I must admit Leica guys made a clever move with this new APO 50mm prime. Actually Noctilux is too damn hard to focus wide opened manually. That new 50mm Summicron seems to be a real beast. This SUMMILUX-M ASPH excels only at élan, bokeh and sunstars. If you're a photographer like me, I prefer the SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2, which is sharper, smaller, lighter, doesn't block the viewfinder, and is easy to buy. This is the lens to have if you expect the best. If you demand the absolutely sharpest possible lens, the SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2 is superior. If you demand smooth out-of-focus backgrounds, this is the best lens I've ever seen from LEICA, ever. The ASPH f/1.4 lens has extraordinary bokeh. The SUMMILUX-M ASPH has the best bokeh of any LEICA lens, and it is LEICA's best 50mm f/1.4 ever, however it is still not as sharp as the LEICA SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2. Today's LEICA SUMMILUX-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH is a stop faster, but bigger, heavier, ergonomically less pleasant and less sharp. The SUMMICRON is the world's reference for a 50mm photographic lens. There is no better 50mm lens on Earth than the LEICA SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2. As always, it depends on what you shall use it for, right? and I see no reason not to do that, here are some input to a purchasing decision. Of course whether Leica purchasers are prepared to pay this very high price is an entirely different matter. Whether it is slower, or lighter, or whatever is surely irrelevant. If Leica's position is that this new 50mm Summicron is the pinnacle of optical performance then presumably that is their justification at pricing it above the 50/1.4. I just don't get why this Summicron is positioned even at a higher price. I think when super lenses like 35mm F1.4 ASPH II and the later Lux are priced so is justified by the fact that it delivers super high quality, relatively small package and reasonable weight.as well as being really bright. Might it be better corrected.even compared to the Lux? So.I do not understand this price either. Then I saw it weights around 300g.which is quite almost similar to the Summilux in black version. I then thought.ok.it's a Summicron so it must be small and light. I am wondering myself too why this new Summicron is so much more expensive than the current 50mm F1.4 ASPH.which was judge already and by many has THE ultimate 50mm for sharpness and bokeh.