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Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron-M

Distortion: 50/2 Summicron-M

Setting aside the very appealing size and weight and price of the Leica 50/2 Summicron-M, there is one powerful reason to get it: near-zero distortion.

The distortion graph shown below is as good as it gets for a 50mm lens. Even many macro lenses in the 50-60mm range have more distortion than this! For example, the Zeiss 50mm f/2 Makro-Planar has ~1% distortion, whereas the Leica 50/2 Summicron-M shown below has about five times less distortion (about 0.2%).

Observe faint pincushion distortion to the edges, then reversing to a faint barrel distortion, a very subtle wave-type distortion in all.

All that said, the Leica 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH has even less distortion for the central 3/4 of the frame, then has slightly more to the edges and corners.

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Diglloyd Guide to LEICA contains in-depth coverage of Leica M system cameras and lenses, with additional coverage of Leica M Monochrom, Leica Q.

Special emphasis is placed on Leica M lenses and certain Zeiss ZM lenses.

  • Make better images by learning how to get the best results right away.
  • Save money by choosing the right lens for your needs the first time, particularly the Summilux/Summicron/Elmarit choice and/or Zeiss ZM.
  • Make better images, a sort of “cheat sheet” saving yourself months or years of ad-hoc learning. Processing parameters are discussed and shown.
  • Jaw-dropping image quality found nowhere else utilizing Retina-grade images up to full camera resolution, plus large crops [past 2 years or so].
  • Real world examples with insights found nowhere else. Make sharper images just by understanding lens behavior you won’t read about elsewhere.
  • Aperture series from wide open through stopped down, showing the full range of lens performance and bokeh.
  • Optical quality analysis of field curvature, focus shift, sharpness, flare, distortion, and performance in the field.

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Distortion of the Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron-M

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