Leica Summicron 50mm f2

Inspector’s condition notes

This lens is one of the early flagship models from Leica. It is a Summicron Type I in Leica M mount, produced between 1954 and 1956, after which it was never manufactured again. It is slightly rarer than the M39 mount, with comparable performance. The sharpness is very high, and the bokeh renders like an oil painting. It separates the foreground and background with a three-dimensional quality — the truly unique signature bokeh of Leica. The lens is collapsible, but it must be extended before shooting, otherwise the image will be blurry. It comes with an infinity lock. It is another lens that manual focus enthusiasts long to own, because the front element is made from lanthanum, a rare earth mineral with properties that help control specific characteristics of light, making it easier to design premium-grade optics commonly used in telescopes and certain Leica lenses. However, this comes with a trade-off — the element's soft, delicate nature, which means improper wiping or cleaning can easily cause scratches. On this particular lens, the front element has minor cleaning marks that can only be seen upon close inspection. They do not affect image quality. There is no fungus or haze, and no marks on the rear element. The focus and aperture operate smoothly, like a new lens. The internal components are tight, with no sounds of internal movement. The external body condition still looks very new for a lens over 50 years of age.

How this lens renders

Compared to the 50mm Leica Summicron-M f/2 of the same spec, this one is the gold standard of the industry. Compact, with rock-solid build quality, and delivering sharpness wide open without needing any aspherical or apochromatic lens elements. Wide open at f/2, it's nearly sharp across the full frame, with just a touch of softness at the corners. Stop down to f/2.8–f/4 and the corners sharpen up completely, while the center is tack-sharp at every setting. Bokeh dissolves the background smoothly for the most part. In certain lighting with highlights in the background, you'll see soap-bubble bokeh — a signature character. Colors are rich and saturated, contrast comes through naturally without overdoing it, and vignetting is minimal. A workhorse manual focus lens that delivers both sharpness and character in one package. Ideal for anyone looking for 50mm a reference-grade standard — well worth adding to a collection.

In the box

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Honest disclosure