Advice - 35mm lens for B&W by selling Canon ltm 35/2 and Summicron DR

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nektar

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I own a Canon ltm 35/2 which is basically glued to my M2 and a nice Summicron DR, which I love, but hardly ever use. Now I'm thinking about selling both and getting a 35mm which unites the best of both.

What I like about the Canon ltm 35/2: Its tiny size, contrast, sharpness, tonality, the mix between "modern" and "old look".
What I don't like about the Canon: Built, no focus tab, bokeh (especially wide open).

What I like about the DR: Build quality, tonality, sharpness, bokeh (if compared to the 35).
What I don't like about the DR: It's 50mm (obviously), no focus tab.

So I am basically looking for a compact 35mm f2 (not 2.8, because I shoot quite a lot low light lately) with focus tab, that is relatively contrasty (like the Canon or the DR), but doesn't have a too modern look.

I should mention that I exclusively shoot B&W film and would like to finance the new lens with what I get for the lenses I presently own.
I was thinking about a Summicron I or IV, but the prices are sky high right now. I guess it all depends on the amount I can get for the lenses I own now.
What do you think?
 
I love the canon 35mm f/2, mainly for its size/sharpness/price ratio. the japanese summicron is awesome little lens.

I assume the CV 35mm f/1.2 (i or ii) is out of the question because its a behemoth?

I really liked the summicron iv with the tab, but it was slightly bigger than the canon and that fit better in my bag. The 35mm summilux pre-asph is so tiny and gives that classic look,but mucho dinero so thats probably not an option.

i would have recommended the biogon but you want 2.0, and that lens is much more pricey and bigger.
 
Perhaps the LTM voigtlander color-skopar 'c' f/2.5. It is a wonderfully made lens, producing excellent images that are 'contrasty' but not 'too modern'...You could get this lens and have plenty of money left over for film.
 
There are some alternatives here: The version III Summicron, better built than the IV but less money.
The Nokton 35f1.4 MC from Voigtlander. A bit bigger but if you do a lot off low-light stuff, that extra stop helps.
My indecisive fall back choice is the 40 f1.4 Nokton and I would go for the SC version for black/white/ File down the "claw" that clicks in the frame-lines so that the M2 shows 35 frame and use the inside of the that frame as a guide line.
You should be able to get a 40/1.4 easily for what a good clean DR Summicron brings and maybe keep the 35 Canon as a back up. It is still a very good lens and the size makes it attractive.
The Summicron vI and IV have gone too high in price for what they are. The vII is a good lens, but the aperture lever is prone to break off or start wobbling.
The Summilux 35 pre-asph is OK, but again, they have reached prices that in no way is indicative of the performance - they are good, but not $1800-2000 good.
 
Thank you all for your input!
I was also thinking about the UC Hexanon, but that also seems out of reach right now. Optically I'm quite satisfied with the Canon (ok, the bokeh is pretty bad, but that's not the most important thing for me)... it's just the built quality and the missing focus tab that's turning me off. I keep struggling to focus quickly.

Hmm, I might just take the advice to keep what I have and decide later, as soon as I have saved some more cash.
 
I was thinking of buying one of the canon 35mm for the exact opposite reason the lack of focus tab, I've never really been a fan of the tabs. I have a pre-asph 35 and wish it didn't have the tab. Whats the focus like on the Canon is it quite quick?
I would hold onto the Canon as the prices are going up all the time.
 
I owned the CV 35/1.4 and I could not have been more dissatisfied. Lacks sharpness,has purple fringing and CA. For me I wouldn't consider it usable until f2.8.
 
Back before the rangefinder resurgence, some people used zip-ties to put a focusing handle on lenses without one. That won't help the bokeh, though.
 
When I talked to Sherry about putting a tab on my Elmar-M, she suggested something similar: use a layer of rubber (rubber band, surgical tubing) underneath a hose clamp of the proper size around the focusing barrel. The hose clamp gives a nice finger purchase, the rubber protects the focusing ring. I never tried it, but it should work even if it looks very ... errrr ... DIY. 🙂

mdarnton said:
Back before the rangefinder resurgence, some people used zip-ties to put a focusing handle on lenses without one. That won't help the bokeh, though.
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