This is why I follow your channel. I've watched so many video reviews of this lens versus the prior one, and in some of them, I can see right in their video the stuff that you're talking about, even though the reviewers seem so focused on center sharpness or other small details that they seem to miss the way the entire frame looks. Your reviews are really valuable. Thanks.
Haha, yes!! They know, i've been telling them for years! At least Leica have done it properly here. (I say that as some vintage lenses have this design so it's not new technology - Nikkor 50mm f2 HC LTM as an example.
That mint w124 merc is the perfect accessory for providing controlled lighting for leica lenses I just happen to have the exact same model, same colour too Lovely !
The transition zone between in-focus and out-of-focus areas is a bit funky and I say that as something positive. It kind of glows but not too much, so it's not distracting. I like that look a lot!
I am always amazed that a former number-cruncher has as much artistic depth and ability as you do. Great review of two great lenses. Leica does make some wonderful lenses. Thanks.
Nice review, thanks! For my taste, there is one more great difference, and I am not quite shure, how to describe it: 6:02 It´s about gettin a feeling of the distance/depth. When my eyes moves throug the picture, I can feel different focuses of my eyes for more far away subjects. + my eyes like more easyly to look around. In the picture of version I my eyes are like stuck on one place. + In version´s II pictures I can more easily grab one specific point with my eye. It´s like with the Zeiss Otus 55mm compared to the Canon R 50mm 1,2. The Otus has so more depth. Flickr "Canon EF 50 / 1.2L vs Canon RF 50 / 1.2L vs Zeiss 55 / 1.4 Otus Distagon"
Well for far less than the price of this version 2 I prefer the collection of film cameras you are shooting on the small table. You have there a concentration of the most famous film cameras ever made :). Your guest has good taste !!!
Nice video. Since I will not be getting the M11 anytime soon, and I already have the ASPH I in Matt black and the vintage version 2 in silver (year 1961), it is hard to justify an upgrade despite the improvements.
Some seriously good b-roll footage in this one, my favorite video so far 😅 great lenses too, thanks for borrowing me the 50 asph, for me this is already a magical lens, just confirmed I need to get one (well, the original v2)
Tempting. Makes me want try Leica just for this lens. I do a lot of close focus artistic shots so i definitely need this closer focus ability. I typically use voigtlander 58mm f1.4 on my f6/d700. I wonder how the rendering of this lens compares to the voigtlander. Thanks for the review!
Yes this is what pushed me to Leica.. I wanted to use the lenses and you can't on the older Nikons. (I had D800/D700 at the time)(see recent Why Leica video). Lux beats 58mm easily for wide open sharpness and pop. I have both*
i'm debating between getting this new summilux or the 50 apo. it comes down to major differences which are f1.4 or the compact size of the apo and i love both of that. i have the 35 summilux fle 2 which has close focus already therefore the close focus on the new 50 1.4 is not a key selling point for me. anyone has recommendation?
Hehehe IMO you have to win at least 10 lotteries to cover your wishes. Good video Matt, crystal clear comparison of those lenses in word, on a steady pace with useful extra information. As you know I am not a fan of putting any post editing on a sample shot (especially sharpening, something I by default switch off in all my editors, like your friend Peter ;-) cause it has no use and will obfuscate shortcomings but in your defence we could say that the YT compression will probably do worse to the images. On Math from Zurich's recommendation I swapped my Q for the Q3 and set it to default 36MP to get the best of both worlds (extra stop of DR) Now I am exited what the SL3 will bring us later this year, what are your thoughts and are you in the market to swap cause with the sensors with pixel binning your vintage lenses get another chance in low MP settings. (for now substantiated theory but later tests will reveal the true) Thanks for sharing, hope you liked Rotterdam although it is not Amsterdam (yes 010 give it to me hehehe - Dutch humor)
Thanks! Congrats on Q3, yes i'd use at 36MP too (and same for SL3 I imagine). I need to post a video I recorded when I was with Peter before the SL3 lands!
