Selling the 50 Apo to return to the 50 lux?

[Csacwp]

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For two years now I have been shooting the 50 Apo. It’s a superb lens, but I find that it can be too harsh for portraiture, and every so often I miss having an extra stop for low-light (I often shoot film). Should I sell it and get a Black Chrome 50 lux asph, or maybe even a pre-asph?

[Alistairm]

Only you can decide what lens suits your style. I own 4 Leica 50mm lenses at the moment and I'd never part with APO. I reckon you might miss it. And In the right light it delivers wonderful portraits.

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[Csacwp]

It’s just so harsh on female skin... It’s also not a very well sealed lens- at least mine gets lots of dust in it, more than all my other lenses combined!

[stefanusj]

same stituation, i also sold my apo 50 and trade it with 50lux BC 6 months ago.

i used to admire a perfect lens, but "perfect" is boring... 

[Csacwp]

Exactly, perfect has no character. So how are you liking the 50 lux asph? Does it have enough character and is it gentle enough wide open? Or would you have preferred a pre-asph lens?

[geetee1972]

Exactly, perfect has no character. So how are you liking the 50 lux asph? Does it have enough character and is it gentle enough wide open? Or would you have preferred a pre-asph lens?

 

That's a good question. This is just my personal view but having used the 50Lux for about 18 months now (on an SL) mainly for portraiture I feel it has just the right balance of rendering. My style of portraiture tends more towards the honest than the flattering though so the results I'm getting, and on which I am basing my conclusion, might be too harsh or sterile for others. That said, I've been very critical of the 50SL 'Lux for being precisely this; too sterile.

 

If it help you can see the portraits I have made with this lens here:

 

http://www.tearsinrain.co.uk/encounters-35mm

 

and also here:

 

http://www.tearsinrain.co.uk/bloodandwater

 

Most of my digital work on my website in general has been shot with the 50Lux as this is the only lens I own currently. Some of it is with a 35 'cron but very few.

Edited January 18, 2018 by geetee1972

[Photon42]

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Your question is entirely personal. There is no way I would still have other Leica lenses and not the Summilux 50 ASPH. It is the thing for portraiture in the focal length space for me. If I really feel I need something different, I use my well adjusted Nokton 1.1/50. Great lens despite some so-so reviews. Another lens which may come close to the (in some eyes non-existing character) of the Summicron 50 ASPH is the Zeiss 2/50 at about 1/10th of the cost.

[wattsy]

Not quite sure what relevance the black chrome has to the decision.

[M10Alpine]

Only you can decide what lens suits your style. I own 4 Leica 50mm lenses at the moment and I'd never part with APO. I reckon you might miss it. And In the right light it delivers wonderful portraits.

 

 

Can you list the 4 50 you have?

[4X5B&W]

As someone who purchased a Black Chrome Summilux ASPH, I would have to say that it is a very attractive style (classic Ver. 1 Lux design).

 

Versatile and durable finish - Black Chrome plating over a brass body. A super durable design just like the classic 1950's Leitz products.

 

And of course, optically it is a beautiful lens, very sharp and a classic "look" to images produced by it.....no different to any other version of the Lux ASPH BTW !!

 

Overall, I am extremely happy with my "with me for life" 50 Summilux ASPH Black Chrome.........YMMV !! 

[Alistairm]

In rough order of my preference for them.

 

SL50 Summilux

APO 50 Cron

Noctilux 0.95

50 Summilux ASPH

 

(PS - but they are all awesome and image uniquely, which is why I've kept them all.)

Edited January 18, 2018 by Alistairm

[Paul J]

IMO - Apart from taste/style and deliberate use of softness and blur for aesthetic, it's often technique that needs attention, rather than gear. No such thing as too sharp a lens for portraiture.

[colonel]

The APO was built to be the sharpest thing possible

 

For softer, warmer and portrait try the Voigtlander 75mm f1.8 as all the Leica lenses are sharp

 

The summilux is the best bet for 1.4 but don't expect it not to be sharp or neutral

Edited January 18, 2018 by colonel

[horosu]

For two years now I have been shooting the 50 Apo. It’s a superb lens, but I find that it can be too harsh for portraiture, and every so often I miss having an extra stop for low-light (I often shoot film). Should I sell it and get a Black Chrome 50 lux asph, or maybe even a pre-asph?

 

 

This is exactly what I did. But I then added the Pre-APO Summicron, of which I'm very fond lately: it is sharp but never harsh, it has exactly the good size to match the MP/M10. It flares exactly like the APO (the version "without" flare). I love it

[lct]

Neither 50/2 apo nor 50/1.4 asph are made for soft portraiture. What you need is a more "forgiving" lens like Sonnar 50/1.5 (with EVF preferably), Summilux 50/1.4 pre-asph or possibly a Summicron 50/2 pre-apo. Among longer lenses, Summicron 90/2 v3, Summilux 75/1.4 or slower telephotos like Elmarit 90/2.8 v1 which can be had for little money. 

[Csacwp]

So anybody got examples of the Summicron Pre-apo vs the Summilux asph?

[jip]

I think again it always has more to do with the photographer than the lens... people complain about it being to good for their wives bla bla... then shoot her differently.  etc. 

[Csacwp]

I know I can soften in post for digital, but I also shoot film and would prefer a lens with a little more character.

[james.liam]

A caveat on all the declaratory love for the Summilux and derision for the APO. 

 

I have never used an M with a color sensor and perhaps see things a little differently. The visual impact of images wrought by a lens that resolves as well at ƒ/2 as it does at ƒ/5.6, with a bokeh that isn't the main attraction as it is often in Summilux/Noctilux photos, is something experientially strange at first. 

No glow, no field curvature to muddle corners, no focus shift, precise rendering of tonality, apparent higher contrast at the plane of focus. All these influence the image observer's visual cues and changes what you seek to record rather than as the afterthought of converting a color shot to monochrome. 

 

One's appreciation for the APO begins to change, not as a "one lens is better than the other" but rather, as a distinctly different vehicle for perception.

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[01af]

... the Apo-Summicron-M 50 Asph. It's a superb lens, but I find that it can be too harsh for portraiture [...]. Should I sell it and get a Summilux-M 50 Asph, or maybe even a pre-asph?

The Summilux-M 50 mm Asph used to be my workhorse standard lens for a couple of years ... but I never used it anymore after I got my Apo-Summicron. The notion that the Apo-Summicron was 'harsh' or 'sterile' is absurd. Do not, repeat: DO NOT sell the Apo-Summicron-M 50 mm Asph! You will regret. Selling yours now and re-purchasing another later will be a costly move. Instead, complement it with something else if you absolutely feel like it. I'd suggest an old Summitar 5 cm 1:2 or Summarit 5 cm 1:1.5 ... or maybe even an uncoated pre-war Elmar 5 cm 1:3.5. For better lens speed (for use with film) I'd suggest to skip the Summilux altogether and immediately go all the way to a Noctilux-M 50 mm 1:1 or 1:0.95 Asph.