On the fence about buying the 50 SL Summilux…..

[T25UFO]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

7 hours ago, malbooth said:

Do I really need to cart around almost 2 kg of camera and lens overseas for several weeks or should I just take my Q2 and be happy with that?

Precisely!  

I eventually gave up on the whole SL product for this reason.  Shame, because the SL 50mm Summilux is probably the best lens I have owned for general portrait work.  Now I just have the M10R with 50mm and 35mm (both APO lenses) plus the Q2M and Q2 Reporter.  I should say the Reporter hasn't seen much use since I bought the 35mm APO, so that's the one that might go.  Will probably wait to see what the Q3 brings . . .

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[IkarusJohn]

On 8/19/2022 at 9:21 PM, Photoworks said:

Often I go on vacation with one camera a zoom and a fast 1.4 lens for detail and low light.

I would not take the SL 50, or the summicron-SL 50. they stay home. I take a Summilux-M 50 and a 24-90mm. It is all still heavy but I am interested in taking photos and I don't feel like I am compromising .

If I go on longer trip I would wind to bring one more small camera that as back up and to take photos at night on the way to the Resturant . I can be the q2 or an M camera. the SL camera stays home.

Depends on the trip.  We’re going into Fiordland on a boat at the end of the year - great scenery, birds and whales - so I will take my SL, 24-90, R180/2.8, 2x converter, TL11-23 and 50 Noct.  

To address @malbooth’s post, I’m not so sure I understand the confusion.  The M system is good for some purposes, and the SL good for others.  

We read a lot here about what the SL is not good for, and it’s not very helpful.  It really depends on your needs.  For me, the SL is great for dodgy weather conditions, situations where I need a zoom or reach, and AF.  I don’t mind carrying it so much, and with the 24-90, it’s a great general purpose camera.  I often want a fast prime, and I loved the 50 Summilux SL, but I already had a 50 Noct, which works very well on the SL.  So the Summilux went.

Conversely, the M system has different strengths - compact, deceptively simple, all manual and fantastic to use.  It all depends on your priorities.

Not sure that image quality is one of them.

[andybarton]

The focus is on the nose ring.

[trickness]

2 hours ago, kynprime said:

you decided to focus on the bridge of the nose? it would seem that there is an issue focusing on the eyes. this image woudl look moch better with the gaze vs the bridge. the character and intensity are off. it would seem you may need a new prescription? it happens.

You joined this forum 3 hours ago and this is your first post?

You seem like a guy who makes friends really easily. Welcome! Looking forward to reading more of your thrilling insights on photography 

Edited June 24, 2024 by trickness

[IkarusJohn]

Well, I rather liked the image.

[trickness]

Just now, IkarusJohn said:

Well, I rather liked the image.

Cheers John. 

[kkcsm]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

On 6/3/2022 at 3:24 PM, trickness said:

Everybody can of course shoot what they like, its down to individual choice,

Exactly.  Too this, too that, not enough this…. It’s your portrait.  I think it’s a fine portrait.

[FocusDot]

On 12/24/2021 at 11:25 PM, trickness said:

Yeah I’m definitely hoping I get to add a 50 Nocti to the toolbox. I really do wish you could focus closer with it. The SL glass allows you to get SO close…….

The new 50 M Lux addresses that issue...

[trickness]

2 hours ago, kynprime said:

perhaps you should try a lens that allows auto focus not manual. it should correct the issues you have.

Perhaps you should try putting a dry cleaning bag over your head and holding your breath at the bottom of a swimming pool. That should correct the issues you have. 

[Dr. G]

I have the Summilux-SL, 50mm APO Summicron-SL and just picked up the new Sigma 50mm f/1.2.   The Sigma is a fantastic lens.  Incredibly sharp wide open and has a pleasing out of focus rendering both in the foreground and the background.  I honestly believe it could replace my Lux-SL and maybe even my APO SL.  I'm terrible at letting go of my Leica lenses, but I imagine the Sigma will be the 50mm lens that's in my bag most of the time.  

