Ive been saving up for a really high-end prime for my SL2-S because Im starting to do more architectural work around downtown Chicago and I really need that edge-to-edge sharpness for some large format prints I have planned for a gallery show in November. Right now my kit is mostly Sigma stuff and while the 35mm f1.4 is fine its not giving me that wow factor when I crop in. I spent hours looking at MTF charts and reading reviews on Fred Miranda and DPReview and honestly Im just more confused now. Everyone says the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm is the sharpest lens ever made for the system but then I see some people swearing that the Panasonic 50mm f1.4 S Pro or even the Sigma 85mm DG DN Art actually rivals it for a fraction of the price. My budget is around 5000 dollars so I could swing the Leica if it actually delivers but I dont want to buy it just for the red dot if the Sigma or Lumix glass is actually gonna be just as crisp in the corners. I need something that wont lose detail when I print at 30x40 inches. Which Leica L-mount prime lens is actually the absolute sharpest in terms of pure resolving power and micro-contrast?
I would suggest you be careful before dropping 5k.
- Sigma 40mm f1.4 DG HSM Art is basically surgically sharp.
- Save that cash for your gallery show... exhibition costs add up.
Building on the earlier suggestion, I used the Panasonic LUMIX S PRO 50mm f/1.4 L-mount for a similar architecture gig. Its basically a Leica-certified beast. While the APO SL primes have that clinical micro-contrast, the Pana delivers massive resolving power at f/5.6 for those 30x40 prints. Its a heavy lens tho... definitely felt it after walking the Loop all day. Its a solid alternative if youre looking to save some budget.
I would suggest sticking with the APO series. Be careful with Sigma corner softness, it wont hold up.
- Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH Nothing else resolves better.
Ive spent way too much time wandering the Loop with a camera, and in my experience, the 50mm might actually be the wrong tool for those tight Chicago streets. Like someone mentioned, that Panasonic LUMIX S PRO 50mm f/1.4 is a total powerhouse, but its honestly a massive brick to carry and lacks that specific micro-contrast you get from the Leica APO series. Ive tried many of these over the years, and if you really want that edge-to-edge perfection for 40-inch prints, I would actually suggest looking at the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH instead of the 50. Everyone raves about the 50mm, but for architecture, the 35mm is the real star. It resolves detail in a way that feels almost 3D, and you wont get that slight corner softness that shows up on the Sigma Art lenses when youre wide open. Since your budget is 5k, youre right in the ballpark for it. Honestly, once you see those files on a big print, the cost starts to make sense... its just on another level compared to the Lumix or Sigma glass tho.
Yep been there done that. Can confirm everything said above is spot on.
