I have too many 50mm lenses. Do you too?

Mark: I am in a similar position; I added a Summar, a Summitar and a Summarit and I am eying the Heliar 50/3.5 ... from a safe distance.


Raid
 
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1, Summicron current version 50mm f2,
2, Summicron rigid 50mm f2,
3, Elmar 50 f2.8 LTM

The next 50mm I am looking for is the Summilux ASPH. But have to save hard!!!
So also keep an eye on Noctkon 50/1.5 or the new Sonnar 50/1.5.
 
I personally think that you can have too many. I sold my LTM Elmar 50/3.5 because I just never liked the character of that lens. I know, I'm in the minority. Since I have an M3 and a IIIa, I like to use LTM lenses for the interchangeability, so I currently use a Summitar and a Summar. I also have an Elmar 90/4, which I love. Never cared much for wide angle. Of course, if I could afford it, I would love to have the current 50 Lux ASPH, but since I can't, the LTMs work fine for me.
 
My list of 50's hits:

current elmar 50 M 2.8
Summicron 50 rigid M mount
1950's Zeiss Sonnar Opton 50mm 1.5 and 2.0 used with a Contax/Leica adapter
LTM Summicron 50mm collapsible
LTM Summitar

I recently sold my current 50mm summicron because I prefer the elmar.
 
50mm is my favorite focal length. I consistently, by a very high margin, get my best pics with this lens. When it comes to equipment, my Leica experience has just been a bunch of trial and error.

The 50 withstood the year long challenge from a 0.58 M (I wear glasses) coupled with a fast 35mm lens, and now I have to get rid of that pair, because when it comes to equipment I'm a minimalist. I figure you only have two hands, right? And if something is ever lost, broken or stolen there will always be someone ready to sell you a replacement.

Anyway, I've used many of the 50mm lenses: Both the current and tabbed summicron; the black paint Summilux and, the one I have now, the ASPH Summilux, which is a great lens for my B&W as long as I don't shoot it in harsh lighting conditions when it can become too contrasty.

If truth be told, and if I had to do it again, I probably be just as well sticking with the older Summilux. I really like the extra stop of speed, but for B&W I feel I don't really need the new model. The same could be said for the MP I got as a replacement of the M6. That original Summicron I got was par excellence; I wish I had kept that one too. At least I'm comforted in knowing that I've done my share to keep dear old Leica in business.
 
I have about 20, pretty much evenly split between sonnars/tessars and the various 50s made by Canon. Also have two oddballs in the bunch, a Nikkor 50/1.4 in LTM and a old Nokton for the Prominent that I use with a Voigtlander/Contax adapter.
 
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My oddballs are two lenses too; a Zeiss Sonnar 50/2in LTM and a Nikkor 50/2 in LTM. Both are Sonnars. Dante says that the Nikkor is a replica of the pre-war Sonnar. Both are superb lenses, in my humble opinion.



Raid
 
I've kind of decided that I'd eventually like to find a real 50's Sonnar in LTM mount or get the new Sonnar over the Nokton. I also seem to be wanting Sonnar-branded lenses and clones. Is the Nokton based on a Sonnar design or is it a design of its own?
 
The old Voigtlander Nokton from the 1950s is derivative of the Gauss design, and therefore, is in a different family than the Sonnar designs, according to the "Lens Collector's Vade Mecum". Can't speak to the modern VC Nokton design.

Steph, if you would like to try out a classic Sonnar design in LTM, I would be happy to loan you my Canon 50/1.5 for a few months. All that I would ask is that you take good care of it, and send it back to me insured postage. Send me a PM if interested.
 
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I never really paid much attention to it, but 50's really do seem to multiply -

50/2 Summicron (current)
50/2 DR Summicron
50/1.4 Nikkor LTM
50/2 Jupiter 8
53/1.8 Menopta (Contax mount)
53/1.8 Helios (2)

In my case, I think it's too many. One of the Summicrons has gotta go. The Helios' basically serve as novelty paperweights at this point.
 
dexdog said:
The old Voigtlander Nokton from the 1950s is derivative of the Gauss design, and therefore, is in a different family than the Sonnar designs, according to the "Lens Collector's Vade Mecum". Can't speak to the modern VC Nokton design.

Steph, if you would like to try out a classic Sonnar design in LTM, I would be happy to loan you my Canon 50/1.5 for a few months. All that I would ask is that you take good care of it, and send it back to me insured postage. Send me a PM if interested.
Click to expand...

I have the J-3, which is a Sonnar design, and I truly like the softness at the corners and the snarpness in the middle. If the Canon is the same way, borrowing one would just make me want one. 😛
 
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