M mount lenses on SL2

[Bobby]

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I've come to the conclusion that SL2 is probably the best option for what I do. 

However, I want to use compact lenses. Do M lenses perform well on SL2? Any M lens I should avoid (I'm mostly interested about 50mm and 28mm)?

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[hirohhhh]

I started the similar thread earlier today

 

[beewee]

The other thread tends to mix discussions with L and M mount lenses, mostly just L-mount so I think it’s worth focusing on the M mount side of things here.

I haven’t had a chance to really test out too many of my M lenses yet on the SL2-S. So far, I’ve played around with the 28 Elmarit-M ASPH which had fairly soft corners until you really stop it down a fair bit and even then it’s still a bit smeared. Same can be said about the 18mm SEM. At f/8, most of the frame is sharp but there is some smearing still on the corners.

I do have a few other M lenses around including the 24 Elmar-M, 35 pre-FLE, 35 FLE, 50 cron v4, 90 Elmarit-M ASPH but I haven’t really spent any time with them. 

[serhan]

Jono's 28mm summicron test with SL:

http://www.slack.co.uk/leica-m-resolution.html

SL2-S with the Leica 50/2 APO-Summicron-M
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/316670-sl2-s-with-m-lenses/

[chris_tribble]

My experience with the two platforms is that while you CAN get outstanding optical performance from M lenses on the SL2 it’s not such a good experience, especially with wider angle lenses. With 28 or 35 I find it hard to get precise focus on a specific plane on SL whereas the same lenses on an M just snap to the right place. With longer lenses it gets easier (for me) and I’ve decided not to buy a 50 for now as the M 50 lux is great on the SL as is the APO-Telyt 135 (and IBIS is a real game changer here!) 

I hope this helps. 

[graeme_clarke]

I have a WATE and tried it on an SL2-S a week ago.  Wide open at 16mm. Focused using the DoF scale  on the lens. Imported into LR and zooming in to 100%  it is sharp in each corner, which for me is a pleasing outcome!

Graeme

[SiggiGun]

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in terms of quality, there is NO issue. However, you should consider 2 aspects:

• Rangerfinder is easier to focus (SL2 is designe for autofocus lenses)
• SL2 has an excellent EVF, however focusing can be tricky for f4 or more

[Pixeleater]

On the SL2-S I use the Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH (Black Chrome) and sometimes the Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH. Both yield excellent results.

[AZN]

FWIW the 24mm Elmar-M ASPH works brilliantly on the SL (Typ601).  Same for the 35mm Summicron-M ASPH.

Both are corner-to-corner sharp without any smearing (on the SL's 24 MP sensor)

[trickness]

I used 21, 28, 35, 50 & 75 M glass on my SL & SL2.  Fantastic results with all, much easier to nail focus than on an M body, especially “riding” the focus during subject movement, the EVF & focus peaking make it ludicrously easy. I would actually say I enjoyed shooting M glass more on SL than on M bodies.

Shooting thousands of images I never noticed any obtrusively negative qualities from vignetting or soft corner focus. I suspect most of the complaints in these regards are from people who focus a bit more on pixel peeping than on the quality of their compositions.

Part of the whole point of getting an SL Is to enjoy the other lenses in the Leica family, That’s why they designed it that way.