Is This the Best 50mm? | Leica 50mm f/2 APO Summicron-SL Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- Is the Leica APO Summicron the best 50mm you can buy?
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Loving my SL2+50APO / Q2 combo. Totally blows me away. I honestly don't feel there could be a better pairing. Don't get me wrong, I'm never selling my M6/50lux, the kit I shot my kids birth, but sadly, it'll have to wait til I have more time to get back to those roots. thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Looking at the sample images from APO, I can definitely say that the Panasonic S Pro 50mm 1.4 has better looking images. The bokeh on APO is just wrong, it is distracting.
Hi Benj! Been down this road too. Exactly the same thoughts comparing my 50mm Summilux M vs. the SL Cron…
Lets put it this way…back to back the Cron SL blows the Summilux out of the water but just looking at the results of the Summilux alone its a beautiful characterful lens. Lacking the funds to have both I stayed with the 50mm Summilux M.
The form factor, ability to swap between M and SL, manual aperture control and real time depth of field preview, build quality, made me stay with the M….
Still sleepless nights knowing that there’s something out there…calling…
You should try the 35mm Cron SL. In my view that’s even better. Still we should go for look and character not technical perfection.
I should stop this BS…money no factor I would like to own them both. 😉
amazing video and photos Benj!
Glad to see you’re well.
Even if it is out of reach for must of us, we still loved to see you work your magic with it!
You already made your mind Benj! The question is not if, the question is just when! 😂😀
I sold my M10R, got an SL2 with the 35APO, the 75APO, and never look back
Cheers from Hong Kong!
I have both the 50APO and the Leica SL 50 summilux. I love them both and go back and forth depending on the look I want. They render differently and on the SL3 are both just amazing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Always killin it with the b-roll
😘
The images are the MOST AMAZING I've seen from any brand. Wonderful lens.
Loved that you got your hands on this. Three questions: 1) Would you lean towards the SL2 or SL2s knowing that the S has killer low-light capabilities vs resolution (do you feel you need the extra MP). 2) Did not having a live dept-of-field preview bother you? 3) You mentioned that the look is close to Medium Format - does the Fuji 50S/S II still have more DR and resolution? Thanks!!
When I rented the SL-2s back in the fall I regretted renting the 24-70 with it and wished I got to see the results from pairing the camera with the SL primes, specifically this one! I've been itching to rent it again soon! I've heard great things about the 50 from lots and lots of people.
Last year I’ve used the SL2 with a few Apo-Cron SL’s (35, 50 and 90) for a few weeks when I was deciding on a new ff system. These Apo-Cron SL’s are insane. They are the best primes I’ve ever used (incl. the Hasselblads and Schneider-Kreuzachs). Don’t let the f2 fool you. You get fantastic background separation and a gorgeous focus transition. In the end I picked the Z-system because it has better Profoto and Capture One tethering support, but if it was only down to the camera and lenses I wouldn’t hesitate a sec.
Totally agree..... even Peter Karbe said the SL Summicron looks and behaves like a Summilux when it comes to the bokeh.
Beating Schneider and hasselblad lenses means that you are the best of the market. Idk how the Leica lenses for medium format S compare
@@tiziocaio8657 Indeed. In the meanwhile Profoto and Capture One greatly improved their Leica support. Earlier this year I sold all the Nikon stuff and moved to the SL2 and SL2-S. Together with the 35 and 90 APO, the 50 Lux and a 135 Sigma. The Z-system is great too and financially it was a big jump, but the heart wants…
@@jacobh5817 do you even tried fujifilm GFX system? I use it, the native lenses are incredible, and it’s also great with Leica R adapter lenses. The R 100mm f2.8 APO macro works perfectly and the colours are incredible on gfx
@@tiziocaio8657 Hi, yes I did. We even still have a GFX100 here in the studio together with a few lenses. My business partner was a Fuji Ambassoador for a few years. Great cameras and lenses but I personally prefer the raw files of Hasselblad, Nikon and Leica. Fuji has great colors out-of-camera, but being in fashion and beauty photography, we always need to color-grade our files. Then you notice that Fuji does some heavy processing already on the raw files, which makes it more work to grade them. Darker skintones and shadows always have a magenta cast you need to get rid of, whereas white skintones have a greenish/cyan cast that, unless corrected, can make a model look a bit sick. This is where Hasselblad (and Nikon) shines. Even our post-processing editor prefers these files over RAF files. Fuji GFX is esp. great for landscape, though. The more green, the better. Having said that, my wife has an X-E4 with a 35/f2 and I love that camera for travel photography.
