The least expensive of Leica's budget rangefinder lens series, the Summarit-M 50mm f/2.4 ASPH. ($1,950) doesn't have a sexy f/1.4 aperture, but it makes up for it with a small, light design, and the ability to capture images that are crisp from edge to edge with minimal distortion. Despite being billed as a value lens (in the Leica world), it doesn't offer a huge savings when compared with the faster Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ($2,350), which captures more light and focuses just slightly closer. If you're shopping on price alone and not putting a priority on size, you should also consider our Editors' Choice Zeiss Planar T* 2/50 ZM ($680.00 at Amazon) for your M-mount camera. The 50mm Summarit ($2,695.00 at Amazon) is a svelte lens, measuring just 1.3 by 2 inches (HD) without its hood and weighing in at 6.7 ounces. Its barrel is aluminum, available in either anodized black or silver, as is the lens hood—which adds about an inch to the height and barely anything to the weight. An alumi...
The Leica Summarit-M 50mm f/2.4 ASPH. is a sharp, compact prime lens for Leica rangefinders, but it doesn't offer a huge savings over the faster Summicron-M 50mm f/2.
Sharp from edge to edge; Compact; Excellent build; Includes lens hood and metal cap; Minimal distortion
Hood design makes filter changes cumbersome