geddon_jt Posted March 10, 2018 Share #1 Posted March 10, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello everyone, writing for a little advice. I'm sure this has been discussed before but let me start with a little about my situation. I'm a new Leica Q owner and I'm in love with it (and so is my wife). We have so enjoyed this camera and the amazing shots it takes. It is likely I will want to purchase an M10 to go alongside it over the next few months if I can get the funds lined up. Given that we already have a 28mm lens on the Q, I am pretty set on starting out with a 50 mm lens on the M10. Although there are a number of good options in that size, I am wondering if you all can give me some thoughts and comments on the differences between the Summilux-M f/1.4 and the Summicron-M f/2.0. Obviously the latter is less than half the cost of the former, but these both seem to be universally praised lenses. Wondering if anyone who has actually been able to use both can comment on the differences. The type of shooting I do is mainly family oriented stuff - we also have a trip to Ireland planned in a few months that I'm sure will be amazing for both indoor and outdoor shooting. (I also enjoy photographing pinball games actually - these are typically very bright but inside very dark environments). Any tips or pointers would be appreciated. Thanks everyone! PS - if anyone has the Leica brand M10 leather protector case thing, do you have to remove the case if you want to mount the camera on a tripod? is it more of a pain to get to the battery and memory card with the case? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 10, 2018 Posted March 10, 2018 Hi geddon_jt, Take a look here M10 lens advice from Q owner. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
hteasley Posted March 11, 2018 Share #2 Posted March 11, 2018 The new Summicron is hella expensive. The old non-ASPH version can be had much cheaper, and is still awesome. I have one of those, and the ASPH 50mm Summilux. I can't afford the new Summicron. I've done a casual comparison between the two Summicrons, and found the old one is awesome, but is about 3% less awesome than the new one. I prefer the Summilux for the images, however: it's just a classic, awesome lens. I just love the way it draws, and love the character of the lens at all apertures. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Q Posted March 11, 2018 Share #3 Posted March 11, 2018 The 50mm Summilux ASPH is one of the "must-have" lenses in the current M lens lineup. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulsydaus Posted March 11, 2018 Share #4 Posted March 11, 2018 I no longer have the regular summicron after upgrading to the app version but it is a classic Leica lens and I’m glad they kept it. Very good contrast and painterly backgrounds. It is also one of the easiest lenses to use in terms of ergonomics i found. There are no bad Leica 50s. It comes down to your budget. Unfortunately you do need to remove the case to access the battery or mount a tripod... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M11 for me Posted March 11, 2018 Share #5 Posted March 11, 2018 In the LUF we can find most interesting threads about comparing Leitz vs. Zeiss vs. Cosina Voightlander and maybe others. Plus there are several good blogs outside the LUF and many posts refer to the one or the other of these blogs. Still it is your most personal preference which lens speed to buy or which focal length. Leica provides you with 16mm to 135mm. Whatever you have is usefull for some situations and therefor each lens is a usefull lens. Think then of the wheight, price, filter diameter and preferences. I can not see how someone else can help you whith this. You learned with your Q how much you can do with just one focal lengt. Our colleagues from Canon and Nikon can barely believe that you can be without a zoom. Indeed beside your Q with its 28mm you will be fine with 35 or 50 or 75 to start with. Or if you don‘t mind leaving the frame lines of your M then you will be fine with 21mm. My personal experience, coming from Canon with 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 zooms (and more), I love going out with just one lens on my M10. It rarely happens that I miss something. I am actually doing a reportage about Basel in Switzerland and one time I am there with the 28mm another time with 75mm etc. I regularly bring home different perspectives and I like this. Today I own 5 lenses but clearly (for me) this would not have been a must at all. Staring off with the 28 and 50mm a year ago I was very happy. And when thinking about the speed: Well it is nice to have all fast lenses. But think if is is necessary for your photography? Probably not. Other aspects I mentioned above already. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geddon_jt Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted March 11, 2018 Thanks so much for everyone’s help and comments so far. Sorry if I wasn’t clear above - when referencing the Summicron 50 I was referring to the non-APO version (the one that’s about $2300). If I sprung for the Summilux ASPH 50 I would go for the standard black one ($3895) assuming I can find it in stock somewhere... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Q Posted March 11, 2018 Share #7 Posted March 11, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Do you mind buying used? I never buy new lenses and I've probably saved $10,000 in Leica gear alone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geddon_jt Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted March 11, 2018 Do you mind buying used? I never buy new lenses and I've probably saved $10,000 in Leica gear alone. Not at all. I do have difficulty knowing what "revisions" of various lenses are and trying to tell which revisions are being offered for sale though... is it fair to assume that a 6-bit coded lens is always the latest revision for example? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted March 11, 2018 Share #9 Posted March 11, 2018 Older versions can be coded. You can tell by the serial number range if the lens is a more current one. I would try to get a used lux if you can afford it. You can get an idea of the versions in the Wiki section on the forum. