MediaFotografie Posted February 26, 2023 Share #1 Posted February 26, 2023 Advertisement (gone after registration) Last week I've got a call from my (well-stocked) local Leica dealer I can pick up the new 50mm Summicron-SL "Non-APO". Looking for the 50mm/1.8 from Panasonic for a long time I decided to go the (much more expensive, as we all know) Leica way. Because there are not many information about the new lenses I will describe my first experience. I'm not a professional reviewer, so feel free to write a better review. I used the lens with SL2 and SL2-S. First of all: handling. It's a wonderful light and small SL lens from Leica, very very manageable. A dream when compared to all others from Wetzlar. There are some small drawbacks in build quality like no engraved serial number (only printed on the back together with "Made in Portugal"). On the other hand it comes with a nice (small) lens bag. Second: Autofocus. It's totally silent - and it is very fast! Feels like what we all want from SL3! 🙂 Optical Quality: It's not the lens if you're looking for the best sharpness. In this case there's no other way than these wonderful APO lenses, no question. But if sharpness at only "very good" level is sufficient it's ok. What I like (maybe a question of taste) is Bookeh; the way this lens renders the background is very much my taste. How does it compare to the Panasonic 50/1.8? I can't say, only owning Panas 20-60; I don't expect a great difference. Fortunately I can choose the Leica, which fits very well the SL Bodies. My (short) verdict? I very useful lens somewhere below the APO-Summicron(s) - especially in price and weight, not so much in quality. Much better AF than all other Leica SL primes. A very useful lens for street photography and all such things. Really a step forward for Leica's SL System. Here some more pictures:https://adobe.ly/41v1p5y and here you can download some DNGs:https://www.vesta.uni-tuebingen.de/l_forum/SL_50/ Have joy with this lens - or any other, they are all good. 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! 14 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/368851-summicron-sl-50mm-first-impression/?do=findComment&comment=4701836'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 26, 2023 Posted February 26, 2023 Hi MediaFotografie, Take a look here Summicron-SL 50mm: first impression. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
thatkatmat Posted February 26, 2023 Share #2 Posted February 26, 2023 I had a similar experience...Loved the rendering, AF and the size...Looks pretty cool on that "reporter" too. Can't wait to get mine. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoworks Posted February 27, 2023 Share #3 Posted February 27, 2023 Thanks for sharing. The city photo at f4 is quite good. My experience was that the PANA lenses didn't perform as well across the frame. It looks good, probably better then a summicron-M v5 on the SL2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedd Posted February 27, 2023 Share #4 Posted February 27, 2023 I really want to like these lenses but, apart from being a bit smaller and a little faster, they don't jump out to me as looking any better than what I get from my Sigma ART 24-70. I feel they are still too big to compete with an M lens (though auto-focus is a huge plus) and not technically good enough to compete with Sigma at this price point. I'd probably have preferred a Summarit/Elmarit line that was smaller, slower, cheaper and with some more "Leica" character. I'm glad others are enjoying them though and it is good to have options. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jk1002 Posted February 27, 2023 Share #5 Posted February 27, 2023 Can some chime in on why sometimes we get firmware updates for lenses? I am interested in the 50 and while I know it will work am wondering what I might miss since I am still using the SL 601 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZN Posted February 27, 2023 Share #6 Posted February 27, 2023 (edited) 9 hours ago, MediaFotografie said: and here you can download some DNGs: Thanks for this. The images, after a bit of post processing, look great. Can't help thinking that Leica should have released lenses like these first, before the over-priced, over-sized Apos. Yes I know the Apos are fantastic lenses (especially the 75-APO…), but too big and too expensive for this bloke. Maybe things are different overseas, but in Australia the 35-APO is $AUD 7750, while the new 35-CRON is $AUD 3690. That is less than half the price… Edited February 27, 2023 by AZN 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simone_DF Posted February 27, 2023 Share #7 Posted February 27, 2023 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thank you for sharing these! They look really good 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoworks Posted February 27, 2023 Share #8 Posted February 27, 2023 6 hours ago, AZN said: Thanks for this. The images, after a bit of post processing, look great. Can't help thinking that Leica should have released lenses like these first, before the over-priced, over-sized Apos. Yes I know the Apos are fantastic lenses (especially the 75-APO…), but too big and too expensive for this bloke. Maybe things are different overseas, but in Australia the 35-APO is $AUD 7750, while the new 35-CRON is $AUD 3690. That is less than half the price… I know peices are heavy. If you listen to leica team interviews you get the sense that they wanted to develop lenses as close to perfection with current technology for a lens that can perform for years, size and weight was not as important . I think the summilux is to big and slow, not sure it will stand the test of time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
