SUMMILUX-R 1:1.4/50(I)E55
Review of using the large aperture standard lens for Leica R, SUMMILUX 50mm F1.4 (Type I), with a digital camera.
Table of contents
Gallery
EOS-1DsMKIII / LEICA SL / LEICA Digital Module R
Impression
The unit I own is the 1989 ROM version, and the SUMMILUX lens coating at that time was a beautiful amber color.
The M-type SUMMILUX final aspheric lens, which has already been sold, had the same beautiful coating color.
However, the coating is not perfect, and purple fringing is sometimes noticeable in backlit conditions.
Despite its shortcomings, this is one of the lenses that I like as much as the E60 version of the SUMMILUX-R 50mm.
Compared to the SUMMICRON-R 50mm, the weight of the lens has increased due to the number of lens elements, and it feels nice and lumpy when you hold it in your hand. It has a quality as an object that cannot be experienced with recent lenses made mainly of plastic.
When I take out my three 50mm standard lenses, I always have a hard time choosing one of the SUMMILUX lenses, so the SUMMICRON is rarely used.


Lens specification
This standard lens for the Leica R, known as the Type I lens, has many minor variations, but can be broadly classified into two types: an earlier type with a hood attached and a later type with a built-in hood. The lens construction is the same for both the early and late types.
The early type was manufactured with 1, 2, and 3 cams, and no ROM version is available except for converted lenses.
Later types exist with 3-cam, R-cam, and ROM cams.
Item | Value | note |
focal length(mm) | 50 | |
Maximum aperture | 1.4 | |
Minimum aperture | 16 | |
Lens configuration | 6groups 7elements | Gauss-type |
Minimum distance(m) | 0.5 | |
Lens length(mm) | 50.6 | |
Lens max diameter(mm) | 68.5 | |
Filter diameter(mm) | 55 | |
Weight(g) | 395 |
Reference links
Affiliate links