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Leica M 50mm Lenses Compared (x11) + Leica Lens Guide! (Best 50mm Leica Lens)

Leica Camera Blog: Are you looking to buy the best 50mm Leica M mount lens but not sure what to get? Considering Zeiss vs Leica M lenses? Do you find names like Summilux and Summicron confusing? I was in the same position when I bought my Leica M9! In this 2 part article I try to help from my own purchasing process. See Parts 1&2 below.

(1) Here I compare 11 different 50mm lenses I use on my Leica M cameras; facts, pros & cons, sample images to help you decide what is right for you. Test includes:

(2) In part 2 I provide a Leica Lens Guide to help you understand the Leica Lens Terminology. I then compare similar Leica lenses to again help with the decision when you are stuck between 2 lenses to buy. I provide example comparisons and a Best Leica Lens for you section.

PART 1: LEICA M 50MM LENSES COMPARED (x11)

Leica M 50mm Lenses Compared

As a Leica photographer I have now collected quite a few 50mm Leica M mount lenses. I am always interested how one lens performs against another and until I can decide my favourites I am not selling any. I thought it might be useful to do a quick comparison of 8 50mm lenses, 7 of which I own and 1 I was able to use for a day to try (Leica Noctilux 50mm f0.95). I explain my thoughts, pros and cons of each lens based on my own experience and taste and using the lens copies I own. My findings may differ from your own or from comprehensive technical reviews that have been performed for each. I have included a sample photo from each lens to give you a real example. There are specific reviews for each lens too under the Leica tab at the top of the site homepage.

50mm Lenses – Pros and Cons of Each:

1. Zeiss 50mm Planar 50mm f/2 ZM:

• Pros – Very sharp and contrasty. Focuses at 0.9m
• Cons – Too sharp for some subjects! No built in hood.
• Thoughts – Apparent clinical sharpness/ high contrast and unflattered for anything other than baby like skin
• Example Photo using a Digital Leica M9

2. Zeiss 50mm C Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 ZM:

• Pros – Sharp in the centre and contrasty at f1.4. Nice rendering of OOF areas/ bokeh
• Cons – Closest focus 1m. No built in hood.
• Thoughts – Good apparent sharpness (high contrast) shot wide open with nice rendering. Fine for most portraits.
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M9

3. Leica 50mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4 (Lux 50):

• Pros – Edge to edge clinical sharpness at f1.4. Focus at 0.7m. Built in hood.
• Cons – Bigger than the Cron and ZM lenses. Modern look.
• Thoughts – Sharpest 50 but lower contrast vs Zeiss. Best 50mm up close.
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M9

Example Photo 2, Leica M3 film camera

4. Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2 v5 (Cron 50):

• Pros – 39mm filter thread and built in hood. Focus at 0.7m. It does nothing badly
• Cons – It has no one character to lift it above other 50s.
• Thoughts – Great all rounder. It does nothing particularly well (vs. other 50s that each have a strong point) yet does nothing badly either. My least used 50 (excluding Jupiter 3 – has some focus shift to account for so not used much)
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M9

5. Leica 50mm Summarit f/1.5 (1950s):

• Pros – Vintage look from the camera giving photos with that Leica glow. Cheap
• Cons – Closest focus 1m. Soft, low contrast and prone to flare
• Thoughts – Creates beautiful glowing portraits if used to its ‘strengths’ (Cons).
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M9

6. Leica 50mm Summarit-M f/2.5:

• Pros – Smaller than Cron & Zeiss lenses, Sharp modern look, 0.8 focus
• Cons – No built in hood, slower than Cron, Lux and Zeiss lenses
• Thoughts – Small and sharp. Great lens to use on Leica film cameras
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M240

• Example Photo 2, Leica M3 film camera

7. Leica 50mm f/2.8 Elmar (Collapsible)

• Pros – My smallest M lens (when mounted) + can use SOMKY-M
• Pros 2 – *Works with SOOKY-M (SOMKY) close focus goggles
• Cons – Flares easily, softer wide open, no hood, 1m close-focus*
• Thoughts – Small and sharp stopped down, good for digital Leica
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M8

