Lens choice for my futur M8

[Aerospace]

Hi,
Next 2 weeks,I'll keep my new (second hand)camera :a black M8.
Now,It's the time to look for lenses😀
I don't want to break the bank>>>>>>>I want to spend no more than 1100 € (1400 USD)
Today,I'm between two choices for the same price:
1/Only one lens :Summicron-M 2/35(second hand)
2/Two lenses :CV Ultron 28 mm f2 (new)
+Summicron-M 2/50mm (second hand)

So,to your opinion,what is the best choice ?

Thanks for your answers 😉

 

[Al Kaplan]

35mm Summicron!

 

[Aerospace]

35mm Summicron!

Is it really "day & night" with the other choice ?

 

[Al Kaplan]

Not at all. Then there's still the choice of which version of Summicron...LOL On the M8's cropped sensor it acts like a 50. Should you suddenly fall in love with the look of Tri-X the 35 Summicron is an old standby "wde" normal so favored by photojournalists.

 

[user237428934]

I think everyone has a favorite focal length that is most used. When you are a 50mm guy (referring to 35mm film) and you have the combination 28mm/50mm on a M8 you will probably miss a lens. If you are a 35mm guy then the combination 28mm/50mm will be just right.

 

[fefe]

Which 35 summicron is it ? I started with my M8 and just a 35 cron Asph, and I am still taking over 3/4 of my pictures with it and I have not ever regreated buying it.

Do you prefer the 50mm focal length or the 35mm focal length on 24x36 ?

I tend to prefer 50mm on 24x36 and compact lenses therefore my preference for the 35 cron. The Zeiss Biogon 35 f2 ZM has also quite a good reputation.

In general I would recommend checking out http://www.reidreviews.com, Reid did a lot of lens reviews on the M8 which should help you in your choice and the subscription is worth it if you are planning to spend a lot of money on lenses for your M8.

For the price of your 35 cron you can get 3 new CV lenses, whether you prefer one better lens or 3 good ones depends on what you intend to do with it.

 

[Aerospace]

Thanks for your answers 😉
I'm coming from DSLR(1DMKIII),and many zooms.....and a Leica R Summicron 50 mm f2 :It's a terrible lens,I love it.
Now, my objective is to used a minimum of lenses (one or two) with M8.

 

[ruslan]

You can have only one lens, 40mm Summicron-C or Minolta M-Rokkor 40mm and file mount for 35 frame, all for $250-350.

 

[yanidel]

The three lenses you mentionned are the ones I use the most on the M8.
I started with the 35mm Summicron then added the 50mm and last the 28mm.
So I would recommend the 35mm.

 

[johnastovall]

Remember there are 4 different 35mm 'Crons and the best is the IV, Bokeh King.

Put's book on Leica lenses is really handy for evaluation of lenses and changes of optical formulas when the name doesn't change. I find it must have when looking for older used lenses along with Laneys's 2nd edition Collectors Guide.

 

[dseelig]

35 cron

35 cron

For a kit I would go 24 or 25 35 and 75. 35 first. David I HAVE 3 35MM RIGHT NOW THE 35 LUX ASPH A MATE AND A BKEH KING CANNOT AFFORd TO KEEP THE BOKEY KING BUT WHAT A LENS . DAVID

 

[kingmillo]

I have 28 elamar and 50 cron all 6-bit. Recently got the 40mm cron-c. End up mostly using the 40. For the price you cant beat it. I even dared to file the flange to show 35mm line, quite accurate. So 40 cron-c is the way to go!!!

 

[TJV]

Just to throw a spanner in the works, how about the new Leica 24mm f3.8? How much does that go for? When I shot a 28mm on my old M8 it didn't feel wide enough where as 35mm on film felt perfect. That's just me, however.
The other lens I really like is the Zeiss ZM 25mm but that doesn't come factory coded or with the right mount to bring up the 24mm frame lines. Unless this has been changed?

 

[oldoc]

Why not spend more time shopping the 50 mm until prices go down a bit on Summicron?
Meantime Voigtlander 35/1.4 is what I got exclusively for my M8. Less than 600 USD, and a very nice choice,IMO. M* instructions warn against the Summicron 50/2 with close focus. Personally, I am not sure which that is, or why.

 

[Broke]

I can vouch for the 40 summicron as well. When filed, it matches the 35 framelines from an unmodified M8 almost exactly at moderate distances. From others descriptions it sounds like it behaves much like a pre-asph 35 cron. It has an interesting look at F/2 -- resolves quite well but is a tad "dreamy" and with some coma in the field. By f/2.8 the latter is gone and it's quite sharp. Has a nice build, and its as small as they get.

I filed the inside of an old rubber hood with a dremel to fit the glass from a leica 39mm UV/IR filter, fits tightly. The process has been described on the leica user forum.
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/33989-uv-ir-filter-leica-summicron-c.html
I use the square hood from a 35 cron over this. This works great, is quite solid, looks fantastic. Kind of like the reference below, but with the hood cut down rather than the filed metal ring.
http://myweb.lmu.edu/sshepherd/Summicron40Hood.htm
The other option is to buy a Rokkor in the first place, and skip the series 5.5 headache.

Hope this is of some help,
Cheers,
Jim

 

[Aerospace]

First step :I bought a Summicron 50mm f2 (year1986) and second step,i'll buy next week a CV 28mm f2.
This is my choice because I know 35 mm range with 1.33 factor and I don't like It.

 

[rocheung]

i don't know what price in your home place, but in HK , I can buy a new ZM 35 F2 and a second hand 50 F2