CV 35mm...which one?

[gabrielelopez]

Mmmm. I gently disagree. What I love of my bessa with the 35 "c" on is that if perfectly fits in my little hip-bag, even being confortable in...that means that it cames everywhere with me, differently from my FM2 that stays home everytime I'm not sure that I'll use it.
After all, is always lens size that makes a camera bigger or smaller, 9 times on 10.
Just personal, I always loved pancake lenses for this reason, collapsible too. 🙂

 

[rover]

More than anything else I think it is a confidence issue. If you have a tool you are comfortable with, regardless of the size, you will be more comfortable and better able to take the picture you want to.

djon and I may not agree about the specifics, but that doesn't mean that either of us are correct, we just have different opinions.

 

[Fred]

I use the Ultron and can honestly say that its a real cracker. I got it after following a similar line of thought, size v speed etc. The crunch for me was the favourable comparison to the pre-asph Leica Sumicron. It's not that big when fitted to an M in black. I've also used a 28 Skopar which really is tiny, not a lot of difference from an other person noticing you, the main bulk is still the camera body.

Which one you get you can be sure of very good results. Might be worth noting that both the Ultron and the Classic include a very neat lens hood as standard (the filters live inside), the new Pancake does not although this 'M' mount already and would not need an adapter.

 

[djon]

...re: discrete/size

Yes, good points. However my personal goal is to carry the camera discretely and casually, but use it openly (for the most part). That's not everybody's trip!

I'm trying to develop the self-confidence to walk up to people and ask if I may photograph them, getting their address and promising them a print. FAR from "street photography" or "candid." I'm not interested in "irony" or coincidence, I'm interested in learning how to make and depict these relationships...Avedon did it with an 8X10, so maybe I really shouldn't worry about an extra inch of Ultron 😀

For my purposes a Canon G6 might be perfect, as might any number of point-shoots with film, some with equally good optics, except that a Leica with optical finder is evidently (my experience) interesting/impressive to subjects, it sets me apart from the guys with the huge DSLRs and cellphone cameras :angel:

The formality of the photo relationships I'm after is central to the equation.

On Sunday I visited a growers market with my P and Nokton. All the usual photo ops, but I ignored them. I fell into a discussion with a man who raises "heritage" (antique) tomatoes and other veggies, sells them as plants and builds small greenhouses...a former Marine and early Vietnam vet, complete with boonie hat and Corps badges. So here's this interesting guy...and I did buy tomato plants from him...and we did talk about my Canon P, which he did recognize as a fine and unique camera...but I chose to keep the game more in his court, letting him talk about himself and about plants...and we did a little light jousting about Vietnam (I was a very active Vietnam war resister when he was over there, risking death). I chose not to photograph him, but I will call him back in a week, ask to visit, ask to make his photo when I get there. A guy my age, certainly my personal equal, a man with lots of personal mileage and soul. I want to show him more respect than simply snapping him as a character at a flea market. Therefore camera selection plays a role. I might even use my little Century Graphic (a little bigger than P with Ultron 😎 as easy to carry as a Canon F1 😎 )

 

[kram]

Apart from the M mount the type II color skopar pancake is said to have a new optics. Does anyone know if there is any real world improvement between it an the 'old' type I screw mount lens?

 

[Peter]

I use all the Color Skopar 35mm/2.5 (P, PII and C). I could not tell the difference in terms of sharpness but the PII seems to me to be slightly more contrasty.