Close alternatives to 40mm Summicron?

[ra1nforest]

Hello friends,

I recently purchased an M3, and have been searching for a suitable lens to go with it. As I have a limited budget and prefer to stick to a 1 camera 1 lens combination, I hope your help rendered would enable me to correctly choose and purchase the lens of my choice.

I really enjoy the look of a Summicron 40mm, but am not entirely sure if it's advisable to have it mounted on my m3. Thus, I were thinking if there were any 50mm lenses that came close to it.

I personally shoot entirely in B&W, and do a lot of darkroom work. I am inclined towards less-clinical, warmer looking pictures with lush tones, and a less harsh rendition of details. Some of the "looks" I'm seeking can be seen here:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/2931787028_ed8d866042_b.jpg
credits to vandicla of flickr.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=28670
credits to terrafirmanada

Any advice, recommendations is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Goldorak]

I will recommend you the cheap 40mm summicron.

Why ask for an alternative when the original one is cheap, is hard to beat... and is the reference?

 

[ra1nforest]

I will recommend you the cheap 40mm summicron.

Why ask for an alternative when the original one is cheap, is hard to beat... and is the reference?

I think my main concern is the lack of 40mm framelines and the mounting.

Could you advise on how I could possibly mount the 40 on an M-mount?

 

[paachi]

ra1nforest,

i have a 40mm summicron and it works beautifully on my r-d1 and m2. on the r-d1 the 35 framelines match it perfectly. on the m2 you need to guess the coverage.

regards,
prashant.

 

[FPjohn]

Hello Rainforest:

The Summicron c fits the M mount of a M3 without problems. The outer edges of the 50mm bright lines roughly correspond to the coverage, at least IME.

The lens is a bargin - others may wish to comment, especially on ease of estimating actual coverage.

yours
FPJ

 

[WoolenMammoth]

the cron-c is one of my all time favorite lenses. the 40mm coverage fills the m3 finder, but its kinda hard to approximate it for me on a 3, its much easier to do on a 4 or a 2 where you can flip between the 35 and 50 lines. Anyway, the closest look I have found is the 50 cron from the same era, the black tabless cron. This however is a FAR superior lens wide open, but it does have a similar finger print. There really isnt anything like the cron c though. In 35, the v4 is close but resolves finer and lacks the brute thickness that the cron c has, they look similar but its definitely has a more delicate look to it. If you are totally married to the 40 c, my best advice would be to get a CL and be done with it, thats what I did and that worked so exceptionally well for me. A CL is not an M3 though. If you havent gotten the lens yet, just get the black early 70's 50mm cron. Its a little different than the 40 but its a killer killer lens. Its definitely worth saving up the $400 or so to get. Totally the classic leica look, or at least whatever that is for me. This lens is fabulous for portraits wide open and the contrast comes up nicely when you stop it down. Its also really small. It was my first lens transitioning away from a year or so using the 40 exclusively and I think thats a real easy step stone. Im sure others will offer lots of advice as well. If you are budget budget there are other options, you can try to find a summitar in M mount, which are somewhat common and usually under $200, they have a similar kind of contrast to the 40 c however a bit of a different look to them.

 

[Ken Ford]

I rarely use my 40 Summicron on my M6 any more - it's such a great combination with my M3! Really, it's a match made in heaven.

 

[Gadge]

I would go with a Leica 50mm summicron rigid.

It will give everything you need at a great price.
You will not be disappointed but use a hood with it.

Great B+W lens with amazing build quality.
Plus you have the right framing for it and it will look great on the M3.

My mind is made up....Is yours now 🙂

Gadge

 

[Paul T.]

I use the 40mm regularly with an M3. I've done various experiments checking the M3's whole viewfinder against the CL's 40mm frames and it's pretty damn close. That lens is such a bargain, and gives such lovely results, it's a no-brainer to me...

 

[Gadge]

<Could you advise on how I could possibly mount the 40 on an M-mount?>

Lets give you a clear answer....

The 40mm Summicron-C is an M mount lens so it is 100% mount compatible with any M mount camera inc M3.

The M3 does not have 40mm frames but apparently you can approximate it using the whole viewfinder.

The 40mm cron-C was not regarded as compatible by Leica on anything other than a Leica CL due to focusing cam differences but in practise this has not been found to be a problem by any users that I am aware of.

I still think you would be better served using a 50mm rigid though 🙂

Gadge

 

[WoolenMammoth]

I still think you would be better served using a 50mm rigid though 🙂

If you are talking about the first version rigid from the 50's, if the guy is expecting 40c images and gets a first version rigid he's just going to be aggrivated. They share the same name, thats about it. Very very different lenses. The black second rigid looks closest to the 40c from the late 60's early 70's. since we are being clear.

 

[Graybeard]

The 40mm Summicron is a fine lens to have and to use. An M3 with the 40mm Summicron makes a compact package that easily fits into a coat pocket - that alone, IMHO, is sufficient reason to use the lens.

The entire M3 finder is a good approximation to the field of the 40mm lens or just use the 50mm lines and frame your image tightly. (I've read that the entire viewfinder field corresponds to a 38mm lens).


If you shoot B&W and do your own printing, or make have a lab make enlargements from color negatives, the lack of explicit 40mm frame lines isn't much of an issue. You'll be cropping in the darkroom anyhow.