Should I really shell out for the Leica SL 50mm or just grab the Panasonic S Pro version? Ive seen a few reviews saying they share the same internal lens designs but the Leica ones have different coatings. Some guys on DPReview say the autofocus is actually more reliable with Panasonic lenses on an S5II anyway. Im a wedding photographer in Portland and have about 5k to spend before my busy season starts in June, but I cant decide if that Leica micro-contrast is a real thing or just marketing fluff. Does the image quality actually justify the price gap when you're shooting for clients or am I just paying for the build quality and the name...
I rented the Leica Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH once and was too scared of scratching it to focus. I ended up buying the Panasonic Lumix S PRO 50mm f/1.4 instead. The Leica has that fancy build, but the Panasonic is just as sharp and the AF is definitely more reliable for weddings. Honestly, just save your money and go with the Panasonic. Its safer.
Saw this earlier but just now responding... honestly for wedding work in Portland, you gotta be careful with that 5k budget. Like someone mentioned, the AF reliability is everything when the bride is walking down the aisle. If you blow the whole 5k on one Leica lens and it starts hunting in low light, you're gonna have a bad time. tbh, the micro-contrast thing is mostly for pixel peepers and clients wont ever notice. I would suggest looking at the Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 as a lightweight, super reliable backup even if you get a faster prime later. Make sure to check the weather sealing ratings too, cuz the rain here can be brutal. You might want to consider putting some of that cash into extra batteries or redundant storage instead of just paying for the name. Better to have two solid setups than one fancy lens that stresses you out during a shoot... maybe even grab a second body if you havent yet.
Re: "I rented the Leica Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH..." - unfortunately it was a letdown.
- Leica AF hunts way too much.
- Grab Sigma 50mm f1.4 DG DN Art L-Mount instead.
