Which camera for 28 and 50mm?

Money no object and going out tomorrow for a great 28 combination film Leica I would love to indulge my interest in an M7, and the first version 28 Summicron. I love the M6 meter and find it scary good even when I think a reflected reading will be defeated so I presume AE on M7 is very good. I do find with the M9 cameras that at 28 FL and wider there is too much accounting for the sky but the metering is quite different. Never used a 28 on the M6. A 21 on the M5 gave me no metering problems.
 
Ach, missed that. 🙁. It's a bit silly, I agree. Particularly since many of the best new RF lenses are essentially the same kind of lens formulae that are used in SLR lenses.

That said, my favorite 28mm lens is the new Summaron-M 28/5.6, which is a repro of a 1950s lens. And I can see the difference between photos I make with it vs my previous Summicron-M 28/2 ASPH. So ...eh? It proves nothing. 😉

G
 
Generally the only places I can tell the difference are between things like Sonnar vs Tessar vs Double Gauss types (they have actual different optical properties) or Coated vs Uncoated lenses (serious contrast differences).

Occasionally you can see in broad strokes the familial differences between say a "Leica" style and a "Zeiss" style but even that I think is mostly people fooling themselves to justify the sunk cost fallacy.
 
Bill Blackwell said:
My opinion - get an M6 (with a fresh CLA, of course). The guts of an MP are essentially identical to that of a late M6/M6TTL. The MP will cost you twice as much and get you a brass topcover, the RF condenser (taken out during the M4-2 run), and a modern circuit board.
Click to expand...
Not an m7? (I don’t know nothing about Leicas)
 
piero2025 said:
Not an m7? (I don’t know nothing about Leicas)
Click to expand...
The M6 is purely manual. The photographer sets everything, though you have an in camera meter.
The M7 added aperture auto mode. Put the shutter speed dial on automatic and all you have to do is select the aperture and the camera will select the shutter speed based on the ISO of your film (DX or set by you on the camera back). My digital M 240 works in a roughly similar manner.

Which is better is a religious decision.

If I were to buy one today, I'd buy a Zeiss ZM instead of either.
 
Godfrey said:
Ach, missed that. 🙁. It's a bit silly, I agree. Particularly since many of the best new RF lenses are essentially the same kind of lens formulae that are used in SLR lenses.

That said, my favorite 28mm lens is the new Summaron-M 28/5.6, which is a repro of a 1950s lens. And I can see the difference between photos I make with it vs my previous Summicron-M 28/2 ASPH. So ...eh? It proves nothing. 😉

G
Click to expand...
And what these differences would be?
 
piero2025 said:
Thanks.
What about wide angle? Framelines?
Click to expand...
Any 28less M has 28mm matching VF.
And it is not too difficult not to miss 28mm frames as well. Just look for the widest.

It is only 50/75 which are confusing crap. But tiny SBOOI is the best ever VF with frames for 50mm. M3's one is not true 1:1, SBOOI is.

I prefer 28less Ms and grown wider, 21mm is much more interesting and natural comparing to 28mm.
And just fine with external VF.
 
wlewisiii said:
The M6 is purely manual. The photographer sets everything, though you have an in camera meter.
The M7 added aperture auto mode. Put the shutter speed dial on automatic and all you have to do is select the aperture and the camera will select the shutter speed based on the ISO of your film (DX or set by you on the camera back). My digital M 240 works in a roughly similar manner.

Which is better is a religious decision.

If I were to buy one today, I'd buy a Zeiss ZM instead of either.
Click to expand...

I own a ZM. Fantastic camera.
The other day it fell from the shelf, in a soft case, and lost focus alignment.
So I go on YouTube and find this:



Which means mailing my camera to Germany and not taking photos for a month, vs turning a screw on a Leica (or having bought 3 cheaper cameras for the price of the ZM and having 2 spares).

Then I created this post.
 
Freakscene said:
An M with a 0.58 finder (the MP is the nicest) is the best rangefinder camera for the 28mm frameline. If you use 28 and 50mm lenses, get the 75mm and 90mm framelines removed (filled in, actually). With a 0.58 finder the 50 is useable-good, but might not be easy to focus with an f1.4 or faster lens.

And a 28 Summicron, or, even better, Summilux.

View attachment 4859641
Click to expand...
That is a seriously sharp image!

What would be the difference between the two Summis?
 
piero2025 said:
I own a ZM. Fantastic camera.
The other day it fell from the shelf, in a soft case, and lost focus alignment.
So I go on YouTube and find this:



Which means mailing my camera to Germany and not taking photos for a month, vs turning a screw on a Leica (or having bought 3 cheaper cameras for the price of the ZM and having 2 spares).

Then I created this post.
Click to expand...

Doesn't look that bad to me but I've fought with Super Ikontas 😉

Have you tried Steve's Camera Service Center | Camera Repair | Culver City ? I've read they'll work on the Ikon but don't know for certain.
 
piero2025 said:
That is a seriously sharp image!

What would be the difference between the two Summis?
Click to expand...
Summicron
IMG_0616.jpeg
Summilux

IMG_0615.jpeg

My opinion is that the Summicron is excellent, and the Summilux is a masterpiece. I don’t look at resolution or acutance or aberration control as much as I look at tonality. The Summilux separates the tones to a degree I have never seen in any other lens. In hard, soft, intermediate light, whatever, all the tones separate out. It’s incredible.

1743329359838.jpeg

Edit: the only 28mm I know of that is as good as the Summilux-M is the e55 version of the Leica 28mm Elmarit-R. But that’s obscure.
 
Last edited:
Freakscene said:
Summicron
View attachment 4859744
Summilux

View attachment 4859747

My opinion is that the Summicron is excellent, and the Summilux is a masterpiece. I don’t look at resolution or acutance or aberration control as much as I look at tonality. The Summilux separates the tones to a degree I have never seen in any other lens. In hard, soft, intermediate light, whatever, all the tones separate out. It’s incredible.

View attachment 4859749

Edit: the only 28mm I know of that is as good as the Summilux-M is the e55 version of the Leica 28mm Elmarit-R. But that’s obscure.
Click to expand...
Incredible indeed.
 
piero2025 said:
Well, I live in Europe so it’s not so bad. But still, I should own backup cameras.
Click to expand...
1) With luck, I will be in Berlin applying for an Artist visa by the end of 2026. I miss Europe, now more than ever...
2) I'm fortunate that I have two divergent systems as my primaries - Pentax and Leica - so that does give me a bit of luxury if something happened to one or the other.
 
piero2025 said:
Not an m7? (I don’t know [any]thing about Leicas)
Click to expand...
The M7 is a very nice camera - no doubt about it. But, as is the case with any non-Leica with an electronically controlled shutter, there are no replacements available for fried circuit boards. All other Leica made M film cameras are 100% mechanical (excepting the light meter) and can be serviced.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom