Sub $1k Standard M Lens

[giganova]

Fellow inmates!

I'm looking for a sub-$1k standard lens for my M4 to use for b&w film. I don't care whether it's LTM or M-bayonet. Obviously, $1k wouldn't get me new Leica glass, so it's either used Leica or something else new (Zeiss, Voigtlander, etc). Chrome would be nice! What are my options?

• Zeiss Planar 50/2 (new)
• Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 (used)
• Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 (new)
• Leica Summicron 50/2.5 (black; no chrome version, I think)

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• Leica Summicron 50/2 rigid
• Leica Summicron 50/2 collapsable
• Leica Summicron 50/2 de-googled

I understand that the lenses below the line are more "vintage", would I have to worry about a "soft" look?

Thanks!

 

[mf4361]

Zeiss Planar is great. 50 Summarit in good condition probably hold its value better than the Zeiss. Both are great lens in modern standard.

The 50 collapsable is going to be soft at wide open, so as the first 50 Summicron. But pretty sharp when stopped down. Try to find 50 DR, its much sharper and has close range focus.

Are you considering only 50? I have a 35 Summaron and it's fantastic all round.

 

[Rob-F]

The collapsible Summicron has a soft-sharp look wide open. The Rigid is very sharp. Of course, they all get sharper stopped down a little. By "de-goggled" I guess you mean the Dual-Range Summicron used without the closeup viewing attachment? It has the same lens cell as the rigid. No difference in performance.

 

[nobbylon]

I use 2 different 50's on both M4 and M9.
50 planar f2 is super sharp with great 3d at wide apertures, modern look
Leica 50 summicron 11817, not quite as clinically sharp but a classic leica look.
resale on both is good so buy, try and flip for the same money if it's not to your liking.

 

[splitimageview]

This will be a long thread. 🙂

 

[nobbylon]

This will be a long thread. 🙂

hahahaha indeed 😉

 

[css9450]

Nikon or Canon LTM 50?

 

[giganova]

I have a 35 Summaron and it's fantastic all round.

I have that lens, too, which I find fantastic, but I want another lens with a slightly narrower field.

By "de-goggled" I guess you mean the Dual-Range Summicron used without the closeup viewing attachment?

Yes, that's what I meant.

This will be a long thread. 🙂

Bring it on! 😀

 

[Monochrom]

Hi, many and really nice options.

Planar or Sonnar the best.

 

[pechelman]

as an only 50mm lens, I'm not sure I'd get a Sonnar.

The more reasonable choices I think would be a Planar, Nokton 1.5, or the newer summarit 2.4/2.5.

As for your question about vintage lenses, you'd probably have your best luck with either the Rigid or DR Summicron. Neither is what I'd call high contrast, but more along the lines of medium contrast. Perfect for B&W and even a bit of color. There is a lot of sample variation (haze, coating wear, etc) now with these old lenses, so do keep that in mind. Those summicrons have such a pleasing and unique signature, but, for the same reason as the sonnar, maybe you'd want something more "neutral" as an only 50mm lens. They also can flare a bit, so getting a hood is a great idea.

To your list, I would also consider adding in the 50/2.8 collapsibles, vintage or modern. Maybe even one of those CV Heliar's. As a third wild card, there's of course the 50/1.1 Nokton.

 

[uhoh7]

You can get the v4 Cron for about 900USD. Even today it is one of the 4 or 5 best 50s on earth, and it well out performs the Planar ZM 50/2 in Lenstrentals tests.

The CV 50/1.5 is 600 or less used, and is just like a pre-asph Lux only better. That is a very popular lens for M shooters, and many use it as their only lens.

Cheapest is the Canon LTM 50/1.4, but you have to be careful with haze and calibration.

I would think you want F/2-1.4 for film for versatility.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I went through almost all vintage LTM Leitz 50mm primes and one of my last 50mm on M4-2 was collapsible Cron. Every time I'm looking at bw film scans and prints from this lens it is special. I simply don't need MF, LF after this lens.
Those modern CZ/CV lenses are great for color and digital, but for bw film, honestly, you could choose any classic Canadian Cron. Summarit 50 2.5 should be good as well, if you really prefer tab focus and want NiB. I've got my 35 2.5 NiB for close to $1K earlier this year from this store. Amazing and Leica rendering on BW film. They have 50 2.5 NiB even cheaper:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-Summa...858999?hash=item4641fdbdf7:g:Df4AAOSwu4BV1mOl

Obviously, $1k wouldn't get me new Leica glass

so, it is possible.

 

[splitimageview]

Find a nice clean coated 50/2 Summitar, and a 40/2 Summicron or M-Rokkor. You'd have about $200-$300 left over depending on how patient you can be for the right ones at the right price. 🙂

And you've have two lenses with different signatures...

 

[aizan]

i would get the rigid just because it looks the best on the m4. they're all good optically, after all.

 

[Huss]

CV 50mm 2.5 Color Skopar for $350.

 

[guardado1213]

You could also consider the Leica Elmar-M 50mm f2.8. In my opinion it renders beautifully in black and white and is under 1K.

 

[guardado1213]

CV 50mm 2.5 Color Skopar for $350.

+1 for the Skopar 😀

 

[nightfly]

You can pick up a used rigid Summicron for less than a grand. Just look around.

Got mine for like $850 about 2 years ago or so from KEH or B&H, I forget which, when I bought my used M9.

Lovely lens. It's a great allrounder. I personally hate anything collapsible or futzy in any way and wanted something with a nice signature but not overwhelmingly classic or modern.

Don't think you can go wrong here. I'm not a 50 guy really, shooting mostly 35 or 28 but I don't see ever wanting anything else. It does the job beautifully and it's fast enough and the aperture is wide enough for nice bokeh if you want or can stop down for crisper look depending on the situation.

 

[froyd]

I went through almost all vintage LTM Leitz 50mm primes and one of my last 50mm on M4-2 was collapsible Cron. Every time I'm looking at bw film scans and prints from this lens it is special. I simply don't need MF, LF after this lens.
Those modern CZ/CV lenses are great for color and digital, but for bw film, honestly, you could choose any classic Canadian Cron. Summarit 50 2.5 should be good as well, if you really prefer tab focus and want NiB. I've got my 35 2.5 NiB for close to $1K earlier this year from this store. Amazing and Leica rendering on BW film. They have 50 2.5 NiB even cheaper:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-Summa...858999?hash=item4641fdbdf7:g:Df4AAOSwu4BV1mOl

I fully agree, and much prefer vintage lenses for BW.

The OP should consider what kind of rendering he prefers and what kind of photography he has in mind. Some people like higher contrast even for BW.

It's nice to have two sets of lenses: modern with great saturation and contrast, and older with great sharpness and tonality.

Using a hybrid workflow makes it easy to add contrast and saturation to images from older optics, but it's harder to recover crushed shadow detail.

 

[giganova]

Some people like higher contrast even for BW.

It's nice to have two sets of lenses: modern with great saturation and contrast, and older with great sharpness and tonality.

Using a hybrid workflow makes it easy to add contrast and saturation to images from older optics, but it's harder to recover crushed shadow detail.

I'm not too worried about the lack of contrast because you can always crank up the contrast in post, but you can never recover lost details in the shadows if they were not on the negative in the first place. I'm currently using a 35/2.8 Summaron which seems to strike a nice balance. I'm tempted to get a 50/2 "rigid" which should be a good match.