Can you recommend a 75mm lens?

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Kiyatkin

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I am pretty new to this and I was looking for a 75mm M mount lens. I looked at 75mm Summicron, but $3000+ used price tag s very prohibitive. Only other option seems to be the VC 75mm 2.5. Anything I am missing?
Thanks, Dmitry
 
75 summilux. Out of production and pretty pricey. I haven't looked at prices much lately, but probably in the $2,200-$2500 range.

And then there is the new CV 75/1.8. We are all (or at least many of us) eagerly awaiting its arrival.
 
VC 75/2.5, VC 75/1.8, Summarit 75/2.5, Summicron 75/2, Summilux 75/1.4, Hektor 73/1.9, Komura 80/1.8 (for me still counts as a 75 ...).

They are all good, with the Hektor and Komura being more specialized portrait lenses. I myself have and can recommend the Summilux and Komura. I've used the VC 75/2.5 as well and it's very good.

While a bunch of people will tell me I'm wrong, in practical use with a 35, I don't find 75, 85 or 90 very different. For 85 and 90 there are many more options.
 
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75mm Summarit. It has an f2.5. It is very sharp and IMHO very good color rendition. Google Puts' review of the lens. Portraits are very subjective. Do you need the faster lens?
 
Thanks. I am worried about the "soft" at 1.8 of the new CV 75/1.8, but I guess we do not yet know what that means... I did forget about the summarit - any samples around here with that lens?
 
Depending on your budget and what you intend to use it for (portrait, landscape, all-around long normal), there are plenty of alternatives available.
75f2 Apo Asph: Sharp, Oh so sharp, and good down to 0.7 meters - but mega bucks!
75f1.4 Summilux: A "long" Noctlilux type of lens. Big, finicky (usually requires the camera to be matched to it for consistent result). Out of production so prices are getting up there - probably $1700 and up.
75f2.5 Summarit: Good lens, very nice handling lens too. Sharp at f2.5, though not Summicron Asph sharp. Expensive for a new one, I think around $1500-1700 though I haven't checked prices lately.
Heliar 75f2.5: small, compact and actually very good. Wide open it has slight softness - typical of the Heliar design. Not unsharp, just a softer look. Good travel lens as it will comfortably fit in a pocket. It is a screw-mount lens so you need to add an adapter. Usually can be had for $300 + adapter. Not a bad lens to start with if you want to try out 75 as a second lens.
Heliar 75f1.8: Brand new lens - available later this month. I have a pre-production sample and I am quite impressed with it. Similar quality wide open as the Heliar 75f2.5 - but slightly sharper even @ 1.8. Bigger than the 75f2.5 - but I find it very comfortable to work with.
Odd ones: Canon's 85/1.5 and 1.9 - older designs and they are probably best suited for portraits. Lower contrast than the modern lenses - which is not all bad, as it can give a unique color rendition - and makes bl/w more pleasing.
Nikkor 85f2 in LTM: Really good lens, slightly soft contrast at f2 (great portrait lens) - chrome ones are HEAVY (as is the Canon lenses!). The black, lighter version, is more expensive - almost on par with the Heliar 75f1.8.

Plenty of choices - enjoy the process.
In cases like this, always check on Flickr for what these lenses can do. Not perfect as the files are small, but it does give you an idea as to color and things like flare/contrast etc.
 
I like my 75mm f2.5 Voightlander lens. Makes lovely images. It would be a good place to start to see if you really like the 75mm length. I don't use it much but I think I like the 75mm length better than my 90mm Summicron. Joe
 
I have the Leica Summicron and it's the only 75 I've ever used. Terrific lens; small, short focus throw, 0.7M closest focus, and a lens hood that actually works. Very sharp with good contrast it provides outstanding image quality and is great for the street with a 35. All you need really.
 
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75mm at 1.4
 
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