Help me find a 50mm lens for the M3 here..

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Thanks very much all. I’ve been running a couple of rolls though a IIIg and its 50mm f/2.8 Elmar, but am including a few shots with Summitar, 2” Taylor Hobson and a Dallmeyer. The IIIg finder is much better than earlier models but the SBOOI accessory finder is also present (might have been attached to the IIIf). It’s really bright, indeed I found it amenable to use with both eyes open, and very compact. It impressed me. I might well buy it outright at those values.
Thanks again
Brett

 

[colker]

My scans such a disappointment compared to darkroom prints !
.

I have been in darkrooms printing for decades.. A well made scan can be a lot of fun to play w/ in photoshop and bring everything from film. At least in color, i much rather ink jet than photo paper print.
IN black white... well.. stocking papers in every contrast needed for every picture. So much simple to work digitally on a scan.
If i could like digital cameras w/ their auto ficus and 5yr lifespans i wouldn´t gon w/ film anymore but their smart computerized functions make me confused so i want to go back to film. That and i rather keep a physical archive like negative.

 

[Huss]

I picked up a mint one on ebay from a Japanese seller. Came as described, well worth paying a bit more for no haze, fungus, and all.

Here is a sample image on ~10 year old expired Superia 400 film:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oZqYRA1h...RYVfwCLcBGAs/s1600/m42018novm4sup40050ltm.jpg

I dunno, that image is super hazy, low contrast and not sharp.
If that's the intention of the image (which it seems to be) then that's great.
But it perhaps is not a good example of what it can do.

 

[jmilkins]

Bit late chiming in sorry, but here are some of the more compact 50mm choices side by side.

[/url]Compact/collapsible 50mms - size comparison - Leica screw / M mount by john m, on Flickr[/IMG]

L to R Leitz Elmar 5cm f3.5, Cosina Voigtlander 50mm f3.5 Heliar, Cosina Voigtlander 50mm f2 Heliar, Leica Elmar-M 50mm f2.8, Cosina Voigtlander 50m f2.5 Color Skopar, Leica 50mm f2 v4 Summicron

 

[DMA1965]

By far the best deal out there today is the f2 Summitar in LTM with an adapter. The trick is,finding one without haze and the coating intact. Center sharpness is just as good as the Cron, and they can be found for a fraction of the cost of a Cron. Here is a shot I recently took.

 

[colker]

I am torn between expensive options. Either i commit to a used summicron or a sonnar zm.

I thought of the plannar but i guess it may give images close to nikkor 50 1.4 w/ those barrel distortions i hate. The sonnar feels like it gives more compression.. I don´t need 1.5 and i always shott at least w/ 4.0 or 5.6. Also, that particular plannar is more like 45mm.
Summicron has no distortion, it´s 53mm, has better ergonomics and feel but i can´t afford it new. I rather use a new lens.

I am ready to hit the 1.5k mark now that i sent the camera to be claed and know i could fit the lens on a fuji electronic if the film workflow gets too complicated.

What would you do??

 

[shawn]

If you are looking at modern options consider the Konica M-Hexanon 50mm. They can be had for around $500 and are beautiful rendering lenses. A number of reviews consider it a Summicron clone but better built.

Use the savings to pick up a Konica 90mm too.

Shawn

 

[colker]

If you are looking at modern options consider the Konica M-Hexanon 50mm. They can be had for around $500 and are beautiful rendering lenses. A number of reviews consider it a Summicron clone but better built.

Use the savings to pick up a Konica 90mm too.

Shawn

I read a Ken Rockwell review saying the Hexanon is inferior to the Summicron while the Zeiss would be equal.


I am not obsessed w/ sharpness but 500 bucks is still significant cash.. A zeiss plannar can be had for 800 new... too bad the sonnar is 1k plus.
I decided to sell some gear (Rollei F) so i can do it right. 50mm is my main optics. Next would be a 35mm and 21mm.



I am waiting for a CLA being done on the M so i have some time to decide.

 

[shawn]

Check other opinions too. Can't compare to a new Summicron but the Konica certainly is sharper and has more contrast than my original Summicron which is in excellent shape and was CLA's by DAG.

For example quick search results....

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49449&highlight=hexanon+50mm

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/have-hexanon-50mm-what-will-i-gain-by-getting-a-summicron.434757/

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/how-good-is-the-konica-hexanon-50mm-f-2-lens-not-really-ot.41686/

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63380

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76464

https://www.flickr.com/groups/m-hexanon50/pool/

Watch for a 50mm M-Hexanon on KEH, UsedPhotoPro, B&H or NatCam and you would have a return policy if it doesn't work for you. NatCam just had one but I think it is gone now. 2 of them have the 90s right now, another great lens.

Shawn

 

[colker]

Check other opinions too. Can't compare to a new Summicron but the Konica certainly is sharper and has more contrast than my original Summicron which is in excellent shape and was CLA's by DAG.

For example quick search results....

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49449&highlight=hexanon+50mm

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threa...at-will-i-gain-by-getting-a-summicron.434757/

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threa...ca-hexanon-50mm-f-2-lens-not-really-ot.41686/

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63380

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76464

https://www.flickr.com/groups/m-hexanon50/pool/

Watch for a 50mm M-Hexanon on KEH, UsedPhotoPro, B&H or NatCam and you would have a return policy if it doesn't work for you. NatCam just had one but I think it is gone now. 2 of them have the 90s right now, another great lens.

Shawn

Usually people at forums judge lenses by it´s sharpness and contrast. To me, distortion is what separates lenses. I never had a lens w/ no distortion.. ok, the 60mm micro nikkor i have hits the gold standard. It´s 2.8 and i don´t miss larger apertures.

At the end anything that has me shooting w/ enough change to rebuild my darkroom and add a scanner is ok. Lenses don´t make great pictures.. we do. Having said that, good ergonomics, lightweight and the right combination of no distortion and balanced contrast is worth pouring good money over the lens.

 

[shawn]

Everybody has differences in what they look for. Along with sharpness and contrast, one of the ones for me is how a lens renders the OOF areas as there can be pretty large differences there. Not just in the smoothness (or not) but also in the transition from in to out of focus, the shape of highlights (and how they too can be distorted) and in some lenses it seems like the ratio of foreground vs. background lighting is altered too though that may just be another way contrast plays into this.

To me, distortion is down on the list as I don't shoot architecture and it is easily corrected for digitally. If I were wet printing architecture that would be a different story.

Totally agree about we make the pictures not lenses. But obviously we want to use nice tools too... it is why you started this thread and we all contributed. 🙂

Shawn

 

[colker]

Totally agree about we make the pictures not lenses. But obviously we want to use nice tools too... it is why you started this thread and we all contributed. 🙂

Shawn

You are right. In the end, the more i gather information, the 50 summicron comes as the winner. Those zeiss 50mm have the right optical quality but compared to Leitz they add bulk to the camera.

I like to mix and mash and refrain from brand philia but those summicrons just make more sense than anything else. I just wish they cost 600 dollars🙂

 

[Huss]

Leica M3, 7A 50 1.1, Silberra Orto50

This was shot at about f4 - no focus shift (some people who have never used one claims it does)