Best 50mm for M3? (Non-Leica)

PatrickCheung said:
My girlfriend picked up a 50/3.5 elmar in LTM mount, it's a little slow, but it's extremely compact when collapsed, it's also extremely sharp, has beautiful swirly bokeh, and a nice little 3D effect on some photos. I picked up a 50/2.8 elmar in M mount after and it performed more or less the same 🙂

Both are a little slow, but I've been able to successfully shoot indoors with both. They also make my M8 and M5 kit much smaller.
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did you have any problems collapsing it to your m8?
 
Canon 50/1.4 and 50/1.2. Nikon 50/1.4 and 50/2.0.
Heliar 50/2 and 50/3.5.
CV 50/1.5.

If lucky, you can find at this price a clean Rigid Summicron.

These are all great 50mm lenses.
 
Hi kchoquette,

I always look through flickr after I've made my mind on about the top 3 lenses I want..

The nokton 50mm 1.5 is a great lens

http://www.flickr.com/groups/nokton50/


But are you looking for a lens that has a classic character?

Then Summarit 50mm 1.5 might be your 2nd choice

http://www.flickr.com/groups/71035126@N00/

All though I personally would've gone with a collapsible elmar or a collapsible summicron on an m3..but I guess they are not fast lenses huh 🙂
 
kchoquette said:
Found a great price on the Nikon 1.4, just curious which adapter I would need? Is it an LTM mount as well?
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The answer to your question is "Yes". The Nikkor 50mm 1.4 is an LTM mount lens. FYI, they also made this lens in Nikon rangefinder mount to fit Nikon rangefinder cameras such as the S2. Make sure the version you are getting is Leica Thread Mount (LTM). The LTM mount version of the Nikkor 50mm 1.4 is less common than the version for Nikon rangefinders.

I recently bought the Nikkor 50mm 1.4 LTM lens from Youixin Ye and really like it. It cost me about $500, so well within your price range.

If you buy the Leica adapter as I did, (admittedly more pricey) it will allow you to make a modification. If my memory serves me correctly, it would allow closer focusing but I can't say for sure. Roland (ferider) can explain it better than I can.

Ellen
 
Peter S said:
Nokton 50/1.5. I liked it more than my summicron. Perfect size (not too small, not too big) and close to a pre asph summilux in respect of out of focus areas. Simply a very nice and undervalued lens.
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Another plug for the Nokton 50/1.5. A super lens. Still available new @ $800 with M adapter from CameraQuest.com. Get one while they're last!

Otherwise, the diminutive ColorSkopar 50/2.5 is my choice in a new lens. Any Leica Summi is exc too, used, as are Zeiss Planars. Each lens has its particular character.
 
kchoquette said:
Found a great price on the Nikon 1.4, just curious which adapter I would need? Is it an LTM mount as well?
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Careful, there are two versions, Nikon S and LTM mount. You want the LTM version with an LTM/M adapter. It will look like this, or similar, depending on vintage:

256581643_iK6zs-M.jpg


Two photos I took two weeks ago with my 1951 copy:

Scan-121111-0029-XL.jpg


Scan-121117-0065.jpg


Cheers,

Roland.
 
The S mount version can be used but requires a much more expensive adapter (S -> M or S -> LTM -> M, I don't recall which).

There are of course Nikon SLR 50mm 1.4s as well which aren't compatible full stop.
 
I have had the Canon 50mm 1,2 and I love it for portraits. recently I got the canon 50mm 1.4 mainly for M8 digital. It is truly a great lens. With an UV filter just fantastic (for digital)
I fitted both of them with a focusing lever, like the Voigt wides. It brings the ergonomy of all lenses I have to similar feel.
 
kchoquette said:
Crap! Good thing I checked this before I bought it. Looks like it's the S-Mount version! Back to trying to find another alternative!
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Glad that RFF was able to assist you so you didn't buy the wrong lens for your camera.

Of course, if you had purchased the lens, you would only need to have spent well over $1000 to buy a Nikon rangefinder camera so you could use the lens 😀



Ellen
 
I strongly recommend the Canon 50/1.2 or the 50/1.4 ltm lenses.
I know tnat I have said it before, but tney are readily available.
 
I have to give another vote here for the Canon 50/1.4 LTM. I just bought an almost mint one for $375. It's considerably heavier than the 1.8 version but not much bigger, and has the big advantage of using easily-available 48mm filters; the Kaiser 50mm push-on lens cap fits great.

Here are two samples taken with a G2 using 2 adapters to mount the lens (CV LTM-M -> Metabones M-m4/3). The marigold was taken at f/2.8 (I think) and Lucky was at f/4, near minimum distance. Both are crops because most of the frames are out of focus. The Canon has a pleasing, undistracting bokeh (IMO), and is very sharp when stopped down a bit:

large.jpg


full-size here: http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/image/147495537/original.jpg

large.jpg


full-size here: http://www.pbase.com/smcleod965/image/147495534/original.jpg
 
The 50mm 1,2 is quite sharp in the centre at full aperture, but very unsharp in the corners and also the fall of is noticeable. I guess that barrel is too narrow for that wide aperture. When comparing the canon 50mm to Sigma 50mm 1,4, the Sigma is HUGE ! Lots of "unnecessary" glass there. therefore perfect also on full aperture. I guess Sigma did this on purpose. It could very well be a 1,2 lens but they decided it to be 1.4 and therefore already "stopped down" a little to gain that extra performance.
 
Well, I decided to pick up a Jupiter 3 I found at a pretty reasonable price. Came with a lens hood and an adapter, so I guess I killed 2 birds with one stone there.

Hopefully, it works out and I don't have to sell it. But if I do, I'm sure someone here would probably pick it up!
 
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