New to Leica World with M2... advice on lens please?

[hyokjae]

Hi,

After playing with a Yashica 35 GSN and watching this forum for many weeks, I decided to try Leica M and finally got a very clean M2 body from ebay. I now have to look for a good lens (50mm or 35mm) for M2 with a limited budget of $300-400. Would you RFF members recommend or suggest a good lens for a beginner like me? My main usage would be taking photos of my 16 months old son both inside & outside home. I hope to carry M2 with me all the time and take photos of day-to-day things as well.
Also would you recommend me to get a lighet meter? Thanks much in advance.

-hyokjae

 

[Vics]

Yes, get a meter. I like the Sekonic L308S. The Summicron 50mm collapsible is a very nice lens, light and compact albeit flare-prone and a little soft wide open. It's in your price range, though. I've shot a lot of pictures of my grandkids with that lens.
Enjoy!
Vic

 

[chrishayton]

How about a voigtlander 35mm f1.7 ultron, Nice wide aperture for shooting indoors and blurred background, or maybe the 50mm f1.5 nokton for the same reason but longer focal length
Both available second hand for within your budget and modern so reliable and flare resistant

 

[mfogiel]

A better lens for portraits would be a 50mm, but on the other hand a 35mm will be helpful when he will start moving fast, as the DOF is bigger... All in all on an M2 a 35mm lens is more appropriate, and if you want a real quality lens for cheap, you can get the 35/2,5 Skopar - I think there is one made in M mount directly.

 

[Tom A]

Also keep an eye out for a 40 mm f1.4 Nokton in the classifieds here. They don't show up that often, which usually means that people like them and don't want to part with them.
It fits nicely between the 35 and the 50 for the money is a great performing lens. Particularly as you are trying to catch something (16 month old kid) that can move at lightening speed indoor!
As for meter, don't fuzz to much about that. get a small, either the VC II meter or the Sekonic (cant remember the designation of it - but it is a small one) and stick to one film. You will soon get used to using the brain instead of a handheld meter. The variables in exposure are not that great and soon you will have it down pat. I think more shots are lost from "metering frenzy" than any other shooting mistakes.

 

[Ronald_H]

My personal M2 entry kit was with the VC Ultron 35mm f1.7 and a few months later I bought a DR summicron. You can't go wrong with either.

Tom's suggestion for the Nokton 40mm also makes a lot of sense, speed and the 'ideal' focal length (for some at least). But you probably will want an external inder for that.

My meter is either the 'mark one eyeball' or the Gossen Digiflash.

 

[Nate Butler]

Besides the Nokton and Summicrons already mentioned, I'd keep an eye out for a Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2. I picked up mine for $250 in excellent condition. It's a little smaller than the collapsible Summicron.

 

[Melvin]

Try typing in searches for lenses on Flickr, and see what you think. Try a search for "Summitar" for example, or "Summicron collapsible".

 

[nobbylon]

I'd stick with period Leica lenses, if nothing else, they are to me what these bodies where built for! Either a 50 Elmar 2.8 (relatively cheap) and collapsable or if you can find one at reasonable money a rigid Summicron 50. To me the images are so similar, I use both, just a stop different. As far as meters go, I use a 308s.

 

[chrishayton]

I'd stick with period Leica lenses, if nothing else, they are to me what these bodies where built for! Either a 50 Elmar 2.8 (relatively cheap) and collapsable or if you can find one at reasonable money a rigid Summicron 50. To me the images are so similar, I use both, just a stop different. As far as meters go, I use a 308s.

Why limit yourself though? One of the coolest things about Leica M's is the huge variety of lens available from a range of manufactures.
Period Leica lenses for an m2 are around 40-50 years old. Whilst its great to think they are what the camera was designed for, will they actually perform as they did when they were new. and is that the look you want (modern lenses handle contrast and flare a whole lot better)

Regarding meters I use a incident light meter but to speed things up the VCII looks like a great idea

 

[johannielscom]

I'd say, get this lens. I have one and it is very solidly built, really all brass and glass. It is sharp as a razor, and it is very small. No collapsible, but you really don't need that given the size. It's about 1 3/8 inch tall. You need a Leica 35mm adapter, but given the DOF a cheap Chinese one would do fine as well.

