The Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (11891) is a manual-focus 50mm prime lens for Leica M mount, delivering razor-sharp center performance wide open at f/1.4, a 9-blade rounded aperture for smooth bokeh, and a compact 335g body that slips naturally into street and portrait work.
Key Specifications
- Focal length: 50mm (prime)
- Maximum aperture: f/1.4 — minimum f/16
- Aperture blades: 9 (rounded)
- Lens mount: Leica M
- Minimum focus distance: 0.7m
- Filter thread: 46mm
- Weight: 335g
- Autofocus / Image stabilisation: No / No (manual focus rangefinder lens)
Who is the Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH for?
This lens is built for photographers who shoot with intention. If you're doing street photography, the 50mm field of view is close enough to the human eye that compositions feel natural and immediate — you're not hunting for subjects, you're in the middle of them. Portrait shooters get immediate reward: at f/1.4, the center of the frame is tack-sharp while backgrounds dissolve into smooth, characterful blur. Wedding photographers working in dim reception halls or candlelit ceremonies will appreciate how far f/1.4 lets you push available light without flash. The manual-focus Leica M mount means this lens rewards a deliberate, slowed-down shooting style — it's not the right tool if you need fast continuous autofocus, but for zone focusing on the street or careful portrait work it's hard to beat. If you already shoot on a Leica M body — whether a film M or a digital M like the M11 or M10 — the Summilux-M 50mm is a natural companion.
Buying a used Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (11891)
Buying this lens second-hand is one of the smartest moves an M-mount shooter can make. The Summilux-M 50mm ASPH holds its value exceptionally well, so a pre-owned copy in good condition gives you the same optical performance as new for considerably less outlay. Every used lens on Camera-tweedehands.nl is professionally inspected and individually photographed, so you see exactly what you're getting — element clarity, aperture blades, barrel condition. All listings come with a minimum 12 months warranty and a 14-day return window. When checking a used copy, look at the focus ring movement (should be smooth and dampened, not stiff or loose), confirm the aperture blades are oil-free, and check the front element for cleaning marks under a bright light held at an angle.
