50 summilux asph on M8

[gerasdoc]

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I am considering the purchase of this highly regarded lens for use with my M8. I currently have a wate, 28mm cron asph, 75mm cron asph, and 135 apo-telyt 3.4. I'm soliciting opinions regarding how the lens functions on the M8 and how it may fit in my lens collection.

[Guest WPalank]

My favorite studio portrait and street portrait lens

[dpattinson]

It really is a lovely across-the-table range portrait lens. Mine has pretty awful back-focus, but nevertheless a great lens.

[Albert4321]

This is the only lens I have now while waiting on my WATE. I really love this lens, amazing quality and very sharp wide open.

[johnbuckley]

Barry - I believe this to be the single sharpest, best lens I own. I used to think it was the 75 Summicron, which is a very special lens. But I've had the 50 Summilux A for about 6 months now. It is, for me, hands down, the nicest Leica lens, period.

[blakley]

The 50 Summilux ASPH is a very good lens. For head-and-shoulders portraits I prefer the 75 Summicron ASPH, but the 50 is very, very good. The only concern I have with it on the M8 is that the reflective sensor seems to produce a "hotspot" in the center of the image in backlit conditions sometimes - an effect I don't observe with film. Here's a recent photo with the M8 and the 50 Lux ASPH wide open:

 

 

If you click the picture you can see larger versions at flickr, including the "original" size which is actual pixels.

[Shootist]

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Just got this lens today. I haven't had any time to shoot anything good with it, this weekend I will, But I have put it through the focus tests on both my M8's and my copy seems fine. I can't wait to put it to the test.

[abrewer]

The 50 'Lux ASPH is arguably the finest lens in the Leica lineup

 

Everyone here knows I shoot an MP, and it's simply fantastic on that body;

 

but, I would imagine it to be awesome for portraits on an M8

 

Please post some in the "People" section of the Photo Forum when you have a chance

 

Thanks

 

Allan

[pelikan1931]

It really is a lovely across-the-table range portrait lens. Mine has pretty awful back-focus, but nevertheless a great lens.

 

 

my 50 asph lux (mp3 version) is also back focused, as is my Noctilux, so I just adjusted the M8 rangefinder instead to suit both. i intend to use the same adjusted M8 for wide angle lens, i guess sooner or later i need a second body because i don't think a single body can be adjusted to fit all those lens out there. the instant feedback should make adjustment a less mysterious affair than it used to be. maybe leica will include a hex key with every M8, they did include a screw driver for the rewind level for MP (which is a bit too thoughtful since we all have screw driver at home). I am not a fan of sending either your body or lens back to solm for "adjustment", had people not done that so often, Leica might have not decided to increase the price of M8 and starved the Leica world of the prime lens. Now they are releasing the Summarit f2.5, so nobody will complain about focus shift and/or back(front) focus, and have them sent back in flock for "adjustment" ...:-)

[KJB]

50, 75, 135mm may leave you a bit heavy on the tele side but if that's your thing go for it. If I had your setup, I'd be looking for a WATE to shore up the wide end of the lineup. I do love the 50asph though...almost enough to sell the Nocti.

[doug_m]

The 50 1.4 ASPH is amazing on the M8- it is far and away my best lens. You can hand hold this puppy at some really slow shutter speeds. Buy it and you will absolutely not regret the decision.

[doug_m]

PS Your current line-up is also without a really fast lens so the 50 mm 1.4 will fit in very well.

[KM-25]

I only own three Leica lenses:

 

28mm 2.0 Summicron Asph.

50mm 2.0 Collapsable

50mm 1.4 Summilux Asph / LHSA

 

My 50 lux on my M8 is perfect, no back focus issues and it is just as stunning on film wide open as it is on the M8.

 

It rocks!