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50 Lux Black Chrome Edition

peterjcb

By peterjcb
in Leica M Lenses

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peterjcb

peterjcb

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As if I haven't been spending too much money on Leica glass this year
...I have been lusting after this lens for quite some time and gave in to the seduction tonight...will be arriving in 2 days just in time for the weekend.... I'm stoked :)

https://www.leicastoresf.com/store/product/p210000005330

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NB23
NB23

I prefer the REAL McCoy: the 50mm summilux asph LHSA.   Also, the original shade is much better than the ones you are offering that screw on the filter.   A shade that screws on the filter puts a

Overgaard
Overgaard

It's a beautiful lens that produces beautiful photographs.   I have some sample photos here, as well as a video review. The original shade I likely would leave at home as it is large, heavy and easi

Simon Bee
Simon Bee

and here it is on my M7 a la carte .......   http://www.l-camera-forum.com/gallery/sizes/9466-m7/medium/

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Simon Bee

Simon Bee

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Congrats, it's a stunning lens.  My only complaint is that Leica are really dragging their feet over a filter solution :(

 

Here's mine along with its 'sister' ... the 35mm Black Chrome.

 

Kind regards,  Simon

 

Edited by Simon Bee
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peterjcb

peterjcb

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...beautiful!

 

I don't use filters...maybe I should try one of two?

 

Not that I need to justify my purchase... :)  , but the main reason I wanted this lens is that I'm a 50mm shooter, I had a Nikon F2 back in the 70's and it was pretty much all I used.

I will still keep my 50Cron and 50Lux II pre-asph
The other main reason is that this lens uses a focus ring instead of the tab.

I really don't like tabs. I find the ring is easier to focus more accurate especially if you're turning the camera from landscape to portrait.

 

Congrats, it's a stunning lens.  My only complaint is that Leica are really dragging their feet over a filter solution :(

 

Here's mine along with its 'sister' ... the 35mm Black Chrome.

 

Kind regards,  Simon

 

 

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Simon Bee

Simon Bee

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The 'Black Chrome' uses a 43mm filter with a 0.75 pitch and you cannot use the hood and a standard 43mm filter at the same time.  The original 43mm 'lux had a 'slimline' filter produced for it but that lens has a 0.5 pitch so it will not mount correctly on the new lens.  The current official response to owners of the new lens seems to be ...... ' we did not think owners would want to use a filter and the hood at the same time, we are working on a solution'  :rolleyes:

 

I love this lens, however given it cost me £3100.00 you would have thought it would have shipped with 'at least a UV filter' that could be used with the hood mounted too  :angry:

 

It is well documented here .......

 

 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/245904-hood-fitting-problem-with-50mm-sx-black-chrome-11688/

 

Kind regards,  Simon

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Simon Bee

Simon Bee

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Simon, I'm sorry I made a mistake. The OP had a link. I looked at the link and quoted what it said.

No harm intended.

Peter

No problem Peter,

 

It would seem 'Leica Store San Francisco' need to amend their info on the lens ;) 

 

Kind regards,  Simon 

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farnz

farnz

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Congratulations, Peter, it's a wonderful lens.  My formerly 'cold, dead hands' E46 50 Summilux-M asph that I thought I would never part with made way for the E43 'Retro' and I couldn't be happier.  The E46 asph was always slightly heavy to focus and a tiny bit jerky and despite being continually told that the focus would wear in, over the ten years I owned it from new it never did.  The E43 Retro is silky smooth and its pictures have a delicious, soft, graduated vignette wide open that is quite similar to my eye to the Noctilux's so I couldn't be happier.

 

Pete.

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peterjcb

peterjcb

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Congratulations, Peter, it's a wonderful lens.  My formerly 'cold, dead hands' E46 50 Summilux-M asph that I thought I would never part with made way for the E43 'Retro' and I couldn't be happier.  The E46 asph was always slightly heavy to focus and a tiny bit jerky and despite being continually told that the focus would wear in, over the ten years I owned it from new it never did.  The E43 Retro is silky smooth and its pictures have a delicious, soft, graduated vignette wide open that is quite similar to my eye to the Noctilux's so I couldn't be happier.

 

Pete.

Is there any noticeable difference in your eyes between the E46 asph and the Retro E43 asph? 

I have the 50Lux II pre-asph and it is a wonderful lens...the below images actually had very little PP.  I can't wait to compare it to my arriving Retro Black Chrome Edition...

 

MM1 / 50Lux II pre-asph

23170555294_f514d10e56_b.jpgRosie by Peter, on Flickr

MM1 / 50Lux II pre-asph

23617380871_ba748bdea5_b.jpg...let_me_at_him... by Peter, on Flickr

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farnz

farnz

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Is there any noticeable difference in your eyes between the E46 asph and the Retro E43 asph? 