Useful comparison! “Like” button “smashed.” In my personal case, I believe that I will remain loyal to my first-version Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, which was my first M lens, and the main reason I added the Leica M system. If I am “doing the maths” correctly, I can use my APO Summicron-M 75mm ASPH at 0.7m, for very similar magnification as the Summilux-M 50mm ASPH Version II at 0.4m. For the more-perfect edges and corners, at 50mm, well, the Voigtlander 50mm APO Lanthar can deliver that. Of course, a shooter who is building a lens selection should seriously consider the newer Summilux.
Thanks Rex! Yes no I’m back to using M cameras you might see me using my Lux more again. Consider the Voigtlander 75 1.5 too. I’ll cover this soon. It’s especially great for M users (see 75 Nocti video)
I actually agree with you on that one. I’m very used to the feel of where the tab is at close focus or infinity and when it can slip off of rangefinder focus it can be a bit annoying on an M. Haven’t used it heaps so you may get used to it, but I think its better on a mirrorless than an M.
(04:04) In January 2023, Spanish researchers Marcos Díaz-Lago, Fernando Blanco & Helena Matute published an article in the journal 'Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications,' in which they showed that people examining the results of a statistically useless drug judged it to be more effective the more expensive it was. As a bonus, I think they may have identified a major ingredient in Leica's "secret sauce"! I can see that the bokeh balls from the V2 lens look slightly different from the ones in the V1 lens, but would I have judged them "better" if I hadn't known which was which? I'm not so sure... Meanwhile the Sonnar photos (especially the one at 05:09) are objectively much worse, but subjectively much more interesting...
I wouldn’t get another 50, but I would keep my 50 Summicron and if I needed corner to corner perfection for say something like landscapes or high-res studio portraits with ultimate sharpness I would get the APO-Lanthar for occasional use. I still like the smallest lens possible with the maximum performance for every day use at least for the Leica M.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Also the old Summilux version i think looks better. I haven’t seen the new one in person, but from the photos it looks like a generic modern design. Does your copy have a bent hood? You’ve knocked it somewhere! Yikes!
No! I can't imagine actually buying a brand-new m-mount Leica Summilux. That's the definition of insanity. I'm perfectly happy taking advantage of somebody else's failed Summilux photography dream though. 😂 I've got this amazing, compact Sony 40 2.5 G lens that focuses to 35cm. I highly recommend that lens. I'm getting great results with the 40mm on my a7rV. I love my Leicas, but I'm also reaping the benefits of Sony's leading edge in imaging tech. M10 Monochrom and a7rV are a powerful duo, and they handle all my needs very well.
Oh please don t compare this ugly Sony 40mm with on of the 50mm summicron :). I am joking , it s very good for the price… that s true… but true also that it s very ugly !!! :)))
@@vampolascott36 Yes I know :(. One day a friend of mine let it to me for a test session. I used it an afternoon and I mixed the pictures with some other optics. When I went back at home and loaded the pictures on Lightroom, the ones taken with the summicron seemed to jump out of the screen when out in fi pull screen !!! It was amazing but it was really obvious to find them in the serie. Never a lens gave me this feeling. So you are a lucky man… and me I needed to give it back to my friend :(.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom yes, it’s so tempting to chase after the latest gear but there’s much more tempting new gear coming out than I can possibly financially keep up with In the past I’ve been reluctantly selling from my collection to fund new temptations but after a while you realise you’ve ended up with far less because of all the loses along the way
I think the insanity is knowing that the words 4500 and worth it would even go together when talking about a 50mm lens when they are tons of lenses in that focal length that would do amazing shots for way less. I own two Voigtlander lenses that are M mount even though i dont own an M camera. I use them on the A7Rii and the SL. I have the Ultron 35mm 1.7 and the Nokton 50mm 1.5. I think i paid 600 for each lens. There is no way the 4500 dollar lens is 8 to 10 times better. I would go further to say that most people wouldnt be able to tell the difference anyway. I love your channel and your patron but who exactly are you speaking to with these reviews of super expensive gear?
Thanks Peter! I make the videos for anyone that wants to watch but yes in reality most people can't afford these prices. (That's why I included the cheap Sonnar lens)
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This is why I follow your channel. I've watched so many video reviews of this lens versus the prior one, and in some of them, I can see right in their video the stuff that you're talking about, even though the reviewers seem so focused on center sharpness or other small details that they seem to miss the way the entire frame looks. Your reviews are really valuable. Thanks.
