Jono Slack Review: Leica 50mm Summilux f1.4

[M11 for me]

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vor 11 Minuten schrieb rsh:

I agree with Jonathan.  He is one of the nicest and most informative contributors to this forum!

 

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[emlokto]

6 hours ago, evikne said:

Thank you. I myself have had both the 75mm Summilux and the Black Chrome Summilux that you have. These are precisely the two lenses I miss the most. If these are your only lenses, then be a little careful about replacing your Black Chrome, because you may miss a more modern rendering sometimes. It can be good to have something different to choose from.

I have the latest Summilux and the '73 one, and I've been searching for a good BC to add to the collection for no other reason than aesthetics. You can see how this release has thrown a wrench in things because the BC and this are about the same price. 

[exnihil0]

5 hours ago, jonoslack said:

I agree with @evikne - if you already have the dreamy look of your 75 summilux then it's good to have the more modern look of the 50 Asph as well - I have both 50mm lenses (but then I don't have the 75 Summilux!)

Thank you both for the input. My logic was that the vintage Summilux rerelease shares the same E46 filter thread as my 35mm Summilux FLE. That said, the black chrome 50mm Summilux ASPH has a beautiful 3D rendering that’s quite distinct from my 75mm Summilux. The 75mm has that subtle transition from in-focus to out-of-focus, but it’s so smooth (which I prefer for portraits). 

[pedaes]

4 hours ago, emlokto said:

BC to add to the collection for no other reason than aesthetics.

But its rendering would be identical to your other Summilux, so wouldn't the 'new' Summilux give you something different.

[IkarusJohn]

14 hours ago, exnihil0 said:

@jonoslack and @evikne 

Thinking of selling my 50mm Summilux ASPH black chrome for the new reinterpretation of the 50 Summilux. Will I regret it? I love the rendering of my 75mm Summilux the most—so would the new lens be redundant, or should I keep the ASPH for its modern, sharper look?

That would be a mistake.  The field of view of 75 and 50 means I never take these lenses out together - my choice is what I’m likely to photograph. I have the original 50 Summilux ASPH, not the lovely black chrome version. I did buy the black chrome 50 APO Summicron to have a modern, sharper look 50. 

As Ernst says, I think you’d regret selling your 50. 
 

[UliWer]

Am 23.2.2025 um 18:31 schrieb anickpick:

„post-asph version I“

Well doesn’t a-spherical mean that it has at least one lens which isn’t spherical? So why not „spherical Version III“ - or if you prefer it „Version IV“ (if someone explains how to achieve the same optical design by optical redesigning). 

[IkarusJohn]

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Why not just go for “Spherical”?

[fabior]

I wonder why the new editions of the 50mm Noctilux f1.2 and the Summilux f1.4, so similar in size and number of lenses, are sold at such different prices. Almost double in the case of the Noctilux. Could it be a commercial choice considering the hypothetical sales numbers or a different price for the respective originals, or a different cost of the glass used or different manufacturing costs. ...?  I, however, have the new Noctilux f1,2 and the Summilux V2 (plus 4 other 50mm) and I can say that the Noctilux  f1,2 is the one most often mounted on the M10R even if it will never have the poetry of the Noctilux F1 E58 which I will never sell!  I have to admit that the new Summilux is really a great choice and will really tempt many M users.

[Viv]

I am struggling against the GAS induced by this lens.

[farnz]

8 minutes ago, fabior said:

I wonder why the new editions of the 50mm Noctilux f1.2 and the Summilux f1.4, so similar in size and number of lenses, are sold at such different prices. Almost double in the case of the Noctilux. ...

Economics 101: The price is set by what the market will stand.

Pete.

(PS Please let's not descend into a discussion about the Veblen Effect.)

[fabior]

Thank you Pete , I supposed so ....and now I also know what the Veblen Effect is !

[microview]

50 Summilux lens (w.close focusing) delivered this morning. Extraordinary image resolution. I also have the 'limited edition' black chrome 50 Summilux and was planning to sell this in view of its greater weight. However, subjectively on camera it does not appear obviously heavier. Also, I rather like what I perceive as something 'richer', if still sharp, with the older lens's pics. Am I deluding myself here?

