Is the 50 summilux ASPH worth the upgrade?

[Richard G]

I held this lens up as a paragon for a while, certinaly the star of the long-running Leica M portraits thread here. But then I got the Zeiss C Sonnar and my love affair with that lens will last a lifetime. I had the version 2 and loved that, but it's theft led me to a version 4 Summicron, tabbed, black, compact and light. After adding then the Elmar M I think I have three brilliant 50s and I need no more. I don't like the sliding hood or the size of the front of the 50 ASPH. In a future moment of madness I might get the APO Summicron ASPH. Probably won't. When you desire a lens, just wait.

 

[Charlie Lemay]

I shoot mosly 4W filmm and I much prfer the rendering and tonality of the 50mm Sonnar C to either the latest Leica Aspherical Summilux or the latest CV 50mm f1.5 Nokton. I have owned both and sold both. I kept my 50mm CV f1.1 which is a very underated lens in my opinion and prefer it as well to both lenses.

 

[x-ray]

I think a good comparison of Leicas new asph glass vs more vintage glass would be like 4K Television compared to 35mm motion picture film projected from the film in a theatre. 4K to my eye looks too artificial and hard where motion picture shot and projected on film is much more subtle but still sharp. 4K lose much of the delicacy of film as I feel the asph lenses lose compares to spherical lenses. You might like 4K but I've shot a lot of commercials in my career with 35mm motion picture and love the not in your face beauty.

 

[monk3ym4jik]

I've owned a Zeiss 50 Sonnar ZM. I just didn't enjoy it as much as my current summilux, but from what I understand they're both more "classic" in their rendering so it's not the same as going from a ver.III to the ASPH.

 

[Ronald M]

Oh my yes !! No comparison

50 APO even better

 

[Huss]

I've owned a Zeiss 50 Sonnar ZM. I just didn't enjoy it as much as my current summilux, but from what I understand they're both more "classic" in their rendering so it's not the same as going from a ver.III to the ASPH.

You're in SoCal, no? Swing on by my gallery in San Pedro and you can borrow my Asph for a couple o hours. I'm there on Saturdays.

 

[monk3ym4jik]

You're in SoCal, no? Swing on by my gallery in San Pedro and you can borrow my Asph for a couple o hours. I'm there on Saturdays.

Thanks! I really appreciate that. When I have a free Saturday I'll drop by. I'll PM you first of course.

 

[james.liam]

What Jaap said; it's a fiddly lens and mine did need to visit with Leica for 2 months just after purchase; and it was a late version. If you need ƒ/1.4, it is pretty damned well incomparable. The bokeh bears a 'dreaminess' somewhere in between the Summicron and Noctilux and it will give you all the 'punchiness' WO you seek.
The 50 APO, on the other hand, is just a different beast altogether.