Leica, please give us a Summicron-TL 50 f2.

[robgo2]

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1 hour ago, dkCambridgeshire said:

If a Leica CL 50mm Summicron was anywhere near production readiness it would be on the Roadmap or hinted at, e.g., in Leica Rumours. Interviews with Leica's APS Product Development Manager Maike Harberts suggest Leica is happy with the current APS-C prime lens range and that one of the goals is compact lenses. An L mount APS-C 50/2 lens would not be compact. The following interview with Maike Harberts mentions Leica's APS-C lens design philosophy.  The 'L Mount Alliance' and Sigma's contributions are mentioned in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrG0foigETs

The sole fast APS-C L mount portrait lens announced so far is the Sigma 56/1.4 DC L due for release in 2020 … which as regards portrait bokeh on APS format is equivalent to a FF 84/2.1 lens. The lens has likely been in the pipeline for at least 2 years and with Leica's knowledge / cooperation. An 'L mount'  APS-C 50mm 'compact' lens would probably be slower than f2, e.g., f2.8.  

dunk

 

Hey, I apologize for my somewhat snide response to your post. I did not realize that "dunk" is your name, and I took it to mean that you were dunking on me.😯

You may be right about Leica not having plans for a true TL portrait lens. Does this mean that they are ceding that ground to Sigma? Personally, I have not been a fan of Sigma, including their vaunted ART series. I see them as virtually defining the term "clinical lens." Super sharp, super corrected but overall rendering that is flat as a pancake. In addition to which, the main reason for shooting with Leica cameras is  to use Leica lenses that perform best on them.

Edited May 11, 2019 by robgo2

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[dkCambridgeshire]

In the UK, one meaning for 'dunking' is dipping a biscuit (cookie) into you coffee …  I just Googled to find out the meaning on your side of the pond  

dunk 

Edited May 11, 2019 by dkCambridgeshire

[robgo2]

Dunking has more than one meaning in the U.S., but I was thinking of a basketball dunk aka slam, jam, flush....Getting dunked on is considered by some to be an embarrassment. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by robgo2

[Marac]

My 50mm addiction is currently being controlled by a Contax Zeiss 50mm f1.4 and I couldn't imagine changing it just yet. Perfect portraiture lens as well as general use, the lens focusses rather close too.

[rob_w]

14 hours ago, robgo2 said:

Super sharp, super corrected but overall rendering that is flat as a pancake.

Yes, this is such a trap with many competitor lenses.  I was considering the Canon EOS R with the new RF50/1.2 until I had the opportunity to take a good batch of test photos.  The results were exactly what you describe -- ostensibly excellent but 'flat' and uninvolving.  I'm sure excellent Canon photographers can get amazing results anyway, by choosing the right lighting, POV, PP etc.  For mere mortals like me, I need what the Leica lenses can still provide, even in my less competent hands.

[Petercoll]

On 5/9/2019 at 2:18 AM, ramarren said:

I tend to prefer a hair shorter than 75mm eqFOV as a general rule. I've used my Summilux-R 50 on the CL quite a lot and it works beautifully, but I like the Pentax-L 43mm f/1.9 Limited more for my kinds of portrait shooting. 

AF just doesn't do much for me.

Used my late Father's R 50mm f2 recently. Results so pleasing. Also amazing as a close up with Elpro.