Leica's Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. This lens is well-known to rangefinder photographers and costs $3,995. The Summicron M 35mm f/2 ASPH has a wider field of view than this lens. It is a good choice for those who prefer a more standard angle. Summilux excels at capturing sharp images with its maximum aperture, and then getting even better when it is stopped down.
This is a great, yet expensive choice for pairing with your Leica rangefinder and mirrorless cameras. Our Editor's Choice is the Zeiss Planar 2/50 ZM. This budget-friendly option can be used if you are able to live with an f/2 aperture.
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Design
Summilux lenses are compact and heavy. The Summilux measures 2.1x2.1 inches (HD), is 11.8 ozs and can support 46mm front filters. It's made from anodized aluminum and available in black or silver, but the silver version costs more—$4,250.
The third model, in black chrome finish, costs $3,950. It has a different design and leaves out the built-in focus tab and hood. Also, the filter is smaller at 43mm. It's possible to get older Leica lenses in this version, but I prefer the simplicity of the model with its integrated collapsible cover.
The focus tab is very useful if you opt for the standard lens. The focus tab is located just above the focus ring, and it's curved so that your finger fits. You can focus the lens from 27.6 inches (0.75-meter) to infinity. You can measure the focus distance in meters and feet. A depth of field scale shows depth of focus for f/2 to f/2.8 and f/8 to f/11 and f/16.
Between the collapsible cover and the focal ring, the aperture ring is located. You can adjust it from f/1.4 to f/16 by using half-stop increments. They have 9 aperture blades and, unlike modern lenses, they're not round. Smooth out-of focus highlights will be visible behind scenes if you use f/1.4 and f/2. However, when you change the focal length from f/2.8 to f/5.6 the blades take on an octagonal form, which is why out-of–focus highlights are more prominent. The aperture at f/8 to f/16 is again quite circular.
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Image Quality
Imatest was used to test the Summilux's performance when it was used in conjunction with the 24-megapixel Leica M ($4,999.99 on Amazon). The lens scores 1,843 lines per inch on a center-weighted sharpness check at f/1.4, which is acceptable. It performs better in the middle third (2,514 lines) of the frame than at the edges (1,465 or 1,189 lines). You should keep your subject centered when you shoot wide open. Use depth of field to hide the lens' softness as you move from the center.
The Summilux increases to 2,048 lines across the frame at f/2, while the edge quality remains about the same. Center resolution increases to 2,935 lines, and the sharpest areas extend a little further. You can choose between the Zeiss Planar T* 50 ZM and the Leica APO Summicron-50mm f/2 ASPH if you are looking for a sharper lens at wide apertures. Amazon: $9,095.00.
The Summilux really starts to shine at f/2.8. With a score of 2,731 lines the average, the center hits 3,400 lines while edges top out at 2,000 lines. The score improves at f/4 with 4,200 lines in center and 2,800 at edges. This gives a weighted average 3,450 lines.
The trend continues at f/5.6 (3,686 lines) and you get the sharpest images at f/8 (3,704 lines)—in both cases the edges top 3,100 lines. The image quality drops slightly at f/11 (3227 lines), and more significantly at f/16 (2 649 lines).
I shot flat gray images using the Summilux with an ExpoDisc. These can then be analysed for uniform illumination by Imatest's Uniformity Tool. The Summilux's f/1.4 aperture has noticeable shadowing around the corners of the frame. Sides are approximately 2EV darker than the middle, and corners are 3EV behind.
It's less of an issue at f/2—sides show only a 1EV drop, but the corners are still noticeably dim, 2EV behind the center. The illumination at the edges is almost equal from f/2.8 to f/2.8. The corners show a 1EV decrease at f/2.8 or f/4. This is not noticeable from the field and only a negligible 0.5% dip at narrower apertures.
Barrel distortion, which is generally an issue with fast 50mm designs—the Sony Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ($1,498.00 at Amazon) for Alpha SLRs shows 2.2 percent, for example—is not a problem here. Summilux reports a barrel distortion of 0.7 percent, but this is very negligible out in the field.
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Conclusions
Leica Summilux M 50mm F/1.4 ASPH. Although it isn't necessarily the most recent lens, the Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. The lens controls distortion and captures sharp photos at the widest apertures. It also gets razor-sharp edges when it is slowed down. Although the sides of this lens are slightly dimmed at f/1.4 there isn't much to be unhappy about.
This lens has been the preferred fast-50mm choice by Leica photographers for a while and remains an outstanding option for those who love f/1.4 glass. If you can live with a lens that's a stop slower, consider instead the Zeiss Planar T* 2/50 ZM, which earns Editors' Choice honors based on its performance and value—it's less than one-quarter the price of the Summilux.