Which 50mm's would you keep?

[mretina]

There is always time to sell a Summilux BP. I would keep that one also because it is BP and you have a BP body. This kind of splits the obvious choice of keeping the most obvious complementary pair made by cron-sonnar. I would not see reason why the cron should not be your other keeper, besides buying a cheaper lens that delivers 95% of its image quality and regretting for missing that 5% sooner or later....and then you would miss the sonnar.....I tell you what you sell the CV, shoot with cron/sonnar and keep the lux BP as an investment 🙂

 

[Jubb Jubb]

Keep the Lux. I am currently saving for this lens.
The Cron is prone to flare, and the 1.4 stop can be very handy.

 

[kosta_g]

keep the bp lux - rare as rocking horse po0... and insure the damn thing!
or if you are uncomfortable with the value of it every time you go out, just keep the cron and sonnar, and pack some fast film! 🙂

good luck with your decision.

 

[minhthuy]

keep the lux. i have one, it's a wonderfull lens

 

[Tom A]

When I look at my notes on the negatives from the last 5-6 years, my most used 50mm is the Zeiss C Sonnar 50f1.5 (both in M-mount and it's cousin, the somewhat elusive Nikon Rf mount version). I have a multitude of 50's, Summilux Asph, Summicron;s, Nokton's, Color Skopar, Heliars, Nikkors - but the one that goes on the camera for a trip is the C Sonnar. Might not be the sharpest of them all - but in black/white it has a distinct look that I like.
If I had to stick to only two 50's, The C Sonnar would be one and the second would probably be the Heliar 50f3.5 - or possibly the Elmar 50f2.8 vII.

 

[jonmanjiro]

If I had to stick to only two 50's, The C Sonnar would be one and the second would probably be the Heliar 50f3.5 - or possibly the Elmar 50f2.8 vII.

Interesting to read that the Elmar 50/2.8 II makes it in your top three 50s Tom! What it is about the lens that makes you rate it so highly? 🙂

(OP, sorry of the OT comment)

 

[coelacanth]

I can't speak for Tom and he is at least 135 times more knowledgeable than me, but I can second his notion of rating the Elmar-M 50 (last ten) highly. It is a modern lens with good flare resistance, 0.7m focus, etc but has this "look" of classic Tessar design in the shot. And also I can say this lens has the "3D effect" that is not due to shallow depth of field but from the characteristics of the lens itself...

Also this version has the non-rotating front part (aperture ring won't rotate as you focus) unlike the older gens of Elmar so ergonomics are surpassingly good. It can collapse down fully into film and digital M bodies.

I sold it once and bought another one soon after. I'm not letting mine go again.

(sorry OP for derailing a bit..)

 

[Tom A]

The Elmar 50f2.8 vII is one of the best 50's Leica ever made. It is better than the Summicron's (the regular ones - probably not the $6000 Asph one). It is small, has a neat hood and doesnt flare - and it is well built. The Heliar 50f3.5 is marginally sharper and with that 3D effect we are all looking for. The 50f2.8 vII has it too - but the Heliar is more pronounced in that aspect. Either one is a great "bright light" lens.

 

[raid]

I have the CV Heliar 50 3.5 which I treasure for overall quality in images created by this lens. As for the Elmar, I use the first version.

 

[dogberryjr]

This is brutal. I was reading through this and considering which of my too many 50s I could lose. Now my curiosity is up about the new Elmar. This madness will never end, I fear.

 

[sevres_babylone]

This is brutal. I was reading through this and considering which of my too many 50s I could lose. Now my curiosity is up about the new Elmar. This madness will never end, I fear.

Me too. Before this thread, I hadn't even considered my NEED for a bright-light lens (thanks a lot, Tom A.🙂. )