Reviews of the Leica 50mm asph summicron

[ellisson]

Despite searching the web, I have found only 1 review (other than by Leica) of the 50mm Summicron asph lens that sells at a high price. I've seen Steve Huff's review on his website, but would like to know if others have written reviews of this lens and how it performs "real world" compared to the current non-asph summicron. I'd prefer the summicron to the summilux at 50mm, even though the cost of the faster lens is much less than the aspheric summicron. But is the asph lens that much better than the non-asph, current 6-bit coded summicron, or even version 4? I would use the lens mostly on an M8 and M monochrome. Thank you.

 

[Srono]

I have seen many reviews on the net, if you search for "Apo summicron 50".

one of them:
http://blog.mingthein.com/2012/05/25/leica-50-2-apo-asph/

 

[wosim]

Collection of links to M-mount lens reviews

Collection of links to M-mount lens reviews

You can find links to some reviews of the Apo Summicron here:

https://sites.google.com/site/wosimsphotography/leica-camera-lens-reviews/links-testberichte-reviews/testberichte-objektive-leica-lens-reviews-40mm-60mm

 

[ellisson]

Thanks Srono and wosim. These links were helpful.

 

[Thorsten Overgaard]

Interview with Peter Karbe on 50mm APO, Noctilux and other 50mm lenses

Interview with Peter Karbe on 50mm APO, Noctilux and other 50mm lenses

I've written this article that also contains an interview with Peter Karbe about the 50mm lenses.

The 50mm Rigid (from the 1960's) that Ive used a lot has many things in common with the APO. But the APO handles colors and micro details much better for many reasons. But overall, and in monochrom, one might actually enjoy the $800 rigid 50mm lens (second-hand only) as much as the APO.

The current 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 is really good. Greatly underestimated and worth getting and using. Just as underestimated as the 35/2 lens. Great colors, contrast and 3D feel. A lot of simplicity and perfection united in a fairly economical lens.

Personally, from not really getting the idea of the 50mm APO in the beginning, I have become more and more happy with it as it has gotten beaten up and I forget the hype about it and just use it as any other lens. Somehow that seems to help: If I look at it as a classic Leica lens with perfection in certain areas, that is more helpful than seeing it as a completely new miracle lens (which was much of the hype when it came about).


Leica 50mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0: Sampel photos and interview with Peter Karbe

 

[Benjamin Marks]

I wasn't really paying attention when this lens was announced and am only reading these reviews for the first time. I think I have turned some internal corner or something. I just can't go $7,000 for a lens. Any lens. No matter how great. So I realize that this lens was not made for me, for anyone in my income bracket, or for anyone I know. $7,000 is about a year's mortgage payments, more than three years' maintenance on BOTH our aging cars, or six months of our family's food bill, including all our meals out. And I suspect that even working out all of these relentlessly middle-class mental equivalences reveals all you need to know about me and my financial place in the world. What's the quote about the yacht? If you have to ask what it costs to maintain for a year, you probably can't afford one. Sigh. Nothing against those of you who have the scratch and choose to spend it this way . . .

 

[KM-25]

I rented it from Lensrentals to see what all the hype was about and used it on my M240 and M3 with Kodak Technical Pan for about a week. It felt bigger and heavier than a late model 50 Summicron but had nice handling outside of that. Sharpness was obviously pretty stunning, especially with Techpan but it was not so much that I would call the regular Summicron inadequate.

Rendering is a personal thing, it was certainly good but I still like the 50 1.4 Asph the best & since I am done with 1.4 50's, a Summicron or Planar is where it is at for me.

I was somewhat enamored with the lens after I rented it and saw a good deal on one used but decided to use my senses and put that money towards a CFV50c back for my Hasselblad system.

The really sad thing about this lens is that I hardly see any really good work being done with it, at least from the samples I have seen, the ones on LUF have been downright embarrassing.

 

[ellisson]

I wasn't really paying attention when this lens was announced and am only reading these reviews for the first time. I think I have turned some internal corner or something. I just can't go $7,000 for a lens. Any lens. No matter how great. So I realize that this lens was not made for me, for anyone in my income bracket, or for anyone I know. $7,000 is about a year's mortgage payments, more than three years' maintenance on BOTH our aging cars, or six months of our family's food bill, including all our meals out. And I suspect that even working out all of these relentlessly middle-class mental equivalences reveals all you need to know about me and my financial place in the world. What's the quote about the yacht? If you have to ask what it costs to maintain for a year, you probably can't afford one. Sigh. Nothing against those of you who have the scratch and choose to spend it this way . . .

Likewise, It would not be easy for me to spend that kind of money on a lens, especially if there is no overwhelming advantage. Many of the reviews I read on the LUF were contradictory; some loved it, some could not see a difference that justified the money they spent. Some thought it was great on one camera e.g., monochrome, but not on their M9 or 240s.

 

[ellisson]

I rented it from Lensrentals to see what all the hype was about and used it on my M240 and M3 with Kodak Technical Pan for about a week. It felt bigger and heavier than a late model 50 Summicron but had nice handling outside of that. Sharpness was obviously pretty stunning, especially with Techpan but it was not so much that I would call the regular Summicron inadequate.

Rendering is a personal thing, it was certainly good but I still like the 50 1.4 Asph the best & since I am done with 1.4 50's, a Summicron or Planar is where it is at for me.

I was somewhat enamored with the lens after I rented it and saw a good deal on one used but decided to use my senses and put that money towards a CFV50c back for my Hasselblad system.

The really sad thing about this lens is that I hardly see any really good work being done with it, at least from the samples I have seen, the ones on LUF have been downright embarrassing.

I have seen a some 50 2 asph photos posted here by RFFers and they are outstanding, but so many other photos with the non-asph summicrons, planers and other lenses are also outstanding. For me, it would be best not to rent it unless I was really serious about buying it, but that is my problem! 😱

 

[ellisson]

I've written this article that also contains an interview with Peter Karbe about the 50mm lenses.

The 50mm Rigid (from the 1960's) that Ive used a lot has many things in common with the APO. But the APO handles colors and micro details much better for many reasons. But overall, and in monochrom, one might actually enjoy the $800 rigid 50mm lens (second-hand only) as much as the APO.

The current 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 is really good. Greatly underestimated and worth getting and using. Just as underestimated as the 35/2 lens. Great colors, contrast and 3D feel. A lot of simplicity and perfection united in a fairly economical lens.

Personally, from not really getting the idea of the 50mm APO in the beginning, I have become more and more happy with it as it has gotten beaten up and I forget the hype about it and just use it as any other lens. Somehow that seems to help: If I look at it as a classic Leica lens with perfection in certain areas, that is more helpful than seeing it as a completely new miracle lens (which was much of the hype when it came about).


Leica 50mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0: Sampel photos and interview with Peter Karbe

I really enjoyed your article, Thorsten! Thanks for your input and steering me to your most interesting write-up on the 50 Apo Summicron. And I subscribed to your newsletter.