under $1000 fast 50mm for my M6

[taemo]

so, I think I've finally decided to get a 50mm for my M6.
As much as I love my CV 40mm 1.4, the FL is just not my style, I always end up cropping the edges so why not buy a 50mm instead.

my criterias are:
-under $1000 please
-fast lens, f/2 and faster
-small and compact (don't want the 50 1.1 nokton)
-want to use for low light and can be stopped down if necessary

some lenses that I'm considering are the Zeiss 50 1.5, CV 50 1.5, Canon 50 1.5 or 1.2 LTM.
what does everyone recommend?

 

[Jubb Jubb]

zeiss 50 f2 is meant to be real nice. I've never used it, but it goes for under $1000 new

 

[magicianhisoka]

I've personally had the CV 50 1.5 and canon 50 1.5. The CV is an overall better deal to me because its easier to find a nicer copy than the canon. Not to mention the Canon is made of solid brass so it can be pretty darned heavy.

That aside, I can hardly see a difference in rendering between the CV and a pre-asph lux except in the corners.

 

[ferider]

The following lenses are f2 or faster and in your budget

- Canon 50mm f1.2 LTM
- Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM
- Canon 50mm f1.5 LTM
- Canon 50mm f1.8 LTM
- Canon Serenar 50mm f1.9 collapsible LTM
- Canon Serenar 50mm f2.0 collapsible LTM
- Jupiter 3 50mm f1.5 LTM
- Jupiter 8 50mm f2.0 LTM
- Konica M-Hexanon 50mm f2.0
- Leica Summarit 50mm f1.5
- Leica Summicron 50mm f2.0 collapsible
- Leica Summicron 50mm f2.0 DR
- Leica Summicron 50mm f2.0 III
- Leica Summicron 50mm f2.0 rigid
- Leica Summitar 50mm f2.0 LTM
- Leica Xenon 50mm f1.5 LTM
- MS-Mode-S 50mm f1.3 LTM
- Nikon 50mm f1.4 LTM
- Nikon 50mm f2.0 rigid LTM
- Voigtlander Heliar 50mm f2.0 collapsible
- Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.1
- Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.5
- Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5
- Zeiss Planar 50mm f2.0

You can find sample pictures for these in the flickr M-mount forum http://www.flickr.com/groups/m-mount.

My favorite ? The Nikkor 50/1.4, but that's personal, for all I know you might hate it.

Good luck shopping,

Roland.

 

[x-ray]

The 50 planar is an exceptional film lens. Had one for several years and had no complaints. Liked it better than the Summicron. Also had a Nokton 1.5 and would rate it tops too.

I had several lens systems and finally reduced my system a few years ago and if I were in the market for a 50 I wouldn't hesitate to buy either one.

Both have excellent wide open performance. The Nokton is comparable to the pre asph Summilux and not far off of the Asph. The Planar has stunning tonality and contrast. Zeiss has the best coatings in the market and is much lower flare than my current Summilux asph 50. I've found the current 50 Summilux asph and 35 FLE Summilux to suffer from flare particularly in back lit situations. The 90 apo asph does as well. The Zeiss handles back lighting much better.

 

[Tom A]

There is also a M-mount version of the 50f1.5 Voigtlander Nokton coming in a short while. I dont know when they will start shipping - check with Cameraquest on that. Smaller than the LTM Nokton 50f1.5, close focus to 0.7m. I saw the prototypes last year in Japan and it looks - and feels - very good. Performance is supposed to be the same as the LTM Nokton 50f1.5 - which is about as good as you will ever need. I have the C Sonnar 50f1.5, the Asph Summilux 50, the LTM Nokton 50f1.5 and though I tend to use the C Sonnar the most - the Nokton 50f1.5 sees a fair bit of "light" too. They are different lenses, C Sonnar is a black/white dream lens - it does things with the deep blacks that no other lens does (exception being the CV 28f3.5), The LTM Nokton is more of a modern design and as stated, not far off the Summilux 50 Asph - but with less flare - and I can't see any reason why the new M-mount would be inferior in performance.
The difference between a Planar 50f2 and a Nokton 50f1.5 is not that big, but that last f-stop (or fractionally less than a f-stop) comes in handy when you are shooting at ragged edge light - it can be the difference between being able to hand hold or missing a shot.

 

[MCTuomey]

some lenses that I'm considering are the Zeiss 50 1.5, CV 50 1.5, Canon 50 1.5 or 1.2 LTM.
what does everyone recommend?

i've been fortunate to have owned all of the above except for the Canon 50 f/1.2. i've kept the zeiss 50 f/1.5, though i liked them all. why? despite its reputation as finicky, it does so many things well. aged faces at f/1.5, younger faces at f/2.8. great color and well balanced contrast for B&W. nice size, good handling, doesn't flare. lovely bokeh. plenty sharp stopped down, surprisingly good across the frame.

i should sell it since i acquired a 'lux, but i can't. that says something, i guess.

 

[filmtwit]

50mm f1.5 zeiss zm

 

[mcfingon]

I recommend the Planar ZM. Shot at f2 on M3.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

"Zeiss 50 1.5, CV 50 1.5, Canon 50 1.5 or 1.2 LTM"

I think any and all of the them are excellent lens.
The challenge will be buying the last two in excellent shape
as they are prone to cleaning marks, separation, haze
and (eek!) Fungus.

Of course, if you could stretch your criteria a bit,
a good tabbed 50 Cron is around 1200 in KEH (BGN).

The same tabbed cron v4 was recently sold on RFF for 1050.

M6 + 50 Summicron = Perfect Combo.

cheers!

raytoei

 

[Godfrey]

I am very happy with the Nokton 50/1.5 ASPH (ltm) and Color Skopar 50/2.5 (ltm). Both work very well, have their distinctive signatures and rendering character. The Color Skopar is very small but also very solid. The Nokton is as good and as fast a 50 as I'll ever need.

G

 

[kossi008]

No need to stretch your budget, plenty of excellent lenses within reach.

I tried the C-Sonnar 50/1.5 and really liked it; my main reason to go with the Planar 50/2 was the min. focusing distance of 0.7 m (the C-Sonnar has 0.9 m)...

 

[nanthor]

The 50mm Nokton 1.5 is my vote for someone asking about a lens with your requirements.

 

[gilpen123]

Don't forget to consider the Hexanon 50 2.0, also a very good 50 similar in build to the cron.

Hex on the left cron on the right.

 

[taemo]

thanks everyone for your replies.

gilpen, does the hexanon have a focus tab?
I'm thinking of maybe grabbing a 50 cron v4, if not I'm leaning to the zeiss 50 f/2 and maybe use my 40 1.4 for low light

 

[gilpen123]

No focus tab on the Hex. Another view on an M3.

 

[gilpen123]

Taken with film and hex

Digital with an RD1

 

[Chris Bail]

+1 on the Hexanon. They only run in the $500-$600 range for a nice one. Very good performer. I paid $600 for mine.

Sample:

L1012867 by Chris Bail, on Flickr

 

[Chris Bail]

Another Hex sample taken with the R-D1


_EPS1179 by Chris Bail, on Flickr

 

[MCTuomey]

those'll sell the hex 50, chris & gil. nice shots.