LEICA 50mm f/2 SUMMICRON-M V4 and V5 Designers

Dr. Walter Mandler, the renowned Leica lens designer and CEO of Ernst Leitz Canada, long ago discovered the secret to making a high-quality 50mm lens. As a result, even the most affordable 50mm prime lens offers optical performance that surpasses many other brands.

Modern Models

Leica 50mm Summicron lenses are considered to be excellent value for money. Especially the fourth generation and the current version. The fourth generation has a focus ring, while the current version has a lens hood. Both are very practical Leica lenses. The optics of the current version are the same as before and are the only remaining vintage Leica lenses still in production. Is it really classic? Haha, classic and popular.

V4 = V5

There are several versions of the 50mm Summicron lens on the market, including the V1 Collapsible Summicron, V2 Rigid Lens, V3 (slightly taller with a silver mount), V4 (with the finger ring bent outward) and V4 (with the finger ring bent inward). The current version is known as V5 and has been sold since 1994. Since the optics of the V4 and V5 are identical, you should not notice any difference in image quality.

Street Photography

The Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 V4 is a great lens to have on hand. It’s great for street photography, whether you’re focusing through the viewfinder or judging distance for a blind shot. The f/2 aperture handles a wide range of lighting conditions. The 50 mm focal length captures people and environments and also highlights people. I was even able to lock the focus ring at about 1.7 meters to capture people’s expressions up close. Hey, that’s perfect.

Summilux?

But I also like the Summilux 50mm lens with its f/1.4 aperture, which offers more possibilities for low-light photography. Of course, the Leica Summilux lens is more expensive and larger. Sometimes I carry several bodies and lenses when I go out, but Summicron always carries one.

A wise photographer knows what’s important and what’s not with a 50mm lens, and I think that wisdom is a sense of balance.

This 50mm Summicron stands out due to both its compact and well-proven optical design, as well as its legendary focal length which can provide natural perspectives.
 Production period: 1979-current
 Code: 11819(black), 11825 (chrome   11826(black), 11816(chrome),
 11624(titanium), from 1994 with
 built-in extensible lenshood
 11619 V-Summicron, screw mount Serial # 2,909. 101- current
 Total production: n/a
 Maximum aperture: 1: 2.0
 Focal length(nominal): 50mm
 Angle:45
 Minimum distance: 7Ocm
 Weight: 195 grams(black), with built-in lens
 hood: 240 grams black, 335 grams
 chrome, 335 grams titanium
 Filter: E39
 Recorded sales figures: na