Favourite 40mm M-mount lens

[Jaans]

Which is your favourite all round 40mm M-mount lens and why? Would you consider speed more important than how the lens renders? What about handling?

With the recent additions of the Noktons to the market over the last few years, photographers have some great choices.

Considering the 40mm lens is closer to the approximate field of view of the human eye (often quoted as 43mm, but I maybe wrong) than the 50mm, some may wonder why they don't have one in their camera bag.

I started of with a Summicron that had superb rendering and then progressed to a version II Rokkor which has improved coatings for flare reduction. I have been very satisfied with the Rokkor.

Along the way I have managed to shoot with a friends Sonnar that had a different 'fingerprint', perhaps attractive to some, but one stop too slow for my liking. I also used a SC Nokton 1.4, that was excellent, but with a more modern contrasty look.

I would regard the Summicron as producing the lowest contrast of all of them, with both Rokkor versions somewhere in between, and the Rollei and Nokton with the highest contrast and most modern look.

Unfortunately I have yet to get my hands on that limited production Elmarit-C, so cannot comment either way.

Choices have never been so great! Mike Johnston did an excellent post on the 40mm in his online photographer and it would be there somewhere in the archives. It has come up here on rangefinder once or twice.

Just humming a tune to this often overlooked lens.

 

[Bingley]

I voted for the Rokkor, 'cause that's the one I have and I think it's a great lens. I've seen wonderful results from the Nokton 40/1.4 SC, though.

 

[Jaans]

Steve - I hear you on that. I guess it all comes down to how you like your images rendered versus that extra speed. I guess regardless, they all make excellent shooters in the long run.

 

[ferider]

At f2 and above and in the final picture, Rokkor and MC Nokton (assuming you have good copies, an aligned camera, etc.) are indistinguishable. I would challenge anybody in a blind test. As it so happens, they also have similar design (except for max. aperture).

Therefore, I prefer the Nokton. Also, it has shorter min. focus.

If you really own a pretty 40mm Elmarit-C, sell it and buy yourself Rokkor and Nokton with lots of money left 🙂

Roland.

 

[back alley]

i've owned all but the elmarit...they all make great images.

 

[back alley]

my guess as to the top 3 in the end...
summicron 40
rokkor 40 mc
cv 40 mc

 

[Bingley]

I guess it all comes down to how you like your images rendered versus that extra speed. I guess regardless, they all make excellent shooters in the long run.

I guess when push comes to shove image quality wins over speed for me. So if I were to get one of the Nokton 40s, it would be because I liked the way the lens renders. And they do produce beautiful images; I recall seeing some fantastic shots that joe took w/ his. But I'm quite happy with the images that the Rokkor produces, and the small size and light weight of that lens are additional pluses. YMMV.

 

[ZeissFan]

Rollei 40mm Sonnar, because it's the only one that I have.

 

[f16sunshine]

I love(d) every one of them I've owned. The Rokkor CLE is my vote. Maybe it will be the sonnar soon but, I've only shot with it 2 months. The Nokton is great but the bubbly oof highlights look weird to me in combination with it's higher contrast. That sort of Bokey looks best to me lower contrast (I'm not a noisy bokey fan).

 

[splitimageview]

My favorite M mount would be the Rokkor. Ultimately I went with the Sonnar since it's the only thread mount option, and will work on my CLE as well as IIIc.

 

[dof]

It is undoubtedly unfair, but I voted for the only one I've used - the MC Rokkor. With this lens one gets a nicely balanced trio of speed, sharpness and vintage contrast. It is very much a product of its time, and the images it produces speak volumes to a moment when sharpness surpassed contrast as the desired trait among faster small format lenses. On the downside, it is far from flare-proof.

People often comment on the Rokkor being an equal with the v.4 35mm Summicron. As a matter of opinion, I disagree. Technically it is nearly as good, but not equal. It is however a unique lens and one that deserves the following it has.

