Picking a 50 for M2

[johnrt]

Hello, a sometime lurker & first time poster here.

I’ve had a lovely M2 for almost a year now and have been loving it with a Voiglander 35mm colour skopar, but I would also like a 50mm.

So the age old question, which one to pick? I mainly do outdoors available light photography, landscapes, buildings abstracts in b&w only. I’ve narrowed the choices to;

A new Zeiss Planar (very good value with £70 cash back currently) and available in silver!
A used Elmar-M collapsible available for around £600+ at the moment.
A used v3 Summicron which go for about £800+

What would you pick and why? I just can’t decide!

John

 

[jordan.dickinson]

I've owned all 3, and I'd probably go with the Zeiss Planar, followed by the Leica 50mm Summicron Ver.3. Both are going to be really good on your M2, with the Planar being a more modern and technically clean lens compared to a more vintage era Leica lens. Most of my "research" is done on Flickr, and I just try to find images using the lens I'm thinking of buying, on film I shoot regularly. That way I can compare tons of images in practical daily use by regular film photographers around the world. After looking at a bunch of images this way, you can really see the real world results you can expect, compared to shooting a chart or looking at graphs. Researching this way has really helped me either eliminate or confirm purchases before buying. I just did this with a Voigtlander 21mm f4 Color Skopar, and I'm very happy with my purchase.

With that said, if you like the collapsible nature of the Leica Elmar-M, it's a really really sharp lens, so you really can't go wrong there. I'd just caution that if you haven't used a collapsible before, they are by no means bad, but just weird in use having to extend/collapse it all the time. I'd recommend trying out a collapsible Elmar-M before buying if you have the opportunity. The other 2 (Planar/Summicron) are pretty similar in ergonomics with the Planar having a small focusing nub, and I believe the ver.3 50mm Summicrons have no focusing tab (or at least mine doesn't).

With that said, I'm a huge fan of coupling Leica lenses to Leica bodies...

 

[santino]

I second the Planar.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5 LTM. Best of all. Perfect for the M2, optically, mechanically, ergonomically and esthetically. A brass lens available in beautiful black paint or chrome of the highest quality.

Erik.

 

[johnrt]

Thank you both for the comments.

I’ve never used a collapsible before & im not really concerned about the camera & lens needing to be really compact.

I think you pretty much summed up my thought process, the new clean Zeiss is a great choice, but ooohh! classic Leica Summicron lens on an M2! But is it worth a risk as I’d likely need to mail order and won’t get to see it before I buy?

 

[David Hughes]

I've a Planar 50mm f/2 and like it but the filter size is odd, 43mm. It doesn't bother me much as I don't like filters but you might think differently. Also its lens hood is sold as an optional extra; well, mine was and I had to do a bit of haggling to get it. I have fitted a bright red lens cap to it and locked the CZ one in the safe, btw...

OTOH, it's a very nice lens. Here's KR article:- https://kenrockwell.com/zeiss/zm/50mm-f2.htm

Regards, David

PS The Elmar-M goes nicely with the M2 if you like getting the "correct" outfit together.

 

[johnrt]

I had noted the “odd” filter size and often use a yellow 39mm filter on my 35mm skopar. Is it possible to use a step down ring on the Planar without vignette?

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

If you want a fantastic 50mm with the charm of having a really odd filter size (27mm) look no further than the "Voigtlander 50mm f3.5 Heliar Vintage Line VM lens".

By-the-way. it comes with a very nice hood too!

Mike

 

[helen.HH]

You can't really go wrong with any of your Choices... ALL Stellar
really most 50's for that matter.

It really get down to what feels good in the hand and most importantly which rendering suits your Style...

 

[colker]

Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5 LTM. Best of all. Perfect for the M2, optically, mechanically, ergonomically and esthetically. A brass lens available in beautiful black paint or chrome of the highest quality.

Erik.

I looked around for that lens and could not find it. Isn´t it discontinued?

 

[helen.HH]

Recently I have fallen in Love with the 50 Color Skopar and the 50C Sonnar... two fifties that make me very Happy


Below 50 C Sonnar



the Jane Hotel Cafe by Helen Hill, on Flickr




Ray by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[colker]

Recently I have fallen in Love with
the 50C Sonnar ... did a Trade with a fellow Rff friend ‘rfl-oregon’ Thank You Robert !

50 C Sonnar

the Jane Hotel Cafe by Helen Hill, on Flickr

That will be my pick.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I looked around for that lens and could not find it. Isn´t it discontinued?

Yes, it is, but on eBay Japan you can find many mint examples for a moderate price.

Another advantage of this lens is that you can use it on LTM Leica's too, but for use on an M you'll need an adapter.

Erik.

 

[bhop73]

I use a Canon 50 1.4 and a Summicron V3. (on my M2 and M6) I like both for various reasons, but i've been using the Summicron more lately because I only recently got it.

summicron + M2 + new Ektachrome

canon + M6 + Tri-X
Gazing by Brandon, on Flickr

 

[Ronald M]

Elmar M is a lovely lens, both of mine. My Version 3 1969 Summicron is ok. Rigid or DR are nice 28 to 11. I have all of these, but never owned a Planar. Many have developed a focus wobble and are very expensive to repair.

 

[Richard G]

All three are great, and all the others mentioned here. The Elmar M is special. It is heavy in chrome. I do favour compact over a lot of other parameters as I like a camera with me most of the time. An M2 can be hand held slow: that means the f2.8 or f3.5 is fine, but the f1.5 C Sonnar is amazing and not much bigger than the Planar and smaller than a Summilux.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

IMO.

ZM lens... I had it for few weeks. I'm not surprised if they are sold under good deal.
Mine was good deal before I purchased and by the time I was selling it. 🙂.

Elmar-M is modern Leica lens. It has plenty of rendering comparing to Planar.
But with filter and hood it is too long lens and slow. And it didn't feel robust enough.

v3 I have at this moment. It is great lens if you like to focus sloooooooow.
I have tried all classic 50 Crons by now and the only one I would consider on M2 is collapsible, v1.

I also have rare Canon 50 1.8 (not fogged one version) and regular Jupiter-3 (they are aging well comparing to Leitz glass). To be honest, I see nothing wrong with these lenses on BW film and prints.

IMHO. 🙂

 

[johnrt]

I’m as confused as ever!

The Planar & Summicron look like they render a very similar image to my very amateur and untrained eye. The Elmar looks quite different, more modern like my 35mm colour skopar.

The 50mm skopar is one that I know very little about.

I think the problem here is I might need all 4!!

 

[Erik van Straten]

The Elmar-M is a four element lens. One of the elements is made from glass with a high refractive index wich is useful for extra correction. But it still is a lens made from only four elements. It is sharp, but that's it. There is no typical "rendering". The lack of rendering is it's character. Therefore I stopped using the lens.

The Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5 is made from seven elements. If you want to know what "rendering" means, try this lens.

Erik.

 

[colker]

I’m as confused as ever!

The Planar & Summicron look like they render a very similar image to my very amateur and untrained eye. The Elmar looks quite different, more modern like my 35mm colour skopar.

The 50mm skopar is one that I know very little about.

I think the problem here is I might need all 4!!

Summicron is a better lens than the ZM Planar. Better build, less distortion and closer to 50mm. Planars are about 45mm. Summicron rendition is different as well. Planars flare less.

WE are talking subtleties here.

Buy a lens you can afford and shoot. Then, when you have more money in your pocket, buy another. Then another. Then sell some... and buy another. That´s the game. Meanwhile you take some great pics and picture greatness has nothing to do w/ lens quality.