The earlier version of this lens, the Leonon 5cm f2, is one of my favorite “normal” lenses on account of its very strongly lined bokeh. I knew that a later version of the lens, the Leonon-S, existed, and wondered if this were a cosmetic upgrade. I finally found and purchased a good copy of the Leonon-S, and here are the results. Though the lenses look quite similar from the outside, its obvious that the optics were redone. The Leonon-S in direct comparison to its earlier sibling shows better contrast and much improved corner resolution wide open on the plus side. On the minus side, the center resolution is slightly lower, and (minus for me), though the bokeh is still strong and full of character, it lacks to some extent the “etched” quality of the earlier Leonon. However it is a wonderful lens and a joy to use, and for me one of the nicest of the 50mm f2 lenses that I have used. More images to follow…