Thanks Bob! Much appreciated.
"Take note, Voigtlander". Hahahahaha love it, Matt. Thanks for supporting us film shooters!
Haha, yes!! They know, i've been telling them for years! At least Leica have done it properly here. (I say that as some vintage lenses have this design so it's not new technology - Nikkor 50mm f2 HC LTM as an example.
At 2:37 Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 2.0/35mm focuses to 0.5m
Sorry I was only comparing 50mm and the 50 APO VM goes to 0.7m. Noted for the 35 APO. I made a video on that one but I don’t own it.
That mint w124 merc is the perfect accessory for providing controlled lighting for leica lenses
I just happen to have the exact same model, same colour too
Lovely !
Thanks, the owner loves it and is slowly restoring!
What I heard from M11 users, the Version 2 has better resolving abilities for the 60mp sensor. Upgrading though is hard to justify I guess :)
Yes 100% v2 is better for this
I love how you describe "magic". Always a great learning experience for me. Thanks Matt.😊
Ha thanks Lucy. I'm not sure that me saying "magic" is very helpful to some viewers but it made for nice images! :)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I thought it was very appropriate.
The transition zone between in-focus and out-of-focus areas is a bit funky and I say that as something positive.
It kind of glows but not too much, so it's not distracting. I like that look a lot!
Thanks, yes it definitely has some magic sauce formula I think as the rendering looked "better than usual" to my eyes.
I am always amazed that a former number-cruncher has as much artistic depth and ability as you do. Great review of two great lenses. Leica does make some wonderful lenses. Thanks.
Hence failed number cruncher haha, thanks!
Nice review, thanks!
For my taste, there is one more great difference, and I am not quite shure, how to describe it: 6:02 It´s about gettin a feeling of the distance/depth. When my eyes moves throug the picture, I can feel different focuses of my eyes for more far away subjects. + my eyes like more easyly to look around. In the picture of version I my eyes are like stuck on one place. + In version´s II pictures I can more easily grab one specific point with my eye.
It´s like with the Zeiss Otus 55mm compared to the Canon R 50mm 1,2. The Otus has so more depth. Flickr "Canon EF 50 / 1.2L vs Canon RF 50 / 1.2L vs Zeiss 55 / 1.4 Otus Distagon"
Thanks! Yes these are both nice lenses for sure!
Well for far less than the price of this version 2 I prefer the collection of film cameras you are shooting on the small table. You have there a concentration of the most famous film cameras ever made :). Your guest has good taste !!!
Haha thanks! We try to bring you the best! :)
Great video as always. Quick question: Would you take the new lux or the 50 apo current or wait for 50 apo with close focus update?!??
Thanks. Voigtlander APO is similar to APO so can get that if just need sharp. The Lux is nice and nothing else like it.
Nice video. Since I will not be getting the M11 anytime soon, and I already have the ASPH I in Matt black and the vintage version 2 in silver (year 1961), it is hard to justify an upgrade despite the improvements.
Thanks! Yes agreed. The vintage Lux are nice.
Some seriously good b-roll footage in this one, my favorite video so far 😅 great lenses too, thanks for borrowing me the 50 asph, for me this is already a magical lens, just confirmed I need to get one (well, the original v2)
Agreed, some excellent sun flare skills, thanks Thomas! You’re hired :)
I LOVE your channel ! if you had to use only one 50mm lens for sl2s, one that cover all. what would you choose?
Thanks! If you want AF then the Leica "kit lens" or the Lumix 50mm f1.8 is a great start (same lens 99%). (I use MF vintage lenses)
Tempting. Makes me want try Leica just for this lens. I do a lot of close focus artistic shots so i definitely need this closer focus ability. I typically use voigtlander 58mm f1.4 on my f6/d700. I wonder how the rendering of this lens compares to the voigtlander. Thanks for the review!
Yes this is what pushed me to Leica.. I wanted to use the lenses and you can't on the older Nikons. (I had D800/D700 at the time)(see recent Why Leica video). Lux beats 58mm easily for wide open sharpness and pop. I have both*
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thank you for the reply! it is really tempting me now haha
Awesome comparison! Thank you.