• Example Photo 2, Digital Leica M240

8. Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 DR (Dual Range)

• Pros – Sharp lens wide open, can use with SOOKY-M
• Pros 2 – *Works with SOOKY-M close focus goggles
• Cons – Heavy, can flare, no hood, 1m close-focus*
• Thoughts – If nail focus it gives great results up close at f2
• Example Photo, Leica M3 film camera

• Example Photo 2, Leica M3 film camera

Example Photo 3, Leica M6 film camera

9. Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH:

• Pros – Edge to edge clinical sharpness at f0.95. Good subject background separation
• Cons – Closest focus 1m. Very expensive. Heavy. 60mm filter thread. Modern look
• Thoughts – very similar to Lux ASPH 50 in all respects but cannot focus at 0.7m.
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M9

10. Leica Noctilux f/1.0 50mm v2 (1981):

• Pros – Unique look images created – can resemble medium format/ large format film
• Cons – Closest focus 1m. Expensive. Heavy. 60mm filter thread, Soft, Low contrast
• Thoughts – Softer and lower contrast than all lenses list except Summarit 50f1.5. Nicest bokeh and rendering IMO.
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M9

• Example Photo, Digital Leica M240

• Example Photo 3, Leica M4P film camera

11. Russian Jupiter 3 50f1.5 (Zeiss Sonnar Clone):

• Pros – Cheapest and great value for money. Contrasty giving apparent sharpness
• Cons – Closest focus 1m, soft focus and prone to some flare
• Thoughts – Similar to Leica Summarit in all respects but more contrasty
• Example Photo, Digital Leica M9

Conclusion

What is the best Leica 50mm lens?

It depends on personal taste and the task but for me –

• Summilux ASPH: close up portraits wide open (most used any lens/50mm)
• Noctilux 50 f1.0: to create ‘better’ than reality photos & less digital look
• Summarit f1.5: for a more vintage look – use flare for effect
• Summarit f2.5: for a small sharp lens (especially on film Leica cameras)
• Summicron DR: for super closeup headshots (with close up adapter)
• ZM Sonnar: for sharp environmental portraits (*sold it and regret it)
• ZM Planar: for the sharpest possible image (*I later sold this lens)

One camera one lens – which 50mm would I use?

• Noctilux 50 f1 – It unique look wide open yet sharp when stopped down

52mm Lens

I didn’t include the 52mm Industar 26m f2.8 lens here as it is not strictly 50mm! (link below)

Findings

I hope you found it useful even if you do not agree with some of my findings. (I know the Leica Cron 50 is a very popular lens).

PART 2 – A GUIDE TO LEICA LENSES!

A: LEICA LENSES TERMINOLOGY

All Leica lenses are commonly broken down into different named groups depending on the widest/ fastest aperture of the lens. This is true whether a Leica 50mm lens, 35mm lens or other focal length. Here are some of the more common Leica lenses, new and old.

*Please note this is not a complete list and is just a guide

Noctilux = f0.95-f1.25 lenses (“Nocti”) – 50mm / 75mm
Summilux = f1.4 lenses (“Lux”) – 50mm / 35mm / 21mm
Summicron = f2 lenses (“Cron”) – 28mm /35mm /40mm /50mm /90mm
Summarit = f2.4-f2.5 lenses (Ignoring the vintage 50mm f1.5 Summarit!)
Elmarit = f2.8 lenses (28mm / 50mm / 90mm)
Elmar = f4 lenses (Commonly 90mm / 135mm Ignoring the 50mm f2.8!)
Summaron = f5.6 lenses (Ignoring the vintage 35mm f3.5 Summaron!)

