Searching for Best lens to get vintage looks

Bornosor

Bornosor

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So i just bought my first Leica m, a m6 classic and now i want to get a lens and I've read and watched many reviews about all the leica and voigtlander options but still haven't found the answer to my concern.
The whole reason i moved to the M system is my admiration for the works of all the magnum photographers and the overall “look” of the 50s and 60s documentary photography (mostly the ones on 28s and 35s)
So my question is, considering how there weren't any ASPH or super sharp glass back then, what would be the best lens to get that look and not just necessarily the sharpest most distortion free results.
I know that i can get vintage 35 crons but i don't really have that kind of money right now. So if anyone has any suggestions for wide angle lenses with a vintage rendering, that would be much appreciated.
 
Summaron 35, either 2.8 or 3.5 will be much cheaper than -lux or -cron. Great character
& build quality.
 
Empty gearheads talks. Sorry. Until you have it printed.
I have my images printed. Mostly on 40+ YO paper. In the darkroom.
People look at them and saying - it is like old images. Some will ask if it is an old photo.
My main lens is Summarit-M 35 2.5 ASPH. Next to it - Russian Biogon and J-3. Booth are from fifties.
But darkroom prints comes first. This is what you see from HCB and else.
Print, not scan. The rest is empty talk of gearheads.
 
The best buys for 35mm and 28mm lenses with classic rendering, IMO:

35mm f/1.4 Nokton Classic S.C.
35mm f/2.8 Canon LTM
28mm f/2.8 Canon LTM
 
Oh wow thank you for the quick replies.
Ive never thought about the characteristics that printing brings to the photos, since ive always scanned my negatives with a plustek scanner and uploaded them.
I was planning on getting the new voigtlander nokton classic 35mm single coated lens but i read so many comments about focus shift problems in them that kinda pushed me away from getting one. I will be shooting mostly at f8 or so btw, i dont know if focus shift problems are still relevant at such narrow apertures.
 
Bornosor, KF is right about output. The print is the thing. The Voigtlander 28, 35 2.5 & Ultron 1.7 are sharp crisp modern looking lenses (i've used them).
Apparently Tom Abrahamsson adopted the 35 1.4 version as his standard lens & liked it better than his Summilux. You mention the Nokton series ll, since you mention shooting around f8.... your results will be modern in character:
"Wide open the 35/1.4 Nokton Classic lens has wonderful bokeh with a moody 1970's vintage look
By 5.6 it sharpens up to look like a modern sharp lens
Its like having two lenses in one"

Summarons & Canons are great lenses late 50s, early 60s sharp enough and 'character'
 
You can always get a thread mount lens and adapt it to the M mount. For tiny, classic, and great black and white prints, try a 35mm 3.5 Elmar or a 50mm 2.0 Summar, both pre-war and uncoated. For newer lenses, the Voightlander 35 1.4 single coated lens works well, as do early Leica M mount lenses, although they are more expensive.
 
If you really want a (relatively) inexpensive Leica wide angle the one I would recommend is the 35mm Summaron f3.5. The earliest of these was in Leica Thread Mount so can be adapted (as I describe below). I own an early bayonet version of this lens designed for the M3 and its optical design is the same as the LTM one. The only disadvantage on an M6 is that the M3 (for which the early bayonet one was designed) did not have 35mm framelines so the lens does not have the setup needed to actuate the 35mm framelines on an M6. This is an easy and cheap modification however - most technicians with Leica experience can do it - it just involves filing part of the lens mount (the question is how much and that is where the technical knowledge is needed). Or do as I do and just manually move the camera's frameline lever when you want to compose when using this lens. Or you can use a supplementary finder in the accessory shoe / hotshoe. It is a lens which is MUCH overlooked but which has excellent classic rendering. Just make sure you check for internal haze before buying as some have it due to the specific lubricants used back then and sometimes the haze resists cleaning. In fact mine has a little despite and attempt by a technician to clean it but is still eminently usable. I happen to be a big fan of this lenses rendering.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32681588@N03/13818715853

https://www.flickr.com/photos/36977023@N03/galleries/72157665710811926/ (Mainly in color but it will give you an idea of how it performs)