helged Posted February 27, 2023 Share #9 Posted February 27, 2023 41 minutes ago, Photoworks said: I think the summilux is to big and slow, not sure it will stand the test of time. The 50SL-Lux is, however, the only (?) SL lens with some Mandler magic, wide(ish) open. For this reason, I believe, 50SL-Lux will remain popular among quite some photographers, although certainly not across the entire SL-community. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel C.1975 Posted February 27, 2023 Share #10 Posted February 27, 2023 Hi, thanks for sharing. Pictures definitely look good. I have been in a Leica Store on Saturday to pick up the thumb rest for my Q2 and they had the new lenses in stock. So of course I tried with their SL2s. I also had no sd-card with me. I am used to the 35 apo summicron (also had the 75) and the 2490 and I do have the Pana 1.8 50, which is good but gets not much love from me. Size wise it is a noticeable different and it looks very good on the camera. More obvious for me was the strongly reduced downward torque compard to the APO-SC, which I tried back and fourth in change, when holding the camera in one hand. The lens is not only much lighter, with the shorter build the center of gravity seems also to be nearer to the camera mount, what makes it feel even lighter. Focusing was silent and snappy, very snappy, on the SL2s. Very nice lens with a for sure more than good enough IQ, most likely not APO-Like, but still very good. 8 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBB Posted February 27, 2023 Share #11 Posted February 27, 2023 Yes thank you for sharing, very helpful 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediaFotografie Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share #12 Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) ...some more examples from the new Summicron-SL 50mm; more including exif data you can find here:https://adobe.ly/41v1p5y my verdict is stable: very useful lens, great AF performance with SL2, the use of the lens is fun 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 February 28, 2023 by MediaFotografie Image deleted because of missing rights 6 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/368851-summicron-sl-50mm-first-impression/?do=findComment&comment=4704354'>More sharing options...
Kristofferpaulsen Posted February 28, 2023 Share #13 Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) Thanks for the thoughts! So keen! Edited February 28, 2023 by Kristofferpaulsen 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
huwm Posted February 28, 2023 Share #14 Posted February 28, 2023 How does it compare to the APO? Thinking I could ditch my APO and pick up 1 of these for walking around along with a Sigma 1.4 for occasions, as it were. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
huwm Posted February 28, 2023 Share #15 Posted February 28, 2023 that's assuming it's better than the awaited Sigma Contemporary 50/2 which will have an aperture ring, always a plus for me. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediaFotografie Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share #16 Posted February 28, 2023 vor 24 Minuten schrieb huwm: How does it compare to the APO? I don't know the 50mm APO - but the 35mm; the APO is a better lens, no question, but the difference is not so great; on the other side the non-APO is only 400 gr and small (something like 20mm less than the APO). And the price you know... 😉 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krycek Posted February 28, 2023 Share #17 Posted February 28, 2023 19 minutes ago, MediaFotografie said: I don't know the 50mm APO - but the 35mm; the APO is a better lens, no question, but the difference is not so great; on the other side the non-APO is only 400 gr and small (something like 20mm less than the APO). And the price you know... 😉 Thank you for sharing your photos! Do you find that the color rendering of this lens is identical to the colors of the APO? Many thanks! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediaFotografie Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share #18 Posted February 28, 2023 vor 7 Stunden schrieb Krycek: Thank you for sharing your photos! Do you find that the color rendering of this lens is identical to the colors of the APO? Many thanks! I have to do a more detailed comparison with the APOs first (I only have 35/90); at least it is very close 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoworks Posted February 28, 2023 Share #19 Posted February 28, 2023 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Warwick Posted February 3 Share #20 Posted February 3 (edited) Given it’s almost a year later, I was wondering if greater usage has led to any more views on the Non-APO Leica Summicrons? As a previous owner of the SL 50 APO Summicron, I considered that lens a little too “sharp” at times by producing too much acutance for my taste. I daresay many might concentrate on the Non-APOs as being not as sharp and so not as good as the SL APO primes, but I’m wondering after trying out some DNGs if the Non-APOs produce a more classic and gentler rendering that could actually be very pleasing for those of us who like a less “modern” rendering? ….possibly an SL equivalent of the gentler rendering of the M 50 Summicron v5 (or even M 50 Summilux ASPH) that are both less sharp / less modern, but which some of us nonetheless prefer, versus the technically more perfect M 50 APO? Anyone else see it that way? Edited February 3 by Jon Warwick 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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