1970's Vintage Black 50mm f/1.4 Summilux

[barnack]

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Any opinions on the optical quality of a 70's vintage 50 Summilux compared to those that are produced today. Thanks for any opinions or replys.

[wizard]

Well, since nobody is responding: The lens you are refering to was produced for more than 40 years without any significant change in optical construction. That alone tells a story on the optical quality of this lens, it was and still is one of the best 1.4/50 lenses. Wide open it is sharp in the center and gets gradually softer in the field and towards the edges. Stopped down the field and the edges are improving, and at f8 it is tack sharp center to corner. The lens has a very nice rendering and bokeh.

 

The new Summilux asph (I have both the old Summilux and the current one) is a quantum leap forward at full aperture, you will have to stop down the old lens to at least 4 or 5.6 to match the new lens' quality at full aperture. That said, I still like and use the old lens a lot.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[luigi bertolotti]

My Lux 50 is from 1961... 1.884.xxx ... chrome, perfect glass...focus OK on M8...the only thing I can say is that I DO NOT feel the need to have another 1,4.

[john_newell]

Optically it is the same as the lastest pre-ASPH. It is different than but I would argue not inferior to the ASPH. Wide open it has a very smooth, sharp but not too sharp (at least in the plane of focus - narrow at 1.4, obviously) rendering. If the price is reasonable, it is very much worth trying.