would love to see you review the SL Lux 50
What an absolute beautiful piece of equipment
Awesome job!!
literally gasped when i saw the photos. So lovely.
Hi Benj
Thanks for the wonderful review of the SL 50mm. This is one of the lenses that is bugging me since it came out to complement/compete with the SL 50mm Summilux.
Having owned a number of Leica cameras, I would say the SL2 is definitely one of the most versatile system and after watching your video, I'll probably get the SL 50mm Summicron too.
Would love to see you review the lumix 50mm 1.8 a really great nifty/50 with auto focus
Shoutout. Not an SL, but the 50APO Voigtlander for the M. Perfection
Amazing! Would love to know how the Voigtlander 35/2 Ultron performs in SL as much as in M !!
Hi Benj,
Thanks! Loved what I saw. Wanted to ask, how’s that lens in comparison to the API 50mm m lens? Or any other 50mm m lens? Does it have the same analog Leica look or feels more clinical?
Get a pair of original mint SL typ 601 with the Panasonic 24 f1.8 and 50 f1.8 and you’re good to go for the same price as the 50 f2 apo.
Hi Benjamin in my perspective it’s but after I tried the new 50 SL summicron comes as a bundle with the SL system I would say no need for APO as long as the new is amazing in so many perspectives and aspects such as sharpness. I compared between them the APO is slightly better but no one can find out unless u zoom in.
This that perfect work horse lens we all want for our client shoots but can't work up the strength to sacrifice for until Coca-Cola hits you up.
This is pretty much 100% accurate hahaha
Hey, @Benj. you had mentioned in another video that you like the SL2, but not the original SL. Can I ask why? I've considered picking up an SL 601 for vintage glass. I have a M6, but my glasses pretty much require a .58 for a 35mm, and none of the modern Ms work for me.
The original SL typ601 is still brilliant and has a magnificent EVF, perfect for manual focus.
Thanks for making this video. I always wondered how this lens compared to 50 lux. I was deciding between the SL 2 and Canon R5. Leica’s refusal to go with a more modern focus system swayed me to Canon. But I will always be a Leica M user.
I have the R6 canon and other than amazing AF, which is great for sports etc, depending on what you shoot... I just sold my R6 for an SL2-S... Both are very different for different things. The way the Leica renders is insane, as you now with your M... But for portrait work, I find the AF perfectly fine, especially with the latest firmware. It wasn't that long ago my canon 5D2 had only a handful of focus points. But yeah... I can see how some users go the other way around. Different tools for different things. We all too often get caught up in specs sometimes.
@@Reportageandart yes I still look at SL2-S every now and then, and I am itching to try it out. Especially the beautiful new reporter edition. The Leica rendering is unique. I use my R5 for portraits, events, astro, wildlife, family, and travel, and I am too deep into the RF system. I have to say the RF 50 1.2, RF 85 1.2, and RF 70-200 are pretty incredible but I always wonder those super pricy Leica primes are better.
what do you think about the f2.0 apo 50mm for M-camera?
I suspect there’s a 60 megapixel SL3 in the works which will have similar low light capabilities to the SL2S but with the resolution of the M11. If I’m right, the Fuji system becomes redundant, if Leica continues to commit to the SL platform. I also suspect the SL3 will include phase detection AF. All that said, my original SL is still great and very special (better in some ways than my newly acquired M!1), so obviously all this is first world problems.
Sir! How this 50mm compares to the voigtlander apo that you reviewed for the m mount?
