Warroo
Member
Let me know your opinion about that!
Which Leica M-Lens of the current series is the best?
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jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Best for what purpose? Generally the new Summilux-M 50 is considered to be spectactularly good, but if you want some lenght the 135/3.4 Apo is the industry standard and if you want to shoot with low light nothing beats a Noctilux and if you are at the local village do the Tri-Elmar is the lens to take and the various wideangles....etc. etc. So there is unfortunately no answer to such a blanket question
peter_n
Veteran
Jaap is correct? Best for what - just general shooting - get a 35, 40 or 50mm. If you want good optics get any of the modern Voigtlander, Zeiss or Leica offerings - none will let you down.
troyfreund
Newbie
I think it's simply an opinion question--which current lens does anybody here like using? Myself, I can hardly go anywhere without my 28/2 ASPH. There, that's my version of 'the best current lens.'
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
I do think Warroo really wants to know what lens is the best specification, regardless of focal lenght or speed. The best place to read up on this subject is:
http://www.leica-camera.com/imperia/md/content/pdf/msystem/49.pdf
http://www.leica-camera.com/imperia/md/content/pdf/msystem/49.pdf
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sgy1962
Well-known
In terms of sharpness and contrast, based on the user reviews I have read, the 50mm Summilux ASPH; 75mm Summicron ASPH; 90mm Summicron APO; the 135mm lens, whatever it is called; and, slightly below these, the 28mm Summicron ASPH. Just below these I would put the 35mm Summilux ASPH; 35mm Summicron ASPH and the venerable 50mm Summicron. I would also add the 90mm Elmarit to this latter category. Hmmmm, not a bad lens in the line up.
Of course, the best lens is the one you actually use. The newer designs tend to be bigger, heavier, and very expensive; and I query whether in practical, hand held, day to day shooting much difference can be detected.
My impression is that the newer lenses are optimized for color photography, and I wonder how much general appeal they would have for B&W (e.g., Are they too contrsty?). I know that I use the 50mm Summicron and 35mm Summicron ASPH in B&W work and I very much like the results.
Of course, the best lens is the one you actually use. The newer designs tend to be bigger, heavier, and very expensive; and I query whether in practical, hand held, day to day shooting much difference can be detected.
My impression is that the newer lenses are optimized for color photography, and I wonder how much general appeal they would have for B&W (e.g., Are they too contrsty?). I know that I use the 50mm Summicron and 35mm Summicron ASPH in B&W work and I very much like the results.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
I agree with your assesment, however, the Apo-Telyt 135 3.4 is no bigger and lighter than its predecessor....
eloquentlight
Newbie
I totally agree with the posts above - it depends on what you application you are using the lenst for. That being said, it seems like the general opinion of the LHSA is that the 75 and 90mm APO ASPH are the best offerings that Leica has. Of course, "best" is really subjective - some people do not like the current 35mm Summicron ASPH, but I like it. So, I suppose it all depends on your personal vision, not just some MTF graphs. So, go try the lenses if you can!
Terence T
Where'd my Bessa go?
Anyone has an opinion on the 28 Elmarit? I'm pretty intrigued by this one and have been thinking about it. Waiting on the new Zeiss 21 b4 I make up my mind.
Steve Hoffman
Leicanutt
The BEST?
Well, let's see. If you had a 50 you could basically be a HCB and take everything with it. If it was sharp yet pleasing and not expensive but still with the Leica "look" it would be a winner.
Wait, it exists; the 50mm Summicron. New for around $990.00 US. Why spend $2,500.00 for a 50mm lens? For an extra stop? Use faster film and get the Summicron. Still comes in cute silver chrome as well, same price.
That has to be the BEST Leica deal of all. 😉
The second best Leica deal is the (now OLD) 50mm Summilux, still new in box for around $1,250.00 US. I mean, c'mon; this lens has a look that screams LEICA! It's a little less contrasty but it has heaps of character and is dirt cheap right now, new in the box. In five years don't be kicking yourself (like you did when you sold your non-ASPH 35mm Cron!) Grab one.
Well, let's see. If you had a 50 you could basically be a HCB and take everything with it. If it was sharp yet pleasing and not expensive but still with the Leica "look" it would be a winner.
Wait, it exists; the 50mm Summicron. New for around $990.00 US. Why spend $2,500.00 for a 50mm lens? For an extra stop? Use faster film and get the Summicron. Still comes in cute silver chrome as well, same price.
That has to be the BEST Leica deal of all. 😉
The second best Leica deal is the (now OLD) 50mm Summilux, still new in box for around $1,250.00 US. I mean, c'mon; this lens has a look that screams LEICA! It's a little less contrasty but it has heaps of character and is dirt cheap right now, new in the box. In five years don't be kicking yourself (like you did when you sold your non-ASPH 35mm Cron!) Grab one.
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peter_n
Veteran
Steve, you are bad! 😀
S
Stephan
Guest
The Bestilux 28-135 F:1.4 ASPH of course.
