Thein Review of 50mm APO Summicron

[MarkP]

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An excellent review of a great lens which I'll definitely not buy. Leica shows us what is technically possible, what they can do if money/pricing is not a limiting factor.Reminds me of an interview with a chef of one of these super hotels in the Emirates whose main challenge was not budget, but finding for each and every day of the year the freshest and best products in the world, no matter the costs.

What would make Leica really look outstanding and innovative in product development and engineering, though, is the Porsche Boxster test. The best product by any standard in a premium priced, yet still more widely affordable market segment, manufactured in decent volumes and at high standards. Will this be the new mirrorless system?

 

 

They did this with the outstanding Summarit line of lenses. Too many (Leica) lens snobs viewed them as "the poor man's Leica" in the same way as people saw the Boxter (like the 924 before it), as "the poor man's Porsche".

[IWC Doppel]

Boxster possibly, 924 erm no.....

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[MarkP]

924 erm no.....

 

924 erm yes.....944 erm no...

[Ellie]

Imho, I think Leica products can be described as perfection and this could explain why the Summarit line is seen as a bit confusing. For B&W film my M7 Summarit-M 50/2.5 is perfection though

 

I also know the view of perfection is the same for many longtime Hermès customers, not luxury or bragging, and I've heard some of them has attended the preview of the new Leica-Hermès items.

 

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[jlaw]

the review also pointed that the final print of Leica 50AA and nikon lens are so close that one can't really tell the different, so where is the unique and the signature of 50AA.

[wattsy]

But don’t overestimate the bragging rights provided by a Leica lens. Only a minuscule percentage of the populace will recognize an MM with Summicron APO for what it is.

 

Yes, of course, but I suspect not being fully recognised by the population at large is often part of the allure to the dilettante and/or poseur – it's about wanting to be considered discerning and knowledgable. In any case, the issue of wider recognition misses the point. Bragging rights about Leica equipment isn't about showing off amongst the general population or overtly flaunting wealth. It's more about bragging rights (and, on the flip-side, gear insecurity) in the places where other Leica users hang out – forums like this, camera clubs, LHSA, Leica meets, etc.

[Ecaton]

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They did this with the outstanding Summarit line of lenses. Too many (Leica) lens snobs viewed them as "the poor man's Leica" in the same way as people saw the Boxter (like the 924 before it), as "the poor man's Porsche".

 

I doubt the Summarits are the best offerings by any standard in their respective market segment. Rather than a Summarit 35 or 50 mm I'd actually buy a ZM 35 or 50 lens or a CV 35 f1.2, 50 f1.5 and not because of price. In contrast to the Summarit line of lenses, they all offer something special or unique (in their respective segments).

[MarkP]

I doubt the Summarits are the best offerings by any standard in their respective market segment. Rather than a Summarit 35 or 50 mm I'd actually buy a ZM 35 or 50 lens or a CV 35 f1.2, 50 f1.5 and not because of price. In contrast to the Summarit line of lenses, they all offer something special or unique (in their respective segments).

 

 

I don't disagree. I have a few ZM lenses (4.5/21 2.8/25 and 1.5/50 Sonnar) - fantastic lenses. The point is that the Summarits are excellent lenses for a fraction of the cost of the other Leica lenses, but certainly more expensive than the Zeiss.

[MarkP]

Sorry I didn't complete my comment...

 

the point is that the Boxter was cheaper than other Porsche models but still more expensive than most other cars. Same for for the Summarits.

[Paul J]

924 erm yes.....944 erm no...

 

924 erm...no. 944 erm...no

 

928 hell yes!

 

Jeremy Clarkson said it best. The 924 had an engine from a Van, a price from Mars and the top speed of a horse.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Paul J

[IWC Doppel]

My interpretation of the Porsche analogy was the Boxster is very good and more affordable than a 911 but even with a Porsche badge it is seen as a poor cousin (less so these days) but is performance wise extremely good.

 

Leica did pitch the Summarit as a different range and price point, so to some degree have themselves to blame, Porsche made sure it wasn't as quick a slightly different tweak.

 

I am happy spectating and was very impressed with the 50 AA images, more so than I expected to be. In some ways too much pixel peeping can be more confusing than just looking at pictures.

[IWC Doppel]

I disagree entirely. Most of the reason I buy Leica is to fit in with my rich friends and as part of my passion for technology. Leica clearly favors us with the big cash as seen by the slow pace of technological development in direct aid of photography (live view, buffer, screen) and the creation of limited editions that sell out immediately.

 

Only secondarily is it about the image making process to me. If that was all I cared about I would probably go for an NEX-7.

 

I think your teasing

[microview]

I did hope this was meant as a joke as well.

[thighslapper]

Interesting review.

 

Now all Leica needs is a camera with a sensor to exploit the advance in optics....

 

..... or is that the reason for the lens being produced anyway....hint hint ......

[JWW]

Since Leica lens lifetimes are so much longer than current digital bodies, Leica would, most likely, take into the new Summicron's design requirements the capabilities of future sensors. The real test of this lens is not the M9 of MM but in the upcoming future as higher resolution sensors become the norm (or expected by consumers).

[wattsy]

The interesting thing about the two new products – APO 50 and MM – is how some of the bloggers/reviewers and forum fanboys (not necessarily the same thing) are essentially promoting the products as a package. According to some, you need the resolution of the MM to really appreciate the "superiority" of the lens and you must have the lens before you can really benefit from the increased resolution of the sensor.

[Steve Ash]

I do not see this as a true part of the equation:

 

... and you must have the lens before you can really benefit from the increased resolution of the sensor.

 

Regards,

Steve

[wattsy]

I do not see this as a true part of the equation:

 

Neither do I but that's not the point.

[pgk]

Pushing the envelope and producing equipment which exceeds the abilities of anything else on the market may well mean that a manufacturer has learned new techniques which should hopefully filter down into other new products.

 

I talked to a lens designer friend some years back about what high MPixel cameras would change things. His response was to suggest that at some point (he suspected ~16MPixel on a cropped format) lens manufacturers would face the fact that whilst lenses capable of outperforming such sensors could be designed and built, the quality control issues associated with their production would mean that prices would rise quite rapidly - which I would say we have seen as all manufacturers have updated lenses and raised prices.

 

It looks to me as though the APO Summicron is a probably perfect example of this. Stunning quality but at a price. But Leica may well have learned much from designing and putting into production such a lens.

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[bybrett]

The interesting thing about the two new products – APO 50 and MM – is how some of the bloggers/reviewers and forum fanboys (not necessarily the same thing) are essentially promoting the products as a package. According to some, you need the resolution of the MM to really appreciate the "superiority" of the lens and you must have the lens before you can really benefit from the increased resolution of the sensor.

 

Hi Ian This is as a result of the lens and camera being released together in Berlin. I haven't found either to be true in practice.