So I've been shooting with the Lumix 85mm f1.8 for a while now on my SL2 and honestly im just so over it. I mean it works fine for basic stuff but I feel like I spent all this money on a Leica body just to get photos that look like they came off a cheap Sony. There is just zero character in the glass and its driving me crazy. I had a client last week literally ask why the background looked busy and I just stood there like... well its the lens. I'm doing this big bridal editorial out in the Hamptons in about three weeks and I cannot show up with this setup again. I need that actual Leica look, that creamy fall-off everyone talks about but I'm looking at the prices and my head is spinning.
So I was thinking maybe the 50mm Summilux? But then I worry it's not long enough for the tight headshots they want. My logic was that a 50 is versatile but for pro portraits maybe the 75mm or the 90mm Summicron is the move. But then I read some guy on a blog saying the 90mm APO is too sharp? Like it shows every single pore and then I have to spend five hours in retouching which I do NOT have time for. I have a budget of about 5500 bucks maybe 6k if I stretch it but that's it. I looked at the Sigma 85mm Art too but I'm worried it's gonna have that same clinical vibe as the Lumix. I just want that Leica glow or whatever you call it without it being a total pain to autofocus because I move around a lot during shoots.
I'm just stuck between the 75mm and the 90mm APO-Summicrons mostly. Is the 75 too close to 50? Is the 90 too long for indoor studio stuff? I mostly shoot outdoors but we have some indoor prep shots too. I'm just so frustrated because every review says something different and I dont want to drop five grand on a lens just to feel the same way I do now. Is the 50mm Lux really the king for portraits or am I overthinking the focal length thing...
> Is the 50mm Lux really the king for portraits or am I overthinking the focal length thing... I went through this exact same spiral last year. I was shooting a high-end wedding with that Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f1.8 and it just felt soul-less. I ended up swapping it for the Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f1.4 ASPH and the rendering difference is night and day. That lens has this specific transition from sharp to blurry that honestly looks like a painting. It gives you that glow without looking like a filter. If you are worried about length tho, the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75mm f2 ASPH is the most practical choice. I used the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f2 ASPH for a studio session once and it was basically a surgical tool. Every single pore was highlighted. The 75mm hits that sweet spot where you get compression but it still feels intimate. It doesnt have that clinical vibe. It is sharp, but the bokeh is way creamier than your current Lumix.