B: WHAT IS THE BEST LEICA LENS? (FOR YOU)

When looking to buy a new Leica lens (brand new or used) there are a few factors that you might consider –

Leica Lens Wish List

Chose your lens focal lens? – ie. 50mm
Do you need a small lens? (perhaps for travel)
Do you need a fast lens? (ie. wide aperture of f1.4-f2)(low light or portraits)
What is your budget? (used lenses are cheaper than new!)

Examples Scenarios When Buying a Leica Lens

Once you have answers question 1-4 on the Leica lens wish list above you may have one of the following decisions to make. You may be stuck in deciding between 2 Leica lenses but you are not sure which lens to buy. Assuming you are comparing the same focal length lenses, ie. 2x 50mm lenses, here are 3 simple examples that might help you decide. (There are many possible combinations so I selected just 3 examples that might be realistic).

B1. Summilux vs Summicron (f1.4 vs f2)

1.1 – 4 Reasons to Buy a Summilux rather than a Summicron

Aperture f1.4 vs f2 gives 1 stop more light for low light photography
An f stop of f1.4 gives better bokeh than f2
A Summilux lens will give better background separation than a Summicron
For portraits the Summilux lens will give more pleasing photos (soft focus skin and nice transition from sharp in focus to soft out of focus areas)

1.2 – 3 Reasons to Buy a Summilux rather than a Summicron

Summicron f2 lenses are smaller than a Summilux f1.4 lens as they contain less glass elements
Summicron lenses are therefore also lighter than a Summilux lens
Perhaps the deal breaker for many photographers – the Summicron costs less than a Summilux (Great if you don’t need the extra 1 stop of light)(f1.4 vs f2)

B2. Summicron vs Summarit (f2 vs f2.4-2.5)

2.1 – 4 Reasons to Buy a Summicron rather than a Summarit

1. Aperture f2 vs f2.4-2.5 gives slightly more light for low light photography (marginal gains)
2. An f stop of f2 gives slightly better bokeh than f2.4-f2.5 (slight)
3. A Summicron lens will give better background separation than a Summarit (there is not a huge difference)(I use both lenses)
4. For portraits the Summicron will give more pleasing photos than a Summarit (but there is not a huge difference)(I use both lenses)

2.2 – 3 Reasons to Buy a Summait rather than a Summicron

Summarit f2.4-f2.5 lenses are smaller than a Summicron f2
Summarit lenses are therefore also lighter than a Summicron lens
Perhaps the deal breaker for many photographers – the Summarit costs less than a Summicron and is often seen as the budget Leica lens lineup.

B3. Summicron vs Elmarit (f2 vs f2.8)

3.1 – 4 Reasons to Buy a Summicron rather than a Elmarit

1. Aperture f2 vs f2.8 gives 1 stop more light for low light photography
2. An f stop of f2 gives better bokeh than f2.8
3. A Summicron will give better background separation than an Elmarit
4. For portraits the Summicron lens will give more pleasing pictures. (Most 50mm portrait lenses are f1.4-f2). For longer lenses such as a 90mm or 135mm an f2.8 or f4 lens can still produce nice portraits as the longer focal length accentuates the background separation, compression and bokeh.

3.2 – 3 Reasons to Buy a Elmarit rather than a Summicron

Elmarit f2.8 lenses are smaller than a Summicron f2 lens
Elmarit lenses are therefore also lighter than a Summicron lens
Perhaps the deal breaker for many photographers – the Elmarit costs less than a Summicron

Summary

There is no fixed rule that says you can’t use a f2.8-f4 lens for portraits (I use any lens for portraits). It is just a over simplified guide. Ideally for portraits I would use my 50mm f1.4 Summilux lens not my 50mm f2.8 lens but I will use my 90mm f4 lens and 135mm f4 lens for portraits.

If you are new to Leica I hope this was of some use to you. If you are a Leica nut please excuse this simple guide. I tried to find a happy medium to provide some value to the majority of readers.

Happy Shooting.. with whatever lens you chose! Matt