Without regard to purpose or focal length, from what I've been hearing, the new 75mm Summicron might have the "best look".
egpj
50 Summilux is da DEVIL!
For me the best (all around) Leica M lens is (drum roll please)
the 35 summilux! I get the most satisfaction out of using this lens. The images are not too contrasty with smooth transitions to out of focus areas and tack sharp where I want it to be. I have the new 50 summilux ASPH but really need to use it more in order to give a yea or nea opinion about it. Everyone I have talked to loves it though.
side note: had a GAS attack today and brought home another MP body. The ISO dial is different from mine. It has the temperature Celsius markings along the top part and then the corresponding ISO markings along the bottom.
the 35 summilux! I get the most satisfaction out of using this lens. The images are not too contrasty with smooth transitions to out of focus areas and tack sharp where I want it to be. I have the new 50 summilux ASPH but really need to use it more in order to give a yea or nea opinion about it. Everyone I have talked to loves it though.
side note: had a GAS attack today and brought home another MP body. The ISO dial is different from mine. It has the temperature Celsius markings along the top part and then the corresponding ISO markings along the bottom.
egpj
50 Summilux is da DEVIL!
I don't know.... I have been scanning some negatives that I shot using the 28 Summicron! WOW! They are just beautiful! The 28 definitely deserves some snaps.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
So many opinions...you could name a few and leave the rest that could be better. The 50mm Summicron is one of the best, no question. The latest 75mm Summilux is a delicious lens too. I held it once, have seen pictures taken with it...it's a dream lens.
Then you have the 35 Asph Summicron, the 35 Summilux, the 90 Apo Summicron, etc. etc. You cannot peg it to just one. It depends on your application, or if you're only looking at hard and cold MTF graphs.
Then you have the 35 Asph Summicron, the 35 Summilux, the 90 Apo Summicron, etc. etc. You cannot peg it to just one. It depends on your application, or if you're only looking at hard and cold MTF graphs.
Tom Diaz
Well-known
I agree with nearly every answer here. So, it looks like some Leica lens is "the best" for whatever application as long as it isn't something needing shorter than 28mm or so and longer than 135mm. Notice that nobody said the "best" lens is a 24mm or 21mm.... I think we know the short wide-angles are fine lenses, too, but they aren't our favorites because they are more rarified. To the extent the question means "what's your favorite that also has uncompromising quality?" my favorite is the 35mm ASPH, followed by the 28mm. The 35mm is just my idea of the most useful length all around; the 28 is at least as good a lens.
I have not used the 35mm Summilux. I bet that might be my favorite if I had, 'cause I like available light.
I have to say though, the 90mm Summicron is the one that kind of blows me away, delivering the occasional image that is like nothing else I have seen with a short telephoto lens. I have a couple of examples that I cannot post, because they are candids of other peoples' kids in town, but that's the kind of thing this lens excels at. If you are into candid portraits it will amaze you. (The extra speed helps with the "candid" part, 'cause you might be shooting in a darker place than if you had time to set things up.) People are raving about the new 75mm Summicron in the same way, I notice.
The most incredible, I think, is the Noctilux, because it is just so amazing to be able to shoot in such conditions. There's a minimum kind of condition in which you would use an F/1.4 lens with, let's say, ISO 400 or ISO 800 film. A whole stop darker than that is really dark, but you can still take pictures there, and they are beautifully lit... nice portraits with gorgeous out-of-focus backgrounds. Its MTF curves may look weird, but man, it is really a piece of work and does beautiful things. Many of us think of ultrahigh-speed lenses as being kind of a devil's bargain; this is not a lens of compromises but something of a marvel. I have used an Olympus f/1.2 lens quite a while, and I liked its ability to get me something in those same conditions, but the Noctilux is a whole other ball game. So I think this lens is the tour de force. I wonder if Cartier-Bresson ever tried one. Does anyone know?
I have not used the 35mm Summilux. I bet that might be my favorite if I had, 'cause I like available light.
I have to say though, the 90mm Summicron is the one that kind of blows me away, delivering the occasional image that is like nothing else I have seen with a short telephoto lens. I have a couple of examples that I cannot post, because they are candids of other peoples' kids in town, but that's the kind of thing this lens excels at. If you are into candid portraits it will amaze you. (The extra speed helps with the "candid" part, 'cause you might be shooting in a darker place than if you had time to set things up.) People are raving about the new 75mm Summicron in the same way, I notice.
The most incredible, I think, is the Noctilux, because it is just so amazing to be able to shoot in such conditions. There's a minimum kind of condition in which you would use an F/1.4 lens with, let's say, ISO 400 or ISO 800 film. A whole stop darker than that is really dark, but you can still take pictures there, and they are beautifully lit... nice portraits with gorgeous out-of-focus backgrounds. Its MTF curves may look weird, but man, it is really a piece of work and does beautiful things. Many of us think of ultrahigh-speed lenses as being kind of a devil's bargain; this is not a lens of compromises but something of a marvel. I have used an Olympus f/1.2 lens quite a while, and I liked its ability to get me something in those same conditions, but the Noctilux is a whole other ball game. So I think this lens is the tour de force. I wonder if Cartier-Bresson ever tried one. Does anyone know?
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