Ever since I have been shooting with Sony, my go to 50’s have typically been the Zeiss 55 FE or the Zeiss 50 A with the LAEA4 adapter. Today I dug up a lens that’s been in storage for a while. A beautiful Leica 50mm limited edition LHSA summilux. There is no denying Leica produces some of the most beautiful glass. So why not shoot it with the Sony? Well, That’s just what I did I am here to provide you some feedback on the lens and it’s performance on the A7II.
Overall, this lens is a gem to hold. It truly is a fine example of engineering and presentation. The feel of the lens in hand is simply comforting. Mounted on the A7II with a Fotodiox Pro adapter, the lens looks quite small but don’t let that fool you. It is a solid heavy lens that forces the camera to tip when placed on a flat surface.
Focusing the lens manually is quite enjoyable. With focus peak turned on, it really is safe to say that on the Sony, the peaking confirmation is very accurate. However, this lens is no match for the Zeiss Loxia when it comes to focus smoothness. The Zeiss is buttery smooth with absolutely no hesitation or interruptions while you turn that barrel. On the other hand, the Leica feels dry and lacks that graceful lens rotation you get with the Loxia. That is really surprising considering the Leica is a $6000.00 lens and the Zeiss a $900.00 lens.
The lens is razor sharp and renders beautifully. It delivers a beautiful bokeh that is subtle and pleasant to view. It’s diaphragm although not perfectly circular is round enough to render out of focus highlights magically.
I wish the lens had better close range focusing. There are situations when you feel you need to be really close to your subject but are just a few inches too far. Other lenses without being of macro design focus a lot closer.
I do find that compared to the Zeiss Loxia or my other Zeiss lenses, the contrast is not as vivid or snappy for my taste. It is very flat and needs some post processing to bring it to life. However, this type of rendering is great for people shots and is very classic Leica.
The aperture ring sits on the front of the lens and is easily rotated. In fact, it is so easy to rotate you could accidentally turn it with minimal effort.
Overall, I find this lens to be superb with beautiful color and rendering, although a bit flat for my taste. The A7II and the 50 Summilux is great combo for those users moving from rangefinder cameras to mirror less cameras. Yes RF cameras are mirror less cameras too but you know what I mean. The A7II and 50 lux is an ideal combination for street photography which carry’s over the pleasure of shooting discretely with a rangefinder camera.
Ever since I have been shooting with Sony, my go to 50’s have typically been the Zeiss 55 FE or the Zeiss 50 A with the LAEA4 adapter. Today I dug up a lens that’s been in storage for a while. A beautiful Leica 50mm limited edition LHSA summilux. There is no denying Leica produces some of the most beautiful glass. So why not shoot it with the Sony? Well, That’s just what I did I am here to provide you some feedback on the lens and it’s performance on the A7II.
Overall, this lens is a gem to hold. It truly is a fine example of engineering and presentation. The feel of the lens in hand is simply comforting. Mounted on the A7II with a Fotodiox Pro adapter, the lens looks quite small but don’t let that fool you. It is a solid heavy lens that forces the camera to tip when placed on a flat surface.
Focusing the lens manually is quite enjoyable. With focus peak turned on, it really is safe to say that on the Sony, the peaking confirmation is very accurate. However, this lens is no match for the Zeiss Loxia when it comes to focus smoothness. The Zeiss is buttery smooth with absolutely no hesitation or interruptions while you turn that barrel. On the other hand, the Leica feels dry and lacks that graceful lens rotation you get with the Loxia. That is really surprising considering the Leica is a $6000.00 lens and the Zeiss a $900.00 lens.
The lens is razor sharp and renders beautifully. It delivers a beautiful bokeh that is subtle and pleasant to view. It’s diaphragm although not perfectly circular is round enough to render out of focus highlights magically.
I wish the lens had better close range focusing. There are situations when you feel you need to be really close to your subject but are just a few inches too far. Other lenses without being of macro design focus a lot closer.
I do find that compared to the Zeiss Loxia or my other Zeiss lenses, the contrast is not as vivid or snappy for my taste. It is very flat and needs some post processing to bring it to life. However, this type of rendering is great for people shots and is very classic Leica.
The aperture ring sits on the front of the lens and is easily rotated. In fact, it is so easy to rotate you could accidentally turn it with minimal effort.
Overall, I find this lens to be superb with beautiful color and rendering, although a bit flat for my taste. The A7II and the 50 Summilux is great combo for those users moving from rangefinder cameras to mirror less cameras. Yes RF cameras are mirror less cameras too but you know what I mean. The A7II and 50 lux is an ideal combination for street photography which carry’s over the pleasure of shooting discretely with a rangefinder camera.
realcapture - Silver to Silicon | Photos by dierk
https://www.realcapture.photo/member-photos/3467
realcapture - Silver to Silicon | Photos by oddgeir
https://www.realcapture.photo/member-photos/684
realcapture - Silver to Silicon | Photos by mitresg
https://www.realcapture.photo/member-photos/3134