[bocaburger]

Nice review!  I own a V2 from the early 80's and as I only paid US$600 secondhand for it (about 15 years ago) I tended to carry it only when I was absolutely certain I'd need f/1.4 for many shots.  Which was back in the film days and up through the M9.  Since the M240 (and Topaz AI LOL) it's been sitting on the shelf in preference to the 11819 Summicron which is much lighter and performs far better farther toward the edges at all apertures until f/11 where the Lux pulls up even.  My version only focusses to 1m but I was always reluctant to upgrade to the e46 version because the optics remained unchanged from the V2 which was never computed for 0,7m.  I like the look of it enough that given I have a late Summicron I never found myself wanting the Lux ASPH. One disadvantage of the earlier version is the frustrating e43 filters as in order to use the lens hood I must use a bespoke Leica filter (either an earlier version without front threads that permits mounting the hood to the lens itself, or the later version which has front threads but requires the hood to be mounted to the filter itself via a groove) and in both cases in order to use multi-coated filters I had to swap out the original glass with B+W or Heliopan.   I'm happy to see Leica resurrecting some of the older designs as secondhand copies in pristine condition tend to be hard to come by, and (I imagine) not everyone wants to go with one of the 3rd-party clones.   

[elmars]

This is normal for a lens of this size and this classic design, i.e. without aspherical lenses. If you don't want this, you have to buy a modern lens such as the Summilux ASPH or the Ao Summicron.

Edited March 5 by elmars

[adan]

"Curvature of field" is not the only thing that causes blurry corners.

Actually, this more likely astigmatism combined with coma - common aberrations in spherical-design double-gauss lenses at large apertures. The 35mm Nokton f/1.4 produces it (image below), the 35mm Summicron v.4 (and earlier) produces it, the 35 Summilux non-ASPH produces it. etc. etc.

Coma causes the streaking blur outwards towards the corners, sagittal (around the center) astigmatism adds sideways blur that gives the "twirling" appearance.

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[Cronilux]

Am 25.2.2025 um 14:51 schrieb fabior:

I wonder why the new editions of the 50mm Noctilux f1.2 and the Summilux f1.4, so similar in size and number of lenses, are sold at such different prices. Almost double in the case of the Noctilux. Could it be a commercial choice considering the hypothetical sales numbers or a different price for the respective originals, or a different cost of the glass used or different manufacturing costs. ...?  I, however, have the new Noctilux f1,2 and the Summilux V2 (plus 4 other 50mm) and I can say that the Noctilux  f1,2 is the one most often mounted on the M10R even if it will never have the poetry of the Noctilux F1 E58 which I will never sell!  I have to admit that the new Summilux is really a great choice and will really tempt many M users.

The new 50/1.4 is way more compact, than the 50/1.2 reissue. They also use a different, more expensive glass compound for the 50/1.2. Lastly, larger apertures have always been more expensive.

[adan]

Additionally, the Noctilux f/1.2 uses aspherics (as did the original - hand-ground in those days, with a very high spoilage rate ("melt it down and start over!")).

The Summilux was always cheaper, since it didn't require all that extra, expensive, optical feinwerk.

[Ken Abrahams]

I am reading your review now Jono as always seemingly doing things back to front as I already have my copy of this classic Summilux lens arrive yesterday. Your review has compounded my decision to buy the lens and I am very happy for doing so.

Ken    

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[otto.f]

On 2/24/2025 at 7:35 AM, evikne said:

Thank you. I myself have had both the 75mm Summilux and the Black Chrome Summilux that you have. These are precisely the two lenses I miss the most. If these are your only lenses, then be a little careful about replacing your Black Chrome, because you may miss a more modern rendering sometimes. It can be good to have something different to choose from.

Can’t agree more, that is if I’m correct that the BC version of the asph is optically the same lens as the non BC. In most cases you can just step back a meter with the 75 to get the same framing but you’ll get a clearer distinction between focused and non focused areas than with a 50. The weight of the new 50 would also prevent me buying this surely interesting lens.

[farnz]

3 hours ago, otto.f said:

if I’m correct that the BC version of the asph is optically the same lens as the non BC.

Almost.  The number of elements and the number of groups is the same but the Black Chrome has a 43 mm filter thread compared to the non-BC's 46 mm, so, wide open I see a little more (although pleasant, graduated, and subtle) vignetting.

Pete.