 

[back alley]

4 votes for the sonnar...one of them is mine.
if i wanted speed i would have no problem with the cv pair...in fact i may get another cv40 for winter and indoor shooting.
i have to decide if i prefer the speed or raising the iso of the sensor in my rd1.

the rokkor is also a great all round lens, small and sharp and well built.

 

[sleepyhead]

I have used them all except the 2 f/2.8 lenses listed.
The 3 f/2 lenses are all about the same, but - voted for the version II M-Rokkor because it takes more easily available filters compared to the Leica summicron, and has a slight edge on Minolta's version I.
The images from the Rokkors and the Summicron are among my favorite Rangefinder pictures.
The only reason that I no longer own any of these lenses is because I no longer use CLEs.

 

[Jaans]

Rollei 40mm Sonnar, because it's the only one that I have.

Thats as a perfect reason as ever - love the one your with^^

I have reduced my assortment of lens and cameras down to two lens and one body. I believe that it has helped my photographic skills as the beauty is in the simplicity of choices.

 

[Jaans]

I guess when push comes to shove image quality wins over speed for me. So if I were to get one of the Nokton 40s, it would be because I liked the way the lens renders. And they do produce beautiful images; I recall seeing some fantastic shots that joe took w/ his. But I'm quite happy with the images that the Rokkor produces, and the small size and light weight of that lens are additional pluses. YMMV.

The size and weight of the Rokkor is also a major factor for me loving this lens. Also, I am not so easy carrying around expensive equipment anymore, as I have had a sordid past of dropping expensive Leica lens. I cannot justify having a $1500 dollar lens anymore, also in these days of job insecurity.

 

[Jaans]

I love(d) every one of them I've owned. The Rokkor CLE is my vote. Maybe it will be the sonnar soon but, I've only shot with it 2 months. The Nokton is great but the bubbly oof highlights look weird to me in combination with it's higher contrast. That sort of Bokey looks best to me lower contrast (I'm not a noisy bokey fan).

I also had similar problems with the bokeh combined with the higher contrast of the Nokton. But then again, I rarely shoot at f/2 so this isn't really a problem for me.

 

[Jaans]

It is undoubtedly unfair, but I voted for the only one I've used - the MC Rokkor. With this lens one gets a nicely balanced trio of speed, sharpness and vintage contrast. It is very much a product of its time, and the images it produces speak volumes to a moment when sharpness surpassed contrast as the desired trait among faster small format lenses. On the downside, it is far from flare-proof.

People often comment on the Rokkor being an equal with the v.4 35mm Summicron. As a matter of opinion, I disagree. Technically it is nearly as good, but not equal. It is however a unique lens and one that deserves the following it has.

I find your last comment interesting - I have also heard people drawing parallels between the Summicron V4 and the Rokkor (or poor man's generic Summicron). In what what way do you see it as being different? I have used both and found the photographs nearly identical, but the Summicron with that great square hood more well built. Others may disagree. Having said that, the Rokkor is much better value than the Summicron, esp. when you put that money saved into generic film like Legacy or Premium.

 

[Jaans]

At f2 and above and in the final picture, Rokkor and MC Nokton (assuming you have good copies, an aligned camera, etc.) are indistinguishable. I would challenge anybody in a blind test. As it so happens, they also have similar design (except for max. aperture).

Therefore, I prefer the Nokton. Also, it has shorter min. focus.

If you really own a pretty 40mm Elmarit-C, sell it and buy yourself Rokkor and Nokton with lots of money left 🙂

Roland.

Roland - I have always wondered how that Elmarit performs. I did use a red elmar a few years back and fell in love with how it rendered. I wonder if the 40mm Elmarit-C performs renders in a similar way??

I realize that they are a somewhat of a collector lens and like you said, you could buy two lens for that money, or better yet put it into film instead of having two lens of the same focal length.

 

[Jaans]

i've owned all but the elmarit...they all make great images.

I think you neatly captured the attributes of all the different lens in the poll in one acute sentence.

I wonder if anyone members here have some examples of images from that mysterious Elmarit-C?

 

[rizz48]

I voted for summicron 40. nice bokeh