One premium lens for the RD-1 - which one ? need Help

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sandrini

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Hi together,

need help.

Over the time I have just noticed that to much gear is not good for me.
Ok - its not that much what I have - however for the RD-1 its enought I think. I have noticed that I am not shooting anymore JUST for me. (more for "others").

Im taking shots for friends more than for me. What means I am always the only one who is doing traveling shots, group shots, portraits etc. - that makes fun and most of the pictures are great, so you might think "where is the problem" ...- the problem is that those shots are not really what I like or prefer.

I like the "Street" and I want to move back again into this - due to the different styles I have used over the time I dont think that I am really moving forward. (As well due this i have noticed that im shooting less with my lovely RD-1).

If I go out I am taking most of my lenses with me -> Have few lenses like the CV 15mm Heliar (nice one) , than the 35mm/1,4 Nokton SC and the Nokton 50mm 1.1.

So you can imagine that after one week of shooting , I am sitting in front of my screen and I am just not so happy because all of these shots are "different". There is no "style" anymore behind my picutres - everyone could do this pics as well. It looks like someone has took my lenses , tried them out on my RD-1 and put them again into my bag. Basically THATS NOT ME. Few pictures are done with the wide lens, then with lot of bokeh (50/1.1) - few are street with the 35 CV.

I think I have to move back again only into one lens system so that I can concentratet more on my photographic style in "street". So bacially I want to have only one focus/target. Street.

For street its always good to have only one lens which is not that big as the 50mm/1.1 e.g.
So the heliar 15mm is really good and makes really nice pictures. Than the 35 CV SC for B/W. Also a nice one.

What Im thinking about is really to sell all my lenses and buy just one premium lens.

And now the question - which lens should I get for the RD-1 ?!?!?

The 15 heliar mm is really a nice one which I really like for street. Always sharp at 4.5 and no need to focus. Just point and click.
The 50mm for street is not really good as you can imagine.....
The 35mm is nice and with 1,4 its "o.k." in case I want to make streets shots at the evening.

However - what should I do ?

I know that in one/two months the CV 21mm/1.8 is coming out. Fast lens - weight 0,4kg, so little less weight than the Nokton 50mm, but still not that small as the 15mm.

Also I though about to sell everything and buy one nice LEICA lens. Like the 35mm summilux 1.4/35mm.

The new CV 21mm would give me nice ~35mm....but the size.
The heliar 15mm I really like and love for street somehow.

Arrg....help me guys what to do.

cheeers and greetings from germany.
 
Get one of the tiny 28mm offerings out there. Canon, Kobalux (pankcake!), Nikkor. Lots of good tiny 28mm lenses.

If you're going for 35 then the UC-Hexanon is truly the one to beat.

If you want wider then you're limited to a very few pieces that are small. The Super Angulon is probably the flattest and, as far as I'm concerned, one of the true masterpieces in lens design. The Cosina 21mm f/4 is awesome as well. But don't overlook the Kobalux 21mm f/2.8. It's wide but pretty flat. An extraordinary lens. If you can handle something a bit longer, the Biogons are outstanding as well.

If you like the 15 then stick with the CV 15 'cause everything else is huge and expensive (ZM 15mm) or very tiny, slow and even more expensive (Converted Zeiss Hologon.)

Have fun.

Phil Forrest
 
filmtwit said:
Toss the RD-1 if you're looking for a single lens system and go with the Fuji X100
Click to expand...

No No - I dont want to change the system - really - I know there are a lot of nice Cams outside - Also I looked for the OM-D If im honest - also the RX1 already -> but my brain/heart sais NO. I just love the B/W picturures form the RD-1 with grain at ISO 1600 etc. - thats the style I like and prefer for street. (Everything what looks super sharp like the RX1 I really dont like - like the pictures for sure , they are looking great - but "not my style".

And furthermore - next year you have a new Fuji and a new OM-D etc. etc. - dont want to invest anymore into a new cam from year to year. 6MP are totally enough for me and I love the RD-1 since years.

Just looking really for one premium lens which I can use al the time and can concentrate and improve my style.

BTW: Thanks for your post
 
My favorite lens on the RD1 after trying many from 15-50mm was the M Rokkor f2/40mm.
Beautiful rendering and a perfect FL for the RD1.
If you prefer a bit wider go for the ZM Biogon f2.8/25mm.
Sharpest wide lens I ever tried.
Neither were the most expensive lenses I ever tried just the best fit.

A bit on frame lines. The 40mm was a perfect fit for the 35mm lines. I used the 28mm lines when shooting the 25mm. It was a bit loose and there was often a bit extra in the shot when focussing in close. At further distance less so.
 
Phil_F_NM said:
Get one of the tiny 28mm offerings out there. Canon, Kobalux (pankcake!), Nikkor. Lots of good tiny 28mm lenses.

If you're going for 35 then the UC-Hexanon is truly the one to beat.

If you want wider then you're limited to a very few pieces that are small. The Super Angulon is probably the flattest and, as far as I'm concerned, one of the true masterpieces in lens design. The Cosina 21mm f/4 is awesome as well. But don't overlook the Kobalux 21mm f/2.8. It's wide but pretty flat. An extraordinary lens. If you can handle something a bit longer, the Biogons are outstanding as well.

