Is This the Best 50mm? | Leica 50mm f/2 APO Summicron-SL Review

Is the Leica APO Summicron the best 50mm you can buy?

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[ronwolfept]

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.

[jacobh]

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.

[KEHcamera]

Even if it is out of reach for must of us, we still loved to see you work your magic with it!

[andyjones]

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. 😉

[edgarsanuybarahona]

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!

[laurapodrasky]

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

[iustitiaepervenit]

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.

[baharam]

The images are the MOST AMAZING I've seen from any brand. Wonderful lens.

[chloescanlon]

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.

[MarcSR]

would love to see you review the SL Lux 50

[goorackerelite]

Would love to see you review the lumix 50mm 1.8 a really great nifty/50 with auto focus

[jordohayes]

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!!

[johnnygrenda]

Hi Benji,

Im a bit late to the party here. How does it compare to the 50mm GMs. Obviously the aperture isnt as high but in terms of image quality

Great video

[applesds]

literally gasped when i saw the photos. So lovely.

[marcusoutdoors]

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.

[austin_sauer]

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.

[khalifaalmehairbi]

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.

[RobertFalconer]

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.

[carlosmcse]

Shoutout. Not an SL, but the 50APO Voigtlander for the M. Perfection

[bytomw]

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.