Best budget 35mm lens in 2018?

Hey all, just wanted to say thanks for all the responses - loving this forum and the members in it already. After a bunch of searching, I was able to track down a M2 version Summaron 2.8 for $650! After I put some rolls through that with my new M6, I'll be sure to post back some pics here for you all to see!

I also hope that any new hopeful RF enthusiast finds this thread useful - I know I have!

Well done! $650 is different to $300, but I must say that it is money well spent. If you look carefully at the images taken by then Summaron 35/2.8 when you develop them and have them on your screen, you will see a particular tonal rendering. For black and white it is beautiful. Colour is very good too, some times no so far from the current high contrast lenses. I hope you enjoy it. It is a special lens.

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Near the Obelisk - Robe, South Australia
Leica M3, Leitz Summaron 35/2.8, 81a Warming Filter, Provia 100F
 
Best budget 35mm lens in 2018?

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I still say CV 35/2.5 Color Skopar PII. Working like a treat on Ektar in Bangladesh recently.
 
Another vote for the Canon 35/1.8. I think a good copy could be found for under $400. Never owned the Canon 35/2 but have owned the 35/2.8 (both black and chrome) and feel the 35/1.8 is similar in sharpness /rendering at equivalent f-stops, but with the extra bonus of that wide-open glow.

I owned the CV 35/2.5 and couldn't stand it. Sorry. It was just too clinical and flat-looking for me. My opinion might have been different if I had shot it with color negative.

Nikkor 35/2.5 is excellent but seems to be getting hard to find at a reasonable price in LTM.

I had a Jupiter-12 (black/later version) and took some great photos with it, but it was such a pain with the aperture ring inside the barrel, I quickly got rid of it.

I used to own the Summaron 2.8 and it was excellent. That was years ago when they were cheap(er). I've wanted to replace it but can't stomach the prices these days.

I'm curious about this new 7artisans 35/2. Does anyone know if the Sonnar design has ever been employed in a wide angle prior to this?
 
35 ultron VM is very good, slightly longer but still light weight. I think the newer VM version is better, but the ltm version is a good lens, and cheaper.

This one was shot at 1.7
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For a budget lens, I'd go with either the 35/2.5 Color Skopar plus adapter, or else the 35/2.8 Biogon. I'd avoid lenses that were never meant to go on a Leica: You wouldn't get the real Leica experience.
 
I have a Jupiter 12 for a small fleet of thread mount and M mount bodies. It is a very sharp lens but will flare very easily. This lens works best with black and white film on overcast days. I would like to have a lens hood in an effort to reduce the flare.
 
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