It doesnt : )
3:43 is such a nice photo
I'd like to see this Summicron in a head-to-head against the Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S, which offers near Zeiss Otis levels of optical quality.
It isn't as fast in autofocus (Contrast AF is the main reason) but it is superior in build quality and sharpness, out of focus rendering quality. It just depends on you if the cost justifies the difference.
@@MelonAMango I'd have to test them for myself to determine if the Summicron has superior sharpness and rendering to the Nikkor. Certainly for the money, there is no 50mm on the market today that can touch the Z Nikkor S.
@@RobertFalconer1967 Indeed, trying them out will always be the best. The Nikkor Z is really outstanding, especially at that price point. However, it is very clinical and purely performance. The Summicron SL in my experience renders very sharp, the bokeh transition, fall-off, and color accuracy are superb. I can vouch for the Summicron but it will be best for you to try them. It might wow you not only with optical quality but also with its build quality.
@@MelonAMango I'm sure it would make for an interesting comparison. I was fortunate to have a chance to compare the current Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH against the new Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct, and the Nikkor was clearly superior in rendering, sharpness, OOF areas...pretty much across every metric. On the downside, it is also much larger due to the weather sealing, built-in OLED display, etc.
@@RobertFalconer1967 2 magnificent lenses there! Noctilux 50 M has CA and is softer but sharper than the other Noctilux variations, however. The M lenses aren't close in performance to the SL or even the major brands' standard lenses, but I'd say the M lenses have pleasing character against these super sharp lenses.
I tested this against my RF 50mm 1.2. In terms of technical results it was pretty much the same but the canon had a more pronounced background blur.
That said the Leica had a real “look”. It felt like the nicest 50mm F2 I’d ever seen. Including the M-mount apo.
Love my SL2 and 75 APO. But use a Sigma 35 1.4 and a Panny 50mm 1.4 on a S1R backup. Almost the same sensor. Works wonders for my setup. The 24-90 and 90-280 has me eating sardines though. Jeez Leica tax is up there.
you make me want to switch to Leica more and more every week
great review! i just picked up the sl2 to go with my sl2-s and always been wondering if this lens would be worth that price.
for sure, as you know well, Leica stuff isn't cheap, but this lens is unreal good. Good to hear from you, man!
i use that lens but on the leica sl typ 601 bcuz it is just as good
Absolutely the best 50mm I've ever used.
Hi Benj. Thanks for your video production! I can appreciate the time you put into making great videos. As for the SL 50: I own it, love it, and the RAW files it produces can handle just about any POST work you throw at it (soft, cinematic, contrasty, etc.). Also, if you haven't worked with the SL 35mm F2, I would encourage you to get your hands on one. It is clinical (IMO) but performs similar to the 50 F2. Leica has done a very nice job with the SL lens system. They just need to tweak the SL2 + SL2-S a bit for autofocus response and buffer speed. But overall, as a documentary photographer, I'm quite pleased!
How does it compare to the SL 50mm f/1.4?
I’d love to know as well
Some say the APO SL 35 is better, but being a 50mm person, I love my APO SL 50mm.
有依据吗？很想知道sl各焦段镜头之间的比较
I wonder how this compares to the M 50 APO.
According to the Leica Store Miami team, it beats it out in every single way 👀
The lens is huge. Looks like a 24-70 zoom. Just like BMW's grills, just keep getting bigger and bigger.
Have you used it? It really feels well balanced on the SL2 system
@@benjhaisch I have not. My gear is mostly vintage manual lenses and film cameras. The sharpest lens I have is a Nikkor 55mm 2.8 micro, very sharp wide open, no distortion, no chromatic aberration and costs a few pennies. I believe you about the balance, specially when you're working on a wedding taking hundreds of pictures good balance is something to consider. All those APO lenses are just so good.
50Cron SL vs 50Lux SL
Pleaseeeee
My only problem with this lens is I feel like it's not in the spirit of Leica to use autofocus and I know if I had it I would try to use the autofocus on my SL.
35 APO is crazy as well if not better.
同样的问题
The tremble in your voice at 8:15 means you're in trouble!
