Modern Classic: Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f1.4

[pedaes]

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24 minutes ago, Nelina said:

love with this lens

Congratulations and enjoy! We have been invited to Post in 50mm Summilux pre-ASPH thread so look forward to seeing some images  there.

[FlashAndPoof]

Seems like a lot of love for this 50mm classic Summilux but not nearly as much for the 35mm classic Summilux. Is the 35mm just too soft wide open? Or too glowy? 

[elmars]

Both. That is why I did not buy one even it is a tiny little lens. I had a black Canada Summilux 20 years ago and sold it because of the glow. 

[lct]

Matter of taste i guess. I don't dislike the glow and the Summilux 35/1.4 non-asph (v3?) looks less soft than my v2 at f/1.4 but its OoF rendition is not my cup of tea. I prefer the IQ of the Nokton 35/1.4 SC v2 in spite of its distortion but it is not difficult to fix in post. As for the Summilux 50/1.4 non-asph (v4?) i like its rendition but its weight is a deal breaker for me. Give me a Summilux 50 as compact as a Sonnar or a Nokton Mr Leica please.

[catacore]

I am really interested into this lens. How do you, guys, think it will compare, rendition-wise, versus the other two lenses that I have: the C-Sonnar 50/1.5 and the Summilux 50/1.4 ASPH v1? Would it fit straight in-between those two (e.g. more corrected than the Sonnar, but less so vs the Lux ASPH). I love both, the Sonnar and the Lux ASPH, but if I was to have only one, then I would opt for the Lux, I guess.

[Ken Abrahams]

I wish there was more time to use this lens. It's a problem when one has several other excellent lenses, equally as good in their different ways. I have a few 50 mm lenses (as one does) but I dont use this FL for street shots of people. The Classic 50 1.4 is great for portrait work. 

I have the old C/Y Zeiss 50 Planar 1.4 *T - purchased in early 1980's which is not dissimilar to the Classic V4, 50 1.4. I like the weight of this re issue lens, perhaps less so on the SL2S which is a heavier concern.               

[catacore]

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The 50mm is my prefered FL, and I have 4 lenses in this FL. However, I would like to reduce them to only 2, maximum 3 (by, eventually, adding this Sumillux Classic). My M cameras are an M-P (typ240) and an M3. Then my question above tries to sort out why (or when) would I choose the Classic over the C-Sonnar or the Lux. I tend to like sharper lenses on my M3, so the Lux would have a place, I guess. Maybe, then, the Classic would give me a "rounded" sharpness on my digital body (as defined by Zeiss, I think, for their Batis 135mm f2.8 APO Sonnar lens). And I don't shoot prortraits regularly, so this is not necesarily a criterion for me in chosing a lens.

Or, most probably, it is just GAS 😁

[Photon42]

I have sold the Zeiss Sonnar and the Leica v2 Summicron (amongst other stuff) and bought this thing. Gives me a reasonably classic rendering and 70cm minimal focussing distance. I love it. Yes - it is heavy, but so far I can swing it still 😎

[Robert Blanko]

Am 18.7.2025 um 18:42 schrieb Photon42:

I have sold the Zeiss Sonnar and the Leica v2 Summicron (amongst other stuff) and bought this thing. Gives me a reasonably classic rendering and 70cm minimal focussing distance. I love it. Yes - it is heavy, but so far I can swing it still 😎

Have fun!

As you owned the Zeiss Sonnar: How would you describe the rendering of the "Modern Classic Summilux" as compared to the Zeiss C Sonnar?

[Photon42]

That's a tough one, also as I do not had them in parallel. Both are reasonably sharp wide open where I often like to use them. The Sonnar certainly has some focus shift, but at least my copy was perfectly useable. IQ was not the reason to sell the Sonnar. It is a good option, especially if you have some other lens with a different character, like the Voigtlander APO or the Leica 50 ASPH. What pushed it over for me was 1) cleaning up my lens mess a little, 2) get a lovely Leica classic 50 which also looks gorgeous, 3) get 70cm minimal focussing distance 4) Servicing of non-Leica lenses where I live is a bit of a hit and miss.

Edited July 21 by Photon42

[Ken Abrahams]

Grabbed this shot with the Classic 50 on the SL3S. It takes me a while to adapt to the 50mm FL lenses. Everything is close and tightly framed compared to my use of wider lenses. I have been shooting with the 21 and 35 for ages but the 50 is great for urban abstracts, finding textures and shapes.  

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[Ken Abrahams]

"Urban Abstract" with the Classic 50 and SL3S

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[Ken Abrahams]

Last frame from today. SL3S 50 Summilux Classic Reissue 

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[Photon42]

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Some refreshment ...

[rmueller]

Got mine few weeks ago, too early to say. It is heavy but feels good. So far only took it out with the MM1, like this combo. The 35mm lux steel rim is certainly much more "buttery" at 1.4 than the 50 lux reissue.

 

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[Leon Berg]

Hello @all. 

I am definitely considering buying this lens with a good discount right now of 15 percent from a store.

