Which first lens for R-D1s?

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skyjuice

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Hi all,

I am WChuan from Malaysia.
Recently I've ordered a new body of R-D1s and expecting to arrive in couple of weeks. I need advice on which Carl Zeiss lens to buy as my first lens and it should serve as walk-around lens (ie cover as much as possible). In details, I like street photography as well as portraiture.

Currently I am very keen on Carl Zeiss lenses, namely.

1) Biogon 21mm F2.8
2) Biogon 25mm F2.8
3) Biogon 28mm F2.8
4) Biogon 35mm F2.0
5) Plannar 50mm F2.0
6) Sonnar 50mm F1.5

Appreciate and thank you for your comments/inputs as I am new to digital rangefinder (I've not own or try out any of it). Currently I'm using Olympus E-1 DSRL.

Thank you.
 
With the R-D1's 1.6 crop factor in mind, I'd say a 35 or 21 will do as they have fields of view similar to a 50 or a 35 on a 35mm film camera.
 
Something else to consider, the RD1's widest built in viewfinder frame will only cover 28mm, anything wider and you will want to use an external viewfinder
 
RML: Thank you for the feed back.

Jerold: Thank you for the additional info. Yes, anything less than 28mm and I have to get the external viewfinder.
 
using the biogon 25mm without external viewfinder, no prob.

what focal lenghts do you prefer on the olympus for the intended use? that may lead you to the decision. someone else's habits need not match your own.


just my personal point of view, though.
sebastian
 
The focal lengths on the R-1Ds I personally find most useful are 21, 25, and 35/40.
Of these, the only Zeiss i have is the 25/2.8 Biogon. I would say it is probably my best lens, and the most used. Only hearsay, but Zeiss also has been said to consider it perhaps the best in their line.

The 25 focal length should work out to about 38 on the Epson, but I use a CV 35mm external finder that seems to work perfectly. And I find this focal length to be the most versatile—a good compromise range between the 21 and a 35. 50 mm is definitely not a standard lens on the Epson. It is useful to have, but if I had to own only one lens it would be a 25 or 35.

You will need an external finder for anything beyond 28mm (and I actually use a 28mm external finder for my CV 21 mm Color-Skopar because the framelines in the built-in finder are virtually useless to me because of my glasses.

You might want to look at lenses other than Zeiss, such as the CV line, if cost is at all an issue for you. They perform very well and are much less expensive than Zeiss. And I have recently discovered that an M-Rokkor 40/2 I picked up used makes an excellent match with the RD-1s and that the 35 mm framelines fit it very well.

Hope this helps.
 
Sebastel: Thank you for the feedback. I usually shoot at focal range within 35mm to 85mm (35 mm equivalent). So I guess Biogan 25mm, 28mm, 35mm, Plannar 50mm and Sonnar 50mm should fit into the range as specified.


David Noble: Thanks for the comments and definitely very helpful.
I am wearing glasses as well. As such, do I need to get the external viewfinder if I opt for Biogan 35mm? If yes, will the CV 35mm external viewfinder works?

By the way, I just came across with a few reviews on the Sonnar 50mm F1.5. It seems like an excellent lens for portraiture even in low light. Anyone has own it and does it work well with Epson R-D1s? Thanks.
 
Another vote for the 25mm length here. Either Zeiss or Voigtlander (I have the Zeiss).

The 35mm external finder will not work for the Biogon 35mm due to the crop factor (on the R-D1 the 35mm becomes effectively a 52mm lens). As others have said a 35mm finder will be a good approximation for the 25mm, or Voigtlander make a 25mm "D" finder specifically for the R-D1 that will exactly match the field of view of a 25mm lens on an R-D1.

For a longer lens I would go with the 40mm Voigtlander Nokton, its very popular with R-D1 users and a fantastic lens (very small for an f/1.4 lens) and of course gives you some low-light capability.
 
Re the Sonnar 50mm - there are a lot of reports of focus issues with this lens (have a look in the Zeiss forum here). I don't know whether this was a production fault that has been fixed.
 
