which 50mm lens for Euro vacation?

[Sonnar Brian]

Take the 5cm f2 Sonnar in LTM.

I took mine to Williamsburg, great results. Fast enough for indoor work, and sharp. It's compact, and you do not need to worry about extending it. Fits in the pouch case with the CL.

You should use a hood with any of the lenses in the line-up.

And the Bokeh is Better.

 

[pvdhaar]

Frank, this Euro holiday, I guess this is somewhere between Svalbard and Gibraltar? The places you're going to visit may have an impact on what you should take along. But I'd advise you one thing; take at least one lens with very high contrast along. A lot of the places tourists are likely to visit in Europe have a coastal climate. That means a high probability of overcast or rainy weather, even in summer. The ability to work on drab days is a godsend. Take the CV50/2.5..

 

[rxmd]

Frank, this Euro holiday, I guess this is somewhere between Svalbard and Gibraltar? The places you're going to visit may have an impact on what you should take along.

My thought exactly. It's good that Frank mentioned that this was a fun post, otherwise it would seem rather obvious that asking "which 50mm for photographing in Europe" makes only slightly more sense than "which lens for photographing on planet Earth".

Then again, I don't know how much gear you are taking but it looks like at least three cameras that you will have with you at all times if I understand correctly. My personal approach would be to take as little gear as possible; in your case, an 28 and the 40 because it's fast. I'm currently here for three months with an M5 + CV 21/f4 + CV 40/f1.4, and a T90 + 50/f1.4 + 90/f2.5 macro, and while I never take both cameras with me, this is already a *lot* of gear and I've already taken the 90 only for a very specific shooting that has been planned for a while.

On the other hand, if you are mainly "walking your gear" (as in walking the dog), take the lens you have the most fun with.

Philipp

 

[FrankS]

Thank you for your thoughts so far. The Euro trip is to southern England - Hastings, Brighton, London, Bath, Glastonbury, down to the tip of Cornwall region, Stonehenge, lots of castles and abbys, then a couple of days in Paris before heading home to Canada.

I did mention that I'd like to match the 2 vintage wide angles.

Brian, the Sonnar did a nice job with a quick test roll of supermarket colour film. I"m leanig towards it at this time.

 

[crawdiddy]

I agree with memphis. You're gonna want the speed. I don't own a Nocti my own self (yet), but if I had one, I would take it. I do have a Canon 0.95, however. Not sure I would take that. It's awfully heavy. If I wasn't carrying it with me all the time, I'd be afraid to leave it in a hotel, without a safe.

Anyway, I voted for Summitar.

 

[monochromejrnl]

here's my two cents for what it's worth...

if you're taking up to 2 MF cameras, then only take on 35mm body and one lens... and use each camera for it's strengths, the MF presumably will have wider lenses (~35mm FOV)... so for the 35mm body, i'd take the 40/1.5 and take advantage of the faster lens...

if you must take more than one lens, then take wide (28mm fov) and a fast normal lens - in your case the Summitar would be my choice...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

5cm F2 Sonnar in LTM, at F4:

Wide-open at F2:

And if you don't take the Sonnar, all I can say is

PPPPhhhhffftttt...wide-open at F2.

 

[FrankS]

All the "travel light" guys will laugh at this, but here's what I'm taking. Keep in mind that this will be mainly a driving vacation, with a home base (rental apartment or hotel) to leave gear not wanted during that day. I'd rather have it with me and not need it than to not have it with me and need it.

folding MF fixed lens camera for B+W
folding MF fixed lens camera for colour
35mm RF electronic camera with AE
Leica IIf

I plan to keep the Summaron 35f3.5 on the IIf with CV28/35 mini-finder. This may be my camera that's out of the bag most of the time.

On the Hear RF, I'll interchange the Canon 28f3.5, CV40f1.4, and 50mm to be decided, as necessary.

My kids have digital P+S cameras, my wife a Contax Tvs with colour neg film for the family album snaps.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I choose the elmar because you do not seem to have the fine Industar 22. If not, buy one when in Europe and shoot the rest of your photos with it............. Sorry didn't notice the FED 3.5 which is ok of course!

I especially like these lenses because they are so small (nice when travelling) and damn sharp.

 

[FioreVelviamo]

Funny, I'd choose none from that list.
As a matter of fact, I'd sell them all to buy a single summilux and be happy forever.

 

[FrankS]

I would trade fthem all for a Summilux. 😉

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Funny, I'd choose none from that list.
As a matter of fact, I'd sell them all to buy a single summilux and be happy forever.

only the 35 then, the others much to heavy

 

[FrankS]

Looks like the 50mmf2 Carl Zeiss Jena pre-war uncoated Sonnar that Brian Sweeney put into a J-8 barrel (ltm) will be going on vacation.

 

[raid]

Have a great trip

Have a great trip

All the "travel light" guys will laugh at this, but here's what I'm taking. Keep in mind that this will be mainly a driving vacation, with a home base (rental apartment or hotel) to leave gear not wanted during that day. I'd rather have it with me and not need it than to not have it with me and need it.

folding MF fixed lens camera for B+W
folding MF fixed lens camera for colour
35mm RF electronic camera with AE
Leica IIf

I plan to keep the Summaron 35f3.5 on the IIf with CV28/35 mini-finder. This may be my camera that's out of the bag most of the time.

On the Hear RF, I'll interchange the Canon 28f3.5, CV40f1.4, and 50mm to be decided, as necessary.

My kids have digital P+S cameras, my wife a Contax Tvs with colour neg film for the family album snaps.

Frank,

You have covered all possibilities here. Don't forget to take along some film.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

My work is done.

It really gives a great look. It's become a favorite.

 

[raid]

Brian,

I also need such a lens.
I have a J-8 as a shell.

 

[FrankS]

Brian,

I also need such a lens.
I have a J-8 as a shell.

Sorry Raid, you can't have one. Brian doesn't want to make any more because that would dilute the specialness of the lenses we have.

Bwah-ha-ha!

😉

 

[raid]

Sorry Raid, you can't have one. Brian doesn't want to make any more because that would dilute the specialness of the lenses we have.

Bwah-ha-ha!

😉

Frank,

This is terrible!!! :bang: 😀
I have a genuine Zeiss LTM, so I am careful about using it for travels. A Brian Sweeney Zeiss LTM would be purr-fekto for such applications. It someone steals the lens, I would have lost something that can be [maybe] replaced.

 

[back alley]

frank, sell all those 50s and get an m elmar 50/2.8

 

[FrankS]

Interesting idea Joe, but I'm pretty much done, even with 50mmm lenses. I'll spend the rest of my days figuring out the characteristics of the lenses (and cameras) I have.