M4-P which lens

[Tom A]

I concur with the recommendation of the VC lenses - by far best "bang for the buck".
Both the 35f1.4 Nokton and the 40f1.4 with the bayonet filed down to give a 35 frame are extremely capable lenses.
The 35 will give you a "classic" M style image and the 40mm will do double duty as a 35 and 50 ( about 1 step back for 35 or 1 step forward for 50).
It all depends on where you are coming from - previous Rf experience or SLR.
The trick is to just get one lens now and decide later what you feel is missing. My recommendation is a 35f1.4 Nokton and a heap of film and shoot through the summer with that kit. Look at your negatives and decide if you want to add a wider lens or a short tele. Plenty of choices in both.
The 35f1.4 will allow you to "explore" low light as well as day light stuff with ease.
The Summilux 35f1.4 pre-asph is a good choice - but you are paying for the Leica name and it is a 40 year old design. The Nokton 35f1.4 is a better lens all around - and you will have a lot more money left over for film too.
As always - check on Flickr for what the "signature" is on the various lenses you are contemplating. It will not tell you resolution as the files are too small for that and most of the modern lenses are better than the film anyway - but it will give you a good idea of angles of view, contrast and flare.

 

[Al Kaplan]

V = Voigtlander, an old German camera a lens maker who licenced their name to Japanese camera and lens maker Cosina, = C

Cosina Voigtlander is CV, Voigtlander Cosina is VC. It's the same thing.

 

[SuitePhoto]

Victor,

I think the most important question is how you 'see' a shot. Looking at the suggestions here, I guess i'm in the minority favoring 50mm over 35mm. Before I bought my first RF and lens, I was lucky to have an SLR and zoom lens that covered both focal lenghts. I put myself in several situations where I planned to use an RF and comprared the two views. 50mm was my preference, so that is what I bought.

Recently a friend loaned me his 35mm Summicron for a few weeks, but I only took it out of the bag for one roll! 50mm is how I naturally frame, so I'm very happy with my 50mm Summicron.

It's very much a personal preference, that you should decide long before you look at actual lenses. That said, 50mm will give you the chance to shoot Leica glass on a budget - I purchased my current generation Summicron in perfect condition for $600. The most current non-ASPH 35mm version goes for about twice as much.

Good Luck!

 

[vmlopes]

I do have a Voigtlander Vitomatic II CS 50mm color skopar, great little camera.........on my digital stuff I'm 80% of the time at the UWA 10-20 and normally at the 10mm on a canon 40D crop sensor, do a lot of Urbex phtography.

Thanks for all the info' guys

 

[35mmdelux]

The trick is to just get one lens now and decide later what you feel is missing. My recommendation is a 35f1.4 Nokton and a heap of film and shoot through the summer with that kit. Look at your negatives and decide if you want to add a wider lens or a short tele. Plenty of choices in both...
The Summilux 35f1.4 pre-asph is a good choice - but you are paying for the Leica name and it is a 40 year old design. The Nokton 35f1.4 is a better lens all around - and you will have a lot more money left over for film too.

Great recommendations from Tom as always.

 

[Chris101]

35/1.7 Ultron. Cheap but great...

Exactly my camera!

The 35mm focal length with the finder of the M4-P gives the perfect position to the frameline, so that you can see what is happening just outside of them, as well as what is in the frame.

28mm is right at the edge, and 50mm is too small. 35mm is perfect with this camera, imho.

 

[johannielscom]

40mm 2.0 Summicron-C or 40mm 2.0 M-Rokkor.

Both lenses were made for the Leica CL and the Minolta CLE and are very sharp, even at 2.0 wide open. Pleasant OOF areas. Not too expensive, small and pocketable, brilliant combination or characteristics.

Enjoy the M4-P!

 

[Svitantti]

Exactly my camera!

The 35mm focal length with the finder of the M4-P gives the perfect position to the frameline, so that you can see what is happening just outside of them, as well as what is in the frame.

28mm is right at the edge, and 50mm is too small. 35mm is perfect with this camera, imho.

Mine too... But I'd prefer the M4 with simpler finder 🙂.

I wouldn't buy the Nokton 1.4 because of the distortions. They are too obvious in when you frame something straight near the edges. I dont think Ultron has this problem, at least not as much.