gzisis69
Established
Hi, im thinking after a lot of thought to move to a leica camera and lens. im thinking of a leica m6 and a 50mm lens, cause 50mm is my favorite focal length. Which lens would you suggest ?
Help for the first m lens
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SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
To be honest, any lens you can afford. There are lots to choose from (particularly in that focal length), and a variety of types so you really are spoiled for choices.
What's your budget?
What's your budget?
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Summicron 50 APO or/and 50 ASPH Summilux.
If you are willing to overpay for overpriced M6, you are fine to pay for Leica lens, not leica.
If you are willing to overpay for overpriced M6, you are fine to pay for Leica lens, not leica.
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
any rigid summicron 50
jordan.dickinson
Jordan Dickinson
Not sure what kind of advice this is. If he bought an M6, good for him. Maybe he got a good deal, maybe not. But suggesting some of the most expensive Leica 50's out there with condescension does not really answer the question. Just seems like trolling to me.
to the OP, budget is a major determination here. If your budget allows, and you can find a good 50mm Summicron, it'll be a great lens to add to your M6. I'd go with a rigid or a ver.3 and those can be found for less than $1000 typically. If you can afford higher end Leica lenses, then yes the 50mm Summilux or even APO are amazing, but not necessarily worth the premium paid, especially on film.
Outside of Leica, the Zeiss 50mm f2 Planar is highly praised and can be had used for $600 or so. There are also a lot of Voigtlander and other manufacturers that make terrific lenses, but others may be able to speak more on those.
There really are a TON of options out there these days, so take a look online at sample images and see what you like the look of.
Additionally, keep in mind that some lenses have a closer minimum focus distance, so keep that in mind if you think you'll be needing closer focus.
rulnacco
Well-known
Jordan has given excellent advice in the post right above mine.
If you can afford a Leica lens, I'd go for that. Probably your best choice would be a Summicron version 3 or 4. The V4 is undisputedly one of the best 50s of all time. The V3 is usually a bit cheaper, because it has a reputation (largely undeserved) among some of being a bit "inferior" to other Leica 50s. Many of those who use it sing its praises, and because of its somewhat bad rap, it can often be found cheaper. Unlike the V4, it doesn't have a focusing tab, so you'd have to decide how much that means to you.
The V2 (rigid) is fantastic, but as Jordan mentions, it won't focus closer than 1 meter (modern Leica lenses focus down to 0.7 meters), so you might want to go with something newer.
And if you need to go cheaper--so you can buy loads of film, that's definitely a priority!--the Zeiss Planar 50/2.0 ZM has the reputation of being a genuinely stellar lens optically, if maybe not 100% quite up to the build quality of a Leica. I've seen some truly fantastic work done with that lens. And in the end, the photo is way more important than what's stencilled/engraved on the lens, so I think you'd be totally happy with the Zeiss lens, too--maybe even more so than with a Leica.
If you can afford a Leica lens, I'd go for that. Probably your best choice would be a Summicron version 3 or 4. The V4 is undisputedly one of the best 50s of all time. The V3 is usually a bit cheaper, because it has a reputation (largely undeserved) among some of being a bit "inferior" to other Leica 50s. Many of those who use it sing its praises, and because of its somewhat bad rap, it can often be found cheaper. Unlike the V4, it doesn't have a focusing tab, so you'd have to decide how much that means to you.
The V2 (rigid) is fantastic, but as Jordan mentions, it won't focus closer than 1 meter (modern Leica lenses focus down to 0.7 meters), so you might want to go with something newer.
And if you need to go cheaper--so you can buy loads of film, that's definitely a priority!--the Zeiss Planar 50/2.0 ZM has the reputation of being a genuinely stellar lens optically, if maybe not 100% quite up to the build quality of a Leica. I've seen some truly fantastic work done with that lens. And in the end, the photo is way more important than what's stencilled/engraved on the lens, so I think you'd be totally happy with the Zeiss lens, too--maybe even more so than with a Leica.
Ccoppola82
Well-known
Any summicron. I grabbed a V2 lux but I don't have enough experience with it yet to recommend it as a first lens. I have a rigid (version 2) and collapsible (version 1) and the v1 is my favorite on BW film still. The V2 may be more versatile though. Take a look through the threads on here of these two if interested.
phrons
Established
V1 summicron is my lens of choice. But, it is hard to find a clean copy.
If I were to replace it with one lens I would probably go planar because inshoot both color and bw.
If I were just shooting bw I might go canon 50mm ltm
If I were to replace it with one lens I would probably go planar because inshoot both color and bw.
If I were just shooting bw I might go canon 50mm ltm
David Hughes
David Hughes
Fascinating...
Fascinating...
All he/she said was "im thinking of a leica m6 and a 50mm lens" and got a truthful answer meaning there are dozens (perhaps hundreds) of 50mm lens that fit it.
So now we either have to explain every single one of them or else ask for a little more information.
Perhaps it would make more sense to ask for a lot of information and cover everything including how big will the prints be or will it be slide film and so on.
Regards, David
PS If you just want a Leica and think the M6 is it then why not buy the 50mm lens that would have come in the box with the M6? But that's just a suggestion to make life easier. It won't be easier if you want to match the year the camera body was made and the year the lens was made...
PPS And you should be aware that Leica lenses suffer from wear and tear exactly the same way that any other lens will. So I suggest it is best to buy from a dealer with a good reputation who will give a guarantee. Luckily they don't suffer so much from people tinkering with them without the proper tools, knowledge and understanding...
Fascinating...
All he/she said was "im thinking of a leica m6 and a 50mm lens" and got a truthful answer meaning there are dozens (perhaps hundreds) of 50mm lens that fit it.
So now we either have to explain every single one of them or else ask for a little more information.
Perhaps it would make more sense to ask for a lot of information and cover everything including how big will the prints be or will it be slide film and so on.
Regards, David
PS If you just want a Leica and think the M6 is it then why not buy the 50mm lens that would have come in the box with the M6? But that's just a suggestion to make life easier. It won't be easier if you want to match the year the camera body was made and the year the lens was made...
PPS And you should be aware that Leica lenses suffer from wear and tear exactly the same way that any other lens will. So I suggest it is best to buy from a dealer with a good reputation who will give a guarantee. Luckily they don't suffer so much from people tinkering with them without the proper tools, knowledge and understanding...
