Zeiss v.s. Leica 50mm lenses | A detailed review

Рет қаралды 18,773

Күн бұрын

In this video, I did a detailed comparison between the Zeiss 50mm Planar and Leica 50mm Summicron V5. Both of the lenses are fan favourites and are great value for money.
timeline:
0:00 Intro: why 50mm?
1:51 Overview: Zeiss vs Leica
4:27 Optical Comparison
9:51 Lens design, fit & finish
13:04 Conclusion

Пікірлер: 73

@MrVoayer 8 ай бұрын

Your comparison videos are indispensable !!! Thank you for sharing your experience !!!

@mwales2112 Жыл бұрын

I've been using a Zeiss 50/2 Planar for some time now and just love it... It's sharp and not huge and heavy... With the price I was able to keep both of my kidneys....

@arrangearrange Жыл бұрын

For sure. Try a contax g planar 45 sometime if you can!

@tjendrawandinata1187 7 ай бұрын

I use it for pict reproduction..... amazing

@gregpantelides1355 5 ай бұрын

Hi Jimmy, one of the reasons the Zeiss 35mm F2.8 is my favorite as a black and white photographer is the contrast. It makes printing high contrast images in the darkroom super easy. For color, I absolutely see your point. Thank you! Keep shooting and stay inspired!

@crispin8888 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your usual insightful video. The Zeiss is extremely nice, but large. As an aside, I have an original 35mm steel rim. Nothing is loose. But, unfortunately, many Leica lenses suffer from this annoyance.

@rolleicanon Жыл бұрын

Thank you. That's clear, well illustrated and helpful.

@alexc8512 9 ай бұрын

You’re the only KZfaqr who has enough money to buy and test all these lenses for us to review. Ridiculous and thank you.

@JimmyCheng 9 ай бұрын

Hey thanks Alex for the comments. I’m glad you enjoyed these videos. I certainly am not the “only” person, I’m just a guy who’s got GAS and happens to love photography 😋

@quint57 Жыл бұрын

Great review! This really helps with a purchase I'm contemplating..

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

I’m glad you find it helpful!

@GastonShutters 7 ай бұрын

Another great video Jimmy

@superkrell 18 күн бұрын

I use a Zeiss T Planar 50mm F2 ZM on my Leica MD 262 and see no need at all for another 50mm lens, its that good...!

@benvoyons626 Жыл бұрын

I find this review very informative and objective. I have an M and the 50mm Planar and I concur with all that is said here. The point about 50 vs 35mm is also what I think.

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

Thanks Ben. I’m glad you found the information accurate.

@nattawutwangchomphoo5618 Жыл бұрын

Your review save me a ton of money :)

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

That’s nice, I’m glad you find it useful!

@vickey59 Жыл бұрын

The Zeiss performs so well, as with most of the ZM lenses but I still prefer the Cron V because it’s so light, compact and has a built in hood (although the Zeiss probably needs the hood less because it’s more contrasty and flare-resistant). I don’t know, I tried the ZM lenses but it’s just nicer to pair the Leica M cameras with Leica lenses (if nothing else, just for matching style and 6-bit coding). But I get that ZMs’ main advantage is price.

@arrangearrange Жыл бұрын

I think you have it right. The Zeiss quality is generally up there with Leica but the overall package is what you’re paying for on the Leica. Query whether you care enough about that stuff to pay quite a lot more, especially for focals you don’t use as much. Zeiss has no real answer to the 50 summilux and the 50 APO, for Leica M

@vickey59 Жыл бұрын

@@arrangearrange yeah, good point about having focal lengths that are not used often. I think Zeiss are as good, if not better, optically than most of Leica’s mid range (not APO), especially some of the older but still current designs. But I only shoot 3-4 focal lengths, so it was okay for me to buy Leica from a budget perspective. I’m okay with trading off a bit of optical quality for more portability, handling I personally liked better, and a slightly higher cost.

@zenden6564 Ай бұрын

6-bit coding is needed on Zeiss M mount lenses. Come on, guys.

@unmecvrai 6 ай бұрын

You actually made me buy a Leica m9 with a summicron 50mm v5

@senyang2260 2 ай бұрын

Jimmy, this is a great sharing. Thank you! I am a 50mm shooter and Leica 50mm f1.4 summilux is my only choice for traveling with one camera / one lens combo. Since you recently have shard a great deal of Nikkor and Voigtländer lenses. I am wondering whether you have ever tried (or heard from other Leica M shooters) the legendary Nikkor 58mm f1.2 ai manual lens on Leica M? I would love to hear about your feedback if possible. Happy Shooting !!

