Leica Summilux-M 50 f/1.4 ASPH. – The New Generation for Even More Versatility and Flexibility

[Photoworks]

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8 hours ago, kinetic said:

It's really for people who want close focus and possibly 11 aperture blades. Otherwise I can't see it being an upgrade. If you want something smaller and lighter, and don't care about the other items, then it's definitely not for you.

or if you want a little more detail in the corners. Not a big deal!

[kinetic]

9 hours ago, Photoworks said:

or if you want a little more detail in the corners. Not a big deal!

Interesting. I didn't know it had more detail in the corners. But I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I really loved how soft the out-of-focus areas looked in the corners of my images when using my lux black chrome. I wonder if that has to do with it.

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[35photo]

On 4/13/2023 at 12:53 PM, algrove said:

I just read Jono Slack's article on this lens and the way it paints the image is very, very nice. Talk about glow.

Jono has PP'd his images to perfection. I certainly hope someday I will be able to do the same. Thanks, Jono.

Link to article?

[algrove]

19 hours ago, 35photo said:

Link to article?

On this site. They have all his reviews on LUF.

[35photo]

3 hours ago, algrove said:

On this site. They have all his reviews on LUF.

Went to his site yesterday didn’t see it… went again this morning and found it.

https://www.slack.co.uk/leica_50_2023.html
 

I think I’ll stick with my V1 Lux ASPH

[CSG123]

I bought my CLA'd 1957 5cm Summicron DR from Sherry about 12 years ago.  Heavy, beautiful, something like $500-550.  It's not a 1.4 but it close focuses with the googles, by God.  I've read opinion pieces from Rockwell and others that claimed or believed the old DR and Rigid versions of this lens from the 1950's were the best, sharpest 50mm lenses Leica has ever produced.  I have NO idea how accurate those claims are as I wouldn't spend anything close to the cost of late model Leica lenses, new or used.  I'm amused with all the online discussions and debates about the minutia of edge sharpness (which few people outside of the *obsessed* will really notice in the final image). 

So many photos posted on this site and many other enthusiast sites are simply poor photos that could have been matched or exceeded by far less expensive cameras and lenses.  All that said, I am indeed a Leica fanboy; I'm just bitter because I cant casually spend $14-20k for an M11 and the latest 35 or 50 lens and many of you seem to be able to!   I will have to make do with my M4, DR Summicron, and 35mm Voigtlander Color-Skopar (a better lens than I was expecting) while envying those of you who have those piles of recreational spending money.  The best I can do to mimic a digital M experience is mount my two M mount lenses on one of my three Fuji bodies (XP1, XT1, XE3).  I suffer for my art...

[Ouroboros]

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[rich_]

Looks like a nice lens. I’m pleased that it helps reduce the previous ‘lux prices. I sold mine a decade ago and miss it. Thankfully there is no need for me to use a slightly closer focusing distance when using an rangefinder ovf!  

[Kiwimac]

I have the 35 equivalent. 
 

Optically, extremely good. 
 

I’m not convinced by the close focus though. At least, not on an M. They detent stop is far too easy to blast through. 
 

I’d have preferred a physical lock switch. 
 

I imagine the 50 is identical in that respect so I’ll keep mine, which is the immediately previous version. 

[kinetic]

2 hours ago, Kiwimac said:

I have the 35 equivalent. 
 

Optically, extremely good. 
 

I’m not convinced by the close focus though. At least, not on an M. They detent stop is far too easy to blast through. 
 

I’d have preferred a physical lock switch. 
 

I imagine the 50 is identical in that respect so I’ll keep mine, which is the immediately previous version. 

I don’t have the 35, but there’s no way I would miss the 50mm indent. It’s super obvious. And once your rangefinder stops changing, you’ll know something is weird. And, if you have used rangefinders you’ll also get a good sense of what 0.7m is. 

[Kiwimac]

3 hours ago, kinetic said:

I don’t have the 35, but there’s no way I would miss the 50mm indent. It’s super obvious. And once your rangefinder stops changing, you’ll know something is weird. And, if you have used rangefinders you’ll also get a good sense of what 0.7m is. 

I do not miss it per se. I just think it should have been made with the option of a lock.

You can certainly push straight through it when focusing quickly and it seems to me that invites missed opportunities that a lock could have avoided.

I much prefer the built in lens hood of the new one, otherwise I think I might have sold it and got the previous one by now.

[kinetic]

1 hour ago, Kiwimac said:

I do not miss it per se. I just think it should have been made with the option of a lock.

You can certainly push straight through it when focusing quickly and it seems to me that invites missed opportunities that a lock could have avoided.

I much prefer the built in lens hood of the new one, otherwise I think I might have sold it and got the previous one by now.

I still find it odd that people have issues with the close focusing. The M11 is my first rangefinder ever and I just got it this year, and there’s no way I would miss a shot because of close focus. In fact, if it didn’t focus close I wouldn’t even have the option to shoot that close. 
 

