Lens options for M2

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KRaZiGLiTcH

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Hi everyone again. You may have seen me asking where to get a M2 before, thanks heaps for the help. I'm getting a M2 in February but am stumped with what lens to use. I have thought of getting a Jupiter 12 with a adapter. The lens from fedka is $135 US so its $185 here in Australian money. Is there anything just as good or better in this price range? Thank you everyone for being so helpful and kind.
Ps hope this is the right thread to post.
 
You might see if you can find a Leica Summaron f/2.8 to fit your budget, or a Voigtlander Skopar 35mm f/2.5. While the Jupiter 12 is decent, the lens is so important, it affects every light ray that hits your film! 🙂
 
Just about any Voigtlander would be a good choice to start with. If you can find a nice 35mm Summaron 3.5 in LTM, they cost considerably less than the 2.8. Good luck with your search.
 
You could get J-12 under 70 USD from Ukraine (e-bay) with free shipping. But where are two problems. One is to find M adapter which is going to work. So far I was able to find several which works for 50, but no cheap for 35. Leica, Viogtlander costs another 70...
And you have no guarantee what J-12 is going to be aligned for Leica...

To me Color Skopar 35 PII in native M bayonet was my best, plug and play, no bad surprises, not so expensive 35mm RF lens. Used they are under 300 USD now.

If you want first lens and cheap check Canon LTM 50mm lenses. Cheap MiC LTM-M adapters seems to work as well for 50mm frame.
 
Hi,

I don't know prices in your part of the world, nor your choice of focal length but if you've a Leica M2 then the lens that went with it that aren't so dear are the 35 Summaron in f/2.8 and f/3.5; well known and admired on RFF and the f/2.8 standard lens for the M2 the Elmar but make sure it's the f/2.8 version. All of these would have been sold on/for the M2 and are not so dear because the f/2 Summicrons outshine them. OTOH they all work perfectly well and are easy to find.

Out of the old USSR made ones, the Jupiter 8 looks best on paper and, usually, in the hand and comes in f/2 but with the screw mount. There's also the Industar and FED f/2.8 and 52mm lenses. All you need know about the J-8 is that some rotate when focussing and some don't, meaning you usually need a vented lens hood. Our Chinese friends do a wide range of them.

Adapters are easy to find and (again) usually work. Some of the duds have been made by Leitz or Voigtlaender and then modified with a file to bring up other frame-lines. (It's an easy and crude modification.) Dealers are the best source if you want certainty.

Don't be put off by horror tales on the web. There's a much higher motivation to moan about something than there is to praise something working as it should.

Getting a lens shimmed won't cost an arm and a leg. You could do it yourself with a paper shim if need be but would need to be cunning when doing the job. Often ex USSR lenses sell for pennies, especially if there's a duff USSR made body on them.

Regards, David

PS I've been amazingly lucky with USSR lenses out of about 3 dozen I've had just one dud and that suffers from stiffness and needs re-lubricating (but it only cost 50 pennies). As for adapters, out of 7 or 8 I've had a dud Chinese plain one and a modified Voigtlaender to worry about. I re-modifed them by scribbling on them the correct focal length...

PPS Not mentioned the Jupiter 35mm one as they are easily damaged and very expensive when sold with the rear lens cap.
 
Summarons are overpriced and IMO the 2.8 version is over-rated. M-mount no goggles costs almost same as new Ultron, while old LTM version cost less and optically is very nice lens for bw. But extra price on Summaron is reasonable for how it looks on M2 🙂, plus focusing tab is big advantage.
 
My vote is the 35 f2.5 from Voightlander. It can be had new for about $350 US. If you need faster, Voightlander also makes 35mm lenses in f 1.7, 1.4 and 1.2. Cameraquest has great info on all Voightlander products. In Australia, there has to be a local importer.

Also, you mentioned the possibility of using a 40mm versus 35mm. Voightlander makes a great 40mm in M mount. I have not used it but it is well thought of here on this forum.
 
The Japanese manufacturer Sankyo Kohki made very good lenses in various brand names over time, most notably the Komura brand. Their rangefinder lenses are LTM, but adapters are abundant and cheap. Contrast and sharpness on those lenses often were remarkably good, considered these were 1960s-manufactured lenses.

To see what brand names the various lenses came under, see the page on my website: http://www.johanniels.com/index.php/camera-gear-articles/29-komura-rangefinder-lenses-overview
 
KRaZiGLiTcH said:
Thank you all ^_^. I will start checking out all these lenses, will definitely post what i get once I get all my gear.
Click to expand...

I'd get (and got) the 35/2.5 voigtlander. they're A$495 new (direct from Mainline in Sydney), don't need an adapter, and use a standard filter size. Lots of older lenses, like the Canons) look affordable, but budget an adapter (~A$50) and then odd filter sizes, and you'll find yourself worse off.
You'll find the 35/2.5 regularly for under $400 on the bay.

A summaron 2.8 would be nice, but clean ones go for ~A$1k.
 
michaelwj said:
I'd get (and got) the 35/2.5 voigtlander. they're A$495 new (direct from Mainline in Sydney), don't need an adapter, and use a standard filter size. Lots of older lenses, like the Canons) look affordable, but budget an adapter (~A$50) and then odd filter sizes, and you'll find yourself worse off.
You'll find the 35/2.5 regularly for under $400 on the bay.

A summaron 2.8 would be nice, but clean ones go for ~A$1k.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I am leaning towards the 35/2.5, looks sharp and good contrast, also great character too.
yeah a summaron 2.8 would be amazing but its not in the budget, maybe in the future haha.
 
Keep looking locally too, if you live near a big city. I bet there are lots of Japanese RF cameras and lenses sitting around for sale there.

I'd look for a Canon 35/1.8 in LTM personally. It's a very good lens, and a lot cheaper than the F2 version (or used to be). It's got more personality, and I like it better. I'd say you could get one for about $150 up, if you look hard. I see a couple sold for under $200 on ebay recently. Don't go by the high BIN prices dealers ask, just get one on auction or at KEH.
 
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