5 Favorite/"Best" Lenses

In all the time I have been buying and using and selling and buying etc kit there are only 3 so far that I doubt I would ever sell ...

Nikon 50mm 1.2 ais - because it's like two lenses in one, a practical day to day lens from f2 up and a dreamy soft lovely thing wider
Summarit 50mm 1.2 - I just like the way it glows and renders wide open, and again is a very useable lens day to day when stopped down
Voigtlander 35mm 1.4 nokton classic - I know these things divide opinion, but I bloody love mine! For me it just works and has a wonderful character.

Another two on the list of won't sell (certainly any time soon) are:
I have a Meyer 100mm trioplan that I really like to, just can't find a camera I like to go on the back of.
Same goes for my angenieux 28mm 3.5 rii, great character, but I just can't get on with any of the exakta mount cameras I have tried.

I like a lens with a bit of character to it ... 🙂
 
Like older lenses. Not in any order

35 Summilux ver 1
35 Summicron 8 ele
35 Nikon 1.8 ltm
105 Nikon S 2.5
85 Nikon 1.4 AIS
 
In 35mm...well, must be the lenses I either still have or dearly miss.

1) Contax Zeiss G 21mm f/2.8mm
2) Zeiss ZM Sonnar ZM 50mm f/1.5mm (the only reason I still have an M)
3) the lens in the T3 - "Sonnar" 35mm f/2.8, my favourite 35mm lens.

I like the Planar G 2/45mm and Biogons ZMs too, but but the three on top are just that, my (135 format) top-lenses.
 
Zuiko 50mm/1.8 OM mount
SMC Pentax 50mm/1.4 K mount, no M, A, etc.
Nikkor 105mm/2.8 Micro F mount, AIS, I think.

Voigtlander Heliar 50/3.5 collapsable, LTM
 
It's hard to come up with 5 lenses in 35mm, since I don't use that many regularly! If I had to choose though:

-MS-Optical 50mm F1.1 Sonnetar
-Hexar AF 35mm F2
-Olympus OM 50mm F1.8 MC
-Olympus OM 24mm F2.8
-Nikon 50mm F2 Nikkor-H
 
In 35mm, not in any particular order. I shoot with at least one of these lenses nearly every day.

40mm Tessar f3.5 on my Rollei 35
CV 50mm F2 Heliar
CV 21mm Skopar f4
Canon 50mm F1.8 ltm
Nikon 50mm f1.4 in F mount from the 60's
 
I can't give an 'all-time' list, because, like anyone, my experience is limited, but these would be my favourites:

G.Zuiko 42/1.7 (Olympus 35SP)
Minotar 35/2.8 (Minox 35GT)
Zuiko 40/2
Sonnar 50/1.5
Jupiter 12 35/2.8
 
Greyscale said:
Yashica Auto Yashinon DX 50/1.7
Yashica Auto Yashinon 50/1.8
Canon FD 50/3.5 Macro
Minolta PG Rokkor 50/1.4
Vivitar Auto-wide 28.2.5
Click to expand...

The Yashinon lenses have better quality than their reputation. I wouldn't give up my 50 f/1.7 which can still be used on one of my TL Electro X cameras.

But it was supplanted by:
Fujinon 50 f/1.4
Fujinon 28 f/3/5
Fujinon 135 f/3.5
Vivitar TX 24 f/2.8 with Fuji TX mount (I like wide and couldn't find/afford the Fujinon 24mm)
Spriatone 18 f/3.5 It is the widest lens I've ever owned, and all I could afford when I got it. My copy is quite good. Again, I couldn't find/afford the Fujinon 19mm.

I know the OP said five only, but others have deviated. Mine was destroyed in a house fire, but the only other long lens I have ever liked was my Sigma 600mm cat in M42 mount. I didn't use it as often as the others, but when it was time, I really liked using that lens.

I agree with Chris, nice to see this old thread revived.
 
Five lenses I won't sell

Summitar
Summilux 35 v1
OM 250/2
OM 100/2
85/1.4 AFD

If only I could sneak a TTH 2inch f2 in the list for colour work.
and a shame the OM's don't get used much these days.
 
I don't know about the five best 35mm lenses because this could be easily divided into categories of lens mount and focal lenght, but I'll try. This is just a list of lenses I've owned and used extensively enough to love the way they draw.

21mm f/3.4 Super angulon
50mm f/2 DR Summicron
50mm f/1.4 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar
35mm UC Hexanon
10.5cm f/2.5 Nikkor

There are other truly great lenses in 35mm format which I've not had enough experience with but certainly belong on this list.

Phil Forrest
 
Current favorites in order...

Leica 35mm f2.0 Summicron ver. 1 (8-element)
Leica 50mm f2.0 Summicron (curent)
Leica 35mm f2.8 Summaron (M2 version)
Leica 75mm f1.4 Summilux
Minolta 40mm f2.0 M-Rokkor (CLE)
 
It is hard to limit it to five, but I would say:

21/3.4 SA-M
50 lux type 2 M
90 cron type 2 M
35/2.8 CJZ Flektogon (Exakta)
75/1.5 CJZ Biotar (Exakta)

Matt
 
Here is my 5 favorite lens list:

Konica Hexanon 60mm f1.2 in ltm
Konica uc-Hexanon 35mm f2 in ltm
Leica Summilux 35mm f1.4
W-Nikkor 35mm f1.8
Prominent Nokton 50mm f1.5
 
Nikon 105mm f/2 DC
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 in F mount
Mamiya 7 80mm f/4
Schneider Xenotar 80mm f/2.8
Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4

Sold all but the last two...
 
mbf4755 said:
It is hard to limit it to five, but I would say:

21/3.4 SA-M
50 lux type 2 M
90 cron type 2 M
35/2.8 CJZ Flektogon (Exakta)
75/1.5 CJZ Biotar (Exakta)

Matt
Click to expand...

I'm surprised. I went through all the replies on this thread and found each of my favorites named at least one other time.
 
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