Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M Aspherical Manual Focus Lens (11891)
Details
- Availability:
- Usually ships in 1-2 business days
- List Price:
- $3,900.00
- Our Price:
- $3,595.00
- Savings:
- 7%
- Average Customer Rating:
- 5.0 out of 5
- Manufacturer:
- Leica
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- List Price:
- $3,900.00
- Our Price:
- $3,595.00
Description
The optical structure of the LEICA SUMMILUX-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. consists of eight lens in 5 groups. Glass with anomalous partial dispersion (elements 2/3) was used to ensure correct color rendition. Lens element 2 is made of a fluorite-type glass while lens element 3 is made from glass originating from the former Leitz glass laboratory. Lens element 4 has an aspherical surface. Lens elements 1, 6 and 7 are made of glass with a very high refractive index to minimize monochromatic aberrations. In all every innovation currently available in lens technology - aspherical lenses, glass with anomalous partial dispersion (APO), glass with a high refraction index and a floating element - has been combined to create a lens that will set new imaging standards. This is the first Leica M lens with a specifically patented 'floating element' used to maintain imaging performance at a very high level even in close-focus ranges down to 0.7m. During focusing, the rearmost optical component (elements 7/8) moves relative to the rest of the optical system and produces brilliant image quality in near focus ranges. To maximize the benefits of the 'floating element' an extremely precise adjusting mechanism has also been utilized that had to fit into the restricted space inside this compact M-lens
Spotlight customer reviews
Leica's best 50mm lens
[ Posted: 2005-07-23 ]
Leica has certainly used all of its extensive optical expertise in designing this relatively new, expensive 50mm lens. This expertise includes usage of anomalous partial dispersion glass, floating elements and aspherical lens elements to create a 50mm lens which is optimized for superb photography at close distances as well as under low light conditions. It is also the first 50mm M-mount lens to have a focusing tab since the discontinued 50 Summicron-M lens which was manufactured from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s. If I had the money available, I wouldn't hesitate acquiring this lens. However, I doubt that its performance would be substantially better wide open than my old Contax Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.4 T* Planar, which was rated by Popular Photography as the best 50mm lens in 35mm SLR photography a few years ago. Those Leica M rangefinder photographers who don't need the extra speed may be satisfied with the current Leica 50mm f2 Summicron-M lens, whose optical performance has remained unchanged since the late 1970s (It has the same lens design as its immediate predecessor; I hope Leica will update this lens so that its performance rivals that of the new Summilux-M, but an updated version isn't likely any time soon.).