m.galimathias
Member
Hi,
I am searching for a nice standard Prime for my new Leica M8. I know, the Leica pendants are the best you can get for money, but I am looking for a fast 35mm or 50mm Prime which I can afford. At the moment, I use the M8 with a borrowed Leica 35mm Canada Summicron, - a nice lens, but not as fast as I want. I am able to spend sth. around 1000 dollar (800€) for the prime. At the moment my favourite is the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm 1.1, but I am worried about the focusing issue, is it easy to focus such a fast 50mm at the crop-M8? My second favourite is the Voigtländer 35mm 1.4, - its quite cheap, but many people say that it produces very soft images at 1.4. Whats your opinion? Which prime should I choose?
I am searching for a nice standard Prime for my new Leica M8. I know, the Leica pendants are the best you can get for money, but I am looking for a fast 35mm or 50mm Prime which I can afford. At the moment, I use the M8 with a borrowed Leica 35mm Canada Summicron, - a nice lens, but not as fast as I want. I am able to spend sth. around 1000 dollar (800€) for the prime. At the moment my favourite is the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm 1.1, but I am worried about the focusing issue, is it easy to focus such a fast 50mm at the crop-M8? My second favourite is the Voigtländer 35mm 1.4, - its quite cheap, but many people say that it produces very soft images at 1.4. Whats your opinion? Which prime should I choose?
user237428934
User deletion pending
35mm or 50mm that's two pair of shoes. On the M8 a 50mm was way to long for my taste due to the crop factor. You probably should first decide which focal length and then talk about the lens.
There is a lot of information in this forum already about the lenses. Maybe the 1.1/50mm is not so suitable as the one and only 50mm because there are sharper lenses when you shoot f5.6 (don't have it but that's what I read).
There is a lot of information in this forum already about the lenses. Maybe the 1.1/50mm is not so suitable as the one and only 50mm because there are sharper lenses when you shoot f5.6 (don't have it but that's what I read).
35mm 1.2 works really well on the M8.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91175
Did you end up buying anything for your M4-2? You were considering a Canon 50/1.2 and other fast lenses. From the tone of that post, I suspect you want speed. Some description of what types of pictures you are going after would help.
If you are budget-limited to $1000, get the 35/1.2 and then pickup a used fast 50. Fast wide-angle lenses are uncommon compared with fast fifties. Lots of choice in legacy lenses for fast fifties, but not much available in 35mm focal length.
Did you end up buying anything for your M4-2? You were considering a Canon 50/1.2 and other fast lenses. From the tone of that post, I suspect you want speed. Some description of what types of pictures you are going after would help.
If you are budget-limited to $1000, get the 35/1.2 and then pickup a used fast 50. Fast wide-angle lenses are uncommon compared with fast fifties. Lots of choice in legacy lenses for fast fifties, but not much available in 35mm focal length.
m.galimathias
Member
For the M4-2 I bought a old but nice Leica Elmar 2.8 50mm. For an ordinary M it is nice, but I think the usability on a digital M isnt so nice.
Does anyone have experience with the Voigtländer 35mm 1.4 on the M8, especially with images at 1.4?
Does anyone have experience with the Voigtländer 35mm 1.4 on the M8, especially with images at 1.4?
f16sunshine
Moderator
Sorry no experience with the 35 f1.4 but rather with the 40mm f1.4 . Any stories of soft at WO are from those who got a poor copy or have too high of expectations from as sub $500 lens. Easy to file the flange on the 40mm to pull up the 35mm frame lines. Framing is a bit tight in at MFD but rather close to perfect further out. It's a 53mm FOV equivalent on the M8 if my headmath is corrrect this morning.
kdemas
Enjoy Life.
Interesting. I actually enjoy using my 50/2.8 on the M8, nice combo. Out of interest what part of the lens don't you like on the M8 vs the M4-2? Obviously there is the crop factor but that applies to any lens.
Good luck with your search
Kent
m.galimathias
Member
I dont like it due the fact that I cant collapse the lens into the M8, because it would damage the interior. And the handling is not as fast as odinary lenses you cant collapse.
Gregoryniss
Well-known
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregoryniss/sets/72157624528608842/
Every picture except for 3 (i think) were taking with M8 + 35mm f1.4 SC or 50mm f1.1.
