40mm & our Leicas

[qbking]

New user here. I have a Nokton 40mm on my M4. What framelines does that bring up on my camera?

Also is anyone else working with this particular combo? I'd love to hear (or see) likes, dislikes.

I've been shooting with a zoom lens on a SLR for a while so it's an interesting adjustment of 1) not seeing what the lens sees & 2) working with a prime. Enjoying it none the less.

If anyone out there is shooting with any 40mm on a Leica I'd appreciate your comments.

 

[Tom A]

I use a couple of 40f1.4's (1 MC and 1 SC) on my M2's (mainly). In its original form it brings up the 50 mm frame, but some quick work with a file can make it bring up 35 frames. I find the 40 one of those "perfect" walk about lenses. It can substitute for a 35 (back off a step) or a 50 (a step and bit forward). Using the 50 frame (unmodified 40) gives me a bit too much information outside of the frame, but using the 35 frame - and wearing glasses (which means you have to "hunt" a bit for the 35 frames) you just center the rangefinder in your view and shoot. The slight cut off from the 40 just about fits perfectly.

 

[thomasw_]

Hi,

If that lens is not modified, it will bring up the 50mm lines. Many modify that lens to bring up the 35mm. I had a copy of it that brought up the 35 lines. Many users like the 40 nokton, but I didn't care for the slightly inaccurate framelines or its rendering. I sold it and I don't miss it. YMMV, as others will tell you it is great value, etc..

 

[qbking]

YMMV? Not sure what that is. Slightly inaccurate framelines, could you explain more? Thanks, both Thomases

 

[ferider]

If your Nokton has not been modified (shows 50mm lines), the lens will "see" slightly more than you see ... about 10-15%, depending on distance. Unless you are at min. focus (.7m), then the M4 50mm lines are actually quite accurate. If you like close focus shots, or print a lot on 8x10, this is actually quite useful.

If your Nokton has been modified for 35mm framelines, you will always have to leave some room, even at infinity focus (about 5-10%, depending on focus distance).

Great general purpose lens, quite sharp even wide open.

Best,

Roland.

PS: YMMV = "Your Mileage Might Vary"

 

[Bingley]

I recently got a Minolta Rokkor-M 40/2, the later version for the Minolta CLE, which I've been using on my M2. I love the lens, both for its rendering and small size. Very like an older 35 summicron, but at a fraction of the cost. Tom A's comments about the CV 40 being a perfect walkabout lens apply to the 40 Rokkor too (and to its cousin the 40 Summicron-C). I also like pairing the 40 w/ a 28 for a compact two-lens kit; and add a 90 (or, in my case, 100) when you need to isolate or reach.

My 40 brings up the 50 framelines (i.e., it's unmodified), and so far I've been shooting it w/ those framelines, and framing tightly. I think Tom makes a good point, though, about using the 35 framelines on the M2, and like Tom I wear specs. I will try a bit of gaffers tape to hold down the frameline selector first, before finally deciding to file (or not).

 

[thomasw_]

qbking, you are welcome. thanks a lot Roland for explaining that for me 😉

I would like to add that, as a matter of fact, the nokton 40/1,4 is a fantastic deal; its price, size, image quality and ergonomics appeal to many. You will have to decide whether you like its characteristics. The way the 40/1,4 renders OOF areas for me didn't appeal to my sense of how bokeh ought to look. Note, though, the conditional 'for me' in there, as I have some friends who can make that lens do wonders in their work...check out my friend De La Lux on flickr as but one example of someone doing gifted work with the lens.

 

[Gary E]

The 40mm Summicron-C provides my favorite angle of view and is my favorite lens on any M mount body. If they'd make a frame line for the M, it'd be in my M with the 28 and 35 removed. I haven't had any focus issues and the bokeh is great; only seconded by the 35 cron v4. Also sharp enough for me. I also use a 45mm on my evil Contax SLR which is super compact and also fits my angle of view.

I didn't modify mine to bring up the 35 lines, but I use it with the 50 lines and just get in close. Everything important is touched by the frame line, so when the chromes are mounted it fills the frame. This lens is mostly found on my M body above all else. 😎

 

[whickus]

to make the 35mm framelines show up with the 40mm nokton on my m7 without grinding, i just don't screw it on all the way. turn it till you see the 50mm framelines, then back off just enough for the 35mm lines to show up. sure, it's not locked on, but it still fits tight and it doesn't affect the focus at all. this way, there's no modification needed to the lens.

 

[Doug]

Trick idea, whickus! I also don't like the idea of grinding on my lens, and have found that a stout rubber band looped around the left strap lug will hold the frame-selector lever to the 35mm position on my M2. Won't work with all M bodies with their varying lever shapes. Besides, I mostly use my 40mm lenses on cameras that have 40mm framelines. 😀

 

[Frank Petronio]

Wouldn't not screwing it in affect focus?

 

[whickus]

Wouldn't not screwing it in affect focus?

nope. if it were a screw type mount where the more you turn, the closer it gets to the correct focal distance, then yes, it would affect focus. since it's a bayonet mount, as soon as you place the lens in the mount, it is already at the correct disctance from the film plane. locking the lens in place is only a safekeep. also, my method apparently engages the focusing cam enough to make sure that the viewfinder focus is still coupled to the lens.

i've shot my last 3 rolls this way and have had no issues with focus. with my first roll, i found myself switching the frameline preview from 50mm to 35mm and that got annoying real fast.

 

[sienarot]

I love the 40/1.4. When I had my Bessa R2, the 35mm lines were just perfect for it. I found the 35mm lens itself was a little wider than the lines, but the 40mm was pretty darn close.

When I got my M6 classic, I modified the 40. I was so careful with it that I'd only sand off a couple strokes, test, then repeat. It actually got to the point where I had both the 35mm and 50mm frames showing at the same time. I liked it, so I kept it that way. It looks a little messy, but I use those extra lines for keeping my horizontals straight.

 

[ferider]

Wouldn't not screwing it in affect focus?

Yes it would for the Summicron since its RF cam is slanted. On its more modern sibling, the CLE 40 Rokkor with flat cam it wouldn't matter. On the other hand, the 40/DOF is deep enough that a degree twist or so doesn't matter.

 

[sockeyed]

I have a series of photographs on flickr showing the modification to bring up the 35mm framelines:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sockeyed/607269471/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sockeyed/607437968/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sockeyed/607438556/

It's a subtle modification. I've seen photos of other people's attempts and they've been very heavy-handed. It only takes a few strokes with a small file to a make the change.

 

[Graybeard]

When I travel, I carry an M3 with a 40mm Summicron-C as my back-up camera. The Summicron-C on the M3 makes a compact, flat package that fits nicely into a Lowepro Z-30 belt pouch, and I scarcely notice that I have the camera with me. This is the gear (kit in the UK) that I bring when we go out to dinner, or for a leisurely walk, later, evenings.

I shoot only B&W with my Leicas. With the 40mm on the M3, I use the entire field in the viewfinder for framing my photographs - I've seen postings by others that the entire M3 viewfinder field corresponds to a 42-43mm lens. The practical aspect is, that if I frame it in the M3 finder, the 40m lens will capture the image that I see.

I print my own photographs. Contemporary B&W films are so good that the difference in the degree of enlargement required between a 40mm lens and a 43mm finder to fill a print is inconsequential in final print quality. In restaurants, and on the street (Europe, mostly) 1/30th, f2 works very nicely, indeed.

-Graybeard