Leicamania: Summilux 50 f1.4 ASPH: Yes?

And so, after acquiring a 75 f2 APO Summicron M (and being very very happy about it),

and owning already a 50 f2 Summicron 50 Jahre edition (optically the same as the current

version) and a 50 f1.4 Summilux last pre asph version,

my Leica addiction is driving me towards the newest Summilux 50 f1.4 ASPH...

I know I don't really need it, but I know that, should I really want to try it, I could sell some

of the above mentioned 50mm I own and go for it...but is this lens in your opinion really

worth the extra money that I will have to fork out? Or should I just be happy with the

previous non ASPH version that I own and enjoy already if the difference in pics quality will

not even be noticeable?

I've seen some pics taken with the ASPH Summilux and they do look really nice, very sharp

indeed but still with a nice bokeh and I like that...All the reviews I read (including Mr Putts')

praise and rate the lens capabilities very highly...But, from some users point of view, I

heard complains about the "cold" feeling they get from this lens thus prefering the

"warmer" effect of the previous non ASPH version to it...Not disputing the high technical

level of the lens, I just wonder if the upgrade of my Leica line up is really worth.

.................Or should I buy my third Noctilux again..............?

You should look around and try to buy a 50/1.4 Nikkor and an M bayonet adapter.

I traded my Noctilux and a 50mm Summicron for a new 50mm LHSA Asph Summilux.

 

I am happy with my decision, but I would advise anyone else to look at results first. If you're happy, then do nothing and remain satisfied with what you have.

 

I have to admit I do miss the Noctilux. It was just allot of fun to shoot with.

Al, do you mean I can use an SLR lens on a rangefinder body?

Pardon my amateur ignorance...

I actually own (and use and enjoy and like it very very much...) a Nikkormat body WITH a 50

f1.4 Nikkor...I didn't know I could use the lens on a Leica M body via an M adapter...Will I

need a special M adaptor or is there just THE M adaptor?

Lu you're out of control man. You just got a beautiful 75 cron. If you want sharp you already have it. And another Nocti? I'm still learning how to use your last one! Come and see me at the stall and I'll try to talk some sense into you. (coming from a man who has three 50s)

 

Seb.

Bill, how/where can I look for "results"...?

And what difference do you mainly notice between the Lux ASPH and the Noctilux (besides

the obvious difference of size/ease of handling?

"...if the difference in pics quality will not even be noticeable?"

 

IMO, unless you shoot slides and view them through a lupe on a light table or enlarge your prints to 24"x36" you will not notice the difference ...at least not enough to justify the difference in cost.

 

"Or should I buy my third Noctilux again..."

 

Very tempting!

Seb, nice to have you here...I am off to Italy (again) next week but I shall be back very soon

and may be we can do a week swap on the 2/75 and the Nocti if you wish, so just to try the

Nocti "again" (I never really manage with its size...!).

And I have not forgotten your box.....

"...besides the obvious difference of size/ease of handling"

 

That's just it. I never shot my Noctilux side-by-side with my new Summilux, but I keep all of my pictures. I can only tell you what lens I used based on memory, not because there is a striking difference in the results.

 

And I will tell you when I had the Noctilux I never used my Summicron (not even once).

Bill, that's a high praise for the Noctilux, isn'it? (Considering the Summicron's greatness...)

Seb, you tried the 50 f1.4 ASPH as well, haven't you?

Any comments?

I never had much use for a Noctilux until I actually owned one. I just liked the way it balanced in my hand against my M body. IMO, the only things that takes some getting used to is the long focus-throw.

 

...not gospel, just my opinion.

"Considering the Summicron's greatness..."

 

At a full two stops faster the Noctilux is in a league of itﾒs own.

 

My motivation in getting the Aph Summilux was to land in the middle - one stop under and one stop over when compared to the Noctilux and Summicron, respectively - and end up with better glass. At that point, with the Summilux in hand, it didn't make sense to keep either any longer.

Luigi, I would buy one but I don't own one yet. You have to remember the asph model weighs heavier than the pre-asph model. There are several guys on leicacamera.com showing off their photo capabliites with the lens and sure is a pleasure to veiw. I think it is worth it.

I really like the 50 asph. I used the pre 1.4 for a long long time, and miss it sometimes, but

not for portraits, and not wide open. It was great in strong light at f4-11. The new 50 asph is

really, really different, but let's put it this way: I'll never shoot with a 'cron again!

