Need a spare 35mm M-mount lens

in

I have my everyday M2 with a v2 35mm Summicron.

Works great -

About a year ago I picked up a second beater M2 for a relatively good price. The idea was to have a spare camera when my main one is going in for repair. I used to hate switching to a complete different system for 2-3 months while my Leica was being serviced. You might say this doesn’t happen to often anyhow; I say, when it does it sucks. 2-3 months is a long time. I carry my camera everyday and while Leica’s are tough cameras, they do break.

Anyhow, having a spare body is no good if I don’t have a spare lens.

So I’ve been thinking what to get for the second body. I like the Summicrons, but I don’t want to spend that kind of money on a ‘spare’ lens… but then I like them…

I considered the following lenses:

  1. 35mm Summicron v1:

    1. Built quality and looks are great

    2. Price is just crazy. $5000+ for a lens from the 60s that probably needs repair

    3. don’t like the infinity focus lock

    4. don’t like the softness

    5. don’t like the flare

  2. 35mm Summicron v2:

    1. this is what I have now, would be great to get another one, but boring and also not exactly cheap at around $2000

  3. 35mm Summicron v3:

    1. same as v2 but different focus ring and made in Canada. I love this lens, but it’s basically the same as v2

  4. 35mm Summicron v4:

    1. nice and small

    2. don’t like the plastic hood

    3. don’t like the new square font (doesn’t work with the M2 old font)

    4. don’t like the focus ring

    5. had it before, and hated the flare. Actually thought it was broken and tried to return it. that’s how bad the flare is compared to a Zeiss Biogon 35mm

  5. ASPH v1 and v2:

    1. too clinical pictures for my taste

    2. too expensive

    3. WAY too big, especially the newest one

    4. much heavier

    5. plastic hood on v1, plastic focus tab (for that money???)

  6. Zeiss Biogon 35mm f/2.8:

    1. I shot this lens for over a year about 5 years ago. It was great! I sold it because people on the internet got into my head and I thought I need an extra stop of light. Can’t have non-Leica glass on a Leica camera.

    2. This lens was so good, I actually tried returning my Summicron. I thought it was broken. The Biogon has no flare whatsoever. It’s sharp as hell and yet pictures taken with it don’t look as clinical as the new Summicron Aspherical photos do.

    3. It costs $650 NEW!!! that’s insane!

    4. don’t like the third aperture stops and the 43mm filter threads. That’s really unfortunate.

    5. built quality is amazing. the focus is smooth but feels different than a Leica

    6. Leica die hards will look down on you

    7. This lens is amazing. I don’t care what people say. I am getting one now.