50mm ideas?

[ottluuk]

Hello!

I'm toying with the idea of getting a new 50mm lens. My current M kit is decidedly vintage and obviously cheap - a beater M4 with f/3.5 Summaron, Jupiter-8 and 9cm Elmar. The coming autumn should finally improve my funds a bit, allowing for some improvements. The J-8 is the weak link for me and needs to take a back seat.

There are several things I like about it:
1) compactness
2) very nice look at medium to small apertures
3) focus tab and relatively long focus throw

And some things that are not so nice:
1) too soft at f/2-4
2) no aperture click stops
3) crappy build quality
4) 1m MFD

So, ideally I would like something like this:
1) 50mm f/2 or faster (f/2.8 will do if it's usable wide open)
2) shorter than the regular double gauss types, collapsible?
3) medium contrast but decent sharpness, a 1960's look if you will (B&W only).
4) full stop aperture clicks, equally spaced if possible
5) well built, as in vintage Japanese or better
6) focusses down to 0.7m
7) focus tab, normal focus throw and usable DOF scale
8) sub- €700, preferably less

So, what would come closest? Collapsible Summicron seems to tick a lot of marks, but so would some Japanese Sonnar copies. The 5cm LTM Nikkors? Lots of people swear by the DR Summicron but it's long-nosed and heavy... What else is worth a look?

 

[filmtwit]

50mm f1.8 canon in ltm
50mm f1.4 canon in ltm
50mm f2 Nikkor in ltm
50mm f1.4 nikkor-sc in ltm

 

[venchka]

50mm f1.8 canon in ltm
50mm f1.4 canon in ltm
50mm f2 Nikkor in ltm
50mm f1.4 nikkor-sc in ltm

Get over being so picky about non-image making qualities. It is the photos that matter most.

A good list. The Canon 50/1.8 was my first ever rangefinder lens. A wonderful lens. The Nikkor 50mm/1.4 was my second rangefinder lens. Still have it. Another wonderful lens.
Last, and probably first compared to the two above: The 50mm Dual Range Summicron. If you can find one in mint condition like I did, it is a STUNNING lens. A Dual Range Summicron should be within your budget. Worth exceeding your budget a bit.

Good luck.

Wayne

 

[Moriturii]

Collapsible Summicron.

 

[ottluuk]

Get over being so picky about non-image making qualities. It is the photos that matter most.
----

Good luck.

Wayne

Yeah, maybe I'm picky but bad ergonomics lead to missed photographs in my experience. The lack of decent click stops has cost me a few by not being able to set aperture quickly in poor light. And conversely, the focus tab saved a few because I could set the lens roughly to hyperfocal distance by feel, without looking at the scale.

I'm somewhat curious about the 5cm f/2 Nikkor because it should be pretty much the same shape and size as the J-8 and with a similar Sonnar signature - but is it any sharper at large apertures?

 

[healyzh]

I'm a big fan of the Nikkor-S.c 5cm f/1.4. The one I use was my Grandfathers Nikon S mount lens with an Amedeo adapter. Except for the Type 4 Summicron I just bought, it's my best 50mm, and one of the best lenses I use on my M6 TTL and M9.

Of course my J-8 is quite nice as well, though it doesn't focus as accurately as my other 50mm's (2 Summar's (uncoated and coated), 1 Summitar, 2 Nikkor-S.c's, and a Type 4 Summicron).

The Summitar isn't too shabby either. Wide open it has some of the character of the Summar wide open, and stopped down, it gives a fairly respectable image.

 

[ornate_wrasse]

Another vote for the Nikkor SC 50mm f1.4. I just bought this lens in LTM and have developed my first negatives from my first two rolls using it.

It's a great lens. So far, I've used it on my M3 but looking forward to using it on my M6.

Ironically, I bought it on the recommendation of healyzh, otherwise known as Zane, who has posted a few minutes before me in this thread.

Ellen

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

I recommend the Summicron. I think it's the ideal partner for the M4 and you should be able to get it for well under your budget. Mine was heavily used, when I got it about eight years ago but the mechanics and glass was and is very good. I paid £350 from a relatively expensive dealer (about €500 at current exchange rates).

 

[icebear]

If you want to put something Japanese built in front of your M4, then for good measure give this one a try : 2/50 Planar. If you don't like it you can sell it w/o too much of a loss, I'm sure. You will be stunned - it might be too contrasty for you though. Worth a thought in my book.

[ 3) medium contrast but decent sharpness, a 1960's look if you will (B&W only). ]

 

[pb908]

i believe you get bad copy of J8. I have mine, snap a portrait picture of my friend at around 3m distance, wide open, with rd1 (6mp), and pixel peeping it shows me how sharp is a good J8 can be.

a nikkor 50mm f2 ltm fit perfectly your requirement unless for full aperture click.
It is a sonnar design. Close focus up to 1.5feet. Brass body, vintage look. Cost half of collapsible cron !

 

[Jani_from_Finland]

There is some great Leica gear for sale on our Finnish forum kameralaukku.com
Take a look if you want to.
At least one ZM 50/2, Hexanon 35/2, Summicron's, elmar's etc.

 

[dedmonds]

I'm a big fan of the Canon 50/1.5. It's my favorite 50. I have the DR Summicron (great lens!), but don't find myself using it much because they are similar at f/2.0 and the Canon is smaller and gives me almost another stop.

 

[imush]

I would add to the list CV Heliar 50/2 (the semicollapsible one). Sonnar 50/1.5 too, but it may be too large physically.

 

[back alley]

where does the canon 50/1.4 stand on the list?

 

[V-12]

where does the canon 50/1.4 stand on the list?

I would have thought it stands as being rather large to fulfill the requirement of a compact lens.

For a compact 50mm you could look at the 50mm Elmar-M, slower than the collapsible Summicron, but better IQ, or the CV 50mm Skopar which may also be within your price bracket.

 

[astro8]

I've had nice clean copies of Canon 50/1.4, Nikkor 5cm/2, Elmar 50/3.5.

I sold them off after trying a 50 rigid summicron.

The summicron is in a different league...at least to my eye.

 

[Jockos]

Problem with the coll. 'cron though is that 1m MFD. I'm going to buy another one when I get funds anyways, because it's the only lens I regrett selling. I suggest you try it out, won't be any problems punting it on if it doesn't suit you.

 

[back alley]

I would have thought it stands as being rather large to fulfill the requirement of a compact lens.

For a compact 50mm you could look at the 50mm Elmar-M, slower than the collapsible Summicron, but better IQ, or the CV 50mm Skopar which may also be within your price bracket.

actually, it's on the small side...the 1.2 is large...

 

[alexnotalex]

My 50mm story... I had an LTM nikkor f2, and a canon f1.8, currently shooting with a rigid cron. All are great lenses with a vintage feel.

The Nikkor was the smallest and lightest, shortest MFD. Terrific at f2.8, not so great at f2 - maybe it was just my copy though. Some focus shift wide open. No click stops.

Personally I'm happiest with my rigid summicron, (like astro8) but that's maybe just a phase...

The 1969 cron has a shorter MFD than the rigid, although several people recommended the rigid over the '69 for BW work.

lucky this is subjective, so we're all right 🙂

good luck and have fun shooting!
Alex

 

[taskoni]

If you want to shoot Leica you go for the glass as much as for the camera. The camera won't give you a Leica look itself.
DR Smmicron is the 50.

Regards,

Boris