Which lens??? Sonnar, Planar other?

[elmer3.5]

Hi, i´m looking for a 50mm, modern m mount lens.
For B/W i have my venerable 50 elamr 3.5, but now i´m looking for a lens faster and more modern in it´s design and coating.
I need a small lens.

I read the c sonnar is nice but don´t understnd why i doesn´t focus accurately all over the aperture scale, some say it can be "optimized" is that an error or it standard procedure on this lens?

So welcome is your advice.

Is it possible to post photos showing the lens on the camera???

Thanks!!!!

Bye!

 

[Roger Hicks]

1 All fast lenses exhibit some focus shift with stopping down

2 The degree to which this occurs varies enormously

3 Personal tolerance of what is acceptable arguably varies even more than the degree of focus shift

4 The RF can only be coupled for optimum focus at one aperture. At small apertures the differences are imperceptible. At f/1,5 to f/2,8 (the two standard optimization points) focus will move backwards (f/1,5 optimization) or forwards (f/2.8 optimization) as you stop down.

5 Some people reckon this makes the lens unusable. Others don't see the problem. I am in the latter camp.

6 For a picture of the lens on the camera AND a real-world example of how focus shift works (something often overlooked in the hysteria on both sides) see http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps firstlook sonnar 50.html

Cheers,

R.

 

[mfogiel]

Get the Planar to begin with. Some people have used this kind of lens throughout all their photographic career, in particular on the Rolleiflex TLR. Here is a poker of Planars:

Here are a few shots with the ZI+ Planar 50

 

[DNG]

The Planar is more modern design, it has less focus shift wide open to closing down, and any focus shift that happens, is covered by the DOF, It is sharp from f/2 on.....

The Sonnar is a 1935 design that has a special look that portrait and people photographers like at f/1.5- f/2 between 1m-2m, by f/2.8 and past 2m, it is quite a sharp lens with a wonderful bokeh also. I have one, and like Rodger, I like how the lens [draws].
BTW, Zeiss, on their website explains the Sonnar & focus shift from f/1.5 to f/2.8 is on purpose. It front focuses about 2cm at 1m to 2m at f/1.5, by f/2.8, the front focus is not an issue because of the increased depth of the DOF.

I'd say the Planar is the design you are asking for.

Sonnar sample on Tmax 100, f/2 I think. (sorry about the spotting...Mineral deposits... I have fixed the issue with my last roll 😱😱)

 

[elmer3.5]

hi folks, thanks for your advice now is much clearer the focusing issues about the sonnar, i´ll follow my little investigation, i´m looking now for summarit´s 35 and 50mm i´ve seen they´re pretty small and not that slow!

Thanks again, i´ll post my final decision🙂

Bye!

 

[MCTuomey]

Hi, i´m looking for a 50mm, modern m mount lens.

I need a small lens.

Thanks!!!!
Bye!

Imo, that would be the planar 50. LTM Summarits aren't modern at all, especially in their color rendition. Do you like the rendering from your other Zeiss lenses? If so, I would think the Planar 50 would be an easy choice. Then again, what's wrong with using your 50 lux as a "modern" 50?

Marek and DNG, lovely pics. The 4x planar one, well, that collection is enviable! One day I'll have a makro 100. One day ...

 

[Tim Gray]

I'd get the ZM Planar, or maybe the Leica 50/2.5 Summarit. Or even a new model Elmar-M if that is fast enough. They all appear to be great lenses. The Summarit is probably the most compact, but most expensive. Everything I've seen from the Planar says it's a good lens too.

I second the question about your 50 Summilux. Is it a really really old one? At f/2, it should be comparable for the most part to many 'modern' 50/2's.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The (current, f/2.5) Summarit is Frances's favourite 50mm -- and it really is tiny. For a review see http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps firstlook summarit.html

Cheers,

R.

 

[maddoc]

Hm ... it depends a lot of what is available in your part of the world and what you are looking for ...

In my "hunt" for a nice, well performing fast 50mm lens (not necessarily M-mount) I have owned and used:

50/1.5 Nokton ASPH LTM
50/1.4 Summilux-M latest pre-ASPH
50/2.0 Summicron-M Rigid I
50/2.0 Summicron-M Rigid II
50/2.0 Summicron-M Dual-Range (2 different copies)
50/1.5 Summarit LTM
50/2.0 M-Hexanon
50/1.4 Canon LTM
50/2.0 Summitar
50/1.4 Millennium Nikkor w/ Amedeo adapter
50/1.4 Nikkor-S-C
50/1,5 Sonar T* S-mount (the actual version) w/ Amedeo S-to-LTM adapter
50/1.0 Noctilux

I like 50mm lenses ... 🙂

Of all these lenses, I still have the Noctilux, Summarit, Nikkor-S-C, and Zeiss 50/1,5 Sonnar. The latter has become my favorite 50mm lens ...

 

[morback]

The Planar is the easy lens. Everything is perfect about it and it behaves predictably. I would not say that it is clinical, imo it's a perfect balance of modern looks and gentleness.

I think this is what you're looking for. I got mine for $450, so I really think it's a lens to be tried.

The Sonnar is a different beast. Besides the focus shift that has nothing to do with quality, it's quite moody depending on the aperture. Between 1.5 and 5.6 you have a lot of different characters to pick from. It is not soft where in focus, as you can sometimes read. It doesn't seem to be the lens you're looking for.

I have both and cannot give one up for the other. The 2/3 stops difference between the two rarely made a difference for me. Both of them have very good 3D rendition.

m.

 

[elmer3.5]

Hi, my summilux is stellar , i love it, but most of the time sits in the shelf cos it´s too large for me.
Most of the time i hang with my biogon 28 on the m8, and with the elmar on my film cameras, i think the elmar is the best lens ever (IHMO) but i can´t find a compact lens like it that has modern optics, and is fast enough (f2, f2.4) I was considering even the hektor 50 2.5 but again it´s not even coated (at least all i´ve looked)
Why leica or VC don´t make an elmar like, compact, fast 50mm?????? That would be the hitting the jackpot thrice!!!(IHMO) All then problem is because they fit a non rotating mount, if it´s rotating it won´t bother me at all!

So that´s why i´m considering the planar or summarit, the latter has about 34mm from flange to top, wow.
the planar it´s still "larger" and great price!

Cheers, and thanks for your advice!!!!

 

[Tim Gray]

CV does make a modern collapsible 50, supposed to be great. Unfortunately, its slower (f/3.5). heliar f/3.5. They also make a non-collapsible heliar 50 that is faster. heliar f/2. They also made a 50/2.5 which is small but out of production.

The Leica Elmar-M is supposed to be a great modern lens, but again, only f/2.8. It's currently not made, but you can pick them up still. It was replaced just the other year by the Summarit.

You could also look out for the Hexanon 50/2.4. Collapsible, a bit faster than the modern Elmar-M, about the same price. Look on Ebay or here on RFF.

The Summarit 50/2.5 might be the lens you are looking for.

The Planar that has been mentioned several times is a great lens. It's not huge, but larger than the lenses you mention. It's probably about the same size as your Summilux (depending on the version).

 

[tbarker13]

I've been very happy with my planar, which I use extensively in portrait photography in studio with my M8.2.

 

[elmer3.5]

Wow, have to say Mfogiel,DNG and Tim, great neat shots!!!!!

Maddoc you really have experience on 50´s!!!!
Besides in y part of the world there´s only ebay!!!!😀

Cheers!