[Simone_DF]

I suppose the Sigma can be an exceptionally good deal for anyone looking to replace both the Lux and the Apo. Get a creamy background at f1.2, and plenty of sharpness when closing down f2. 
But by looking at samples, I still find the rendering of the Lux more appealing 🤔

[Dr. G]

4 minutes ago, Simone_DF said:

I suppose the Sigma can be an exceptionally good deal for anyone looking to replace both the Lux and the Apo. Get a creamy background at f1.2, and plenty of sharpness when closing down f2. 
But by looking at samples, I still find the rendering of the Lux more appealing 🤔

I just posted a series of 4 scenes shot with both the Sigma (at 1.2 and 1.4) and the Summilux-SL (at 1.4) in the L Mount Lens forum.  All were done on a tripod and I tried to match exposures, which was a bit tough since I was outdoors.  

[Markey]

56 minutes ago, Dr. G said:

I just posted a series of 4 scenes shot with both the Sigma (at 1.2 and 1.4) and the Summilux-SL (at 1.4) in the L Mount Lens forum.  All were done on a tripod and I tried to match exposures, which was a bit tough since I was outdoors.  

I looked at those and couldn`t decern any meaningful differences.

Meaningful to me that is.  

[trickness]

2 hours ago, Markey said:

I looked at those and couldn`t decern any meaningful differences.

Meaningful to me that is.  

The simple fact is that lenses with different elements, computations and coatings are going to render differently. Depending on the aperture, you could take a dozen 50 mm Leica lenses, shoot some images digitally, post them on a website that compresses the living $hit out of them, and see almost no difference.

So is that to say that all lenses render the same? That all manufacturers, no matter their experience or their dedication to build quality, are wasting their time because all lenses look the same?

Of course not. Each of these pieces of glass has their characteristics, which can be minimized or maximized, depending on the choice of the photographer. I’m sure the sigma is a fine lens and it has its own look. Which is different than what a 50 Lux looks like, if you use the lens in a way that leans into those characteristics. I know, for instance, that my 50 Lux M or 50 Cron R render completely differently than an SL APO. Because I have taken many images with all of these lenses and looked at them on my own computer screen.

Whether somebody thinks the difference in rendering is worth the premium in price and penalties in weight is another conversation entirely. But let’s please not create the misperception that all of these lenses will produce results that are indiscernible from each other; unless it was the photographers intent to bring about that result.

 

[Dr. G]

2 hours ago, trickness said:

The simple fact is that lenses with different elements, computations and coatings are going to render differently. Depending on the aperture, you could take a dozen 50 mm Leica lenses, shoot some images digitally, post them on a website that compresses the living $hit out of them, and see almost no difference.

So is that to say that all lenses render the same? That all manufacturers, no matter their experience or their dedication to build quality, are wasting their time because all lenses look the same?

Of course not. Each of these pieces of glass has their characteristics, which can be minimized or maximized, depending on the choice of the photographer. I’m sure the sigma is a fine lens and it has its own look. Which is different than what a 50 Lux looks like, if you use the lens in a way that leans into those characteristics. I know, for instance, that my 50 Lux M or 50 Cron R render completely differently than an SL APO. Because I have taken many images with all of these lenses and looked at them on my own computer screen.

Whether somebody thinks the difference in rendering is worth the premium in price and penalties in weight is another conversation entirely. But let’s please not create the misperception that all of these lenses will produce results that are indiscernible from each other; unless it was the photographers intent to bring about that result.

 

Did you even look at the samples I posted in the L Mount Lens Forum?  I expressed no bias at all in my samples - just wanted to present the images taken on a tripod with the same framing and approximate exposures for members to evaluate for themselves.  I only posted f/1.2 and 1.4 on the Sigma and f/1.4 on the Lux-SL in that thread.

I own the Summilux-SL, 50mm APO Summicron-SL and now the Sigma 50 1.2 (also the LLL Speed Panchro ii but that lens has very specific use cases).  They all render differently, although I think the 50 1.2 and the Summilux-SL are very close with slight differences in falloff, sharpness, color cast and out of focus rendering - I would guess that once color matched, most people would not be able to tell the difference.  The APO is a different animal, which is why I didn't post the images I took with it (although I did shoot examples of the same scenes with it).  I also ran each lens from its widest aperture possible through a series of f/1.2, f/1.4, f/2, f/3.2, f/4, f/5.6 and f/8.  I didn't go above f/8 on the SL3 because diffraction starts to set in right around there, or so it's been reported.