A sample:

More shots on my Flickr account, including shots of the lens on an M5.

Enjoy your M2!


EDIT: This is even cheaper, same lens with alternate branding

 

[Roger Hicks]

Too much depends on what you like; what you expect; and what you're shooting. For example, in colour I'd be happy with a 35/1.7 Voigtländer Ultron and 85/2 Jupiter -- but not with an FSU 35/2.8 or Leica 28 Summaron. In black and white I'd still happily use my 1936 Elmar 5cm, bought when it was only a third of a century old, but there are only some colour shots I'd use it for. And so on.

Basically, buy ANYTHING. Shoot with it. Then, if you're not happy, tell people on this forum what you're not happy with: speed, ergonomics, contrast, sharpness... You'll still get wildly conflicting and sometimes ill-informed advice, but at least we'll all have a better baseline for giving you wildly conflicting and ill-informed advice.

Tashi delek,

Roger

 

[Bassism]

With my M2, I bought a DR Summicron 50, which is absolutely the nicest lens I've ever used in b/w. In colour I'd might go for one of the CV offerings, though having never used one I can't say for sure.

I would stick with a 50 for shooting portraits of your son, both for the lack of distortion and for the tighter field of view, which is helpful while he's still a little guy.

As Tom mentioned, I wouldn't concern myself with a meter too much. Sunny 16 and an exposure table can get you far in the world. I have a Gossen Luna Pro, a nice reflected/incident meter, but I find that I usually don't bring it with me, and when I do it often just confirms the exposure that I've figured out with my eyes. If you're planning on shooting slides, accurate exposure will be more important than with negative film, and in that case I would recommend using a meter.

 

[photo4ls]

While you are searching Flickr, take a look at
the Canon 50f1.8 lens. This lens has been tested
by someone here at this site.(do a search here also)
Good bang for the buck.
Nelson

 

[Bingley]

While you are searching Flickr, take a look at
the Canon 50f1.8 lens. This lens has been tested
by someone here at this site.(do a search here also)
Good bang for the buck.
Nelson

Congrats on the M2 and welcome! I agree w/ Nelson's suggestion above, and would add that a good user Canon 50/1.8 would probably leave you enough $$$ left over (out of your budget) to buy lots of film. It's a splendid little lens.

I use this lens on my M2; it makes a nice, compact, take-everywhere kit. 🙂

Ultimately, though, Roger is right: just buy something and shoot w/ it. If you don't like it, you can always sell it here for close to what you paid for it...

 

[hyokjae]

Thanks to you all who responded to my question. Your suggestions and advices were all taken with much appreciation. As many of you suggested, I will look at photos taken with those suggested lenses in Flickr.

Thanks again.
-hyokjae

 

[hyokjae]

Hi Nelson and Bingley,

Is the Canon 50/f1.8 LTM mount?

Thanks,
-hyokjae

 

[Alec]

Besides the Nokton and Summicrons already mentioned, I'd keep an eye out for a Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2. I picked up mine for $250 in excellent condition. It's a little smaller than the collapsible Summicron.

I second the M-Rokkor idea. Not only because I bought it with my own M2 - because I never wanted to part with it since! Very useful field of view (to me at least), as well constructed as a Summicron, M-mount, flare-resistant, and cheap.

As many said, if you buy carefully, you are not taking much of a risk : you can always resell later.

One caveat : if you wear glasses, protect them from the metal eyepiece (Aki Asahi used to make good patches... who does now?). And do it now - if you wait, you will have to pay for new glasses!

Enjoy the M2 - and keep us posted.

 

[hyokjae]

Alec,

I wear glasses, I better buy that Aki Asashi stuff.

Thanks.
-hyokjae

 

[thomasw_]

Congrats on the M2!

If your budget runs to $400, then I recommend saving a bit more until you have around 600-800 bucks. That way you will have more options with regard to speed which is important in low light inside shots. Either a CV35/1,4 or a 3rd Version summicron 35/2 would be great lenses for you, but they run between 600 and 800 bucks. But they are worth it.