All Hail the Leica Summicron 50mm f2 lens (version 5)

[kivis]

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I have tried alternatives, Zeiss, Voigtlander all probably just as good or very close, but I have nothing that holds in the hand as nice as the current 'Cron 50mm lens. Built in hood with just the right amount of give. Whether in or out, it just stays that way. The lens is sharp as a tack. This is a forever lens, I'd say.

[dkmoore]

15 minutes ago, kivis said:

I have tried alternatives, Zeiss, Voigtlander all probably just as good or very close, but I have nothing that holds in the hand as nice as the current 'Cron 50mm lens. Built in hood with just the right amount of give. Whether in or out, it just stays that way. The lens is sharp as a tack. This is a forever lens, I'd say.

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That stick on dot is atrocious. 😂😂

Edited May 5, 2024 by dkmoore

[Vanillasludge]

Considering its age it’s even more amazing.   There are better lenses “technically” but not artistically.   

Edited May 5, 2024 by Vanillasludge

[kivis]

1 hour ago, dkmoore said:

That stick on dot is atrocious. 😂😂

I love my stick on dot. ☺️🤨

[Lesslemming]

Oh, and the mechanics of it… so smooth and quick. It is not difficult to believe this lens is in production for so many decades 

[dpitt]

In all these area's it is probably the best compromise for M lenses, which makes it the ideal single lens. With the current AI stitching tools it is always as wide as it needs to be for my subjects...

• fast and slow
• heavy and light
• tiny and big
• wide FL and long FL
• sharp wide open and artistic
• shallow DOF and large DOF
• expensive and cheap

The only thing lacking is the focus tab. That is why I have kept my v4 and sold my v5. On top of that it is even smaller without the sun hood on. In Belgian weather there is no need for that during half of the year.

[Chris Nebard]

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An absolutely gorgeous lens. Some years ago, Leica Store Manchester loaned me one while I was waiting for a new 35mm Summicron to arrive (for my new M262). I gave it back when the new lens was delivered, but, after using it for a few weeks, I always wanted one. These days I have the SL2-S which, in part, I bought because it’s tuned for adapted M lenses. So, I finally bought a 50mm Summicron-M for it. I have L Mount lenses, but this is my favourite and, actually, my favourite ever lens. Many users prefer Apo, Summilux or Noctilux but, speaking only for myself, this is the reference fifty and it’s beautiful on the SL2-S. 

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[lekitr]

On 5/6/2024 at 5:13 AM, dpitt said:

In all these area's it is probably the best compromise for M lenses, which makes it the ideal single lens. With the current AI stitching tools it is always as wide as it needs to be for my subjects...

• fast and slow
• heavy and light
• tiny and big
• wide FL and long FL
• sharp wide open and artistic
• shallow DOF and large DOF
• expensive and cheap

The only thing lacking is the focus tab. That is why I have kept my v4 and sold my v5. On top of that it is even smaller without the sun hood on. In Belgian weather there is no need for that during half of the year.

Hi Dirk.  My thinking is on the same line.  I have the V5 but in chromed brass, a beast so on the heavy side.  As for the tab I use the rubber one from TAAB.

A Push-on Kaiser lens cap that fits over a filter.  The downside for me is not being able to use my polarizer because of the Hood.  I'm tempted to swap for a V4 just like you.  Maybe a V5 in black for the weight or even a LLL Elcan for the pola filter...  Rich world problem or gas.

[mujk]

This was my first M lens and I still like it very much and use it particularly for people photography.

My only problem with this lens is flare on the M10 in certain situations with a very bright light source just outside the image. I don't find the built-in hood  particularly good so I recently purchased an inexpensive screw-on hood on Amazon, stacked on top of a UV filter. I don't know yet if this will be more efficient in reducing flare.

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[Matt_W]

On 5/13/2024 at 8:27 AM, mujk said:

This was my first M lens and I still like it very much and use it particularly for people photography.

My only problem with this lens is flare on the M10 in certain situations with a very bright light source just outside the image. I don't find the built-in hood  particularly good so I recently purchased an inexpensive screw-on hood on Amazon, stacked on top of a UV filter. I don't know yet if this will be more efficient in reducing flare.

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I had a similar issue with the V5 on my M11.  The after-market hood on its own didn't fix it. But improvising a tighter shade with a mylar sheet, a craft knife and some matt black modelling paint has been 100% effective - although maybe not very pretty....

Edited May 14, 2024 by Matt_W

[colint544]

Never tried the APO Summicron, but I never feel the v5 Summicron is lacking in any department. It balances beautifully on any M camera.

I'm fortunate to own the 50 Jahre version. Although silver chrome in finish, it's got an aluminium outer barrel and, as a bonus, the removable hood also fits and works perfectly on my 35 Summaron 2.8.

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[exile]

I’ve not had serious flare in my v5. I know people often talk about the old clip-on hood version as being optically the same as the latest built-in hood version, but I think that whilst that is true for the optical formula, the updated lens coatings over the last 40 years could well account for the markedly different reports we see from users regarding flare. Even so, I see Mujk does have the latest version and has encountered flare issues, so who knows?

Edited May 15, 2024 by exile

[Matt_W]

2 hours ago, exile said:

I’ve not had serious flare in my v5. I know people often talk about the old clip-on hood version as being optically the same as the latest built-in hood version, but I think that whilst that is true for the optical formula, the updated lens coatings over the last 40 years could well account for the markedly different reports we see from users regarding flare. Even so, I see Mujk does have the latest version and has encountered flare issues, so who knows?

The flare is a new issue for me. I bought the lens new with an M6 in 1998, but it's only now, with new 60mp sensors, that I'm seeing an unusual flare patch. With both the M11 and adapted to a Sony A7CR, I get a veiling/low contrast patch against darker subjects if there's a very bright area - eg contre-jour sky -  just out of frame.  I've never seen this before, either with the M6, or with an M9 or other lower resolution digital cameras - where the performance has been just as great as the lens's reputation suggests.  I wonder if it's something to do with the way light coming through the lens at medium and smaller apertures reflects off these new sensors, onto the rear element and then back into the final image to create the patch of veiling flare.  Anyway, my DIY hood has sorted it out.  So I'm happy.

Edited May 15, 2024 by Matt_W
typo

[exile]

Interesting. I’m using an M10