Leitz Wetzlar Summilux 50mm F/1.4 [I]
Standard prime lens • Film era • Discontinued
- Announced:
- · 1959
- Production status:
- ● Discontinued
- Country of design:
- · FRG (Federal Republic of Germany)
- Original name:
- · LEITZ WETZLAR SUMMILUX 1:1.4/50
- Order No.:
- · 11113 - black
- · SOOME / 11114 - silver
- Class:
- · Ultra-fast full-frame standard prime lens
- System:
- · Leica M (1954)
Model history (11)
Specification
Optical design: | |
35mm full frame | |
50mm | |
F/1.4 | |
7 elements in 5 groups (Double Gauss derivative) | |
Leica M | |
46.8° (35mm full frame) | |
On Leica M8/M8.2 APS-H [1.33x] cameras: | |
35mm equivalent focal length: | 66.5mm (in terms of field of view) |
35mm equivalent speed: | F/1.9 (in terms of depth of field) |
Diagonal angle of view: | 36° |
Diaphragm mechanism: | |
Diaphragm type: | Manual |
Aperture control: | Aperture ring |
<No data> | |
Focusing: | |
Coupled to the rangefinder: | Yes |
1m | |
<No data> | |
Focusing modes: | Manual focus only |
Manual focus control: | Focusing ring |
Physical characteristics: | |
360g | |
<No data> | |
Accessories: | |
Screw-type 43mm | |
XOOIM / 12521 |
Sources of data
- Leica lenses booklet (PUB. 11-34d) (January 1963).
- Interchangeable lenses are giving your LEICA new perspective booklet (PUB. 11-34) (April 1960).
- Leica lenses booklet (PUB. 11-34b) (October 1961).
- Leitz General Catalogue (October 1961).
Manufacturer description #1
From the LEICA photography magazine (1959, No. 2):
The 50mm Summilux f/1.4, a superspeed lens, has among its elements a special glass whose formula was developed by Leitz research. This new, ultra-high speed lens has seven elements. And, thanks to design improvements made possible by the highly refractive glasses used in the lens, image definition is excellent, even at f/1.4. Minimum aperture is 1/16, and the focusing range is from infinity down to 3 1/2 feet. Focusing is done via a milled ring.
A linear diaphragm, with equidistant stop marks, makes it easy to set half-stops on the new lens, while click settings are provided at full-stop positions.
The Summilux comes complete with lens hood and a lens hood cap of special design. The lens hood cap may be kept in place when the hood is reversed on the lens for carrying in an eveready case. The lens is finished in matte chrome and has both depth-of-field scale and dual-distance scales (meters and feet) engraved on it. Price of the 50mm Summilux f/1.4 is $198.00 in bayonet mount. A screw-mount model will appear later.
Manufacturer description #2
Indispensable whenever dim available light must suffice without the use of flash, this ultra-high-speed lens was a favorite of professional photo-journalists and adventurious amateurs who regard difficult lighting conditions not as a barrier but a challenge. Its advanced design and rare-earth glass construction yield surprising crispness and freedom from vignetting at full aperture. With its tremendous speed and excellent quality this "night-and-day" lens makes available light color photography a practical reality. The lens was supplied with its own special reversible lens hood and lens-hood cap.
Manufacturer description #3
The SUMMILUX is a 7-element Gauss variant with 5 members. Excellent correction for coma as well as outstanding contrast rendering and freedom from reflections at full aperture f/1.4 deserve special emphasis.
Although the SUMMILUX is designed above all for exposures in poor lighting conditions, because of its large maximum aperture, it offers excellent general performance, suitable for all purposes within its focusing range. It is not, however, designed for use on close-focusing devices or for reproduction purposes (copy work).
From the editor
Introduced as a replacement for the Summarit 50mm F/1.5. Another modification of the Xenon design.
The number of aperture blades could be 12 or 16.
The lens accepts both 43mm screw-type and 45mm slip-on filters.
Leitz Wetzlar Summilux 50mm F/1.4 [I] special editions (2)
- Leitz Wetzlar Summilux 50mm F/1.4 for M3 Gold (1 unit) - 1961
- Leitz Wetzlar Summilux 50mm F/1.4 [SOWGE / 11014] [LSM] (548 units) - 1960
Other standard prime lenses in the Leica M system
Lenses with similar focal length
Comments (1)
Beautiful imaging, with highlight flare at f1.4 , portraits are gorgeous, stopped down this lens is very sharp. The updated (1962-1994) Summilux has improved imaging at f1.4, eliminated the flare and the character at that aperture, at f5.6 the lens doesn’t achieve the sharpness of the 1959 Summilux. This is one of the most disregarded lenses in the Leica system and prices remain relatively modest by Leica standards. Build quality is the peak of Leica manufacturing, M3 era, solid and heavy feel. If you are considering the Summarit 50mm f1.5 (1954-1960) purchase this lens, it has a similar optical formula without the soft glass, and build quality is a quantum leap forward.