What's the best high-end portrait lens for the SL2?
I'm torn between the 50mm Summilux and the 90mm APO. Read online that the 90 is "too clinical" for skin but the 50 is massive. I have a $5k budget and a wedding next Saturday so I gotta order today.
- 50mm Lux
- 90mm APO
Which handles skin better?
Late to the party but honestly, I've had issues with the native Leica SL primes for weddings. They're either back-breakingly heavy or way too clinical for a soft, romantic look. Unfortunately, paying five grand doesn't always get you the best soul in your shots. If you need to order today for next Saturday, I'd seriously consider these instead:
- Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art for L-Mount
- This is my go-to now. Its much lighter than the native 90mm and handles skin transitions way better. The 90mm APO is just too sharp for bridal work and shows every single pore.
- Panasonic Lumix S PRO 50mm f/1.4
- This lens is basically a Leica in a different shell. The rendering is creamy and it beats the native Lux for half the price. Ngl, native glass is just not as good as expected for the price point.
- Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art for L-Mount
- If you can handle the weight, this is the bokeh king for weddings. Basically, dont feel like you have to blow your whole budget to get the right look.
Honestly, I had issues with both. Buying the Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH felt like the dream, but unfortunately its too heavy for a long wedding day. Between your choices, the 50mm definitely handles skin better because the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f/2 ASPH was just not as good as expected. It's so clinical it makes skin look harsh. Tbh neither really nailed it for me.
Just saw this and had to jump in because I love my SL2! Since you have a wedding next Saturday, you need something reliable that wont kill your wrist. Honestly, skip the 50 and 90 and look at the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75mm f/2 ASPH. It is absolutely fantastic for skin! It has that amazing Leica pop but it isnt clinical or harsh like the 90mm can be sometimes.
- Fast autofocus (safer for moving subjects)
- Way lighter than the Summilux
- Perfect focal length for tight portraits I highly recommend checking out the sample threads on the Fred Miranda forums or the reviews on the Red Dot Forum site. They have great technical breakdowns and side-by-side comparisons. Dont sleep on the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art L-Mount either if you want to save money and still get pro results, it is a total beast!
