Best Leica 50mm for Landscapes

[james.liam]

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I'm dubious if you can tell much of a meaningful difference shooting a landscape at f/8 between the 50 APO, non-APO, Summilux ASPH and the Elmar M.

[Neko]

I'm dubious if you can tell much of a meaningful difference shooting a landscape at f/8 between the 50 APO, non-APO, Summilux ASPH and the Elmar M.

 In the 50 focal length I only have the 50 macro planar to compare. The 50 APO beats it at every aperture across the frame.

 Here you can see a serious comparison with other Leica 50s: http://elrectanguloenlamano.blogspot.com.es/2012/08/leica-apo-summicron-m-50-mm-f2-asph.html

[jmahto]

I'm dubious if you can tell much of a meaningful difference shooting a landscape at f/8 between the 50 APO, non-APO, Summilux ASPH and the Elmar M.

+1

The key word is "meaningful".

[padam]

The Planar should be good enough, but even the Nokton 1.5 VM is perfectly fine, too (slight distortion can be cured via software, even the Leica Q uses it nowadays)

The silver chrome variant of the latter is heavier, but the build quality is comparable or better than the the 'cheaper' Leica lenses, liked using it.

[Neko]

+1

The key word is "meaningful".

To me the difference in the center of the frame is meaningful and in the corners is more than evident. If you make prints the difference becomes even more meaningful. No doubt other lenses can get the job done, but the 50APO is in another league. JMHO.

[tom0511]

My favorite is the 50 APO, I have never compared directly but used it quite a bit as well as the 50/1.4asph and the 50/2.0 (non-Apo).

I believe the 50 APO shows very strong color, the 50/2.0 non APO and the 50/2.5 very slightly less saturated.

I don't find the 50 APO heavy at all. if one is heavy it would be the 50/1.4asph.

 

I agree with others that probably all of those lenses are very good stopped down.

 

My second favorite is the 50/2.0. I cant comment about the 50/2.8 coll. - I own it , I remember it is said to be very good at close distance, I have not used it much though.

For me the 50/2.0 are the best compromise between speed and weight.

[newnew]

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I was greatly please by the performance of my Cron V4 (canada). Full picture and 100% detail.

Once it is at f5.6 the rest is lighting which has more importance on landscape than anything else.

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[newnew]

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[uhoh7]

I'm dubious if you can tell much of a meaningful difference shooting a landscape at f/8 between the 50 APO, non-APO, Summilux ASPH and the Elmar M.

Actually I would be very surprised if you could not tell, once you shot them all alot on digital. Not in terms of sharpness, but by colors. I only have one, but I know my most modern Leica glass is a bit hotter and more saturated on M9, like 28 cron, SEM 21, 75 and 90 Summarit, than the older lenses, 50 cron v4, 75 Lux, TE 90 thin etc. In fact it's pretty obvious in those cases. The second three look alike, in terms of color and saturation, as do the first four.

 

Yes you can edit, but that only allows something "similar". It will never be quite the same. Which is not to say it's going to be worse, but a bit different. Changing a color signature is not the same as matching one if the starting points are different, in my experience.

 

While the landscapes will be more subtle in difference, basically my v4 50 cron, will never ever, in any light, do this:

Florist by unoh7, M9 28 cron.

 

Karbe is choosing very different glass I think than mandler did:

L1033840 by unoh7, 50 cron v4

But the v4 is actually more faithful to reality.

 

Light is the major factor, and above obviously it's very different. So really it's got to be side by side if you want to really tell.

 

Thunder over the Green by unoh7, 28 cron M9

 

There it' overcast, but 28 cron just pulls colors. While that bright one is like a cartoon, here you love the 28 cron.

 

Same day but in a sunny patch, 50 cron is quite sweet:

L1047205 by unoh7, on Flickr

 

But you know the 28 cron would shoot the same tree flashier and pull all sorts of rich tones from other elements. LOL

 

As I would expect the APO may do, or 50 Lux, or maybe even a v5

 

Looking on Flickr the Lux is more like the 28 cron, in the shots I saw. APO seems slightly quieter. But I haven't looked at tons to really know.

[helged]

No doubt other lenses can get the job done, but the 50APO is in another league. JMHO.

Regarding the mix of optical perfection, size including filter size (39mm), weight, max opening at f2 and built quality, the apo is close to unbeatable. The downside is, of couse, the cost, possibly also the inbuilt shade (see another, ongoing m-lens thread about this). For most of the owners, the apo will remain a go-to lens for lifetime...

[wattsy]

For most of the owners, the apo will remain a go-to lens for lifetime...

 

 

It might do but I dare say many will move on to the APO II or whatever the next "benchmark" lens might be.

[noirblancgris]

I often use the 50 APO, very sharp.

 

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[pgk]

I'm dubious if you can tell much of a meaningful difference shooting a landscape at f/8 between the 50 APO, non-APO, Summilux ASPH and the Elmar M.

 

I'm going through my digital files at the moment - 50mms that I've shot on include the Elmar, Summicrons, and both pre and aspheric Summiluxes. Wide open there are differences. Stopped down to say  f/8 I defy anyone to differentiate between their images, once they have been adjusted (which is the only meaningful way of comparing them - a sweeping, but for once, accurate statement).

[cobbu2]

Another vote for the 50/2.8 Elmar-M, the sweet spot for sharpness, out-of-focus areas and compactness.

 

 

50/2.8 Elmar-M on M8

[DezFoto]

Even the entry level 50mm Summarit-M is great for landscapes and better than any of my Nikon 50mm lenses. 

[uhoh7]

Even the entry level 50mm Summarit-M is great for landscapes and better than any of my Nikon 50mm lenses.

The blazing Nikkor is the 55 micro, later 3.5 or 2.8 are sick at infinity, but OOF is very edgy, like many SLR nikkors. I've often heard the 50 Summarit is very strong. All of them are, right? The 90 and 75 really rip. Both excellent for landscape and great form factor, but of course, smaller is nicer if you are walking around the landscape.

[sblutter]

Summi 2.0 v.3 - years of pleasure

 

As for landscapes tho - there are so many variations, I'd hate to limit myself to 50's.  Might need anywhere from 21 to 135mm.

 

Let's say one day you found yourself on Mars...

[Abram]

I loved my v5 Summicron when I had it but I also wasn't at all disappointed by the ZM 50 Planar for landscape work. I had the 50 Lux Asph last year as well but I sold it and kept my Elmar-M 50mm. 

 

It's just the best!