@thomascoulombe-morency861 Күн бұрын

Love these reviews Jimmy. Any chance you'll be reviewing Light Lens Labs lenses in a near future? I'd love to see how the Elcan perform.

@JimmyCheng Күн бұрын

@@thomascoulombe-morency861 thanks for you kind words. I might consider reviewing in the future but so far I’m not so keen on using them.

@ductritran8637 3 ай бұрын

Zeiss beat Summicron hand out . But for Leica blindly faithful every Leica lens are the best none can surpass . I shot and owned too many Leica since the mid 70’s but slowly I change my mine about Leica lenses . Today many others lens like voigtlander, zeiss even some new lens makers from China are fantastic and very affordable. Keep your mind open , don’t just only Leica is the best , not anymore .

@smartdoctorphysicist3095 15 күн бұрын

Hi thank you very much.

@VincenzoNoletto Жыл бұрын

It's a good comparison...but can I ask you something about the different color rendition between them?

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

I don’t notice any meaningful differences. I usually toss my own Lut on

@davide88rn 10 ай бұрын

The planar is soo good for the price...

@zenden6564 Ай бұрын

A good review, i think the bokeh comparision section could have been expanded to include the near to middle distance transition at wide open aperture. Also at the end, a comparo of a long suffering gf as model, as the female complexion is very delicate and while the planar is fair, it can be a bit cruel. If I'm not mistaken the non-apo summicron is a type of planar too, but sweeter to the lady face SOOC, sort of "more sonnar" like. Thank-you for your testing and relaxed style. ❤

@chrisreich40 Ай бұрын

If I could have only one lens to mount on my Voigtlander rangefinder camera, it would be the Carl Zeiss 50mm f2. In fact, it's the biggest reason I bought the camera.

@franciskoo4398 3 ай бұрын

Hi Mr. Cheng, would you please compare Zeiss 35mm f1.4 Distagon zm and Leica 35mm f1.4 asph FLE thank

@JimmyCheng 3 ай бұрын

Sorry unfortunately I don’t have the distagon anymore. If I ever get my hand on one I would.

@taneltinnuri8985 Жыл бұрын

Yes. I had VC 50/1.2 but always left it home because of the size and weight. Thats the way it is. Summicron is a pretty perfect lens for all kind of photograpers and photography. Yes its nothing special but hey, photo you taking is more important than a lens!

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

exactly, the vm is amazing for its price but the size is a bit off putting. The cron and the Zeiss I would say are the perfect size.

@mignav464 3 ай бұрын

Wanna add the Voigtländer 50mm APO to this maybe? Imagine it would steer this lineup quite a bit.

@JimmyCheng 3 ай бұрын

I've reviewed the vm 50 apo against the leica 50 apo before, pls check out that video on my channel :)

@thomastuorto9929 Жыл бұрын

When watching lens reviews, I always wonder if they will cover, shooting towards/into the lights, or/& sun-light or there abouts & how the lens handles it & flaring if any. Is it a lens with character? All Leica lens should feel it has a better build quality for the $$$ difference in purchase price. I doubt the silver vs black Leica lenses render any different results, just my thoughts. Nice gear. Happy shooting.

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

thanks for your comments. What do you mean by silver vs black? The two lenses are completely different in this review btw.

@thomastuorto9929 Жыл бұрын

@@JimmyCheng oops, my mistake. Sorry. I thought I heard you say the silver Zeiss vs the black Zeiss lenses. If the colors indicate 2 different model lenses, I didn’t know. I do not own any. How do you like Voitlander lenses if you have tried any?

@weisserth Жыл бұрын

Basically this goes to show that buying Leica's APO M lenses is a huge effing waste of money - unless there is any evidence that the Apo resolved at 60MP of the M11 with other lenses having less resolution at that pixel count. I doubt that though.

