Not an M Leica

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LarsH

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Mar 1, 2005
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Hi all!
I have been lurking here for quite some time an at last decided to join.
I have been using medium format and 35mm for quite some time, both for my own enjoyment and proffesionally. The last years have been totally digital and this has inspired me to start using my old Leica IIIG.
Now to the question, the lens I am using on the IIIG is an old 50mm 2,8. I would like something faster. All suggestions are velcome.
 
There are pleanty out there.

50/2 Summitar
50/1.5 Summarit
Canon 50/1.5 (the second one of these you find, first one goes to me :))

Actually there are lots of Canon and Nikon lenses that will do.

Here is a good info source.

http://www.cameraquest.com/ltmlens.htm

KB Camera's site also has excellent info on Leica lenses.
 
I am going to skip lenses in the F2.0 range and jump to the F1.5 and faster lenses. Your Elmar F2.8 is sharp, so picking up 1 Stop does not seem like enough.

The two that pop into my mind are the Leica Summarit 5cm F1.5 and the Canon 50mm F1.4. There are others, the Sonnar design Canon 50mm F1.5 (I do not have one) and the Nikkor 5cm F1.4. The latter tend to go for more than the first two.

Canon 50mm F1.4

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/518


Leica Summarit 5cm F1.5

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/536

Nikkor 5cm F1.4

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/575

Canon 50mm F1.2 (Big and Fast, does not cost more than the F1.4 but is not quite as sharp)

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/759
 
Welcome to the forum Lars! Lots of members in Sweden now!! :) Not being a lens expert like Brian, I'm wondering why you need the extra speed? If you need the faster lens to use wide-open for DOF effects that's one thing, but if you are simply missing pics in low light why not just bump up the film speed? Those older Elmars are wonderful lenses!
 
At the risk of being called a heretic, pick up a Russian Jupiter 8 f2 50mm, They are cheap and an exact copy of the Sonnar. There is also an F1.5 Jupiter 3 but the image quality tends to be inconsistant from lens to lens -- can be tough to get a good one. If you don't like the J8 you aren't out much money. They aren't nearly as heavy as the Canon screw mount lenses, either.
 
Not being a lens expert like Brian, I'm wondering why you need the extra speed? If you need the faster lens to use wide-open for DOF effects that's one thing, but if you are simply missing pics in low light why not just bump up the film speed?
Click to expand...

"Why not" is because of quality issues. If he goes from an f/2.8 to an f/1.4, that is a two-stop increase. The equivalent in film speed would be switching from an ISO 100 film to an ISO 400 film (noticeable quality loss) or from an ISO 400 film to an ISO 1600 film (very noticeable quality loss!)

Also, if you are using an f/2.8 lens and you already are using ISO 1600 film, you don't have much room to go on from there if the light gets lower or you need faster shutter speeds!
 
"Lens Experts" design their own! That is not me, but I do work with one!

Biber is correct of course, the new Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 is a modern multicoated, aspherical super-speed optic that we are lucky to have available for our LTM cameras. I tend to favor the older lenses for the look of "Classical Glass".
 
Hello, I have a Leica IIIa with a Summar 50mm/ƒ2. I would not recommend this lens for general use. Its okay for it's vintage and some people like them. My Fed I has a Industar 10(elmar copy) which I don't like much.I also have a Leotax leica IIIf copy which has a 50mm/ƒ1.5 lens. This lens is better. I have a Jupiter 8 that I usually use on my Fed 2. It is my favorite 50mm LTM of the four I own.
 
jlw said:
"Why not" is because of quality issues. If he goes from an f/2.8 to an f/1.4, that is a two-stop increase.
Click to expand...
Quality is indeed the issue - it is considerably more difficult and exponentially more expensive to design and build a fast lens with consistent build quality than a slower one. Which is why the quality 1.4's of the world are so expensive and the new Leica 50/1.4 ASPH is in such short supply. But I would be interested in knowing Lars' reasoning, sometimes things like DOF issues drive the need for faster glass, sometimes its just GAS... ;)
 
I vote for the Voightlander Nocton 50/1.5. I'm not crazy about the VC lenses but I have been really suprised at the resultes from this lens. May be too big for an older Leica but goes well on an R2 or M leica.
 
RF handheld advantages, vs faster lenses

RF handheld advantages, vs faster lenses

One of the things to remember is that you can handhold a good RF at much slower shutter speeds, and that frequently more than compensates for the lack of a faster lens. I use my 50/2.8 and 35/3.5 on my IIIf, with BW400CN and T400CN, shooting at 1/15th sometimes, and often at 1/30 or 1/60, and find the results to be excellent. I can't do that with my Nikons, at all.

Just something to consider.

Ken
 
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