how many 50's does a person need

Only keep the DR and the ltm collapsible summicron. Both are gems you will regret selling in the end, that's especially true for the collapsible cron
 
Roger Hicks said:
Let's see...

One sharp
One fast

After that, maybe a fast compact for general use...

Actually, I normally use only one 50, the C-Sonnar (reasonably fast, very compact) and my wife uses only one too (Summarit -- very sharp, very compact).

Recently, I've got rid of a couple I didn't use much: the Nokton (sharper than the C-Sonnar but bulkier) and the Canon f/1.2 (the extra half stop over the Sonnar didn't really seem worth the effort, and a friend REALLY wanted it, so I gave it to him for his 60th birthday).

Cheers,

R.
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Hey ... I've got a birthday coming up in about five months Roger and I'd be your friend for eternity if you gave me that Sonnar! :p
 
i changed my mind to list my 50s.

best.

adrianzg said:
me:

50 cron ltm
50 cron ltm radioactive
50 cron rigid m user
50 cron rigid m mint
50 cron dr
50 cron pre asph
50 summilux version 2
50 summilux version 3
50 summar coated
50 summar uncoated
50 summarit ltm
50 summarit m
50 summitar ltm hex diaphragm
50 elmar nickel 11 o'clock
50 elmar nickel
50 elmar uncoated
50 elmar coated
50 elmar red scale

nikkor 50mm 1.3 sonnar clone
canon 50mm 1.5 sonnar clone user
canon 50mm 1.5 sonnar clone mint
canon 50mm 1.2
zeiss 50mm 1.5 sonnar prototype
1951 jupiter 3 50mm 1.5
voigtlander 50mm 1.1 nokton

others:
canon 50mm 1.2L
leica 50mm summicron r
leica 50mm summilux r

50 is about the only f/l i use. :)
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I sold some of mine quite recently, trying to focus on lenses giving me the look I want for my photography rather than just because they were there.


I sold my Noctilux, ASPH Summilux, 2 x v4 Summicrons

I have kept my Collapsible Summicron, Summarit LTM, CZ C-Sonnar, Elmar f3.5

I think I will sell my Summar and Summitar too.
 
Let's see.... how many 50mm lenses do you need?

1) Let's start with the high speed stuff, so a lens in the 0.95-1.2 range, like one of the Noctiluxes, Nokton 1.1, Hexanon 1.2 or Canon 0.95 or 1.2. Should have great bokeh.

2) A fast portrait lens - could be the current Sonnar, or recent Canon 1.4 or Nikkor 1.4, or a pre asph Summilux. Should be sharp in the center, but not harsh, with great bokeh too.

3) A reporter lens - Summilux ASPH or Millenium Nikkor or Nokton 1.5, or Planar or current Summicron, a lens that should do everything well, be sharp from wide open and have generally no major faults.

4) A great B&W lens - sharp but low contrast and with flare that is manageable. The DR or Collapsible Summicron come immediately to my mind.

5) A compact, light , very sharp lens for long treks and landscape - probably the current Summarit, Elmar M, CV 50/3.5

6) A vintage look lens for old style B&W or colour shots, in particular portraiture. The old Summarit, Summaron, Summitar, Sonnar and Sonnar copy lenses are candidates.

7) A makro lens for close up shots for your evil SLR

So that makes at least 7 lenses, but I am sure that in the high speed group there will be lenses so different from each other, that some will want to have all of them , haha...
 
Yeah me too, I got four 50mm rangefinder lenses:

Leica LTM Summarit 50mm f/1.5
Canon RF LTM 50mm f/1.2
Leica LTM Elmar 50mm f/3.5
Zeiss Contax Sonnar Opton 50mm f/1.5

I'm thinking about selling one of them very soon, the problem is that they all have totally different signatures or optical characters, and I'm not sure which one to sell...
 
Is there any difference optically between the LTM and the M-mount collapsible Summicron?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm just looking to get a collapsible Summicron and would like to know.
 
They have the same optical specifications, they should give the same output although they just have different mounts.

The Leica 50mm Summicron-Collapsible is the favourite lens of Henri Cartier-Bresson if I remember well :)

caseyjames said:
Is there any difference optically between the LTM and the M-mount collapsible Summicron?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm just looking to get a collapsible Summicron and would like to know.
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The earliest LTM collapsible Summicrons used Thorium glass, which is radioactive. It tends to turn the glass yellow, and needs to be sun-bleached for use with color film. By Sn 105xxxx the thorium glass was replaced with new glass. M-Mount Summicrons were introduced around SN 112xxxx. At that time, LTM and M-Mount lenses are the same optically. The coatings changed through the run, and I prefer the lenses that start around 13xxxxx. So recap: the same except for the earliest version of Summicron.

(I just picked up a second thorium Summicron. My first one is quite sharp, was sunbleached, still leaves a slight yellow cast. The later non-thorium Summicrons are better. Early ones go for more as they are collectible. Don't fall for the Ebay "The best Summicrons ever are these Thorium Summicrons")
 
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Let's see ...
1969-79 summicron
collapsible summicron
Summitar
Elmar f3.5
FED
CV50f2.5
ltm converted CZJ f2 (eternal thanks, Brian)
... the answer is 7. :)
 
Just wait for Raid's list of 50s .... :p

For my spotmatic I have the 50/4 macro tak (awesome lens). And I also picked up a 50/1.4 super tak (awesome lens too!) because it was only $25 so why not?!

For my rangefinders, I have the nokton 50/1.5 (awesome lens as well). Still on the lookout for a smaller 50 (future-awesome-lens-four). Waiting for a good deal to pop up in the classifieds. :)
 
50mm is not even a focal length I like ....

Currently, I have (in M/LTM):

Elmar-M
DR
Summilux pre-asph (the "Leica Sonnar" :) )
Nikkor 50/1.4 Tokyo
Nikkor 50/2 black rim
Canon 50/1.5

I do have more teles than 50s.
 
I used to have many 50mm lenses, but now downsized to these:

1. M-Hexanon 50/1.2 - my " do it all" lens
2. M-Hexanon 50/2 x2(one for sale)
3. LTM Nikkor 50/1.4 - adjusted for close focus and covers my "Sonnar" needs. ;)
4. LTM Coll. Industar 50/3.5 - just a cool lens to have.

I dont really see a need for more at this time.
 
One - 50mm Summilux pre-aspherical.

I'm a one lens per focal length man - there are far more important things to worry about, like taking a photo worth keeping, than faffing about deciding which type of 50mm lens to use!

I only started photography 5 years ago from scratch, so had a bit of a learning curve, which included lenses: I'd buy a lens, try it out, and sell it if I didn't like the focal length or the way it drew - a bit like Goldilocks and porridge!

50mm lenses I've owned (all used only with an Epson R-D1 or Leica M8):

• CV Nokton - too contrasty and sterile
• 1950s Elmar - too slow, poor ergonomics
• Canon f1.2 - - never seen flare like it!
• Summicron collapsible - too flarey
• Jupiter-8 - weird yellow colour cast, worst ergonomics ever (looks like it's made by a blacksmith!)
• Canon f1.4 - too flarey
• Summilux pre-asph - perfect! (Never flares, tack sharp but not sterile and ultra-contrasty like modern lenses)

I can't see myself selling the 50mm Summilux pre-asph, and it's the standard against which I measure every other lens.

Did think about buying a smaller lens but decided against it as I don't think there's another lens that draws quite like the Summilux pre-asph nor as flare-resistant, plus by the time you put a hood on a small lens, it's hardly small (I never use lenses without a hood).
 
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