Excellend lens, good bokeh, sharp

A touch flat when compared to Zeiss glass,
Not legenday sharp as some claim

I had used this lens when I had a M6. I have to say while a great lens, better than any Japanese SLR lens, it did not offer the magical "Glow" I have read so much about. I have an old 40/2 Summicron for a CL that I liked better. While many here have given high scores, some have not given high remarks that match the scores and I find that strange. I also note some stating they have used a Contax G and do not reference their fine Zeiss lenses, so doubt the veracity of those statements; Leicaphies are true zielots!
In honesty, while the 50/2 is an excellent lens, I find the 45/2 Panar for the Contax G to be sharper, crisper with better colors and Bokoh; heresy in Leicaland, but true for many who have used both systems.

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

40/2 Summicron, 35/2 Summicron, 45/2 Zeiss Planar

Performance, build-quality

None so far

Outstanding lens and the best 50 mm lens in the Leica stable concerning the aperture/performance-ratio. Also one of those Leica M lenses with the best price/performance-ratio. Sharness is best, crisp rendition of details, small and convenient, built like a swiss chronograph. I use the previous version with the same optical formula and the separate lens hood. This lens is cheaper at the same optical performance and is better protected from flare.

Customer Service

Excellent

Similar Products Used:

R 4/35-70, M 2/90 Apo, R 2,8/100 Apo, R 2,8/70-180 Apo

Superb DOF. Haven't experienced the famed Leica "glow" with mine, but it's a very confortable thing to work with.

Can't find any.

Nice, sturdy lens that to me has lived up to its reputation. I got a new one in exchange for an old Summicron, and while the difference are really negligible, the results in DOF are better in the new. It's, in sum, a very handy, workhorse kind of lens.

Customer Service

Not yet, and hopefully never.

Similar Products Used:

Contax G1, Canonet, Konica Auto S2 and other cameras.

The best build quality. Some other brands such as Contax come close with their pro equipment, but none equals Leica.

Very expensive.

The finest quality lens I have ever owned--no play in the mechanism, superb, jewel-like finish. Oh, and it takes great pictures, with fine color rendition and sharpness.

Customer Service

Haven't used.

Similar Products Used:

Contax G, Nikon MF/AF

build quality overall performance

mine did not live up to expectations and does not outperform my elamar in terms of overall pic quality

Sorry guys (reviewers below) but my 50 summicron - while ok - doesn't provide me with the '3D thrills etc.' mentioned by some of you. It's a v. good lens but mine at least seems not especially better than my nikon (stopped down atleast). Ultimately, I prefer results from my 50mmf2,8 elmar.

Customer Service

none needed

Similar Products Used:

elmar, nikon 50 1,8, OM Zuiko

Sturdy construction; performance that equals if not exceeds the best 50's out there.

None, really. But I don't like the built-in lens shade. I prefer the clip-on.

My new 50 Summicron, compared to the 50mm collapsible (circa 1959-61)is no better in terms of sharpness; all the way to the edges. What it's better at is color rendition...very very accurate.

Sharp.No cromatic aberations,not even wide open.Contrasty...etc...

I have some difficulties to focus with RF-cameras(but that is not caused by the lens).

I tried this lens on a M6 for a weekend and shot film of Fuji Reala. I find it hard to fucus on my little doughter while she was running around. But the nature/scenery pictures I took are just as sharp as it can possibly be ! Stunning ! I use Canon L´s but Summicron 50 2,0 is just fantasic ! I have been critical in the past over how people can say that their pictures look 3-D from the summicron 50,I thought that it was just an incompetent way of expressing how good the lens was. When I look on my prints they do look like 3-D !? There is aboslutely no cromatic aberrations or vigetting or any distubing things at all and that is probably due to the benefits of an RF-camera. I´m very surprised over this mythic lens. SUPER !

Similar Products Used:

Zeiss planar 45mm for G2.Canon EF series.

super super super lens, especially in low light and used wide opened. Everything said about this lens is true. There is absolutely no competition here.

Z E R O

SIMPLY STUNNING. This legend is a notch above CZ 50/1.4 Colour tone is very natural, pleasing and yet not over-saturated. Black and white is super sharp and well balanced. Used wide opened at f2 beats all lenses at sharpness and contrasts. I use this with a M3. This is the ultimate combination. The absolute greatness attained in my 10 years of photographic experience. For all leica beginners, I plea you to get a used M3 and this GEM as a start. I promised you on my life you WILL NOT REGRET. 10 stars.

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

CZ 50/1.4 (super, but below summicron) NIKKOR 85/1.8(GREAT LENS TOO) minolta 50/1.4(great)

It's sharpness is simply astounding! I found myself needing enlarged photographs of the inside of a bank to use as exhibits. I spoke with the local camera store to determine what camera and lens I would rent to get the photos I needed. When they found out I owmed a M6 with the 50mm Summicron, they told me that I wouldn't need to rent a medium format camera. Needless to say the 16"x20" enlargements were fanstastic.

None.

Tremendous resolving power.

Customer Service

None needed to date.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon, Canon 50mm 1.4 lenses.

Small, Light, Sharp. Focusing tab makes operation quick. Reative to the Leica line, fairly inexpensive.

New modle, while using same opticle formula as previous one, has eliminated the focusing tab. It also replaced the removable hood with a less efficient pull-out style hood.

While considered obsolete by "experts", you would be hard pressed to find a better normal lens. As a tool or as an exercise in deprivation, this lens mounted on an M series Leica will suprise you after the film comes back to the lab. This lens also allows glasses wearing photographers to use the m Leica like a "high-eyepoint" camera... the full framelines are visible.

Customer Service

never used for lens, but Leica USA is outstanding regarding cameras.

Similar Products Used:

every 50mm lens ever made by Nikon.