Leica 50mm f/2.0 Summicron-M Lens
Leica 50mm f/2.0 Summicron-M Lens
By Chuck Hawks
The 50mm f/2 Summicron quickly became renowned for its performance and through its successive design updates it has remained the lens by which all 'standard' lenses for 35mm cameras are judged to this day. The third generation 50mm f/2 Summicron-M, introduced in 1969, remained a modified Gauss design, but included significant improvements. 50mm f/2 Summicron-M Serial Numbers. SN Start SN End Product Year Total 2909101: 2913100: Summicron-M f= 5 cm 1:2: 1978: 40: 2916800: Summicron-M f= 5 cm 1.
Summicron 50mm Versions
Later iterations of the classic 7-element 50mm Summicron (serial numbers 993,000-1.030,000) that employ lanthanum (LaK9) glass provide noticeably better imaging performance, especially wide open. However, this and subsequent improvements were the results of tweaks in. This is a 50mm lens – a slightly long normal. Summicron is the Leica designation for an f/2 lens, meaning that this lens has a 25mm effective aperture. As all M-mount lenses, it’s manual focus only. It’s a variation on the classical double-gauss design.
The Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron lens was introduced for Leicathread mount cameras in 1953. When the first Leica M-series camera, the M3, wasintroduced in 1954, it was accompanied by the 50mm f/2 Summicron in M bayonetmount form. The first generation 50mm f/2's optical formula was a modifiedGauss design using seven elements in six groups; the fifth group being thecemented pair. It was produced with a telescoping lens barrel that allowed thelens to be collapsed for carrying, a popular feature of thread mount Leica lenses.
By 1957 the collapsible Summicron was discontinued in favor of fixed mount 50mm f/2 Summicron-M, which had been introduced in1956. The optical formula remained exactly the same and this second generation50mm f/2 Summicron was produced until 1968. Both the collapsible and rigidearly Summicrons were built with chrome plated brass lens barrels. The rigidversion weighed 285 grams, or 10 ounces. Exceptionally good aberrationcorrection, minimal vignetting, high contrast and excellent center resolution became hallmarks of Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron lenses. Peakperformance was reached by f/4.0. The 50mm f/2 Summicron quickly became renownedfor its performance and through its successive design updates it has remained thelens by which all 'standard' lenses for 35mm cameras are judged to this day.
The third generation 50mm f/2 Summicron-M, introduced in 1969, remained amodified Gauss design, but included significant improvements. Lightweight,compact M-series lenses have always been a priority and the new design madestrides in that area. By taking advantage of new optical glasses, the number ofelements was reduced to six in five groups, with the second group being thecemented pair. The lens barrel was machined from black anodized aluminum, whichin conjunction with the reduced number of glass elements, allowed the new lensto weigh 260 grams, 25 grams lighter than the previous version.
In 1979 the 50mm f/2 Summicron-M was again updated, thistime using computer assisted lens design, which was a technology pioneered byLeica. This fourth generation modified Gauss design uses six elements in four groups, with thesecond and third groups being cemented pairs. It weighs 65 grams less than its predecessor. This is the 50mm f/2.0Summicron-M version still offered today. Leica calls it, 'A venerable standard at the top of its form.' They go on to state:
'The tried and well-proven optical design of this lensprovides for a perfection of picture quality extending all the way to theextreme corners of the image field even at full aperture, as well asoutstanding contrast throughout, at all apertures, even at close distances.Stopping down to f/2.8 or f/4 brings only a minimal increase in contrast.Distortion is extremely low and practically invisible. Its well-balanced designmakes this ideal standard lens an outstanding choice in terms of all criteria,including image quality, speed, size, weight and price.'
I am a fan of standard focal length lenses, because theydeliver a natural perspective for landscapes, as well as for full length pictures of people orgroups of people. The 50mm Summicron-M's diagonal field of view is 47-degrees. I concur with Leica'sstatement that the 50mm f/2 Summicron-M delivers excellent 'image quality,speed, size, weight and price.' It is a perfect balance of thesequalities, equally suitable for Leica M 35mm film cameras or the full frame M9 digital camera.
Over the years, I have used and tested many fine standard lenses, including the40mm f/2 Summicron-C, 50mm f/2.8 Elmar, 50mm f/2 Summicron-R, 50mm f/2 AI Nikkor, 50mm f/1.8 AFNikkor, 50mm f/1.4 Canon FD, 55mm f/2 SMC Takunar and 58mm f/1.4 Rokkor, among others. However,my all time favorite is the Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron-M. (Before you ask, I havenot used the new 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH, said to be the finest standardlens ever made. Of course, with a 2012 MSRP of $7195, it is much more expensivethan the standard 50mm Summicron-M, which is why both 50mm Summicron-M lensesare offered by Leica.)