Terao: Thank you for the feedback.

It seems like Biogon 25mm is very suitable for the R-D1s, except that I need to either get the Voigtlander "D" external viewfinder specially design for R-D1s or the CV 35mm external viewfinder. However, it will be quite difficult to get the Voigtlander "D" external viewfinder in Malaysia. Saw the CameraQuest offer but he doesn't accept Credit Card user orignate from Malaysia. Need to find another shop which sell that.

I've heard of the CV Nokton 40mm 1.4, it produces excellent image when coupled with R-D1s. The price is extremely reasonable as well. Does anyone know whether an external viewfinder is required for people like me wearing glasses?

Thanks!
 
I wear glasses and use the on-camera 35mm framelines for the 40mm. Works just fine and I can just about see all the 35mm framelines at once. Easily my most used lens and the first lens I got. I find it harder to see the 28mm lines.
 
Terao,
I too will shortly have an RD1s but had heard that the 40mm Nokton wasn't a good match for the 1s body. 'Sounds like I should make some images with it before it heads to the classifed section of RFF or eBay. Thanks for the information.
 
i also use the ZM c-sonnar without probs. have it adjusted to focus (almost) correctly at 1.5 and found the focus shift at 2.8 just at the limit of depth of field, so: definitively a recommendation from me.

concerning the 25mm and viewfinder - in contrast to many other people, i have no problem to know the field of view by using the 28mm frames in the R-D1 finder as guide, so using an external finder is unnecessary for me. but, it needs a bit of experience.
by the way, rangefinder frames never can give the _exact_ field, since the field changes with distance (the closer, the narrower). they only deliver a more or less precise hint ...

so, it's again a matter of personal experience, taste and preference whether an external VF is necessary or not.

by the way - why do i always break out in LOUD laughter whenever someone says "i've got everything under control" ????? control is illusion.

sebastian
 
skyjuice said:
Terao: Thank you for the feedback.

It seems like Biogon 25mm is very suitable for the R-D1s, except that I need to either get the Voigtlander "D" external viewfinder specially design for R-D1s or the CV 35mm external viewfinder. However, it will be quite difficult to get the Voigtlander "D" external viewfinder in Malaysia. Saw the CameraQuest offer but he doesn't accept Credit Card user orignate from Malaysia. Need to find another shop which sell that.

I've heard of the CV Nokton 40mm 1.4, it produces excellent image when coupled with R-D1s. The price is extremely reasonable as well. Does anyone know whether an external viewfinder is required for people like me wearing glasses?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

With a 25mm (38mm equivalent) lens on an R-D1 it is just about possible to use the whole of the viewfinder frame beyond the 28mm framelines in the finder. It is though not really possible if you wear glasses. With my glasses on I can just about see the 28mm framelines.

I believe that the "D" finders are now discontinued, although it may be possible to find one secondhand. IMHO a better choice is the CV 28/35mm Minifinder. Better constructed and much smaller than the "D" finders. I find the 35mm frame is a good match for my 25mm Skopar and the 28mm frame works well with my 21mm (32mm equivalent) Avenon.

The 40mm Nokton is a great lens, especially for the price. Be aware that some samples can back focus slightly on the R-D1 as forum members have reported here. Mine back focuses by about 1 inch on my R-D1 (not too much of a problem unless wide open and close up). My friends sample is perfect on my and his R-D1.

The 35mm (53mm equivalent) framelines in the R-D1 are in someways a better match for a 40mm (60mm equivalent) lens becuse of x0.85 safety factor built into the framelines. With the Nokton they are perfect at infinity and just a little tight at less than 2 metres. You should not have any problems seeing the 35mm framelines in the R-D1 while wearing glasses.

An alternative solution to external viewfinders for lenses down to 25mm (see using full frame above) is to fit correction lenses to the viewfinder so that you can see and focus without your glasses. My friend, a glasses wearer, does this with his R-D1, but I find it too inconvenient to push my glasses up out of the way each time I take a shot. Its probably down to your eyesight and the way you like to work.

