under $1000 fast 50mm for my M6

[seakayaker1]

I enjoy the Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 ASPH.

Taken with MP.

. . . . . still available at Camerquest for $799.00, plus $69.00 for LTM to M adaptor.

I have the Zeiss C-Sonnar as well and they can be found for < $1000.00 used as well.

Good luck with your search.

 

[jonmanjiro]

The following lenses are f2 or faster and in your budget

- MS-Mode-S 50mm f1.3 LTM

Not any more. These go for crazy prices now... if you can even find one.

 

[ferider]

Not any more. These go for crazy prices now... if you can even find one.

The last one I saw was below, but it's been a while, Jon ...

-

For the OP: Sonnars are cool.

Nikkor 50/1.4 LTM:

Roland.

 

[Rogier]

Zeiss Biogon:


Relaxing in pool by Rogier Diver, on Flickr

 

[Rogier]

Canon 50mm f1.8


2012-06-16-02 by Rogier Diver, on Flickr

 

[Bingley]

Good advice for the OP in this thread; Roland has identified the catalog of possibilities. From that list, I would say that the CV Nokton 50/1.5 provides outstanding bang for the buck in terms of image quality, but it is not a small lens. The Canon 50/1.2 is also not a small lens, in fact it's fairly large and heavy compared to other lenses on the list.

The Canon 50/1.8 is very compact as is the 50/1.5. Here are a couple of wide open shots from the latter:


Fire Jugglers, rescan by bingley0522, on Flickr


Q by bingley0522, on Flickr

 

[biomed]

LTM Nokton 50/1.5 on a Panasonic u4/3 body

 

[OliMonster]

Summicron and Hexanon, separated at birth? 😛

I was in exactly the same position as you a little while ago - I needed something to put on the front of my shiny new M6! I found that in terms of bang for the buck, Zeiss is the way to go, and for the specific direction I'd suggest the Planar, it's Summicron performance at a fraction of the price. I was looking very long and very hard at the Sonnar, but in spite of the extra ~2/3 stop, I was put off because it's a bit funny to use - the prospect of focus shift didn't do it for me. It really pisses me off when I drop shots with my Jupiter-9 (Soviet Sonnar) on an FSU body because the focus isn't where I wanted it. The other thing that scared me was the idea of it completely changing character below 2.8 or 4. I like a lens that does the same thing regardless of how I've set it so I don't need to worry about straying into the wrong range and getting a razor-sharp shot when I want something a bit softer, or vice versa. Plenty of people like the Sonnar's characteristics, and they get some great results, but it's really not for me.

The Planar's great, in my experience. It's nice and small, it feels great in-hand, it's fantastically sharp and really contrasty all the way from f/2 to f/22 and the bokeh isn't at all bad. The images also have a really nice depth to them; there's a lovely way it renders 3D, so to speak. It's solidly built, too! I know the scans don't do them justice, but here are some pics I took at a vintage fair today with mine on my M6. See what you think...

 

[Chris Bail]

I also really like the Canon 50/1.4 LTM.

Wide open on the R-D1 at ISO 1600


_EPS1478 by Chris Bail, on Flickr

 

[Carterofmars]

Summicron 50mm f2.0 v3- on this one eight IS great.

 

[f16sunshine]

Lot's of good advice here and many great lenses to choose. For me it's the Nokton f1.5/50mm. I would suggest shooting your 40mm until the new M mount version is available. I have the LTM version and love it but, plan to add the M version as it's just too irrestable (Smaller, chrome available, some might add .7m focus).
It should be out by Summer according to the Chief.

Wide Open HP5 @1600 rodinal 1:100

 

[taemo]

^excellent point. that's what I've been thinking of doing actually, can't wait for Voigtlander to announce pricing and availability for the Nokton M
Currently have my eyes on a black Zeiss 50 2, if I get it for under $700 might have to take it.
If not, I'll just wait for the M Nokton.
Been looking at LTM 50 1.4 which I almost got one for around $400 yesterday but I would love to get the Canon 50 1.5 LTM but it seems hard to find one in great condition

 

[yossarian123]

I'm constantly switching fast 50s. I did like the 50/1.4 Nikkor though:


L1061522.jpg by SL_Photos, on Flickr

 

[kshapero]

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.

I am on hold for this. Is there a weight difference between the chrome and black versions?