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_OOF Posted March 11, 2018 Share #10 Posted March 11, 2018 A friend of mine has just sold his Q to buy a new Summicron 28 for the M240. After the first shots he is rather disappointed because the images have less contrast and less life. Even the sharpness appears minor. We went together in the Leica Store but according to them the lens is in line with the others. Maybe the different sensor makes the difference or the fact that the weather has been bad these days so the light was not optimal... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geddon_jt Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted March 12, 2018 A friend of mine has just sold his Q to buy a new Summicron 28 for the M240. After the first shots he is rather disappointed because the images have less contrast and less life. Even the sharpness appears minor. We went together in the Leica Store but according to them the lens is in line with the others. Maybe the different sensor makes the difference or the fact that the weather has been bad these days so the light was not optimal... Man, that’s really a bummer. Before I bought the Q I remember reading somewhere that “you’re getting a Summilux 28 for $2,000 less than the M version plus a free camera” since apparently the Summilux 28 for the M is around $6k and the entire Q was about $4k. There is definitely some magic in the photos taken by the Q, maybe it is worth it to spring for the lux at 50 mm for the M10. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulsydaus Posted March 12, 2018 Share #12 Posted March 12, 2018 As others have said, the 50 lux is the better and more versatile lens, you get what you pay for to a certain degree. But if you are shooting family it won’t be at f/1.4 I doubt unless you are experienced or doing still life classic posed portraits. You may find the regular Summicron easier to use as a beginner. The regular summicron has a bit of purple fringing on high contrast highlights compared to the summilux. If you can afford the summilux it will probably be a lens for life. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_m Posted March 12, 2018 Share #13 Posted March 12, 2018 Both are excellent lenses. You commented about shooting in low light so the summilux has a slight advantage. Also the summilux has a focusing tab, I find that it makes it easier to focus with ( personal preference). I have never regretted buying a faster lens but I have regretted buying slower lenses in the quest to save money. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeralCoton Posted March 12, 2018 Share #14 Posted March 12, 2018 The 50 lux is amazing and rather sharp at focus peaks. It also provides amazing bokeh. The cron is an amazing lens. The bokeh perhaps is quite as buttery as the lux wide open. Yet the cron is much lighter and more compact and less expensive. I sold my cron to get a lux. I should have kept it and had both and suffered. However, if cost and weight are issues go with the cron it is wonderful. If you don’t mind several extra ounces and maybe an extra inch and an extra $1700 then you won’t be disappointed with the lux. There is no wrong decision, so I’d try on both and go by what you think you don’t mind carrying around Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatihayoglu Posted March 12, 2018 Share #15 Posted March 12, 2018 And also think that with a Lux you can do everything what a Cron can do, but you can’t do with a Cron what a Lux does in terms of DoF, low light options etc. If I were you, I’d find a used Lux instead of a brand new Cron. (At least that was my reasoning when I bought mine) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_OOF Posted March 12, 2018 Share #16 Posted March 12, 2018 (edited) I apologize for misunderstanding on the focal length, 50 and not the 28 ... However, I have both 50 (Summilux and Summicron) and, although obviously the Summicron is a beautiful lens, the Summilux has something special, especially wide open. It is also much less sensitive to flare. I almost always use it; alternatively, sometimes the previous version, not aspherical. Edited March 12, 2018 by Al_OOF 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted March 13, 2018 Share #17 Posted March 13, 2018 I have the Q and an M-P. I have both 50 summilux asph and the pre Asph 50 Summicron. I tend to use the latter as it's lighter and more compact, and I rarely feel the need for the extra stop when using digital Pete 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailwagger Posted March 14, 2018 Share #18 Posted March 14, 2018 I had the latest version Summicron, which I for whatever reason I just never connected with. Its a perfectly competent lens, but for me it just didn't bring anything interesting to the table. It is the only Leica lens I've sold and with zero regrets. I replaced it with a Summilux black chrome, a lens I expect to be cremated with. Actually, there was one regret... that I didn't buy the 'lux n the first place. As a Q owner, I regularly shoot that pairing, with a 75 Lux on the side. Works for me. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geddon_jt Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share #19 Posted March 15, 2018 Very appreciative of the advice everyone. I think I'm going to try to track down a used Lux f/1.4. I'll post my impressions up here once I make my decision 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted March 15, 2018 Share #20 Posted March 15, 2018 Very appreciative of the advice everyone. I think I'm going to try to track down a used Lux f/1.4. I'll post my impressions up here once I make my decision You won't regret it. Have a look at the Pre Asph 50mm summilux threads on here and rangefinder forum. It's a very impressive lens and can be found for half the price of the Asph Summilux Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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