Nice Leica Lens
I am often approached by friends who are interested in purchasing a “nice Leica lens.” We typically discuss their budget, as some may be in the position of purchasing their first Leica lens, while others may already have a Leica Summicron and are looking for an upgrade.
Wide Aperture
While a Summicron f/2 lens does not provide exceptional low light performance or bokeh, a Summilux lens can offer great low light performance due to its wider f/1.4 aperture. This wider aperture not only allows more light to enter, but also produces pleasing bokeh. If you want to shoot with a wide aperture, a Leica Summilux lens is typically the way to go. For many photographers, a wide aperture lens can provide a lot of creative opportunities that a narrow aperture lens cannot.
Old Lens Life
Leica’s older lenses often have an added bonus in that they hold their value very well compared to new lenses. If you purchase a Leica Summilux 50mm f/1.4 E46 lens and find that you don’t use it much, you can often resell it and recoup most of your money.
Street Photography
The Leica Noctilux 50mm f/0.95 ASPH is a large, expensive lens that certainly turns heads when you walk around with it. While it is a fantastic lens, it also costs three times more than a Summilux e43. I found that I didn’t use it much for street photography because it was bulky and heavy.
Version
The E46 version of the lens can be seen as a transition between the earlier E43 and the current ASPH models. The E43 and E46 share the same optical design, which was created by Mandler. However, the E43 version has a minimum focusing distance of 1 meter, while the E46 version can focus as close as 0.7 meters. The E46 and ASPH versions share the same built-in hoods, which were designed by Peter Karbe.
Weigh
In general, Leica kept black-chromed lenses in aluminum bodies, which made them lighter weight, while silver-chromed lenses were housed in brass bodies, which made them heavier. Brass-bodied lenses are generally considered to be more solid than their aluminum counterparts. For example, the Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 lens weighs 275g/9.7oz in black chrome finish and 380g/13.4oz in silver or titanium finish.
Production period: 1962-2004 Code: 11114(black) bayonet, 11868 (black anodised), 11856(silver chrome), 11869(titanium) from 1995, 1 1621 V-Summilux, screw mount Serial#:1,844,001-n/a Total production: na Maximum aperture: 1: 1. 4 Focal length(nominal): 50mm Angle: 45 Minimum distance: 100cm. later 70cm Weight: 360-275/380 grams Filter: E43. later E46
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