eleskin
Well-known
I love Leica lenses, and have quite a few, but 50mm is a common focal length. What is out there that is equal to the 50mm Summicron but much cheaper in price for my M8?
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
Hexanon 50/2.0
kbg32
neo-romanticist
I know it's not a Summicron, but I recommend the 50/1.5 CV Nokton.
fbf
Well-known
check out the canon ltm 50/1.4. there is one selling on ebay for 235$ shipped right now. Great lens and good performance even at F1.4
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Canon 50mm f 1.8
raid
Dad Photographer
I second Al's suggestion; the Canon 50mm 1.8 is of near-Leica quality at a super price.
Krosya
Konicaze
ZM Planar and KM Hexanon
elshaneo
Panographer
The awesome Konica M Hexanon 50mm f/2 which is priced around 400 to 500 USD !!!
hiromu
Established
Planar ZM or Hexanon?
Jason Sprenger
Well-known
ZM 50/2 Planar
cmogi10
Bodhisattva
How much did you want to spend? I've seen used summicrons in the 500 dollar price range.
WoolenMammoth
Well-known
which version summicron are you inquiring about? there are three 'crons that are kind of nothing like each other...
Hacker
黑客
Nikon 5cm f/1.4 or the 5cm f2. Both are cheap and good.
washy21
Established
Used Cron
Used Cron
Good advice. I got mine used and it's fantastic and apart from my Nocti it is the best lens I have ever owned (Including many Canon L Primes). My copy is a pre ASPH in very good condition and it is actually the lens which has made me question the value of the other lenses (CV and Zeiss) I've simply found that Leica glass is superior and I swear that they have such a distinct signature that once you experience one you will not go back. Then again I don't really know anything about the technical aspect of lenses but I do know a recognised Leica lens expert and he has worked extensively on just about every Leica and Leica compatable lens ever made over a very long career. His opinion confirms what I have found.
This kind of post does provoke good discussion with everyone sharing their opinions. Mine is that if you are asking for a comparison to the Leica lens then you really need to get a Leica lens because nothing compares to them; better or worse. Why not pick up a used copy somewhere - they can be had for great value.
Used Cron
Good advice. I got mine used and it's fantastic and apart from my Nocti it is the best lens I have ever owned (Including many Canon L Primes). My copy is a pre ASPH in very good condition and it is actually the lens which has made me question the value of the other lenses (CV and Zeiss) I've simply found that Leica glass is superior and I swear that they have such a distinct signature that once you experience one you will not go back. Then again I don't really know anything about the technical aspect of lenses but I do know a recognised Leica lens expert and he has worked extensively on just about every Leica and Leica compatable lens ever made over a very long career. His opinion confirms what I have found.
This kind of post does provoke good discussion with everyone sharing their opinions. Mine is that if you are asking for a comparison to the Leica lens then you really need to get a Leica lens because nothing compares to them; better or worse. Why not pick up a used copy somewhere - they can be had for great value.
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Richard Marks
Rexel
I think if you look hard enough you can find a good price on a used 50mm 'cron. They are still all non aspherical incidentally. I have the most recent version and think it is superb wide open.
best wishes
Richard
cron 50 at f2
best wishes
Richard
cron 50 at f2
Turtle
Veteran
this sounds like the ZM planar to me. Used, well under $500, in fact $400 is more like it. Superb performance across the board.
ferider
Veteran
Eleskin,
you should be a bit more specific on what your budget is and what you are looking for, then it's easier to help. For example, for around US 500 you should be able to get Summicron DR, V2, or V3, or even the new Elmar (a great lens) if you are patient. Also, there are Hex 50/2 and Planar, of course. They all draw a little different but have high res. across the field.
If you want a special signature, I recommend a Sonnar variant, like Canon 50/1.5 or Nikkor 50/1.4. Will run you around US 300 or so.
Great and faster general purpose lenses are the Canon 50/1.4 and CV 50/1.5, for around US 250, used.
Then there is the Canon 50/1.8 for around US 150.
Many, many choices.
Cheers,
Roland.
you should be a bit more specific on what your budget is and what you are looking for, then it's easier to help. For example, for around US 500 you should be able to get Summicron DR, V2, or V3, or even the new Elmar (a great lens) if you are patient. Also, there are Hex 50/2 and Planar, of course. They all draw a little different but have high res. across the field.
If you want a special signature, I recommend a Sonnar variant, like Canon 50/1.5 or Nikkor 50/1.4. Will run you around US 300 or so.
Great and faster general purpose lenses are the Canon 50/1.4 and CV 50/1.5, for around US 250, used.
Then there is the Canon 50/1.8 for around US 150.
Many, many choices.
Cheers,
Roland.
BTMarcais
Well-known
There's a collapsible summicron 50 @ KEH for under $400 right now. Not as highly spoken of as the other summicrons, but you can usually pick these up for fairly good prices. I know I'm happy with mine...
lawrence
Veteran
An underrated and wonderful lens is the Color-Skopar f2.5. It is well built and handles beautifully, very much like the 35mm 'cron IV. It is as sharp as my 50mm 'cron (rigid) and focuses to 2.5ft. Highly recommended. I had the Canon f1.8 but prefer the Skopar in every way, particularly handling.
CK Dexter Haven
Well-known
Like Ferider, i don't quite get what you're looking for. Quality equal to Leica, or something that gives a Leica-like signature?
For signature, the Konica 50/2 looks a lot like what i would expect to see from a Summicron, but better. For 'quality,' the Zeiss ZM 50/2 Planar was sharper than the DR Summicron i had. And, although i've never owned one, the 50/1.5 Nokton seems to do things as well or better than the Pre-ASPH 50 Summilux i did have.
For 50mm lenses, there's only one 'best' lens - the 50 Summilux-ASPH - and then there are a lot of other great lenses. It's sort of just a matter of what you want to spend, how much contrast you want, and what you want your bokeh to look like.
For signature, the Konica 50/2 looks a lot like what i would expect to see from a Summicron, but better. For 'quality,' the Zeiss ZM 50/2 Planar was sharper than the DR Summicron i had. And, although i've never owned one, the 50/1.5 Nokton seems to do things as well or better than the Pre-ASPH 50 Summilux i did have.
For 50mm lenses, there's only one 'best' lens - the 50 Summilux-ASPH - and then there are a lot of other great lenses. It's sort of just a matter of what you want to spend, how much contrast you want, and what you want your bokeh to look like.