Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH in Chrome

[M9n]

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Needing advice from owners of the chrome version of this lens - I have a black M9 and have been waiting for a black Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH (with just one or two other people . . .) and cannot even get a projected delivery date from any UK dealer.

 

However as there appears to be chrome ones popping up now and again, I may consider going for one of these. All my other lenses are black so cannot quite make out if this combination will look odd or too eyecatching, especially after `stealthing' my M9.

 

There is also the 130g/38% weight differential - does it make it very much more unwieldy for long period usage?

 

I'm looking at the 50mm Summilux ASPH as it seems to have a reputation as the sharpest/best f1.4 available. As all my other Leica lenses are f2/f2.8/f4 I feel the need for at least one excellent fast lens, hence this instead of the Summicron version.

 

Finally how much problem is there with focus shift? I tried a 35mm f1.4 ASPH and was quite surprised at how much shift that particular example exhibited, reflecting the general acknowledgement of the problem with this lens. Decided to go with the 35mm Summicron ASPH version instead.

 

All experiences and comments will be useful in helping decision whether to go with chrome 50mm f1.4 ASPH asap/soon or wait 4-5 months (best guess one dealer could come up with) for the black one instead.

 

Thanks.

[luigi bertolotti]

Personally I'd have NO DOUBT... but I prefer chromes always and anyway

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[ggits]

I have crome 50 / 1.4 fitting perfect to my grey M9 . Fokus right in spot. When I got it the f ring was going to soft and focus to stiff in one direction. A short visit by Leica make this lens perfect.

 

For me that extra weight is not a problem. But to be honest I would wait for the black one if that is what you prefer.

[digitalfx]

black on black looks alot better imo. Dont make a rushed decision you will unhappy with later. I have no focus shift issues with my 50 Summilux, this is a later design than the 35mm.

[ggits]

By the way - at ebay Leica M 1,4/50mm Summilux auction Next 17 h. Perhaps you should try here.

[fotofoto]

i have this lens in chrome since 2 days. wonderful fit

to my grey M9. i am not sure, wheather you like chrome

on a black body. i would not.

 

by fortune i made some testing today from a test chart

on my computer screen, there is no focus shift. see picts attached.

on some of my other lenses i can see a travelling moiree on the screen

from left to right by increasing f.

 

but here, the focus is at the same place, just DOF increases.

i guess this is reasoned by the floating element.

 

my lens has a little front focus, this has to be fixed by leica CS.

 

this is a wonderful lens, which costs a lot of money, built for

eternity. maybe you will have this lens for the rest of your long life.

in my opinion a chrome lens doesn't match to a black body.

so for a lifetime a 6 month waiting for a matching colour is probably

better, then being annoyed by a chrome lens on a black body

after 6 days.

 

enjoy

 

mich

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Edited March 27, 2010 by fotofoto

[k-hawinkler]

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mich,

 

I got more or less the exact same results on my new black 50 Summilux ASPH and reported my measurements here http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/111918-m9-lens-focus-setting.html. Since then I have redone the measurements on the same focus charts you are using, both off a flat panel screen and off paper, confirming my earlier results. I will put my new charts online shortly. I wonder whether our 2 lenses are or are not within Leica's margin for error? I suspect they are within Leica's margin for error - but would appreciate feedback.

 

My on screen measurements are posted here: http://winklers.smugmug.com/KHW/Pics-by-Date/2010-01-29-50-Sum-screen/11642223_K7dzq#820847684_4Kuj2

My on paper measurements are posted here: http://winklers.smugmug.com/KHW/Pics-by-Date/2010-01-29-50-Sum-paper/11642269_3Vv9o#820851277_ZJHA9

 

K-H.

Edited March 27, 2010 by k-hawinkler

[AGeoJO]

I had a silver (or was that chrome ?) M8 and now I have silver M9. A chrome lens looks good on either one and I deliberately bought a chrome 50mm Summilux ASPH. A black lens looks good on a silver/chrome body but I didn't like the look of a chrome lens on a black body. If I were you, I would wait until I get exactly what I want, echoing the census here, basically.

[Shade]

As far as I know the 50 lux ASPH new version incorporates a floating element. Hence, shouldn't be any focus shift issues..

[jaapv]

I must be mad - There is nothing wrong with a silver lens on a black body imo.

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Edited March 27, 2010 by jaapv

[k-hawinkler]

Jaap,

 

Great shot and in focus.

I almost can decipher your M9 serial number.

 

Cheers, K-H.

[jaapv]

Digilux2 on AF

[Shade]

Nice shot of the M9 by the way..

 

The 50 Lux ASPH as far as I know in corporates a floating element. Hence there shouldn't be a problem in focus shift.

[k-hawinkler]

Nice shot of the M9 by the way..

 

The 50 Lux ASPH as far as I know in corporates a floating element. Hence there shouldn't be a problem in focus shift.

 

Correct. I see some front focus wide open at close focus distance that eventually disappears completely when stopping down.

 

K-H.

[bill]

...`stealthing'...

 

Nooooo...

[AGeoJO]

I must be mad - There is nothing wrong with a silver lens on a black body imo.

 

I believe you made a reference to my post, if not, please disregard what comes below.