Thanks Jon!
i'm debating between getting this new summilux or the 50 apo. it comes down to major differences which are f1.4 or the compact size of the apo and i love both of that. i have the 35 summilux fle 2 which has close focus already therefore the close focus on the new 50 1.4 is not a key selling point for me. anyone has recommendation?
If you shoot at f2 get the apo. If you like shallow DOF the Lux
Looking forward to that sonnar video!
Thanks, it’s sooo overdue. I shot for it a few months ago.
I own the v3 e46 pre-asph and it’s my favourite lens. I prefer it to the asph v1 I’ve used, I’ve not tried the newest version.
Nice! I loved the v2 Pre-ASPH for the bokeh. I've not tried the v3 but I think it's the same optics.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom yes it’s the same optics but with a 0.7m min focus and a built in lens hood.
@@costascosta273 nice!
Hehehe IMO you have to win at least 10 lotteries to cover your wishes.
Good video Matt, crystal clear comparison of those lenses in word, on a steady pace with useful extra information.
As you know I am not a fan of putting any post editing on a sample shot (especially sharpening, something I by default switch off in all my editors, like your friend Peter ;-) cause it has no use and will obfuscate shortcomings but in your defence we could say that the YT compression will probably do worse to the images.
On Math from Zurich's recommendation I swapped my Q for the Q3 and set it to default 36MP to get the best of both worlds (extra stop of DR)
Now I am exited what the SL3 will bring us later this year, what are your thoughts and are you in the market to swap cause with the sensors with pixel binning your vintage lenses get another chance in low MP settings. (for now substantiated theory but later tests will reveal the true)
Thanks for sharing, hope you liked Rotterdam although it is not Amsterdam (yes 010 give it to me hehehe - Dutch humor)
Thanks! Congrats on Q3, yes i'd use at 36MP too (and same for SL3 I imagine). I need to post a video I recorded when I was with Peter before the SL3 lands!
Useful comparison! “Like” button “smashed.” In my personal case, I believe that I will remain loyal to my first-version Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, which was my first M lens, and the main reason I added the Leica M system. If I am “doing the maths” correctly, I can use my APO Summicron-M 75mm ASPH at 0.7m, for very similar magnification as the Summilux-M 50mm ASPH Version II at 0.4m. For the more-perfect edges and corners, at 50mm, well, the Voigtlander 50mm APO Lanthar can deliver that. Of course, a shooter who is building a lens selection should seriously consider the newer Summilux.
Thanks Rex! Yes no I’m back to using M cameras you might see me using my Lux more again. Consider the Voigtlander 75 1.5 too. I’ll cover this soon. It’s especially great for M users (see 75 Nocti video)
Where's this location - the vantage point ?
I don't know the names but a modern apartment building we had access to.
I find the close focus a disadvantage actually when using rangefinders. Not sure if anyone else feels the same
That’s only true on ‘lesser’ lenses. It’s zero issue with this lens as explained (except say on a M3 that is calibrated to 1m. Mine are both 0.7m)
I actually agree with you on that one. I’m very used to the feel of where the tab is at close focus or infinity and when it can slip off of rangefinder focus it can be a bit annoying on an M.
Haven’t used it heaps so you may get used to it, but I think its better on a mirrorless than an M.
(04:04) In January 2023, Spanish researchers Marcos Díaz-Lago, Fernando Blanco & Helena Matute published an article in the journal 'Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications,' in which they showed that people examining the results of a statistically useless drug judged it to be more effective the more expensive it was. As a bonus, I think they may have identified a major ingredient in Leica's "secret sauce"! I can see that the bokeh balls from the V2 lens look slightly different from the ones in the V1 lens, but would I have judged them "better" if I hadn't known which was which? I'm not so sure... Meanwhile the Sonnar photos (especially the one at 05:09) are objectively much worse, but subjectively much more interesting...
Nice James thanks! Yes I thought including the Sonnar would keep it real.
I wouldn’t get another 50, but I would keep my 50 Summicron and if I needed corner to corner perfection for say something like landscapes or high-res studio portraits with ultimate sharpness I would get the APO-Lanthar for occasional use.
I still like the smallest lens possible with the maximum performance for every day use at least for the Leica M.