If you like the 75 APO, the new 50 ASPH is a perfect match.

 

If you d not use wide stops often, all are waste of money and size/weight.

 

Al means a LTM Nikor 1.4.

Luigi,

 

I agree with Ronald, that Al is referring to the much older Nikon 50mm f/1.4 LTM lens with screw mount plus an M adapter.

 

I like to use older Leica lenses, and older Canon lenses on my Leica M2. For what I want, they are very fine, but if you want the newest in lens technology, and, that Ok, get the best you can. I can't afford it, and I'm not sure such will give me what I want sine I use Leica for B/W only.

 

Also, I do think that you might want to review your 50mm lens collection, do some comparison tests, and sell a few.

 

No personal offense intended, but, there is MUCH more to a fine image than the lens specs and price.

 

I get very fine images (for me at least) with a $50 Yashica Electro GT and Yashinon lens, my OM-1 SLR system, and with a fine $30 Yashica-A TLR!

 

Working on technique and visual imaging is far more important than what equipment we have, IMO.

Like Bill I also got the 50 Lux LHSA ASPH in chrome, have only shot enough to know that it is at least equal to the current 50 Cron at f:2.0.

 

Once I'm certain (as the reviews suggest) that the Lux ASPH does everything the Cron does and more, I will sell the Cron.

 

The chrome LHSA version has all the traditional look and feel of the classic Leitz lenses, with the state of the art optics.....an interesting combination. People often complain that the build quality today isn't up to traditional standards, this is one lens that fully lives up to the very best Leitz tradition.

Nikon got there first big exposure outside of Japan when photojournalists covering the Korean War started putting their lenses on Leica III-C bodies. The 50/1.4, 85/2, and 105/2.5 were especially prized. They had nice hard coatings, were extremely sharp. The 105 was the same optic as the F mount, the others weren't. They were made in mounts for Leica, and Contax and Nikon rangefinder cameras.

"The new 50 asph is really, really different, but let's put it this way: I'll never shoot with a 'cron again!"

 

At least on paper, the MTF profile of the 50mm aspherical lux is at least as good, if not better, than the latest summicron formula except at the extreme edge of the field, where the difference may not be that noticable. Even at wide open, the MTF profile at f1.4 looks better than the Summicron at f2, except at the very edge of the field.

 

Maybe MTF profiles aren't real photographs, but I'd be willing to bet that in practice, the 50mm apsherical lux would indeed make the Summicron redundant. The only reason for the Summicron to hold ground is cost. That extra stop and quality have such a high price tag.

Maybe a couple of samples would help guide the discussion.

Frederick, lets face it, the current Summicron is a 27 year old design, that has been the comparison standard for all other 50mm lenses.

 

The 50 Lux ASPH supposedly does everything the Cron has always done (resolution and contrast at any aperture, and any focusing distance) in a compact 1.4 design.......the perfect lens.

 

Pricey.....you bet, what is performance worth?....depends on the individual.

I currently use 35mm Summilux 1.4 ASPH as my everyday lens. Before this 'lux I used VC 35mm Ultron 1.7 ASPH as my everyday lens. VC lenses are just incredible performers for the money. But boy do they fade in comparison to Leica glass. I must say that I have never seen such sharp images as the ones taken with my 'lux.

It's an excellent high-rice lens, a bit heavy and big but otherwise impressive.

Well David, I just picked up a used 50mm Lux Aspherical ... I couldn't justify the cost of a new one. So I am looking forward to putting it through its paces. When I first picked one up, I was stunned by how small and light it seemed relative to my Titanium pre-aspherical Lux. If the asph is as sharp as promised, the two may make a perfect combination. One for sharpness, and the other for glow and softer portraiture. We shall see. If the asph is as sharp as people say, and as the MTF's promise, it will be far too harsh for portraiture.

Sure. Buy more from Leica. They need people like you to keep the company going.

 

I agree that excellent pictures can be taken with average equipment, that the photographer's skill is more important than the equipment, etc.

 

However, the enjoyment of photography is not just in the results, but also in the process, and part of the process is in the buying of equipment, handling of the equipment, marvelling at how beautifully machined it is and how well it handles, and the satisfaction one has from owning a fine piece of equipment.

 

In other words, you can drive a Buick or you can drive a Bentley. Both will get you to your destination, but one gives you so much more pleasure than the other during the journey.