Are there any financially viable options of lenses in 40mm range

[Santtu Määttänen]

I wonder if anyone would now if there would be any viable lenses in about 40~45mm range? In contax/kiev mount of course 🙂 Something bit more affordable then Biotar 42mm which seem to fetch a hefty sum. Something French? Something Russian? Something actually available and not an unicorn hunt.

I've been on a look out for affordable biotar for almost two years now. All have been in way over 1k range.. And since I'm looking for a user lens, not a pretty thing for the cabinet, that's bit hefty for me. For those prices I could add one more pro lens for my dslr kit which actually makes money not only eats it.

 

[ForestCap]

Just the 40mm viewfinder(s) alone would cost a fortune.

I don't know anything else in contax/kiev mount with ~40mm.
Olympus has an LTM lens that is 40mm, but also rare and expensive.

I've settled with Yashica Electro 35 GX when I need 40mm. Excellent lens.

EDIT: Can't resist to post one example shot from the GX. Auto Level-ed to fix the tonal range, otherwise SOOC.

A Wrecked Car by X. Yang, 於 Flickr

I too like the FOV of 40mm lens.

 

[raid]

The Summicron-C 40/2 is not too costly, but is superb. Same goes for the Rokkor 40/2 M.
Get instead a CV 35mm lens.

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

There's no lack of 40mm lenses in other mounts 🙂 I have one for Nikon F, few compacts with that focal length, like my all time favourite and first camera I ever owned Olympus 35RC. But would love to find one for Contax / Kiev use (Contax IIa / Kiev 4a). It's the focal length I grew on and used pretty much exclusively for years when I started photography. Simply suites my vision better then either 50 or 35. Besides I feel it's more natural.

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

The Summicron-C 40/2 is not too costly, but is superb. Same goes for the Rokkor 40/2 M.
Get instead a CV 35mm lens.

Wrong mount, other then that, those would be nice 🙂

 

[raid]

I just noticed it. Contax mount lenses are not as popular anymore. There is the J-12 as a 35mm lens.

 

[aoresteen]

You will have to get a 35mm lens and crop to a 40mm view. Not the best solution.

The Biotar is a Glass Case Lens. No longer used to make photos. Shame.

The Head Bartender has a few Voigtlander 35/2.5 SC Skopar lenses that will work if you don't have a 35mm lens yet. I have the 25mm VC and it's outstanding. If you don't have a 35mm lens grab it.

I'd buy one but I have the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 that came with my SP 2005.

Good luck!

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

I do have a rather nice Jupiter-12. But if I'm going to be using the 35 as 40 by cropping, then I most likely have to hunt for a lens that has better resolution then my J-12. It might be an other J-12, or Voigtlander, or something different.

Thanks all. But I need to keep my eyes open 🙂 There seem to be some 40mm french lenses as well as some prototype lenses in that focal length. But with out good idea about their quality and with non-existing availability, they could be a hit or miss..

 

[Luis]

"Olympus has an LTM lens that is 40mm, but also rare and expensive."
Actually, it's not LTM (Leica thread mount), but Olympus OM mount.

 

[f16sunshine]

I love 40mm also. You should simply get what you want. (Biotar).
It's safe to buy it as there are fewer lenses than buyers.
Otherwise just grab a M rokkor 40mm and a CL body.
A Yashica GX also has a wonderful little 40mm on it.
It's a surprisingly good performer.

Cheers

 

[ForestCap]

http://forum.mflenses.com/olympus-zuiko-c-4cm-f-2-8-m39-t68951.html I meant this one.

"Olympus has an LTM lens that is 40mm, but also rare and expensive."
Actually, it's not LTM (Leica thread mount), but Olympus OM mount.

 

[tyrone.s]

I would seem that the only financially viable option on Contax ll would be to buy a CV 35 from the bartender which would presumably have enough resolution to be able to be cropped to 4cm equivalent. But obviously not optimal.

Otherwise, and I'm thinking out loud here, would it be possible to convert a 40mm compact camera lens like one of the Yashica's or similar, to Contax mount? Specifically I'm assuming that a 40mm optical unit would mount into the internal focusing system of the Contax and could possibly use a junk FSU lens mount as it's basis. That should be doable for under a thousand bucks? Mad scientist territory I guess.

 

[raid]

Pentax makes the awesome 43mm 1.9 ltm lens.

 

[Luis]

Nukecoke: My mistake, clearly. This one is even rarer than the OM mount.

 

[ForestCap]

I would seem that the only financially viable option on Contax ll would be to buy a CV 35 from the bartender which would presumably have enough resolution to be able to be cropped to 4cm equivalent. But obviously not optimal.

Otherwise, and I'm thinking out loud here, would it be possible to convert a 40mm compact camera lens like one of the Yashica's or similar, to Contax mount? Specifically I'm assuming that a 40mm optical unit would mount into the internal focusing system of the Contax and could possibly use a junk FSU lens mount as it's basis. That should be doable for under a thousand bucks? Mad scientist territory I guess.

There are quite some people in China adapting (irreversibly) various yashica electro 35 lenses to NEX mount and sell them on Taobao. Judging from the looks of the adapted lenses, the focal flanges of the electro 35s are not far from LTM lenses', which is shorter than kiev/contax's. This would make "normal" adaptation to kiev/contax impossible to have infinity focus, unless you remove the lens mount on kiev/contax completely and start from scratch, or 3D print a new lens body that allows the glasses to sit deep inside the kiev/contax mount. But then...

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

Adapted lens would be the perfect solution, but also the "insane" one. Finding reliable donor lens, builder, getting it done at the quality level and still managing it cheapish (well cheaper then 4cm Biotar).

I think I'll go with 35mm option, next question is which one. Nikkor-W vs Voigtlander vs ??? Which one to give good resolution (cropping in mind, I'm no resolution nerd) and nice over all performance. While still being relatively compact.

 

[tyrone.s]

Adapted lens would be the perfect solution, but also the "insane" one. Finding reliable donor lens, builder, getting it done at the quality level and still managing it cheapish (well cheaper then 4cm Biotar).

I think I'll go with 35mm option, next question is which one. Nikkor-W vs Voigtlander vs ??? Which one to give good resolution (cropping in mind, I'm no resolution nerd) and nice over all performance. While still being relatively compact.

If the performance of the Voigtlander is anything like the much bigger Ultron 35 1.7 ltm (when its stopped down) that I have I would think the much smaller Nikon/Contax 2.5 would be an excellent candidate. Brand new. I would imagine its resolution would be plenty good enough to crop to 40mm equivalent.

 

[aoresteen]

....

I think I'll go with 35mm option, next question is which one. Nikkor-W vs Voigtlander vs ??? Which one to give good resolution (cropping in mind, I'm no resolution nerd) and nice over all performance. While still being relatively compact.

The Voigtlander will set you back $450:

http://shop.cameraquest.com/voigtlander-nikon-contax-rangefinder-lenses/

A Nikkor 35mm RF lens will run from $250 to $900 depending on age & condition. I've only used the 2005 35mm f/1.8 Nikkor - it's a gem.

The 35mm f/2.5 Nikkor is compact. Other will have the chime in on how it performs.

Good luck!