Yes the 50 APO Lanthar is difficult to beat for value + performance
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Also the old Summilux version i think looks better. I haven’t seen the new one in person, but from the photos it looks like a generic modern design. Does your copy have a bent hood? You’ve knocked it somewhere! Yikes!
@@carlosmcse yes old ones will have more character, v2 Pre is excellent. Yes I bought mine knocked so I could afford it!
No! I can't imagine actually buying a brand-new m-mount Leica Summilux. That's the definition of insanity. I'm perfectly happy taking advantage of somebody else's failed Summilux photography dream though. 😂 I've got this amazing, compact Sony 40 2.5 G lens that focuses to 35cm. I highly recommend that lens. I'm getting great results with the 40mm on my a7rV. I love my Leicas, but I'm also reaping the benefits of Sony's leading edge in imaging tech. M10 Monochrom and a7rV are a powerful duo, and they handle all my needs very well.
Haha yes I’ll wait til they’re on sale in a few years if I get one.
40mm f1.2 Voigtlander in my kit… yeah the Leica’s might be worth it to some folks… I sold mine and spent three months in Japan 😂
Oh please don t compare this ugly Sony 40mm with on of the 50mm summicron :). I am joking , it s very good for the price… that s true… but true also that it s very ugly !!! :)))
@@philmtx3fr I shoot both Leica and Sony cameras. I have a 50 Summilux on my M10M right now. That lens is fantastic.
@@vampolascott36 Yes I know :(. One day a friend of mine let it to me for a test session. I used it an afternoon and I mixed the pictures with some other optics. When I went back at home and loaded the pictures on Lightroom, the ones taken with the summicron seemed to jump out of the screen when out in fi pull screen !!! It was amazing but it was really obvious to find them in the serie. Never a lens gave me this feeling. So you are a lucky man… and me I needed to give it back to my friend :(.
4,5k ? when considering buying the v1 some years ago it was at 2600 euros !
This is the new version. More expensive than previous one you looked at.
Hey Matt
Are you tempted to upgrade?
Yes but only if I win the lottery! :) ..so realistically no I won’t.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom yes, it’s so tempting to chase after the latest gear but there’s much more tempting new gear coming out than I can possibly financially keep up with
In the past I’ve been reluctantly selling from my collection to fund new temptations but after a while you realise you’ve ended up with far less because of all the loses along the way
Wouaw ! 45cm! Leica has found a new trick to sell again to the same people who got older and use now EVF🤣🤣🤣
2:04 great to see a Nikon DFC lens here !
Haha yes! Glad you spotted the Nikon teaser!
Isn’t that a major faux pas to touch a model? Just asking...
If you’ve never shot models then yes. If they trust you and allow it then no.
😊
Thanks!
I own v1 summilux and won't upgrade. It is my fav 50mm ever.
Nice! I think my fav is the v2 pre (of those I’ve tested)
Huh, so a *$4500* 'nifty-fifty' lens is pretty good.
Who woulda thunk it?
My nifty is not your fifty!
;-)
Haha certainly should be!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom 🙂
That is a 2 k question 😂
Yes! It’s very nice but I prefer to have fun with cheaper lenses.
I think the insanity is knowing that the words 4500 and worth it would even go together when talking about a 50mm lens when they are tons of lenses in that focal length that would do amazing shots for way less. I own two Voigtlander lenses that are M mount even though i dont own an M camera. I use them on the A7Rii and the SL. I have the Ultron 35mm 1.7 and the Nokton 50mm 1.5. I think i paid 600 for each lens. There is no way the 4500 dollar lens is 8 to 10 times better. I would go further to say that most people wouldnt be able to tell the difference anyway. I love your channel and your patron but who exactly are you speaking to with these reviews of super expensive gear?
Thanks Peter! I make the videos for anyone that wants to watch but yes in reality most people can't afford these prices. (That's why I included the cheap Sonnar lens)
@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I still love your videos Matt!
@@petemcknight803 the next video is for you / in response to your comment 👍🏻
I really think the real magic comes from the ASPH I and not the II version...
Both make beautiful photos!
Matt - just buy a Fuji or two, with the money saved compared to Leica, you could retire
Haha fair point! That’s my backup plan when I’m older!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom - Thanks Matt, great video 🔥