@zenden6564 Ай бұрын

Yes the mystique is a marketing strategy as well as a nuance advantage 😊

@CianMcsweeney Ай бұрын

If you're not an avid Leica collector then yes, I personally prefer the Zeiss look over Leica's lenses

@tfylhk Жыл бұрын

I have 50mm summicron v but prefer ZM 50mm planar because better flare resistant

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

The v5 has a hood 😃

@umue11 Жыл бұрын

As always, very nice review! One minor niggle for me, is the fact that you never compare distortion, which is very important to me. AFAIK, the Zeiss has pronounced barrel distortion. Both, the Cron and the Apo, have practically no distorrtion at all. That is a huge plus for me.

@vampolascott36 11 ай бұрын

I own the Zeiss 50mm Planar and it doesn't have pronounced barrel distortion. The distortion is so slight that it is unnoticeable. But, if you're still worried about distortion, Lightroom has a lens profile for that.

@nickcr3919 Жыл бұрын

Eyes see in about 42mm,so 35mm and 50mm are in the middle.It depends what you prefer,little wider or the opposite.I personally preferred 35mm,but also depends on the place and the circumstances.

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

in terms of angle of view or depth relationship? I feel 50 is narrow but neutral in depth. 35mm feels about right in angle of view but a bit pushed away effect on the background. So maybe 40 does provide most neutral perspective if taking into account both .

@Sylvester414 Жыл бұрын

@@JimmyCheng I feel exactly the same way about the 35mm and 50mm. I prefer 35mm angle of view but 50mm compression.

@autodidact537 Жыл бұрын

@@JimmyCheng Try the Summicron-C 40mm f2 from the 1970s made for the Minolta/Leica CL

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

@@autodidact537 good option but sadly the lack of 40mm frame line sucks

@LuqmanHM Жыл бұрын

I would say 40mm is close to what human sees

@benficaM8888 Жыл бұрын

how is this zeiss compared to the noktons?

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

which one?

@PedroskyFrEsp Жыл бұрын

I ain’t paying 8000$ just to get a better focusing tab

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

Yeah lol

@lensman5762 Жыл бұрын

A 50mm lens has a horizontal FOV of about 46 degrees. Human eye has a horizontal FOV of over 115 degrees. A 50mm lens does not represent the natural vision of a human eye. The closest lens to the FOV of a human eye is about 20 mm, distortion not withstanding. The 50mm is considered ' standard ' because the focal length is roughgly equivalent to the digonal of the 35mm format. In case of 6X6 it is about 75mm, 6X7 90mm, 6X9 105mm and so on and on. Our brains have an uncanny ability to zoom in on the region of interest in our vision, and this ability is often mistaken for the 50mm lens representing the vision of a human eye.

@j.f.7509 11 ай бұрын

I agree. However, looking with with just one eye, the perspective of a 50 is similar to the human eye. One can test this by using the Leica SBOOI 50mm finder with both eyes open. It looks like the framelines are hanging in the air! That is also an advantage of the Leica M3 with it's 0.92x viewfinder.

@carlosmcse 11 ай бұрын

I sold the planar. I found the sharpness too harsh. Too much contrast. Overall harsh. Colors. Etc. my lens is now the Summicron. It’s the perfect 50. The planar is okay for beginners though. I would choose the Mandler Summicron over the APO version. The old Summicron has the beauty of the “Leica look”. It comes from all the optical “issues” the Mandler Summicron has. All the great look comes from the flaws. It’s beautiful. It’s a lens made to make photographs and not for test shots.

@mjbxxv 7 ай бұрын

Ok so you’re now an expert? 🤡

@carlosmcse 7 ай бұрын

@@mjbxxv who said I was an expert?

@PrestonThomasCafe 6 ай бұрын

Yeah, so... there's no such thing as a "beginners lens" for Leica. I own both the Summicron v5 and the Zeiss Planar, and I've finally decided to sell the Summicron. I prefer the Planar, it's just that simple. Unless you're a hopeless Leica fanboy, you will choose the lens that best suits your purpose and photographic style. Perhaps, that lens is a Summicron, or a Planar, or a vintage Canon LTM. "Ok for beginners..." Please.

@carlosmcse 6 ай бұрын

@@PrestonThomasCafe Yes. Usually people who are beginners with Leica get cheap lenses at first and not drop thousands on a focal length you’re unsure about. You may keep them or sell them. Up to you.

@rolleicanon Жыл бұрын

you need to adjust the title: lens not lenc

@JimmyCheng Жыл бұрын

You mean the subtitles?