Not because it’s particularly outstanding (the 1.5 Nokton output is optically pretty much the same lens), but because it looks incredibly good on a silver M. And optically, it delivers quite okay 😄
Otherwise, I’d probably go with the new 35mm Noctilux — simply because it performs well enough across the board that cropping can still cover a good range of the focal lengths I like to use.
I'm not a fan of the Summilux 50 ASPH lens flare or FLE/FLE2 mechanism lumpy focusing, but find the recent classic non-aspherical 50mm is free of both of theses niggles; superb brass construction makes it a pleasure to handle, but not optically perfect, as wide open corner performance, field curvature and front of image plane bokeh all need to worked around.
Mar 06, 2026 at 05:21 AM
Steve Spencer Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
If I can have as many crons (or cron like lenses) as I want, then I think my answer would be the Leica R 80 lux. It has a very interesting and to me distinctive look. It would be a great lens to add to my kit of cron type lenses.
Steve Spencer wrote:
If I can have as many crons (or cron like lenses) as I want, then I think my answer would be the Leica R 80 lux. It has a very interesting and to me distinctive look. It would be a great lens to add to my kit of cron type lenses.
Interesting point you make about the Crons ... given the distinction in design approach diff ... yes, the Lux is not your ONLY lens, just your ONLY Lux. Imo, the Lux's have a rendering ethos to them that is intentionally different from the Crons, etc.
I just put the new 50mm Lux ASPH (0.45m focus) on my M11M. For the residency I’m building in Amsterdam, that close-focus detent is a game-changer. It allows me to move from the 'Street' to the 'Intimate' (sketches/details) without a lens swap. The 11-blade aperture handles the shadow-to-midtone transition with a silky 'Ink' quality that the older 9-blade versions can't touch.
My only "lux" is the Canon 50/1.4 LTM lens also named as "Japanese Summilux". Different flair but also excellent lens wide open is the similar Nikkor 50/1.4 S.C. LTM lens. I haven't seen the Nikkor officially labeled as Summilux lens, but IMO it would fit into the "Japanese Summilux" classification also.
In Leica terms, the Canon 50/1.4 LTM might be closest in performance to the Leica 50/1.4 Version I or II.
Summilux-M 50mm ASPH is my One ‘Lux choice. No need for the newer II version, as I prefer textured focusing rings more than a closer MFD.
Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with images posted on-line, that had been shot with this lens. When a pre-owned, well-preserved, black anodized 11891 Summilux was available at the local Leica dealer, in early 2018, asked to see it, and to try it on a camera. During several visits, I test-shot this lens, on pre-owned and demonstrator M9 and M Type 240 cameras, in order to be certain that the lens produced favorable results, and, that I liked rangefinder shooting. I decided to purchase this individual lens, before I knew which camera I would buying, upon which to use it. I was already using Canon and Nikon DSLRs, for macro and birds/wildlife, but I “needed” to use THIS Summilux.
Why did I need this Summilux? Well, from 2010 to very early 2018, I had the added duty of forensic/evidentiary/crime scene photography. My “specialty” was photographing living, breathing, traumatized crime victims, using the superb Canon 100mm Macro L lens, which could AF like a sports/action lens. I needed to do something different, or, risk losing the desire to photograph people. I needed this Summilux, to be a post-retirement self-gift.
I would have said the 24 Lux but I absolutey love my 24 2.8 Elmarit asph. And I to am usually not a 50 guy but the 50 1.0 is such a nice lens. The stuff Fred and some others have posted here have me really wanting one.