I have the 50Lux II pre-asph and it is a wonderful lens...the below images actually had very little PP.  I can't wait to compare it to my arriving Retro Black Chrome Edition...

In my opinion the E43 Retro sits nicely between the pre-asph Summilux version 2 (I am also fortunate to have the pre-asph v5, which is the same optical formula as the v2 I believe) in that it retains the 'gentleness' of the pre-asph but also has the sharpness (acuity and micro-contrast) of the asph.

 

Pete.

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wattsy

wattsy

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The E46 asph was always slightly heavy to focus and a tiny bit jerky and despite being continually told that the focus would wear in, over the ten years I owned it from new it never did.  The E43 Retro is silky smooth

 

I came close to buying the E43 black chrome edition for the same reason. The example I tried was very smooth in a way that my standard version E46 never was (which I also owned for many years).

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colint544

colint544

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I traded in my E46 50mm Summilux ASPH for the new black chrome version. Both fantastic lenses. I can't see any difference in the results from both lenses (I'm shooting film at the moment thought), but my experience of the smoothness is almost the opposite.

 

The lens I traded in was buttery smooth to focus, and always had been since I bought it new in 2012. The new black chrome version feels great, and the aperture ring operates beautifully, much like Leica lenses from the sixties. However, the focus throw is slightly sticky in places, and definitely a little stiffer towards the close focus end. I'm confident that it will even out with use though.

 

i guess this is just slight sample variation, as you might expect with hand-built products.

 

Best wishes all,

 

Colin

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peterjcb

peterjcb

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...it arrived this afternoon! 

This is the first Leica product that I have ever bought new....I never buy new but in this case I couldn't find any used examples so I was forced to pay full price for it.
I was also surprised to get a new 3 year warranty which is nice to have....I never had that before.

I don't have a lot of time tonight but first impressions are that the Black Chrome is really beautiful, it looks great on my silver MM1 and it should look equally beautiful on my M8 which is a black chrome model.

The aperture rings clicks beautifully and the focus ring is smooth and the travel is much shorter than my 50Lux II non-asph. I also like the fact that if focuses closer.
This is a very well built piece of glass. I am a mechanical person and I will tell you that the tolerances on this lens are absolutely perfect. There is no unnecessary play anywhere. It is built like a fine watch.
Will post photos at a later date.

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derleicaman

derleicaman

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This lens is a re-issue of the lens which originally appeared on the LHSA MP3. When I specced out the MP3, I wanted something really unique and special to go along with the MP3, so I requested a retro design version of the then new 50 Lux ASPH. At first Leica said no, they were behind on deliveries of the regular 50 Lux, but then they changed their mind and did it per my request! I think they did a phenomenal job with it. I had forgotten that the original 50 Lux had the E43 thread and Leica didn't mention that they were doing the original filter thread on the lens. I remember reading a post with someone complaining about the thread on the LHSA lens here on the LUF. Oops, I thought, forgot about that! Oh well. Apparently the only way to get the original hood to work was by using the E43 filter size.

This lens is the exact same optical formula as the original 50 Lux ASPH. I believe the brass mount of the retro version accounts for the percieved improved smoothness of the focus helicoid. I expect to pick up the lens I ordered in the next few weeks and I am really looking forward to it!

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peterjcb

peterjcb

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This lens is a re-issue of the lens which originally appeared on the LHSA MP3. When I specced out the MP3, I wanted something really unique and special to go along with the MP3, so I requested a retro design version of the then new 50 Lux ASPH. At first Leica said no, they were behind on deliveries of the regular 50 Lux, but then they changed their mind and did it per my request! I think they did a phenomenal job with it. I had forgotten that the original 50 Lux had the E43 thread and Leica didn't mention that they were doing the original filter thread on the lens. I remember reading a post with someone complaining about the thread on the LHSA lens here on the LUF. Oops, I thought, forgot about that! Oh well. Apparently the only way to get the original hood to work was by using the E43 filter size.

This lens is the exact same optical formula as the original 50 Lux ASPH. I believe the brass mount of the retro version accounts for the percieved improved smoothness of the focus helicoid. I expect to pick up the lens I ordered in the next few weeks and I am really looking forward to it!

 

 

Yes, the hood fits perfectly on my 50Lux II pre-asph which is very nice because I purchased it used without one.

 

If I may ask, what is a LHSA MP3?

 

As far a smoothness, for me at least, the nice big focus ring as opposed to the focus tab is a welcome change. 

 

It is so much more natural for me to focus with it and probably accounts for the perceived smoothness... :)

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