I would go for the 35mm f1.2 if I had the money and wanted a solid lens for the M8. The 35mm f1.4 is more compact though (and lighter)
Every picture except for 3 (i think) were taking with M8 + 35mm f1.4 SC or 50mm f1.1.
I would go for the 35mm f1.2 if I had the money and wanted a solid lens for the M8. The 35mm f1.4 is more compact though (and lighter)
rwchisholm
Established
I, too, would go for a nice cope of the 35 1.2 Nokton... While it is rather large, the bokeh is very attractive and mellow. I find the 35 1.4 to have a "busier" love-it-or-hate-it bokeh. I'm more on the latter feeling! rob
user237428934
User deletion pending
If it's the last Elmar-M 2.8/50 than you can collapse the lens with an M8. Did it myself many times.
ruslan
Established
Summicron-C 40mm fit perfectly on M8 like standard lens.
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For the M8, buy a used 25mm Voigtlander M, a used 35mm Voigtlander PII, and a used 50mm Voigtlander LTM f/2.5 - These 3 can be had for your $1000. For $1000... I'd get a 35mm or 50mm Summicron or a Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 or 50mm f/2.
kdemas
Enjoy Life.
As mentioned the latest version collapses just fine. Try it carefully the first time anyway
ramosa
B&W
one lens: i'd recommend a 35mm.
two lenses: i'd recommend a 28mm and 50mm.
two lenses: i'd recommend a 28mm and 50mm.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
If it's the last Elmar-M 2.8/50 than you can collapse the lens with an M8. Did it myself many times.
One can collapse ANY Elmar 50 without problems. I do so with my 1953 5 cm 3.5 one as well as with my 2006 28 Elmar-M.
dfoo
Well-known
50 is quite long an M8. A good setup is CV 21 F4, CV 28/3.5 (or 1.9) CV 35 1.4.
Lss
Well-known
This is my main lens on the M8. I think it's a great lens for its size and price, but I'm going to complement it with either another, slower 35 or an 28. The reason is not the wide-open performance, which I think is certainly acceptable if not good. The little Voigtländer exhibits pretty strong distortion and it has focus shift between f/2 and f/4 or so. To some people these issues can be deal breakers. I can work around the focus shift, but I don't like the distortion.
I don't have any wide-open pictures online.
rodl
Established
Again, what are you going to be shooting most? Lots of lenses suggested here don't meet the OP's requirement of being faster than f/2.
I can tell you that the CV 35/1.7 is a very good lens. As for the CV 35/1.4, Sean Reid has numerous images with at least two different copies of significant focus shift. I doubt you want that if it's your only lens. I've never had a 35/1.2 but I'd like to try one. I have had a 50/1.1. From what I've read, there's significant copy variation but I wasn't impressed. I also wasn't impressed with the CV 50/1.5 but again there's apparently significant copy variation. I'd suggest that if you buy either of those, make sure you can return them or just be willing to resell if you don't get a good copy.
As rusian said, the Summicron-C 40 is a very nice lens and available at a nice price compared to most other Summicrons of any FL.
I can tell you that the CV 35/1.7 is a very good lens. As for the CV 35/1.4, Sean Reid has numerous images with at least two different copies of significant focus shift. I doubt you want that if it's your only lens. I've never had a 35/1.2 but I'd like to try one. I have had a 50/1.1. From what I've read, there's significant copy variation but I wasn't impressed. I also wasn't impressed with the CV 50/1.5 but again there's apparently significant copy variation. I'd suggest that if you buy either of those, make sure you can return them or just be willing to resell if you don't get a good copy.
As rusian said, the Summicron-C 40 is a very nice lens and available at a nice price compared to most other Summicrons of any FL.
Lss
Well-known
It's a feature due to lens design, not a quality control issue. It's something that people using this lens only with film do not necessarily ever even see, but it is a very real issue on digital. The thing is, the lens should focus correctly wide open and the focus shift is gone (or covered by the depth of field) around f/5.6 or so. At f/2.8, focus first and then adjust the focus just a tad in front of the intended point of focus and you get a nicely focused image. With a few minutes of practice, this shouldn't be a big deal for most people.