More generally I can speak of Canon RF lenses - though only really in 50mm focal length . I will put my thoughts here just in case you can be tempted to get a longer lens(which you may wish to do later in any event) . I am very happy with Canon rangefinder lenses in Leica Thread Mount as alternatives to Leica glass. These are easily adapted to Leica M bodies through an (expensive) Leica LTM to M adapter or (cheap) 3rd party version of the same. The various 50mm f1.8 models are amongst the cheapest and the 50mm f1.4 is perhaps widely regarded as Canon's Summilux. However I think these have a touch of modern rendering about them. If you want really classic rendering I would recommend considering the Canon 50mm f1.5. The reason for this is that this lens has a Sonnar optical design. I like Sonnar rendering and this design was very popular in classic vintage lenses it meets your requirements in being sharp enough (but a bit behind the double Gauss lenses that followed) and has nice out of focus rendering that is distinctly classic. You will pay a bit more for this lens than the 50mm f1.8 - about on par I think, with the 50mm f1.4. If that is too much for your pocket you could opt for one of the Russian copies of Zeiss Sonnar lenses which are readily available and very inexpensive though a bit hit and miss in QA.
 
I'd also recommend the Summaron 35/f3.5. It's a wonderful lens, particularly on B&W film, and one of the most affordable 35mm Leitz options. The f2.8 version is also fantastic, but significantly more expensive and unnecessary if you're mainly shooting at f8.

Ko.Fe. said:
Empty gearheads talks. Sorry. Until you have it printed.
I have my images printed. Mostly on 40+ YO paper. In the darkroom.
People look at them and saying - it is like old images. Some will ask if it is an old photo.
My main lens is Summarit-M 35 2.5 ASPH. Next to it - Russian Biogon and J-3. Booth are from fifties.
But darkroom prints comes first. This is what you see from HCB and else.
Print, not scan. The rest is empty talk of gearheads.
Click to expand...

All well and good, but the simple fact is that many (most) people shooting film today are scanning, not printing. Many (most) will probably never do a darkroom print, and many (most) probably don't have access to a dark room or the skills to use it even if they wanted to. That's the reality of film use in the post-digital age.

This does not make it 'empty gearhead talk'.
 
Some good advice. That Nokton you like might be the thing. Focus shift is also an internet phenomenon to a great extent and is more noticeable on digital. My Mandler version 4 Summicron 50 was back-focussing close in by 2cm for decades before I noticed it. No focus shift. I do like the screw mount 3.5 35 Summaron. Coolish colours though, uncleaned, slight haze, which I like, and dreamy black and white.
 
Kofe is right. Darkroom is where it’s at. I use my scanner as a sort of contact sheet organization as well as use it to plan burning or even get a feel for contrast grading. Not saying you can’t get nice images with the scanner, but fiber prints are just magical in photography. Regarding lenses

35mm 2.8 Summaron is fantastic
35mm Nokton is also pretty nice

Mandler era 28mm Elmarit v3 is beautiful as well.

I think film choice will make a difference as well. Do some research on which grain structure you prefer and then do some experimenting. Have fun and enjoy the journey down the rabbit hole!
 
Summraon 3.5 35mm screw mount.

U28906I1508463355.SEQ.0.jpg
 
Hi,

If you have a Leica, M bayonet or 39mm screw thread, and want to get the look of a 1930's lens then the easiest way is to buy a 1930's lens and, perhaps, an adapter for the M body. Or a 40's lens for the 40's look or a 50's lens for the 50's look or a 60's lens for the 60's look.

There are thousands of them about and - of course - also the USSR made clones; as Ko.Fe says.

I'm none too sure what that look everyone is after is like; here's a photo taken with a Leica II or IIIa using a 73 year old Leica lens to show what I mean.

Photo%2002-XL.jpg


Regards, David
 
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