When you go past, you can feel it. You literally push through it. And then you can feel where the tab is. It’s so far to the left. And then the rangefinder stops focusing.

if you had the previous one, which actually also has a built in hood, the difference is the focus ring stops, and you can’t focus at all. Moment is gone too. 

[Kiwimac]

I think the previous lens hood screwed in?

 

 Yes, you can feel it. I’m simply saying that personally I’d prefer it either required a more significant force or that there was a lock to disable it. 
 

Overall, the focus action at least on my copy isn’t as nice as that on my 50 Lux and feels more resistant going towards infinity than it does the other way. Almost as if it’s uphill one way and downhill the other!

 

 For these reasons, my 50 Lux won’t be getting changed. 

[Photoworks]

16 hours ago, Kiwimac said:

I think the previous lens hood screwed in?

 

 Yes, you can feel it. I’m simply saying that personally I’d prefer it either required a more significant force or that there was a lock to disable it. 
 

Overall, the focus action at least on my copy isn’t as nice as that on my 50 Lux and feels more resistant going towards infinity than it does the other way. Almost as if it’s uphill one way and downhill the other!

 

 For these reasons, my 50 Lux won’t be getting changed. 

Yes, that was for the first few days when the lens was new, now it is all smooth.

But the v1 lens was great for years and will be for many more.

[Mikep996]

Just purchased this lens and it was the first Leica product I've ever purchased new!   In MANY years of buying/using/selling Leica M cameras/lenses, I always bought them used.  In this particular case I was going to buy a new 'old' Summilux from a dealer who had an "unused/in the box" example for (of course) a lot less money than the new version but the close focus and sharper edges that I saw in numerous on-line comparisons convinced me to just suck it up and spend the money.   It is also the first Summilux lens I have ever owned and I'm interested in subject isolation beyond what my 50mm 'Cron can manage.  Years back I had a Noctilux which could seriously isolate a subject but I didn't really bond with it due to its size/weight and sold it not long after acquiring it.

 

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[Kiwimac]

On 6/5/2023 at 12:38 AM, Mikep996 said:

Just purchased this lens and it was the first Leica product I've ever purchased new!   In MANY years of buying/using/selling Leica M cameras/lenses, I always bought them used.  In this particular case I was going to buy a new 'old' Summilux from a dealer who had an "unused/in the box" example for (of course) a lot less money than the new version but the close focus and sharper edges that I saw in numerous on-line comparisons convinced me to just suck it up and spend the money.   It is also the first Summilux lens I have ever owned and I'm interested in subject isolation beyond what my 50mm 'Cron can manage.  Years back I had a Noctilux which could seriously isolate a subject but I didn't really bond with it due to its size/weight and sold it not long after acquiring it.

 

My dealer has a Noctilux 0.95 in grade 10 condition for sale at 60% of new price. 
 

It’s been sitting there for 6 months now. I was tempted until I picked it up off the bench!

[liquid-p]

On 4/22/2023 at 6:51 PM, Hanno said:

I think you forgot to add the costs of the desktop computer, display screen and software.

Don’t forget the cost of living during the whole process. Electricity, heating and cool, and cat food in order for the cat to pose for those amazing pics. Also the training the cat received in order to kind of keep still. The food you paid for in order not to be hungry and keep a steady shot. Man you must be crazy to pay so much. Lol just kidding guys. This is all good fun. 

Edited July 20, 2023 by liquid-p

[hmzimelka]

Have there been any comparison made between the two 50mm ASPH versions? Especially is any off-centre improvements can be seen. 

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Hallo,

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vor 3 Stunden schrieb hmzimelka:

Have there been any comparison made between the two 50mm ASPH versions? Especially is any off-centre improvements can be seen. 

Well, I have got both versions, the older one in silver bras and, the latest one in a black anodized version.

Right after purchase I made a comparison on my M11, tripod, apertures from f/1.4 to f/8 and pixel-peeped at 300%. For comparison I used a Z9 (adapted with the latest TechArt AF adapter) to rule out focus problems on my side.

I could detect absolutely no difference in resolution or contrast. If at all the older version is even a tiny little bit better in resolution. This could also be due to manufacturing tolerances. Anyway I was a little bit disappointed. The bokeh from f/2 onwards is a little bit smoother (rounder bokeh balls) owing to the additional blades used in the current version, but for my professional work that's not important, really.

As for build quality the older (brass) version definitely has the edge. Focus feels more precise and smoother at the same time. According to many reviewers, this might be different on the older black anodized version, which is said to have produced more problems with the focus helicoid. I have never tested the older black version against the silver brass version, however, perhaps there are only much more black versions in the market, so statistics show more "faulty" black Summilxes

To put it in a nutshell, the new version's only advantage is its capability to focus closer. There is at least to me no other optical or even mechanical advantage. If I had known that before I would not have bought the new version. Actually I wanted to sell the older silver brass version, but now I am thinking about trading the new one...

Hope that helps with your decision.