35/50 skopars and 40 cron/rokkor

[jett]

I want a CL + compact normal lens (35-50).

Skopars: What I like about the skopars is that the filter threads are 39mm (aside from the 35mm f2.5 PI) and the hoods are compact. The lenses are a little slower, but I do not think that would bother me too much.

Summicron/Rokkor. What I like about the Summicron/Rokkor is that they are faster, however, the filter thread/hood solution is more annoying. What I would love is to have either a small metal hood that I can just leave on or a hood that clips on and off very easily. Is there a nice hood solution for the Summicron/Rokkor? I'd actually opt for the Rokkor so that I can avoid a step-up ring ( I dislike how they bind).

In short, I like the speed of the Rokkor but the filter thread/hood soluution for the skopars, but what I am unsure about is the performance and build. Both of them are bargains compared to their Leica siblings but are they on equal planes with eachother? Lots of praise for the 40mm cron/rokkor but it is a hit/miss with the CV.

 

[teleparallel]

The 50 is really well buit, the 35(M mount) not as much, but still really good. Both produce very good image quality.

Another solution is the 35/40mm Nokton. Speedy, and small.

 

[roundg]

M-Rokkor 40mm has 40.5 filter thread, the filter or third party hood are nothing difficult to find.

The original rubber hood of the Rokkor may not easy to find and rubber does age. on the other side, A metal vented 40.5 hood on ebay cost less than USD10.

For the building, M-Rokkor lens are very well built though they are light weighted.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

The Color Skopars are outstanding! I've used many and they were all excellent.

 

[Brian Legge]

I like the VC 35mm 1.4 personally. It does have the 43mm filter but the hoods lock in place - they don't screw in. Or you can pick up one here if you want a smaller hood:

http://www.shapeways.com/shops/AnalogueRobot

Faster speed than any of the lenses above, decent price, small, main downside is a moderate amount of distortion. Definitely don't ignore the ergonomics of the lens. This lens made me realize how much I like focusing tabs but they aren't for everyone. Different versions of the VC 35mm 2.5 have different focusing methods.

 

[zwarte_kat]

For me these small normal focal lengths are good because you can have a tiny one lens package to bring everywhere. You just shoot without worrying about bringing a big bag or changing lenses.

In that regard, it helps if the lens is fast, because you will never have to bring a "nighttime/inside" lens additionally. That's why I recommend the Rokkor or on of the 1.5 voight-landers (they are all good, I believe).

Sure, the 2.5 Skopar is even smaller, but what are we talking about here, a few mm, in exchange for one or 2 stops? To be fair, you are looking at the CL, which is one of the few camera's where such a tiny lens makes a difference. But even then, you want to use a hood anyway, so a Rokkor, Nokton, or skopar will make a minimal size difference in the end.

I would only get the skopar for it's price, or if you are really into it's specific rendering especially. And it's not like the rokkor or noktons make ugly pictures, not by a loooooooong shot!

In the end, I'd get the 35mm or 40mm Nokton, because the hood is also important for you. The 40mm is one of my favorite lenses, and a though not low in price as the Skopar, still a killer deal for a F1.5 rangefinder lens!

 

[Paul T.]

The normal eBay hood works fine o a Summicron-C; it won't screw in all the way but is perfectly secure.

As much as I like VC lenses, the Summicron-C is the main reason to get a CL, I wouldn't personally consider anything but.

 

[Sparrow]

Few lenses are as Germanic as the 50/f2.5 skopar when it comes to build quality ... it feels and looks very like it came from 1950s or 60s ...

 

[jett]

Thank you for your responses.

About the 'cron filter thread. I know it is a different pitch but I wouldn't feel comfortable partially screwing on the filter because I would think that it is more likely to damage the filter thread. i feel that getting a Rokkor would just be easier (and cheaper). All I would be missing is the "Leica" label, I think.

Anyways...

The reason why I care about the hood is because it is easier to attach/detach and it is also easier to store. I don't care about shaving the mm on the camera while shooting so much (in the case between skopar and cron/rokkor).

When I shoot with my 35mm f2.8 Summaron, I like to clip off the hood, stick the camera in one coat pocket and the hood in the other (I can't reverse it on my goggled lens) and when I travel with the Summicron I like to reverse the hood to save space. I also have a Rollei 35 with a screw-on and I do not mind this combination because the camera/hood is so small that it can fit in my pocket/bag just fine. If the hood were a large screw-on then it is more cumbersome to add/remove on the field and maybe more difficult to store.

Now if the skopars are bayonet, then I can attach/deatch it easily. the other skopar hood, i think, is very low-profile where i can treat it as my Rollei 35 and just leave it on without feeling the excess bulk. I have some heavystar hoods on some of my lenses where the filter/hood is difficult to find/expensive and the adapter + screw-on hood just adds too much bulk.