FWIW, the kit I carry with me pretty much all the time is the SL3 with the 21, 35, 50 and 75 APO Summicron-SLs and the 50mm Summilux-SL.  So I've never been opposed to carrying both Leica 50s and appreciate their different renderings.  

[trickness]

46 minutes ago, Dr. G said:

Did you even look at the samples I posted in the L Mount Lens Forum?  I expressed no bias at all in my samples - just wanted to present the images taken on a tripod with the same framing and approximate exposures for members to evaluate for themselves.  I only posted f/1.2 and 1.4 on the Sigma and f/1.4 on the Lux-SL in that thread.

I own the Summilux-SL, 50mm APO Summicron-SL and now the Sigma 50 1.2 (also the LLL Speed Panchro ii but that lens has very specific use cases).  They all render differently, although I think the 50 1.2 and the Summilux-SL are very close with slight differences in falloff, sharpness, color cast and out of focus rendering - I would guess that once color matched, most people would not be able to tell the difference.  The APO is a different animal, which is why I didn't post the images I took with it (although I did shoot examples of the same scenes with it).  I also ran each lens from its widest aperture possible through a series of f/1.2, f/1.4, f/2, f/3.2, f/4, f/5.6 and f/8.  I didn't go above f/8 on the SL3 because diffraction starts to set in right around there, or so it's been reported.

FWIW, the kit I carry with me pretty much all the time is the SL3 with the 21, 35, 50 and 75 APO Summicron-SLs and the 50mm Summilux-SL.  So I've never been opposed to carrying both Leica 50s and appreciate their different renderings.  

Ok cool, apologies if I misunderstood your post. 

[Markey]

6 hours ago, trickness said:

The simple fact is that lenses with different elements, computations and coatings are going to render differently. Depending on the aperture, you could take a dozen 50 mm Leica lenses, shoot some images digitally, post them on a website that compresses the living $hit out of them, and see almost no difference.

So is that to say that all lenses render the same? That all manufacturers, no matter their experience or their dedication to build quality, are wasting their time because all lenses look the same?

Of course not. Each of these pieces of glass has their characteristics, which can be minimized or maximized, depending on the choice of the photographer. I’m sure the sigma is a fine lens and it has its own look. Which is different than what a 50 Lux looks like, if you use the lens in a way that leans into those characteristics. I know, for instance, that my 50 Lux M or 50 Cron R render completely differently than an SL APO. Because I have taken many images with all of these lenses and looked at them on my own computer screen.

Whether somebody thinks the difference in rendering is worth the premium in price and penalties in weight is another conversation entirely. But let’s please not create the misperception that all of these lenses will produce results that are indiscernible from each other; unless it was the photographers intent to bring about that result.

 

Didn`t mean to suggest that there wasn`t any difference between them.

Just that , for me, both were more than acceptable.

[trickness]

4 hours ago, Markey said:

Didn`t mean to suggest that there wasn`t any difference between them.

Just that , for me, both were more than acceptable.

And that’s why I wrote what I did.

Pretty much all lenses these days are “acceptable”. It’s not about that for me anyway. It’s about the individual way each lens renders, the look it gives. And I find the Lux to have a very specific and wonderful look.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Sohail]

The 50 Summilux-SL is for me is the best L-mount lens in that focal range. It has an atmospheric rendering that I haven't seen in other lenses. The side-by-side comparisons with Sigma, useful though they are, don't get to what makes the Summilux shine. Maybe it too has some of that charm. I can't say unless you go out and shoot with it for a while and you find yourself reaching for it each time. A simple example of that "magic" wide open with ambient lighting:

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Edited July 10, 2024 by Sohail

[jplomley]

Save your money...I have the 21-35-75 APO combination and was in the market for either the 50 Lux or 50 APO. Note I also have the 50 Lux Asph for my M10-R and M10M, so fully aware of Lux rendering in this FL. I had heard a lot of amazing things about the SIGMA 50/1.2 from other SL users, so gave it a whirl in my local camera store on my SL2, more out of curiosity and with tempered expectations. As soon as I opened the images at home I called the shop and had them set aside the lens for pick-up the next day. My expectations were exceeded in spades. The cost differential from a Lux or APO I shall use towards a new Eizo monitor!