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News Sigma 50/1.2 DG DN Art
- Thread starter dirk
- Start date
I was a bit surprised because I thought that Leica has two 50mm Lens for L-Mount, but there are 3 indeed:
Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH - 6,595 $
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH - 5,095$
Leica Summicron-SL f/2 ASPH - 1,895 $
In the video Alex Barrera is comparing the APO version with a Leica SL3 (60mpx) and to summarize, he says that the Leica APO lens is a bit better in terms of sharpness and backlight, but he does not believe that the difference is $3,800... In addition, the Sigma option of f/1.2 achieves better bokeh and the size is very similar.
It would have been interesting to see a comparison with the 50/2.0 Asph. Summicron-SL because that is a newer design from 2023. And it is smaller and lighter.
Regarding the video: Maybe Leica does regret already to have invited Sigma into the L-Mount alliance. If you think about what kind of image quality Sigma is delivering for the L-Mount, at a significant lower price point. On top of that they have excellent build quality and aperture rings, which was in earlier times the DNA of Leica...
Nowadays Leica offers in L-Mount only very expensive, heavy and big lenses in a design that does not remind at all at the heritage of Leica.
Regarding the video: Maybe Leica does regret already to have invited Sigma into the L-Mount alliance. If you think about what kind of image quality Sigma is delivering for the L-Mount, at a significant lower price point. On top of that they have excellent build quality and aperture rings, which was in earlier times the DNA of Leica...
Nowadays Leica offers in L-Mount only very expensive, heavy and big lenses in a design that does not remind at all at the heritage of Leica.
I think he compared that Leica Summicron SL f/2 with the Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN:
I agree absolutely, Dirk. Sigma is producing excellent lenses in the last years.
I totally agree to what he is saying about the Sigma 50/2.0 DG DN. I really like that lens.
I am so much pleased with the Sigma i-series line up that I think they are the main driver to enter the L-Mount system. I do own now many of them.
Sigma combined with Lumix bodies is viagra for photography.
I am so much pleased with the Sigma i-series line up that I think they are the main driver to enter the L-Mount system. I do own now many of them.
Sigma combined with Lumix bodies is viagra for photography.
This is always a problem for me as I use two systems, the Sigma fp and I have a Sony a7s and a a9. The only L mount only lenses I have are the TT 21mm f 1.5 and the weird little 35mm f 5.6. All the rest our Leica M mt lenses that I use with both systems. For my speed 50’s I have a TT 50mm f 0.95 and an older M 50mm 1.4 that I picked up in the mid 70’s, I am lucky I can still focus manually. The 0.95 is a beast but the images are special when I nail the focus.
R-J Sunday
LMF-Patron
The I series would perfectly suit a full Fram range finder body from Panasonic. Hope they will launch something in the future
I read more and more comments like this, and i'm of the same opinion; i'd gladly get it to replace my GX80. Let's hope it will appear sooner than later.
It is obvious, but not widely noted: the „cheap“ 50mm Leica Summicron SL from last year is identical to the Lumix 1.8/50! Yes, the aperture is different, but the lens elements are exactly the same! I expect they used the design and changed the aperture to 2.0. with this change they have a little bit better performance wide open and the sibling is not directly visible. But the price difference to the original Lumix ( I bought it for 299€ new!) is extreme…
The more important it is to have an independent non-Leica-only Forum so that also Sigma and Lumix interested users get to hear about the alternatives in an objective way...
The 'Red Dot Forum' has a YT video comparing the Lumix S 35mm f1.8 and S 50 f1.8 to the Leica Summicron f2 'versions'.
Yes they use the same optical formulas but I wonder are the lens elements the same, i.e. same source, material (glass or resin).etc.
I think the consensus was there was little between the 50s while the Summicron 35 was better but watch it for yourselves.
I think it's fantastic sharing the mount with Leica, it's an ambition to own at least one of them someday or have the choice. We can also use this to bash Canon/Sony/Nikon or any other fan boy snobs if we unfortunately cross paths .
The 'Red Dot Forum' has a YT video comparing the Lumix S 35mm f1.8 and S 50 f1.8 to the Leica Summicron f2 'versions'.
Yes they use the same optical formulas but I wonder are the lens elements the same, i.e. same source, material (glass or resin).etc.
I think the consensus was there was little between the 50s while the Summicron 35 was better but watch it for yourselves.
I think it's fantastic sharing the mount with Leica, it's an ambition to own at least one of them someday or have the choice. We can also use this to bash Canon/Sony/Nikon or any other fan boy snobs if we unfortunately cross paths .
To have the choice is good and the availability of Sigmas Art lenses was my main topic to decide for this system. The SL3 is quite expensive, but if any company will present something like the Nikon Zf I would buy it, even if it is a Leica…
About the lenses: if the formula is identical it is not easy to change the material or glass type. These designs are so complex, you can not just change one factor without destroying the total construct…
But you can lower the tolerances and use better mechanics, maybe better coatings. That will result in better performance, longer lifetimes etc.
Yeah I think the refractive index changes with materials. Panasonic eliminated the onion ring bokeh effect by using highly polished moulds, presumably for moulded resin aspherical elements so I'm thinking the quality is there for this process. As for putting it altogether differences may appear but I can't fault my Lumix lenses (made in China).
As for coatings, I can't fault the Lumix ones either, I'd be surprised if whoever makes the lens elements (do Leica really make their own for their 50mm identical version?) made different coatings for Lumix and Leica? Who knows? We'd need insider information or hire an investigator
One thing though if Leica are using the optical design for 35 & 50 and the Leica 24-70mm f2.8 Vario-Elmarit-SL Asph is the Sigma copy then the collaboration is working well.
There are more Leica SL owners than you think use Lumix/Sigma lenses.
Maybe the 'white box' ones in a kit are more likely to be not as good but I'd hope not. I seen someone else claiming this was the case but not proven. What year of manufacture was it? You can tell from the code on the rear of the lens.
The 24-105 and 70-300 I got with my S5ii were the official Panasonic boxes and both are perfect, no decentering which your kit 50 seemed to be. I wonder what happens... The element not flush in the housing? Misshapen element or lens housing? Do they not test them?
At that price, not much if at all. Cheaper to exchange the odd one. In fairness, i have had lenses with worse decentering, but on a new one i would not accept it - I only tested for it after i got a hint taking normal pictures. Serial number seems to indicate a 2023 production year; got it beginning of march this year. BTW, other than the decentering, i liked it quite a bit and look forward to get one back.
They do not produce lenses continuously. Depends also on the lens. They produce in batches to have economies of scale. It could be, that a production of 2023 for that lens is the newest one.
I had to wait 3 months on my 70-300 and it was made in 2024, probably just made. So indeed they seem to be made in batches.
I nearly bought one on Ebay (outbid) but TBH I don't really need it.
Did you get the retailer to exchange it or direct through Panasonic? I bought mine from Wex UK, a proper local camera shop so any troubles is 5 min drive away.
The retailer exchanged it (and messed up on return shipping, hence why i'm still waiting...). Panasonic would have had me send in ALL the kit - 50mm, 20, 60 and the camera