Daylight 50?

[Hern]

This might seem weird, but I'm looking for a lens which performs well around the f5.6 to f8 range, with ample tonal range and low contrast.

I tried the Zeiss Planar and the Collapsible Summicron, but the Planar was too contrasty and the Cron glowed like crazy.

I think the closest I have come to a lens that meets the requirements is the old 50 2.8 Elmar, and I might go for that again, but I'd like to hear your opinions on other lenses I may have missed out on.

Thanks!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I've had collapsible Cron which was CLA'd. It was awesome on 5.6 and 8.
If ample means wide and it is for bw, clean Summar is low contrast and wide tonal range. Or Elmar 50 3.5. Shimmed Jupiter-8 white is also in this category.

 

[Bille]

This might seem weird, but I'm looking for a lens which performs well around the f5.6 to f8 range, with ample tonal range and low contrast.

I cant think of a 50mm lens that is "dull" at f8. They are all fine.
Are you talking about film or digital?

 

[Huss]

voigtlander 50 2.5

 

[sepiareverb]

If fim, summicron v4. You can easily develop toy your desired tonality.

If digital, summicron v4. You can easily proces to your desired tonality.

 

[WJJ3]

+1 for the 50mm f2.8 Elmar V1. It has great performance, the size is wonderful, it takes 39mm filters which is a plus in my book, handling is fine, killer build with classic Leica quality...

 

[bayernfan]

your collapsible cron sounds like it had issues. i've been testing a recently acquired LTM version and by f/5.6 there's no glow.

let me know if you'd like to see some sample images on a ricoh gxr.

 

[agoglanian]

I tried the Voigtlander Color Skopar and really enjoyed it, but I also really wanted to try out the Elmar-M II so I have that on the way to me presently.

 

[coelacanth]

My all time fav is Elmar-M 50 (1990s version). Contrast is more than classic lens, but lower than other modern Summicrons and ASPH lenses. Very nice tonality, very quick to focus, and very light as well. Also the Elmar-M can get as close as 0.7m to subject, and front element won't rotate with focusing so it's much quicker/easier to change aperture setting compared to older Elmars.

 

[Hern]

Thanks for the replies!

I shoot on black and white film (FP4+), so I'm not much concerned about color performance of the lens, I look for quite low contrast even in midday with strong sunlight like in the sample picture here.

Reflections by herniumhern, on Flickr

But my Collapsible is blowing out the whites very harshly even shot at f8, while the rest of the image looks properly exposed.

Image 1 (18)-1 by herniumhern, on Flickr

Maybe I'll have the Collapsible returned under warranty.

 

[jaapv]

Umm..I'm not convinced that exposure problems are an issue on which a guaranty claim can be based. Blown highlights are pilot error, plain and simple.
The image you show is clearly overexposed, the dark figure in the foreground misleading the exposure meter.

 

[Hern]

I do agree that image was overall overexposed, but the lens does have an overall tendency to pickup any whites or highlights and cause them to glow, while I'm mostly looking for a lens that can retain them as flat whites.

 

[bayernfan]

modifying your development process might be something worth looking into. also agree those images look overexposed by at least 1/2 stop.

 

[TRIago]

Rigid Summicron. Low contrast, low distortion, sharp as hell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[john_s]

A stop more exposure and 20% less development time tames contrast very nicely for some subjects. I find it a useful control.

 

[Daryl J.]

How does one get a collapsible Summicron with a warranty?

 

[WJJ3]

How does one get a collapsible Summicron with a warranty?

http://www.kantocamera.com/sale/leica/lens/l00366.html

 

[Daryl J.]

Thank you!