Physically, the 50mm f/2 Summicron-M is one of the smallestand lightest of the current M system lenses. Its knurled aluminum focusing ringturns very smoothly and there is a fingertip focusing lever on the underside ofthe barrel that allows one finger focusing. The focusing helicoid is machined from brass. The rotation from stop to stop (0.7 meter to infinity) is onlyabout one-third of a turn, making the lens fast to focus. The aperture ring has positive click stops at full and half f/stops and can be set between clicks, ifdesired. The front of the lens barrel is threaded to accept 39mm filters (E 39). The four-lug Leica M bayonet requires an exceptionallyshort clockwise rotation (looking at the front of the camera) to attach the lens.
The external finish is a deep, satin black. The f/numbers are engravedand filled with white paint, as is the depth of field scale and the metricdistance numbers. The distance numbers in feet are filled with dark yellowpaint, as is the focal length marking.
The latest production variant of the fourth generation 50mm Summicron-M differs subtly from its immediate predecessor by the inclusion of a built-in, telescopic lens hood. The previous version was supplied with a lenshood that clipped onto the front of the lens. The lens cap fits over the reversed lens hood for carrying or storage.
Sophisticated, index matched multi-coatings and carefulattention to detail, such as blackened lens edges and extensive internal lightbaffling, help prevent internal reflections and flare. As with all Leica Mlenses, the 50mm Summicron-M is hand made in Germany using the highest quality materialsand 100% quality controlled at every stage of manufacture.
Specifications
- Actual focal length: 52.3 mm
- Angle of view (degrees): 47 diagonal, 40 horizontal, 27 vertical
- Number of elements: 6 in 4 groups
- Focusing distance: 0.7 meters to infinity
- Distance scale: combined meters and feet
- Smallest object field: 277mm x 416mm
- Highest reproduction ratio: 1:11.5
- Diaphragm: Manual setting with click stops at full and half stop increments
- Diaphragm range: f/2.0 - f/16
- Mount: Leica M-bayonet
- Filter thread: E 39 (39mm diameter)
- Lens hood: Built-in, telescopic
- Length: 43.5mm
- Max. diameter: 53mm
- Weight: 8.5 oz. as tested w/hood, Leica UV filter and lens caps
- 2012 retail price: $2295
For this review, I tested the 50mm f/2 Summicron-M on an M9digital camera body. I have also used this lens extensively on my M6 35mm filmcamera with equally satisfactory results.
You don't need a lot of fancy test equipment to see how good this lens is. Subjects are rendered with razor sharpness. Focused point sources of light photographed at night are rendered as points, even at the edge of the field. Colors are exceptionally clean and accurate with subtle shadings. Color rendition is so good that this lens has long been considered a reference against which other lenses are judged.
Leica Summicron R 50mm F2 Serial Numbers
Flare is extremely well controlled, as are all aberrations. Distortion is at the vanishing point, perhaps a maximum of 0.2% and completely invisible to the human eye. Vignetting is minimal, with a maximum light loss of only 5.6% at the edge of the frame. There is only a modest improvement, mostly at the edges, when the lens is stopped down from f/2.0 to f/4.0, its optimum aperture, and no perceptible improvement at smaller f/stops. (Ofcourse, the depth of field continues to increase as the lens is stopped down.) Contrast and resolution are excellent across the entire field of view and particularly outstanding at the center. Small picture details are clearly resolved.
Summicron 50mm F2 Serial Numbers Diagram
To summarize, the Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron-M is capable oftaking superb quality, highly detailed photographs, providing the photographerdoes his or her part. A technical data PDF file for this lens showing MTFgraphs, distortion graphs, depth of field scales and so forth is available onthe Leica USA website: http://us.leica-camera.com/
Summicron 50 F2
No matter how good the lens, for critically sharp photos itis always wise to use a tripod or other steady camera support. When testing orcomparing lenses it is absolutely necessary. Unlike SLR cameras, Leica M camerabodies don't have a vibration-causing moving mirror mechanism and this allowsthem to take sharper pictures than SLR's. This lack of vibration, when coupledwith proper photographic technique, helps explain why Leica M cameras andlenses consistently outperform the competition. The 50mm f/2 Summicron-M lensis so good that only the most technically capable photographers can explore itsfull capability. However, anyone can see that it takes great pictures.