Fast, wide, (affordable, ha) M or LTM options?

[grapejohnson]

After buying a 28mm f2 lens in FD mount for my Canon SLR, I've had wide-angle fever. My R3A is in Japan right now getting its viewfinder glass replaced, but I ought to have my tax return by the time it comes back, and I'm weighing options on a 28mm lens. Ideally I'd like something in the $600 range, but I understand that's pretty unreasonable. I don't want anything slower than 2.8 simply because I know I'll never use it. (I have a 50 3.5 and I never use it.) I don't mind pushing/pulling film but would rather have a faster option. What can you guys recommend?

 

[crispy12]

You can try the Voigtlander options, which include the older 28/1.9 and the newer 28/2 Ultron. Both weigh in around your price range.

In terms of older lenses there is the Konica Hexanon 28/2.8 which is supposed to be a copy of the pre-aspherical Leica 28/2.8 elmarit, around $700 if you can find one. Most copies I've seen are plagued by haze issues.

 

[sparrow6224]

Voigtlander Cosina -- aka VC -- has a new 21/1.8 that costs about $1000, I think. The Zeiss 21/2.8 is considered the best in its class; I don't know what they're going for used, but more than $600 I'd wager. Zeiss also has a 25/2.8 and that might be a little less; also considered outstanding. Except for the new VC I'm talking used prices here; all teh lenses in question are M mounts. You can find old Elmarit 28/2.8's for less than a thousand as well (I think I just saw on Fred Miranda for $700? Or am I having a senior moment?). That exhausts my knowledge of "affordable" wides at f/2.8 or under. You might want to just put your head down and save your pfennigs for the Summicron 28/2 or the Summilux 24/1.4. You could sell your car.

 

[Brian Legge]

If you can make do with 35mm, the VC 35mm 1.4 occasionally goes for ~$400. Hard to beat on the for the speed unless you want to go to 50mm.

 

[grapejohnson]

You can try the Voigtlander options, which include the older 28/1.9 and the newer 28/2 Ultron. Both weigh in around your price range.

Thanks for all the replies - I am currently considering the Ultron as the best option so far. Only thing that sucks is that I'll need a viewfinder to go with it since I have an R3A, but we all know they make your camera look way cooler.

 

[randolph45]

Use your FD28 with Canon B adaptor mated to ltm to m adaptor. Of course it's not rangefinder coupled,but it will work.
I have been using FD 24/2.8 and the above setup with good results on my M6 and RD-1.

The couplers should be no more then 150$ or less.🙂🙂

 

[grapejohnson]

Use your FD28 with Canon B adaptor mated to ltm to m adaptor. Of course it's not rangefinder coupled,but it will work.
I have been using FD 24/2.8 and the above setup with good results on my M6 and RD-1.

The couplers should be no more then 150$ or less.🙂🙂

this is very intriguing, since so much is generally in focus with a 28mm lens, but wouldn't the focal length change?
do you have any examples with the m6? you might have just saved me a ton of money.

 

[splitimageview]

http://www.getdpi.com/forum/gear-fs-wtb/43150-28mm-f-3-5-avenon-leica-thread-mount-viewfinder.html

 

[randolph45]

cant find my m pictures

cant find my m pictures

this is very intriguing, since so much is generally in focus with a 28mm lens, but wouldn't the focal length change?
do you have any examples with the m6? you might have just saved me a ton of money.

I can't find my M6 with the 24mm but here are two from Epson RD-1 with that set up. These where shot late in the day as part of a panoramic set.The left one is 19mmCanon FL and the right one is the 24mmCanon FD 2.8. I picked up two dust specs on the sensor as you can see on the 24's image🙁
I have to finish a roll in the M6 so will try to go out this week an finish with the 24.

Raid does have some shots using Canon B adapter You might ask him🙂

Larger images on flicker
http://www.flickr.com/photos/randolph45/8386176216/sizes/l/in/photostream/

 

[ottluuk]

Using an uncoupled adapter to put an f/2 wide angle on an M doesn't make much sense to me as far as speed is concerned. It's going to be pretty hard to consistently scale focus it wide open - you'll get lots of 'almost in focus but not quite', especially in low light, which, among other things, makes distance assessment harder. You also lose the advantages of non-retrofocus wides (compact, ~distortion free) if you go with an SLR lens.

My advice is to get one of the various 28/2.8 designs. Most people can hand-hold a rangefinder a bit better than an SLR. One stop advantage is commonly reported, some claim two. So, from the hand-holding angle, a 28/2.8 on a rangefinder might be as effective or better than a 28/2 on an SLR. Canon 28/2.8 LTM has a good reputation and is not overly expensive.

Another way to get 28mm-equivalent angle of view coupled with f/1.9 and excellent handholding capability is the Ricoh GRD-III or IV. If you can tolerate them being digital, they are great. In fact, this is my own strategy ATM. I really liked using my little EF 28/2.8 on EOS film bodies. But I no longer drag them along and no desirable alternative for APS-C seemed to appear. So the GRD fills both the need for a pocket camera and the missing 28mm-equiv. lens in my DSLR kit. A Leica-mount 28 would be sweet, but not high priority.

 

[grapejohnson]

Using an uncoupled adapter to put an f/2 wide angle on an M doesn't make much sense to me as far as speed is concerned. It's going to be pretty hard to consistently scale focus it wide open - you'll get lots of 'almost in focus but not quite', especially in low light, which, among other things, makes distance assessment harder. You also lose the advantages of non-retrofocus wides (compact, ~distortion free) if you go with an SLR lens.

This is a very good point. I was thinking about it last night, and the real advantage to having a rangefinder is its super-accurate RF focusing mechanism. I would be better off 100% of the time having an FD lens on an FD camera. The fact that I can adapt is cool, but I like taking pictures of people primarily, at pretty close distances, and don't shoot infinity much.
As far as getting a new camera, though, I'm gonna pass. I'm back to re-considering the Ultron

 

[N.delaRua]

Well I thinking having an uncouple lens does not matter for more ultra wide lenses like a 15, 18, or 20 mm. I never focus my 20 mm lens with the split screen in my SLR. Usually I'm stopped down, and just guesstimate.

Now a 28 mm I would probably feel comfortable guesstimating distance or scale focusing from about 4.0 and up. Defiantly not at at F/2.

 

[crispy12]

With scale focusing you might as well buy the cheapest lens. I find the semi-sharp images as a result from slightly off focusing very annoying, especially if there is an obviously sharp area in the photo that is just off the subject, showing that you missed focus.

The Zeiss 21mm about $900 used at least, but is a very good lens. I just got the Zm28, and I love the focal length but its not as clinically sharp as the 21mm is.