Size: A Lenss Secret Weapon

Leica r 35 f2 summicron v2 filter size – Leica R 35 f/2 Summicron v2 filter size, a seemingly small detail, holds the key to unlocking the full potential of this legendary lens. This seemingly innocuous specification dictates the types of filters you can use, shaping the final image in ways you might not expect.

It’s a world of subtle nuances and creative possibilities, where the right filter can transform your vision into reality.

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 is a celebrated lens, renowned for its exceptional image quality and versatility. Its compact size and fast aperture make it a favorite for street photography, portraiture, and even landscape work. But the story doesn’t end there.

The filter size, a critical component often overlooked, plays a vital role in shaping your final image.

Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 Overview

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The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2, affectionately known as the “Dual Range” Summicron, is a legendary lens that has captivated photographers for decades. Its reputation for exceptional image quality, compact design, and versatile performance has solidified its place as a classic in the world of photography.

Key Features and Specifications, Leica r 35 f2 summicron v2 filter size

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 boasts a compelling combination of features and specifications. It is a wide-angle lens with a focal length of 35mm, offering a natural perspective that is ideal for a wide range of subjects, from landscapes and architecture to street photography and portraits.

Its maximum aperture of f/2 allows for shallow depth of field, enabling photographers to isolate subjects and create pleasing bokeh.

  • Focal Length:35mm
  • Aperture Range:f/2 – f/16
  • Lens Construction:8 elements in 6 groups
  • Minimum Focusing Distance:0.7 meters (2.3 feet)
  • Filter Size:46mm
  • Weight:250 grams (8.8 ounces)

Optical Design and Image Quality

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2’s optical design is a testament to Leica’s commitment to exceptional image quality. Its 8-element, 6-group construction incorporates a unique “dual range” feature, allowing for both close-up and distant focusing. This design achieves excellent sharpness and clarity throughout the entire focusing range, making it a versatile lens for various shooting scenarios.The lens’s optical formula minimizes distortion and chromatic aberration, resulting in images with exceptional detail and accurate color rendition.

The Leica R 35 f2 Summicron v2, renowned for its sharp rendering and compact design, accepts a 46mm filter size. To capture those stunning images, you’ll need ample storage, and a 32 GB micro SD card provides enough space for a decent number of RAW files.

The lens’s filter thread, a standard size for many other lenses, allows for creative effects and protection, ensuring your Leica R 35 f2 Summicron v2 remains pristine for years to come.

The wide aperture of f/2 enables photographers to capture stunning bokeh, creating a soft and pleasing blur in out-of-focus areas, enhancing the subject’s prominence.

Historical Context and Significance

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2, introduced in 1979, is a significant lens in Leica’s history. It replaced the original Summicron v1, incorporating advancements in optical design and construction. The dual range feature, a notable innovation, significantly expanded the lens’s versatility, making it a more attractive option for photographers seeking a single lens that could handle a variety of subjects.The Summicron v2’s compact design and exceptional image quality made it a popular choice among professional and enthusiast photographers.

It became a staple in many photographers’ kits, known for its ability to deliver stunning images in various shooting conditions.

The Leica R 35 f2 Summicron v2, a celebrated lens known for its sharp rendering and compact size, accepts 39mm filters. To ensure accurate color representation in your photographs, consider the importance of neutral grey color calibration , a process that helps to correct for subtle variations in color temperature and white balance.

This calibration ensures your images are true to life, especially when using filters that can subtly alter the color spectrum of light entering your lens.

Notable Features

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 is a lens that has been praised for its performance and features. Here are some notable characteristics that contribute to its legacy:

  • Dual Range Focusing:This feature allows for both close-up and distant focusing, making the lens versatile for various shooting scenarios. The lens’s focusing mechanism is smooth and precise, enabling accurate focusing for sharp images.
  • Exceptional Image Quality:The lens’s optical design minimizes distortion and chromatic aberration, resulting in images with exceptional sharpness, clarity, and accurate color rendition. The wide aperture of f/2 enables photographers to capture stunning bokeh, creating a soft and pleasing blur in out-of-focus areas.

    The Leica R 35 f2 Summicron v2, a celebrated lens known for its sharpness and character, uses a 39mm filter thread. When choosing a UV filter for this lens, you might wonder how much to spend, especially since there’s a range of options available.

