Buy sl 50mm f1.14 or go medium format?

[DanielJr]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have an s5 and really want that lens but my gf said i should go medium format if im willing to pay that much for a lens thoughts?

[dritz]

First... great GF!

Second, the 50mm 1.4 Summilux-L reminds me of the 70 Summarit-S. It's my favorite fixed focal length lens on the SL because it provides something that works for my sensibilities. I use the 70 Summarit-S on the SL, too, with the Leica adapter.

Because you want a 50mm, I suspect I suspect that you're after rendering at the 'normal' focal length.  If you want simplicity, get the 50mm Summilux-L.  if you have some play money and want to try something different, get a used S body and a 70-Summarit. You can probably get an S006 (or SE) and the Summarit for the same price as a clean 50mm Summilux-L. It's a very different beast. 

Good luck.

[Advertisement]

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

[lfmemberhk]

Images taken by 50mm Summilux-L on SL601 for reference

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!

[lfmemberhk]

13 hours ago, dritz said:

First... great GF!

Second, the 50mm 1.4 Summilux-L reminds me of the 70 Summarit-S. It's my favorite fixed focal length lens on the SL because it provides something that works for my sensibilities. I use the 70 Summarit-S on the SL, too, with the Leica adapter.

Because you want a 50mm, I suspect I suspect that you're after rendering at the 'normal' focal length.  If you want simplicity, get the 50mm Summilux-L.  if you have some play money and want to try something different, get a used S body and a 70-Summarit. You can probably get an S006 (or SE) and the Summarit for the same price as a clean 50mm Summilux-L. It's a very different beast. 

Good luck.

Hi. I'm using the SL(601).  Can you advise the differences in the image quality taken by the 50-Lux-L and the 75-Marit-S on the SL ?  Which one would you prefer ?

[dritz]

On 3/31/2023 at 12:07 AM, lfmemberhk said:

Hi. I'm using the SL(601).  Can you advise the differences in the image quality taken by the 50-Lux-L and the 75-Marit-S on the SL ?  Which one would you prefer ?

They have similar qualities i.e, to me the 50 Summilux-L has an aesthetic of an S lens. However 50 and 70 are very different focal lengths. So, choose the length you want. Perhaps, because of the cost of an S-to-L adapter, and because a 50 is more versatile than a 70 on the SL, I'd go for the 50.  

Dean

[dritz]

Here ya go! This is the look!

 

[dritz]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

On 4/1/2023 at 7:58 PM, dritz said:

Here ya go! This is the look!

 

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!

This is the specific image

[Stuart Richardson]

If you are just talking about the original SL, the 70mm and the S006 will give you a better overall image quality, to my mind. It is 37mp medium format vs 24mp 35mm. The tonality will be smoother and the overall sharpness higher, particularly stopped down. The color on the S006 is spectacular. I am also pretty sure that the 70mm Summarit is lighter and more compact as well. The 50mm SL 1.4 will be sharper, but that is likely drowned out by the sensor size. It will be easier and more accurate to nail focus wide open, however, as the SL is more accurate than the S. I have not owned the 50mm 1.4 SL, but I have shot it. I had the 70mm as my main lens on the S006 for six or seven years.

If you want to use both on the SL body, I would say get the 50mm 1.4 SL or the 75mm APO Summicron. The advantages of native focus speed and better ergonomics are probably worth it over 70mm on the SL. It is a very lovely lens, but both the 50mm 1.4 and APO Summicron will outperform it optically (particularly in lack of field curvature and no fringing or LOCA. All that is very well controlled in the S lenses, but even better in the SL lenses. I think you would be very happy with any of them, however. They are all fantastic lenses.

[jrp]

The APO Summicrons are probably the best full frame lenses you can get.  The 50mm Summilux has a very special rendering, however, that it hard to ignore, especially for portraits.  The Panasonic 50mm f1.4 has an additional element and some people say that it has even better sharpness, but it doesn’t have the character.

[Ko.Fe.]

For $6,595.00 get incoming  $5,895 SL2-S with 50/2 bundle.

This will be your Leica on Leica real experience. 

And for $700 difference, plus little more, add Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lens  for S5. 

[DanielJr]

Yeah Im going to stick with full frame.  Leica just makes the best lens. Hopefully when the new s4 comes out I can jump on that. 

[DanielJr]

welp i lied just bought a used orginal x1d and 45p from bhphoto 

[satijntje]

Am 26.4.2023 um 21:56 schrieb DanielJr:

welp i lied just bought a used orginal x1d and 45p from bhphoto 

X1D has a fantastic 50MP sensor.
Enjoy it, but it will slow you down a bit.

 

[DanielJr]

Will do Im a slow shooter anyways lol

[expa]

Can you please share your experience between medium frame and Leica SL? Is it "just" GAS or really an improvement? I am considering the same with Leica SL vs. Fuji GFX 50S/R.

 

[DanielJr]

On 5/18/2023 at 9:32 AM, expa said:

Can you please share your experience between medium frame and Leica SL? Is it "just" GAS or really an improvement? I am considering the same with Leica SL vs. Fuji GFX 50S/R.

 

Well, I first used the Fujifilm 100 first, and I loved the files when they came out but didn't like the controls. I have never used the 50S/R before. Leica SL creates beautiful images. I would say keep the SL for now. Is there improvement? Yes, it is noticeable there, but the main question is what you want from the camera? I went with Hasselblad for the colors and leaf shutter lens. Leica SL lens are better than Fuji gfx lens.

[expa]

I usually try to buy the Sigma DG DN lenses and not the Leica lenses as they are too expenses in comparison to Sigma offerings. 

[Chris W]

I bought a Leica SL about a year ago and wasn't that impressed (having owned an M240 and a Q). After about two weeks I returned it for a refund.

About a month ago I bought a used X1D2 and absolutely love it. Granted, the only lens I can afford is the 45mm. The image quality is outstanding and the size/bulk of the X1D2 is surprisingly small and actually more ergonomic (IMO) than the SL.

Edited June 5, 2023 by Chris W