It’s been used shortly but traded in by the first owner. 

I own and love the Summicron rigid and like most of you have a passion for beautifully made objects, especially lenses

An offer leaves me sleepless, namely the offer of buying a relatively young Summilux Asph I from 2019, for significantly less, from a store as well and with a Leica service.

I am looking for a faster 50 to use it next to my rigid that I love and will not part with ever.

Brain says get the Asph (it’s dreamy enough and well suited for portraits and general photography - heart says: get the classic.)
Another part says, get an old 1114 in chrome if you want old. What’s mandatory is 0,7m, that’s a second reason for another 50 - faster and also with shorter MFD.

 

I was also thinking about the Pre-Asph 11898, but they are almost in the same category price wise like the discounted 11714

 

Seeking for inspiration from you guys, thank you!

Edited July 25 by Leon Berg

[Eoin]

Personally I prefer modern lens renderings. With 2nd hand 50 summilux ASPHALT close focus starting to appear in the mid to high €3k range, that might be a better option for you along with your Summicron rigid.

[lct]

It is a personal matter but the 50/1.4 asph is not dreamy, at least my asph v1 is not so, rather the opposite TBH, it is a modern lens that will show all the skin imperfections of your models if they have not a perfect skin. Great for children and young beauties but otherwise i had to tweak my shots in post when i tried to use the lens for portraits on people my age (70+) or even younger. Not my cup of tea but again it is a personal thing. As for the Reissue, i do like its IQ but the weight is a deal breaker, again for me. Now there is one solution. For me to keep my 50/1.4 v3 with its 0.7m MFD, for you perhaps to consider it. It is not a compact lens but the silver variant is lighter than the Reissue and the anodized black variant is even lighter. YMMV.

Edited July 25 by lct

[Leon Berg]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb Eoin:

Personally I prefer modern lens renderings. With 2nd hand 50 summilux ASPHALT close focus starting to appear in the mid to high €3k range, that might be a better option for you along with your Summicron rigid.

Right, I got an offer as mentioned above for the Asph. I and will probably opt for that. As also mentioned, the Classic just speaks to me.. I think I need to hold it in my hand first to see what awaits me there regarding wait and handling.. And also, it's a tiny bit outside of my budget that I am willing to invest in camera gear right now. But as we all know the spirit of rationality leaves the body very quickly from time to time.. 

vor 2 Stunden schrieb lct:

It is a personal matter but the 50/1.4 asph is not dreamy, at least my asph v1 is not so, rather the opposite TBH, it is a modern lens that will show all the skin imperfections of your models if they have not a perfect skin. Great for children and young beauties but otherwise i had to tweak my shots in post when i tried to use the lens for portraits on people my age (70+) or even younger. Not my cup of tea but again it is a personal thing. As for the Reissue, i do like its IQ but the weight is a deal breaker, again for me. Now there is one solution. For me to keep my 50/1.4 v3 with its 0.7m MFD, for you perhaps to consider it. It is not a compact lens but the silver variant is lighter than the Reissue and the anodized black variant is even lighter. YMMV.

Yes, indeed I considered the V3 with closer focusing abilities, but it's very popular and almost identical regarding price with the classic that was offered to me, namely 3,3k. 

Anyhow.. I think I could justify both.. the Classic and Asph (I) but it doesn't seem to make sense to me.. Maybe it does to other users to have these exact two lenses.

I could see myself having and using the Aspherical, the Noctilux 1.2 or 0.95 and an Apo. But that's not any of my concern right now, since the budget is not there. 

I really want only one lens to be my new go two lens. A 50mm that's capable of being shot at 1.4.. I can live with softness in closer distances.. 

The classic could be that, because I don't necessarily need super sharp images at 1.4. I would need to see how it performs in medium distance to infinity. 

My Planar Zeiss for Canon has a character that I like, meaning being dreamy below three meters and somewhat soft, but from 3m on and stopped down a bit its super sharp. Great for documentary, landscape, architecture, basically everything. 

Anyhow, I could see myself getting an older (Mandler) Summilux on top, if I can manage to buy a good copy for a reasonable price. 

 

But man.. this new old Summilux man, this lens is really smiling at me from the other corner of the room, raising it's glass, asking me to come
over for a chat.. just for a chat.. 

 

 

Edit: By dreamy I meant it's not so sterile as I had thought it to be (that's from not using the lens, just judging by what I saw on flickr so far..) 

Edited July 25 by Leon Berg

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[FrozenInTime]

@Leon Berg The new 11714 has the modern sharp high contrast rendering with smooth backgrounds similar to the ASPH lenses, but without the aspherical surfaces or weak mechanics of the ASPH v1 FLE mechanism; consequently I think it will retain value better than the v1 ASPH. The 11714 Achilles heal is field curvature and corner sharpness; if you can manage that it is a good choice.

The pre-asph v3 E46 looks very different; better corners with large structure detail; outlining in background; fine resolution and contrast are lower. Good v3's cost more than used ASPH v1s for a reason.

Edited July 25 by FrozenInTime