Hi Benj. did you get this combo since ? Then you will be looking after the 90 APO… Never try it… it’s the best advise I can give to your bank account 🤣
It’s a bit like what Top Gear said about the McLaren MP4-12C. TECHNICALLY…. It’s better than anything that’s come before and will be top tier long after it’s made but…. There’s no….zing. It’s almost like it’s be better if it were a bit worse, you know? Just me, though.
I do feel that about some lenses, but I think this does have that “pop” from the micro contrast which many other lenses that are technically fantastic from a sharpness perspective often lack.
By most accounts, the 35mm Summicron APO is considered the sharpest of the APOs.
I guess it's all perspective Benj (no optical pun intended). The Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH @ $5095 is about 1/2 the price the Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH, $9395. Add a body for the latter, the M11 @ $8995, and you're all-in for about $20K with taxes. Nick Raines of Leica Australia recently told me that although not indicated in the finder, the SL2-S and SL2 both have eye-detect focusing when using the Face-Detect focusing feature. Can you confirm? It was his excellent video "Take Better Photos Episode 5 - Focussing" that made me realize just how shallow the DOF is up close. th-cam.com/video/iT-T92nKsXk/w-d-xo.html
Leica gets in your head, not just your hands, not just your bank account. You can do fine professional quality wedding photography, product and fashion photography, and landscape work with Canon and Nikon systems, and with less if any autofocus issues and milder spending. But there is the mystique and the over engineered, sculpted look, materials, and feel of their cameras and lenses that starts the addiction. That little red dot is like a narcotic pill.
I just swallowed the Red Pill and my SL2 comes in tomorrow. I don't think I've ever been more excited about a camera.
Time to ditch the M system for the SL system.
It's a great lens that works well at f8 anything below and the back ground/foreground is too 'in focus' - is it the best 50mm? Unlikely. Is it the best Leica 50mm? No. That title must go to the Leica 50mm 0.95 or the Nikon, or the Contax, or the Canon - is it a great combo on the SL2/3 - yes - story ends
Sounds like you’re convinced to buy this lens so all you need is to justify the purchase.To justify any expensive purchases I always say , go on buy it, you work hard you deserve it , life is too short to go without 😂
I mean, I’d need to buy an SL2-S too so $$$ ;)
Not for THAT price, try the Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 50mm 2.0, you would not see any significant difference in image quality !
Are you stating this from direct experience? I’ll soon be ordering the Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 50 mm f/2 (for use on an M11, SL2, & CL) and Leica Summilux-SL 50 mm f/1.4 and expect they’ll provide completely different experiences.
Better with the 50mm SL 1.4.
Stick Apo badge on a lens and everyone goes ga ga.
The 1.4 is a more practical lens, period.
I think bang for buck and quality wise, my Nikon Z50s 1.8, would give this lens a bit of a scare in a one on one comparison. I know the Leica may slightly edge it out, but one has to decide if paying all those thousands extra is worth that one or two percent.
I love Leica. If you want to have the ultimate 50mm combo buy the Sony a1 with the 50mm 1.2
Much lighter then my SL2 with
Lenses and... I can't see the difference. Besides that the Sony images are always in focus ☺️
And noct shallow depth of field 🥳
Nikon 50mm 1.8Z is the best 50mm is the best lens for those, who don't get review samples...
I submit the GF 110 f2
I’ve used both, this lens is far superior. Not saying the GF110/2 is bad, but it just isn’t in the same league imo.
"isn't that thick" ha ha ha
I think having two lights back there is a bit overkill. It’s a bit too bright. (Just my personal opinion)
Very underwhelming to be honest...There is no point getting this setup when you're shooting weddings for example..medium format look with an f2 lens?? A fujifilm with their f1.4 lenses will give you the same look (We are not pixel-peeping/looking at the resolution here) A Sony a7iv with their 50mm f1.2 GM lens would be the way to go if you want a medium format-ish look on your FF system.
....Its definitely the BIGGEST 50mm in history
Ha! Have you seen other modern AF 50mm lenses??