    A good guide for deciding on the right UV filter is to consider the quality of the glass and the construction, as these factors influence the impact on image quality. A well-made UV filter for the Leica R 35 f2 Summicron v2 will provide protection without compromising the lens’s exceptional performance.

  • Compact Design:The Summicron v2’s compact size and lightweight construction make it a convenient lens to carry and use. It is a great option for photographers who prefer a more portable and discreet shooting experience.

Filter Size and Compatibility

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The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 boasts a 46mm filter thread size. This standard size ensures compatibility with a wide array of filters, allowing photographers to enhance their images and experiment with different creative effects.

Filter Types and Applications

The 46mm filter thread size opens up a world of possibilities for photographers. Here are some common filter types and their applications:

  • UV Filters:These filters protect the lens from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can cause a bluish haze in photographs, especially in outdoor settings. UV filters also provide an extra layer of protection against scratches and dust.
  • Polarizing Filters:Polarizing filters reduce glare and reflections, enhancing colors and contrast, particularly in landscapes and skies. They can also create a more dramatic effect by darkening the sky and enhancing clouds.
  • Neutral Density (ND) Filters:ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the lens, allowing for longer shutter speeds and shallower depths of field. This is useful for capturing motion blur in moving subjects or for creating a dreamy, ethereal effect.
  • Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filters:GND filters have a gradual transition from dark to clear, allowing photographers to balance exposure between a bright sky and a darker foreground. This is particularly useful for landscape photography.
  • Color Filters:Color filters can add warmth, coolness, or other color casts to images. They can also be used to enhance specific colors or create a vintage look.

Performance and Image Quality: Leica R 35 F2 Summicron V2 Filter Size

Leica r 35 f2 summicron v2 filter size

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 is renowned for its exceptional image quality, which has solidified its position as a legendary lens in the world of photography. It delivers a remarkable blend of sharpness, contrast, color rendition, and bokeh characteristics that have consistently impressed photographers for decades.

Sharpness

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 is known for its exceptional sharpness, particularly in the center of the frame. It delivers images with remarkable detail and clarity, even at wide apertures. This sharpness is consistent across the entire frame, although it may exhibit slight softening towards the edges at wider apertures.

The lens’s ability to produce sharp images, even at its widest aperture, makes it a versatile choice for various photographic applications, including street photography, portraiture, and landscape photography.

Contrast

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 produces images with high contrast, which contributes to the lens’s overall sharpness and clarity. High contrast renders images with well-defined edges and distinct details, resulting in a more impactful and visually appealing image.

The lens’s ability to render high contrast images is attributed to its excellent optical design, which minimizes light scattering and flare, thus enhancing the overall contrast of the image.

Color Rendition

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 is known for its accurate and pleasing color rendition. It produces images with natural and vibrant colors that accurately reflect the scene being photographed. The lens’s ability to render colors accurately is a testament to its high-quality optical design, which ensures that all colors are reproduced faithfully.

Bokeh

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 produces a smooth and pleasing bokeh, characterized by its soft and creamy out-of-focus areas. This bokeh quality is particularly noticeable at wider apertures, where the lens’s circular aperture creates a pleasing blurring effect.

The lens’s ability to produce smooth bokeh makes it a popular choice for portrait photography, where it can effectively isolate the subject from the background.

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2, a legendary lens known for its sharpness and versatility, requires a 46mm filter size. To capture the full potential of this lens, it’s crucial to have a reliable memory card to store your high-resolution images.

Choosing the best SD card for cameras depends on your shooting needs, with factors like read/write speeds and storage capacity playing a key role. With a fast and spacious SD card, you’ll be ready to capture every detail of your world through the Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2.

Practical Applications and Usage

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The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 is a versatile lens, suitable for a wide range of photographic genres. Its combination of fast aperture, sharp image quality, and compact size makes it an excellent choice for various shooting scenarios.

Street Photography

The 35mm focal length is considered ideal for street photography, providing a natural perspective that captures the environment without feeling too wide or too telephoto. The fast f/2 aperture allows for shallow depth of field, isolating subjects from busy backgrounds and creating a sense of intimacy.

The lens’s compact size and quiet operation make it discreet, allowing photographers to blend into the environment and capture candid moments.