 

Of course, there is nothing wrong with it and I didn't even come close of implying that. What I said was that I didn't like the look of a silver lens on a black body. It is a personal preference and your mileage may vary... Come to think of it, take the same setup of that lens on a silver/chrome body and let's compare it

Edited March 28, 2010 by AGeoJO

[M9n]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for such fantastic responses. I had gone out soon after posting my questions and have come home now to all this! Where do I start?

 

Mich, much appreciate your test results and the info within leading to Tim Jackson's site. Certainly no focus shift with your lens.

 

When I tried the 35mm version I was noticing a slight shift starting at 1/2 stop down from f1.4 (less sophisticted target - just 4 beer bottles at about 1.5-1.6m, angling away from the tripod mounted camera/lens, and no, I didn't drink them empty first - perhaps if I did, things would have taken a warm rosy glow and all the world, and the lens, would have been hunky dory instead!). By f2.8 the focus had shifted to the bottle about 230mm or so behind the target one. However, having returned the lens I have since been told that others have tested it and found no focus shift, so perhaps my beer bottle test was not valid after all and I let a good lens slip through my hands.

 

I did the same tests on my other lenses and they all returned far better results, hence my conclusion, rightly or wrongly, that the 35mm had problems.

 

K-H, your test series show the front focus you observed, in the f1.4 image, and the 2mm point remains sharper than the designated target line behind, noticable until at f2.8, when the DOF pulls the latter into focus. However, as the lens is stopped down there is no focus shift of any real consequence. Are you happy to live with the slight front focus, taking into account that when handheld, body or subject movement and focussing error may most likely exceed the 2mm difference?

 

My M9 had to go back to Solms for recalibration days after its delivery (after a 4 month wait, a further 3 week delay!) as my 75mm had a much more pronounced front focus problem. It is now spot on, as with my other lenses, thanks to Solms.

 

Your, and Stig's, advice about 6 month wait vs possible lifetime regret certainly carries a lot of weight (pun intended!), hence my post to see if anyone has this combination and if they love/tolerate with gritted teeth/hate the decision after extensive use.

 

Which neatly leads on to Jaap's great image of his combination. It appears that the general consensus at the moment goes against the silver/chrome lens on a black body, and that too was my original thought. However, as Jaap has shown, perhaps it is not as jarring when seen in the `flesh' as imagined instead, but it does appear to be much more eye catching than a black/black pairing, especially if one prefers to minimise any unwanted attention.

 

I am just looking at my M9 / APO Summicron 75mm ASPH pairing (as a newbie here I'm not sure how to post images yet), comparing it with Jaap's picture - the former seems to be a non-entity, almost disappearing whilst the silver/black looks very eye catching. However, I think I may have been persuaded by Jaap that there is nothing visually `wrong', though as AGeoJO points out it does come down to individual taste in the end.

 

Sorry Gentleman Bill . . . was it my manipulation of the Leica or the English language which caused you grief?!!! Perhaps I should have said `. . . especially after treating my M9 to a stealth procedure' or something along these lines instead?

 

So, after all that - where do I stand? At the moment I think I am leaning towards the `no, don't do it!' camp, though if you were to seductively wave a chrome one under my nose, my resolve would be severely tested!

 

Watch this space. The next instalment may be in six months time though!

[k-hawinkler]

K-H, your test series show the front focus you observed, in the f1.4 image, and the 2mm point remains sharper than the designated target line behind, noticable until at f2.8, when the DOF pulls the latter into focus. However, as the lens is stopped down there is no focus shift of any real consequence. Are you happy to live with the slight front focus, taking into account that when handheld, body or subject movement and focussing error may most likely exceed the 2mm difference?

 

My M9 had to go back to Solms for recalibration days after its delivery (after a 4 month wait, a further 3 week delay!) as my 75mm had a much more pronounced front focus problem. It is now spot on, as with my other lenses, thanks to Solms.

 

M9n,

 

My M9 is on its way to Solms right now. Of the three pairs of bright-lines, the M9 only ever showed one pair, namely 35/135 AFAICT. That really needs to get fixed first.

 

As my lenses focus by and large pretty well with the M9, I first would like to see in what shape the rangefinder part is when I get it back. Certainly, so far I have been the weakest link in taking pictures.

 

K-H.

Edited March 28, 2010 by k-hawinkler

[thrice]

I really like your personalised engraving Jaap! I'm also a fan of chrome lenses on black bodies.

Although this is a 35mm summilux asph.

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[innerimager]

I won't comment on the chrome lens/black body aesthetic but rather on the chrome 50/1.4 asph itself. I previously had 2 black versions, both had stiff focus rings that also were slightly uneven in their resistance throughout the radius of turning the ring. The chrome sample I have now is very smooth, and gives better feedback in operation with a more even resistance. Since a stiff focus ring has been reported by many with black samples, I wonder if the chrome might have some advantage in this regard. As for optics, everything you've heard is true, an unparalleled lens, dead sharp at 1.4 and every other aperture (no shift). Now I'll make myself a liar and talk aesthetics. I love the look of the chrome 50 on my grey M9. For my black painted M3, I prefer a black painted 50 lux pre-aspherical only for the aesthetics of the look of the combination.