If you like the 15 then stick with the CV 15 'cause everything else is huge and expensive (ZM 15mm) or very tiny, slow and even more expensive (Converted Zeiss Hologon.)

Have fun.

Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

Hi Phil - thanks ! Do you have any ideas about the Konica UC Hexanon AR 28 mm / F1,8 as wel ??? The Konicas I didnt had on my list yet if im honest.

If I sell all my lenses I would have like ~ 1300 EUR EUR - would be able to put few EURs on top as well. But not that much - like 350 EUR on Top.

BUT if I can get something really special for less - Im with you.

EDIT: Just see the 28 Hexanon is not for the RD-1. However.
 
Keep the 35mm on the camera. Put the other two in a drawer. Forget they are there for a couple of months.

Then, bring them out for special situations. I like the angle of view of the 15mm on the Epson, and the results it givesbut don't like external finders. Pick your spots with the 50 1.1. Like you, I found it too big to carry all the time.

I'm not one to talk. I have way too many 50s (now using with an M9), but still lust for the Planar. But really, I don't think any of the lenses you or I have is holding us back (at least, speaking for myself.)
 
sevres_babylone said:
Keep the 35mm on the camera. Put the other two in a drawer. Forget they are there for a couple of months.

Then, bring them out for special situations. I like the angle of view of the 15mm on the Epson, and the results it givesbut don't like external finders. Pick your spots with the 50 1.1. Like you, I found it too big to carry all the time.

I'm not one to talk. I have way too many 50s (now using with an M9), but still lust for the Planar. But really, I don't think any of the lenses you or I have is holding us back (at least, speaking for myself.)
Click to expand...

Got you, however those few lenses I have are holding me back somehow.

If I show you my pictures I took over the past year and would ask you -> "which pictures are mine" - you would not know for sure because you dont know me - but my friends knwo my style of shooting and im quite sure looking at the pictures from my last year anyone else could make them. So I lost really my style.

Basically I want to find my way back to street and this I can only achive using one lens as a prime lens and concentrate with this lens only on my one target street for the next few years. (This i already knwo and see just by looking through my pictres of the past year - for sure there is style maybe for others in my pictures - but as I wrote , those pictures are not making ME happy because all of them are different to me - too much different "no handwriting").
 
I use 21/3.4 super-angulon, 28 rokkor, 35 summilux, 50 rigid summicron and 90/2.8 elmarit on the R-D1.

I find the best all round lens, inside/outside, day/night is the 35 summilux.
 
The UC-Hexanon 35mm is an LTM lens. The 28mm AR lens is an SLR lens and would need a custom fabricated adapter and a lot of modification to work on a Leica M mount rangefinder.

I forgot the 35mm pre-asph Summilux, like Astro 8 mentioned. A fantastic all-round lens for the RD-1.

Phil Forrest
 
My personal style in photography is tightly linked to my eye's angle of view. Here with angle of view I refer to two not necessary independent things : a.Point of view (where you stand) b.Visual angle (how much you see). To find the proper lens for your style I would suggest to look at the average focal length that you have used in the pictures that you think is your style. Do the same for the aperture that was used. To find a new style pick one lens at random and stick with it for as long as you can.
Personally my style lies between the 24-50mm focal range (as most people's too I believe), which in 1.5X crop means ~15-35mm. I have both the RD1 and the CV15 but I don't use them together since I don't have the external VF. I really enjoy the CV 25 which covers RD1's whole viewfinder. When I street I close the aperture and prefocus since not only I enjoy all that I see but also there is no time to focus.
Hope that helps.
M.
 
I have those three lenses and the R-D1. Those lenses certainly deliver for me, but I can see you might like to get something between the 15 and the 35. I have a 21/4 and a 28/1.9 myself. Anything else than the two 28mm Voigtländers that is fast is also expensive. That's probably the worst thing about R-D1.

If you just want to get more comfortable with a single focal length, do not use the other two lenses. If you are not happy with the quality of one or any of the lenses, try to replace them with whatever makes you happy.
 
Last edited:
just like others members mentioned before i also advise you to stick with one lens longer.
I'm not a believer of style being totally depending on lenses. Once you get used to cetain focal lens it is indeed easier for you to shoot but you style will be visible to the audiences' eyes.
 
ShinX414 said:
just like others members mentioned before i also advise you to stick with one lens longer.
I'm not a believer of style being totally depending on lenses. Once you get used to cetain focal lens it is indeed easier for you to shoot but you style will be visible to the audiences' eyes.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with them. I usually stick to the 35mm for long time and then I just realize that I need a change. Then use the 15mm and love it anyway; however, it is too wide sometimes. When I need to challenge myself (or want to make a series of portraits), use my 75mm and love results even more.

My advise, keep your options open rather than a unique lens. Your style will thank you
 
Hi, the limited resolution of the rd1s calls for a simple lens....i used a lot the ultron 28mm f2, with great results...it giave me a 42mm fov and a decent dof.
The lens is ok and not expensive.

The other lens i used a lot was the nokton 40mm f1.4 that gave me 60mm FOV and way shallower dof.

Bye!
 
Guys thank for all your help.

Currently, since I have an D VF 21mm - I think I will go with a 21mm lens.
Quite interested in the 21/3.4 super-angulon somehow, just looking at few pictures I'm impressed have to say.

Just dont know how this will handle shots in the evening on the RD-1 and 1600 Iso.
 
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