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APO-SUMMICRON-M 50 mm f/2 ASPH has arrived!


marknorton

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I agree with you about the Noctilux. It's a niche lens designed for a specific purpose and much too large for more general M photography.

 

As for the APO 50mm Summicron ASPH, It has yet to do much for me but I put that down to my shortcomings as much as anything. I'm hopeful for more clearly superior results on the new camera.

 

To be honest, I think the Summilux ASPH is the best overall 50mm option.

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Thank you for the responses so far. Frankly, I hate to think of selling the Noctilux for an APO, but I also hate the idea that it's becoming more of a paperweight than a workhorse. I have MM and wonder if it's worth the trade to get the best results out of the sensor. I have an M9, but haven't used it hardly at all since getting the MM. (If I used the M9 like I did in the past I don't think I'd be in this quandary.)

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So i ordered mine today. It seems like US got it and Jaap (Netherlands)? Any more in Europe? My dealer told me that no Nordic dealer has got it yet. Is that correct?

 

A forum user (can't remember his name - do a search for apo posts and you'll find him) here from trondheim, Norway, received the lens about a month ago I think. So some Nordic dealers has received it.

 

Apparently Japan Photo in Trondheim is the store in Scandinavia that has the highest sales volume of Leica equipment. They received a couple of MM's right at launch time as well that was not pre ordered to anyone. I accidentally found mine in a box behind their counter, brand new, not reserved, last fall while the rest of the world had long pre-order list.. Kind of strange!

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A forum user (can't remember his name - do a search for apo posts and you'll find him) here from trondheim, Norway, received the lens about a month ago I think. So some Nordic dealers has received it.

 

Apparently Japan Photo in Trondheim is the store in Scandinavia that has the highest sales volume of Leica equipment. They received a couple of MM's right at launch time as well that was not pre ordered to anyone. I accidentally found mine in a box behind their counter, brand new, not reserved, last fall while the rest of the world had long pre-order list.. Kind of strange!

 

Hi, that was me, I received the APO50 on the 6th of February.

 

I ordered the lens on the 10th of May 2012, same day as it was announced by Leica.

 

I think I got the first one in Norway.

 

The dealer was FotoVideo.no in Oslo, I think they are the biggest in Norway.

 

I positively know that there were a few more delivered here in Norway.

 

Last week I was on a business trip to San Francisco.

 

I went to visit Camera West in Walnut Creek.

 

They had received one APO 50 the previous week.

 

Best regards

 

Trond

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Congratulations.

 

I was in the same spot three years ago with the M9. I got bored waiting and rented an M7. Fell in love with film, bought an MP and shot film for three years. I finally got an M9 after the M was announces :-/.

 

-jbl

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Guest borge

Japan Photo in Trondheim, Norway has a 50/2 APO in stock by the way.

I just tried it out earlier today.

 

The focus throw was very short - even compared to my 50 Summilux ASPH. I guess it is even more difficult to focus quickly and precisely compared to the 50 Summilux ASPH.

 

I find the 50 Nocti easier to focus precisely due to the longer focus throw. Personally I find that the 50 Summilux ASPH´s focus throw is borderline short. The 50 APO´s focus throw was very short.

 

I liked the handling of the 50 Summilux ASPH better. And from the few test shots I can´t see any significant optical difference unless you shoot wide open (which I rarely do, and when I do - I WANT some character, vignetting and "3D feel" - the Summilux provides that at f/1.4. The 50/2 APO doesn´t).

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I guess it is even more difficult to focus quickly and precisely compared to the Summilux-M 50 Asph.

You bet!

 

That was the first thing I noticed when I tried this lens for the first time last year. And I DEFINITELY didn't like it :mad:

 

I do like the super-natural performance and near-perfect rendition of this lens, though.

 

 

... I want some character, vignetting, and "3-D feel"—the Summilux provides that at f/1.4. The Apo 50/2 doesn't.

Huh!? But it does! In spades!

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Guest borge

Huh!? But it does! In spades!

 

It provides some character, true. There is a difference between f/2, f/4 and f/8.

But to my eyes the change from f/4 and f/2 isn´t really that big.

 

The difference in character was small compared to the Summilux that at f/1.4 looks like a completely different lens compared to when it is at f/2 for example. That´s why I really enjoy the Summilux. I feel like it´s two lenses in one due to the big change from f/1.4 to f/2. The 50/2 APO didn´t provide this even though it had some character.

 

I´m glad I got the chance to try it out though. Now I don´t need to think "what if" anymore :-)

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Just had a Friday Photographers BS session over some different beers we sample as a group and it was mentioned by a long time Leica guy that the most loved Leica lens for years has been the 50/2.0. He asked why I liked the AA50. I told him on the MM I have NOW three favorites AA50, 50/1.0 and the 40/2.0 and to me so far these three produce the best images for me with the APO 50 being the best of the bunch. He will be printing my favorite MM shot 24x36 or 48x60 very soon. It so happens it was shot with an APO 90/2.0.

 

This guy is a printer for our Photo Centre and today printed on 4 different Epson printers over 120 prints of various sizes for an exhibition we are having very soon. The largest print was a 48x72. The detail was just amazing. He regularly prints M9 images 24x36 and often larger. He has printed MM prints 36x60 with detail available beyond that size so he says. I have seen them all and I have no reason to dispute his comments.

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