Portraiture

While not a dedicated portrait lens, the 35mm focal length can produce flattering portraits, particularly when shooting at a slight distance. The f/2 aperture enables beautiful bokeh, blurring the background and drawing attention to the subject. The lens’s sharp rendering delivers detail in the subject’s features, creating a classic and timeless portrait style.

Landscape

Although not a wide-angle lens, the 35mm focal length can still capture expansive landscapes, particularly when combined with a wide-angle adapter. The lens’s excellent sharpness and contrast deliver stunning detail in the foreground and background, while the fast aperture allows for capturing dynamic range in challenging lighting conditions.

Other Applications

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 is a versatile lens suitable for various applications beyond the ones mentioned above. Its compact size and excellent performance make it a good choice for travel photography, where portability and image quality are crucial.

The lens can also be used for architectural photography, capturing the details of buildings and structures with precision and clarity.

Collecting and Investing

The Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 holds a unique position in the world of vintage lenses, attracting both passionate collectors and discerning photographers. Its reputation for exceptional image quality, coupled with its historical significance, makes it a coveted item for those seeking to own a piece of photographic history.

Factors Influencing Value and Desirability

The value and desirability of the Leica R 35mm f/2 Summicron v2 are influenced by several factors. These factors can be broadly categorized into objective and subjective criteria, each playing a crucial role in determining its market price.

Objective Criteria

  • Condition:The condition of the lens is paramount. Lenses in excellent condition, with minimal signs of wear and tear, command higher prices. Conversely, lenses with significant scratches, fungus, or other defects will be valued less.
  • Rarity:Certain variations, such as the black paint version, are rarer than others and are therefore more desirable.

  • Originality:Lenses that have been restored or modified may be less valuable than those that remain original.
  • Accessories:The inclusion of original accessories, such as lens hoods, caps, and filters, can increase the value of the lens.

Subjective Criteria

  • Aesthetic Appeal:The classic design and craftsmanship of Leica lenses are highly valued by collectors. The Summicron v2, with its sleek black finish and iconic red dot, embodies the timeless aesthetic of Leica.
  • Reputation:The reputation of Leica lenses for exceptional image quality and reliability is well-established.

    The Summicron v2, with its sharp rendering and beautiful bokeh, is known for its ability to produce stunning images.

  • Historical Significance:The Summicron v2 was introduced in 1979, marking a significant evolution in Leica lens design. Its legacy as a classic lens, used by renowned photographers, contributes to its desirability.

Market for Vintage Leica Lenses

The market for vintage Leica lenses is a vibrant and dynamic one. Collectors and photographers alike are drawn to the unique character and historical significance of these lenses. Online marketplaces, auction sites, and specialized dealers offer a wide range of Leica lenses, catering to different budgets and preferences.

Price Trends

The prices of vintage Leica lenses, including the Summicron v2, have been steadily increasing in recent years. This upward trend is driven by several factors, including:

  • Growing Demand:The popularity of vintage lenses, particularly those from Leica, continues to grow, fueled by the resurgence of film photography and the desire for unique aesthetics.
  • Limited Supply:Vintage Leica lenses are produced in limited quantities, and their availability is further restricted by the age of the lenses.

  • Investment Potential:Vintage Leica lenses are increasingly seen as a valuable investment, with the potential for appreciation over time.

Investment Considerations

While vintage Leica lenses can be a good investment, it’s important to approach them with caution. As with any investment, there are risks involved.

  • Market Fluctuations:The market for vintage lenses can be volatile, and prices can fluctuate based on various factors, including economic conditions and collector trends.
  • Condition and Authenticity:It’s crucial to purchase lenses from reputable sources and ensure their condition and authenticity. Counterfeit or poorly maintained lenses can significantly impact their value.

  • Long-Term Holding:Investing in vintage Leica lenses requires a long-term perspective, as it may take time for their value to appreciate.

“Investing in vintage Leica lenses can be a rewarding experience, but it’s essential to approach it with informed decision-making and a realistic understanding of the market dynamics.”

Last Recap

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The Leica R 35 f/2 Summicron v2 filter size is a testament to the meticulous design and engineering that define this lens. It’s a reminder that even seemingly small details can have a profound impact on your photography. By understanding the filter size and its implications, you can unlock a new level of creative control, transforming your vision into stunning, high-quality images.

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