Jim
 
If you're new to rangefinders I wouldn't get a lens that requires an external finder. Moving from AF to MF and zoom to fixed-length will be enough of an adjustment without switching between finders to focus and compose.
 
Jim Watts: Thank you for all the info. I certainly will take account whatever you've mention.


Andrew Sowerby: Thank you for the suggestion and you are very right that I am now quite concern of getting a lens whereby I need to switch better finders to compose and focus.

However, more advanced and experienced photographer should be concern on that matter even without the external viewfinders and I guess there's no lens which got it all.

As such, is there other excellent Carl Zeiss lens or CV lens that does't required external viewfinder and it suit people like me with glasses?
One example given is the CV Nokton 40mm F1.4.

Thanks!
 
skyjuice said:
As such, is there other excellent Carl Zeiss lens or CV lens that does't required external viewfinder and it suit people like me with glasses?
One example given is the CV Nokton 40mm F1.4.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Zeiss 28mm Biogon
Voigtlander make a 28 f/1.9 Ultron (a really, really good lens that even Leica fanatics grudgingly like). Its half the price of the Zeiss as well...
I guess it depends on what you like to shoot, I love my 40mm Nokton and it does give you better low-light performance. Its also tiny for such a fast lens. It is a bit tight on an R-D1 - effectively a 60mm lens which is a bit of a strange length. Its capable of lovely shots though:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=64031910%40N00&q=Nokton&m=tags

All of the wedding shots are wide-open in very low-light @ ISO1600.

313379820_bd4793213c.jpg
 
Jim Watt: Thank you once again for the CV 28mm.



Terao: Thank you for the pic and also the link. You have fantastic gallery and the wedding pics are great! It makes me want to get the CV 40mm F1.4 as soon as possible together with the Zeiss Biogon 25mm F2.8.

By the way, mind if I ask about CV 35mm F1.2 Nokton ASPH? What do you think about the quality of the lens & the colour of the pic? I've read Sean's review and it is one of his favorite fast lens.

Does it fits well on R-D1s frameline? Cheers!
 
I'm a beginner myself, so I can't compare it really to other rangefinder lenses, but the 35mm f1.2 is my main lens on my R-D1. I find it's good as an all around lens - the focal lenth seems to work for me. I love its speed. I do a lot of urban night time photography/indoor shots and with the R-D1 and ISO800 and f1.2, there is no shot I cannot take.

It is a large lens, but compared to your DSLR setup, the R-D1 and the Nokton will still be a compact camera system.

Personally, and this is just compared to my old Canon setups, some P&S that I've used and my recently acquired M8+35mm Summilux, I find the R-D1+35mm Nokton to be a very contrasty lens. Colours seem more vibrant to me - they remind me a lot of more of the classic photos my dad made during the 70s than the rather cool and perhaps more technically accurate photos I took with my old Canon XTi and high end glass. The M8 + 'lux also seems to be less contrasty in terms of colours, but it's still early for me to have a real opinion yet (just at 500 shots or so).

Personally, I think I do find its bokeh to be a little more energetic/frenzied than the creamy smooth bokeh I used to get on my Canon gear. Hard to really say, maybe this is just my preference.

Still, if it isn't clear, I absolutely love the 35mm Nokton and the R-D1. Given my familiarity with that setup and lens, I reach for it over the M8 + Lux nearly every time, though this may change as I learn the M8 more and more. Every time I've seen this thread, I've wanted to recommend it, but haven't because I'm only just a beginner.

Anyhow, here's one with the camera and lens from a recent vacation... but this is post processed (WB, exposure adjustment, contrast, sharpening):

amy.jpg


There are at least two groups on flickr focused on this lens -- you should check them out for yourself. Not all are with the R-D1, but there ought to be a few w/ it there:

http://flickr.com/groups/nokton35/pool/

also, most of the photos in my flickr gallery are with the R-D1 and 35mm Nokton:

http://flickr.com/photos/jjcha/

Best regards,

-Jason
 
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