Which one for M-E, Planar 50 2 or Nokton 50 1.5?

[Ko.Fe.]

Thanks to RFF for overwhelming support and great examples! I might have a chance to look at Nokton and Planar, help offered by local RFF member.

Rigid Cron is OK, at f5.6 is very sharp, but I need just one 50mm for two M and I would like it to focus at 0.7m on digital M.

It is not visible on this size, but it is very, very sharp at f5.6. As as sharp as I want it to be. SOOC from M-E and Rigid. Direct flash and as close as I could get with the Rigid.

From only few pictures I took with ISO 1600-2500, I could see what CCD sensor really needs light. This is ISO 2500 and one lamp directly above, no flash.

 

[Pioneer]

I own the Nokton, the Planar and the Summilux pre-asph. I enjoy all three and consider them to be excellent lenses. Any preference one way or the other would be a personal thing and hard to quantify.

Personally I don't use those three as often as I should because my favorite has been the Sonnar 50/1.5.

 

[Canyongazer]

...Leica MP, Nokton-M 50mm f/1.5, Tmax400.

Erik.

A beautiful print from difficult lighting...well done!
CG

 

[raid]

I love using the Rigid Summicron, and I have added more modern lenses such as the CV 50/1.5 and CV 50/1.1. I still prefer the Summicron. I have teamed up with Roland some years ago on creating a comparison of many 50mm lenses, and the Summicron did very well there.

 

[BLKRCAT]

Selling my rigid was one of the biggest regrets I've made with photography. Mine had work done to it with a pristine front element re coated with modern coatings.

I sold it to a guy privately who the next day asked for his money back. When I got the lens back it there had been a clear attempt at opening and disassembling the lens and the guy claimed that the lens didn't move his rangefinder on his m8. It was difficult for me to see the lens in such shape after 24 hours and I had determined that his rangefinder was sticking due to -10*c cold shooting because the lens worked fine on all of my cameras.

 

[Erik van Straten]

The rigid is a very nice all-around lens, above all fitted with the cute little shade of the Elmar-M.

Leica M3, Summicron rigid 50mm f/2, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

To me Rigid was the lens to try out for curiosity. I have tried and sold almost all Leitz made 50-ties before Rigid.
To be honest the most one I liked was Summarit the Original (from Xenon 🙂 ). But I prefer more modern lenses for 28, 35 and 50, not into heavy chromed brass from fifties. Over done for metal parts, but glass is soft, prone to fungus and else. All of old Leitz lenses I have tried are like this. Rigid is no exclusion. I received J-12 from fifties as gift two weeks ago, did CLA for focus parts, yet glass is perfectly clean. Rigid glass of same age is far from condition of same age J-12, which was also not a shelf queen. And J-12 is as sharp at f5.6 as Rigid on 5.6.

 

[ray*j*gun]

Kost. I would opt for the Planar. I don't have much experience with the Nokton, but I've used the Planar a bit, and its great on the digital sensor. Of course, if you're interested in low contrast with pastel colors, its not the lens for you. If you want really sharp at all apertures, high contrast, no distortion, high flare resistance and great saturated colors, the Planar is a good choice.
About the only thing "bad" about the Planar is the contrast. Sometimes people think its too much contrast. Also, the focus bump is different than the Leica tab, but I seem to manage with it OK.

Any concern about the Zeiss wobble I have read about for some time?

 

[jazzwave]

I have Planar and Rigid, the Planar has more contrast and sharper.
In digital (and BW) I prefer Rigid,easy to do post processing in LR.

But Nokton has more speed (f1.5 compare to f2).

Anyway both are very good lenses

~ron~

 

[uhoh7]

I vote Nokton 🙂

 

[TRIago]

I vote Rigid. I use it on my M9 and damn, it's that good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ko.Fe.]

How about the lens which is giving pictures like these?

ISO 160, wide open.

Mushy M-E ISO 1600, wide open.

 

[edge100]

Planar.

i happen to have the worlds finest* Planar for sale in the Classifieds right now.

* - according to some.

 

[kshapero]

.

Leica M4, Nokton-M 50mm f/1.5, Fuji Velvia 50

Gosh I love this exposure. Colors are wonderful.🙂

 

[BLKRCAT]

Planar.

i happen to have the worlds finest* Planar for sale in the Classifieds right now.

* - according to some.

It's funny, you aren't the only local looking to move a planar. It looks like people are holding on to their noktons. Perhaps for a reason 😀

Gosh I love this exposure. Colors are wonderful.🙂

Thank you, velvia 50 for "street" was a one time deal for me. I shot it I can say I tried it but man it's a beast. Exposure has to be exact, and I'm not sure if it's because I don't normally scan chromes but I found velvia 50 to be the most difficult to scan of any chrome I've shot to date!

 

[edge100]

It's funny, you aren't the only local looking to move a planar. It looks like people are holding on to their noktons. Perhaps for a reason 😀

FWIW, I used to own the Nokton and sold that, too.

I love the Planar; I just don't shoot 50mm enough to justify keeping it in addition to my Canon 1.4.

 

[ferider]

Here is the VM 50/1.5 on film. Hard to beat for portraits.

BTW, the 50/2.5 Color Skopar might be a perfect match to the OP's Summarit, and hasn't been mentioned yet. Here on the 240:

Overall, for night and landscapes, I do favor the 1.1 though (240 again), even though the OOF is a bit rougher than the two lenses above:

Roland.

 

[helen.HH]

Yummy Good Roland, Wonderful character in all those shots !!

 

[pepeguitarra]

Nokton LTM 50/1.5 @f1.5:


Peacock at Denver Zoo 2-1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

M9+Nokton50mmf1.5a-1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

M9+Nokton50mmf1.5-Mandarina1-1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Zeiss Planar 50/2 @ f2:

Open by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Sweet Pea by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Tomatico by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Summicron 50/2 Rigid:

M8-Summicron50mmf2Rigid-Gladiolos by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

M8-Summicron50mmf2Rigid-Granadilla by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


M8-Summicron50mmf2Rigid-MandarinasAgain by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Large Figures by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Zeiss Sonar 50/1.5:

000045640036 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


Luis in Univision by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


CZeissSonnar50mmf1.5-M9-ParkGrass2 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr


CZeissSonnar50mmf1.5-M9-MiMandarina1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Alegro Maestros by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Great new examples!
I photographed my lenses for sale this week and goofing around with J-3 on 35-135mm LTM-M adapter to see how large aperture works. Realized it is not same as on DSLR with AF and focus tracking or MF with focus confirmation. f1.5 is next to impossible to RF with our kids. They are refusing to stay still.

f1.5.

f1.1 is going to be too big and heavy. I don't think I want Skopar 50 2.5. I sold CS 35 2.5, purchased Summitar-M and never looked back.