The minimum focus distance is 0.7m, which matches the minimum distance the Leica M rangefinder is able to cover. The focus ring is nicely damped and works smoothly. It's an extremely solid, yet still very compact lens. Move the cursor over the text marks below to see the lens with the lens hood retracted or expandedДЄs you can expect from a premium product, the build quality of the lens is excellent. In this review we'll have a look at how the lens performs on our test camera, the Leica M9. However, the barrel has been redesigned in 1994, replacing the clip-on hood with an integrated one. Since then, the lens has not changed internally, making it one of the oldest products in Leica's portfolio. The first version dates back to 1959, while the current product was introduced in 1979. The Summicron 50/2 as it is sold today is already the 4th generation. For the price of the Summicron, one could also buy ten 50mm f/1.8 SLR lenses with F or EF mount. Anyone familiar with the brand already knows that there is no such lens in Leica land, at least as long as we're talking about current products. There is a little difference compared to most other systems, though: usually a fast normal prime is also a really affordable lens. For Leica and the M system, this role is best played by the Summicron 50mm f/2 lens. Special thanks to Thomas Koch for providing the lens!ДЄ fast normal prime is a key lens in almost any system. Review by Markus Stamm, published July 2013

Collapsible 50mm summicron