dant Posted July 19, 2014 Share #1 Posted July 19, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) What lens do you recommend that has a large aperture and produces nice bokeh and is priced on the lower end of the scale. I prefer it to be M mount. Does not have to be made by Leica. 35mm to 50mm or so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 Hi dant, Take a look here Bargain M bokeh lens?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jonogilmour Posted July 20, 2014 Share #2 Posted July 20, 2014 Checked out the Canon 50mm 1.4 and 1.8 LTM lenses? They can be picked up for around $300 or less. Buy a one dollar LTM-M adapter and keep it on the lens at all times. My 1.4 is an excellent lens, albeit it does need a CLA. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted July 20, 2014 Share #3 Posted July 20, 2014 I use a Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 and love it. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230790-bargain-m-bokeh-lens/?do=findComment&comment=2633736'>More sharing options...
Jay B Posted July 20, 2014 Share #4 Posted July 20, 2014 I use a Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 and love it. So do I. Great value for the excellent color & rendering. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230790-bargain-m-bokeh-lens/?do=findComment&comment=2633753'>More sharing options...
MarkP Posted July 20, 2014 Share #5 Posted July 20, 2014 Zeiss 1.5/50 ZM C-Sonnar! Lots of threads on it in throughout the Forum. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted July 20, 2014 Share #6 Posted July 20, 2014 No doubt about it, the ZM 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar, it's what it is made for. Steve 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted July 20, 2014 Share #7 Posted July 20, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) My CV 35/1.4 SC and ZM 50/1.5 have some smooth bokeh but focus shift may be a problem with both lenses on RF cameras. Beware of flare with the CV also. Among lenses i have no experience with, the current CV 35/1.2 and CV 50/1.5 have a very good reputation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted July 20, 2014 Share #8 Posted July 20, 2014 Get a Jupiter 3 (50/1.5) / Jupiter 8 (50/2) / Jupiter 9 (85/2), have the lens shimmed to work on your M body and enjoy the images the J8 should cost you little more than the cost of postage ... The j3 is usually the "most expensive" of the bunch at appx. €200 ... The j9 is an excellent portrait lens 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
billo101 Posted July 21, 2014 Share #9 Posted July 21, 2014 35 1,2CV 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted July 21, 2014 Share #10 Posted July 21, 2014 Get a Jupiter 3 (50/1.5) / Jupiter 8 (50/2) / Jupiter 9 (85/2), have the lens shimmed to work on your M body and enjoy the images the J8 should cost you little more than the cost of postage ... The j3 is usually the "most expensive" of the bunch at appx. €200 ... The j9 is an excellent portrait lens Best advice in this thread so far! The key is to get them adjusted properly. Other than that, I have seen no other 35mm with as dramatically beautiful background rendering, as the 35/1.2 v1 Voigtlander lens, but I would not consider it a budget lens, with prices still easily reaching 800 - 900 USD second hand (they are not made anymore, so second hand is the only way to get one). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted July 21, 2014 Share #11 Posted July 21, 2014 For smooth and attractive bokeh my advice is the Sonnar lens design, which is available in a number of lenses. As mentioned earlier the Zeiss 50/1.5 ZM Sonnar or the Russian Jupiter Sonnars would be excellent choices as would the older Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 Sonnar, the Carl Zeiss Jena 50/1.5 Sonnar in LTM and can be used to meet whatever budget you have chosen. One that is rarely mentioned but is an outstanding lens is the Rollei 40/2.8 Sonnar HFT in LTM. F/2.8 isn't as wide as some of the others but it is better corrected and offers the Sonnar bokeh signature at a similar price to the Zeiss 50/1.5 ZM Sonnar and with no focus shift. Note: if you're planning to use the Zeiss ZM wide open check that it's optimised for f/1.5 rather than f/2.8, which many of them are. Pete. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted July 21, 2014 Share #12 Posted July 21, 2014 I know the OP wants an M mount but the Summitar is a good bang for the buck lens too and good copies can be had for little. To my eyes at least it has a nice boke. The coated versions with ten-blade aperture are the best imo. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Reading at 20:05 | Flickr Leica II Summitar (1950, ten-blade) Tri-X 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Reading at 20:05 | Flickr Leica II Summitar (1950, ten-blade) Tri-X ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230790-bargain-m-bokeh-lens/?do=findComment&comment=2634545'>More sharing options...
adan Posted July 21, 2014 Share #13 Posted July 21, 2014 That last shot through the restaurant(?) door is pretty much a textbook example of "bad" bokeh. Those bright-edged cat's-eyes blurs on the right are exactly what is meant by bad bokeh. Leads to double images, as in the circle dead center and the woman's arm. I'm not saying the lens is bad, or that you shouldn't like the effect. But "good bokeh" - if that is what you are looking for - means OOF blur circles that are always brightest in the center, and fade away softly at the edges. The 50 f/1.5 c/v shot of the water pump is in the same vein - doubled-up images of the wall lettering top left, and clothing rack stanchion center left. The flower shot (same lens, different camera-subject-background distance relationships) is closer to neutral-to-good bokeh. The blur circles are brightest at the center, and fade away at the edges, without hard outlines. Just a hint of bright edges and doubled images in the middle distance (yellow-green hedge). 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJWhite Posted July 21, 2014 Share #14 Posted July 21, 2014 That last shot through the restaurant(?) door is pretty much a textbook example of "bad" bokeh. Agreed. My 50mm Summitar from 1950 is a fine lens for snap shots with my IIIc in bright sun at f/8. Otherwise, I never use it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblutter Posted July 21, 2014 Share #15 Posted July 21, 2014 Not a bargain, but 50mm 2.0 Summi ver IV is gorgeous. About $1400 used on Ebay (am salivating for a back up but just can't rationalize 2 examples of the same thing when the current one has been perfect for about 20 yrs). The Zeiss focus issues in searches seem to fixable with a good tech, but you'll be limited to what 'sweet spot' you asked to have it calibrated for. Can anyone back that bit of research up? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Posted July 22, 2014 Share #16 Posted July 22, 2014 50mm Summilux ASPH (M9) 50mm Summicron (M6) Nikon 35mm f1.8 FX (Df) Canon 50mm f1.2 (6D) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted July 22, 2014 Share #17 Posted July 22, 2014 That last shot through the restaurant(?) door is pretty much a textbook example of "bad" bokeh. Those bright-edged cat's-eyes blurs on the right are exactly what is meant by bad bokeh. Leads to double images, as in the circle dead center and the woman's arm. I'm not saying the lens is bad, or that you shouldn't like the effect. But "good bokeh" - if that is what you are looking for - means OOF blur circles that are always brightest in the center, and fade away softly at the edges. The 50 f/1.5 c/v shot of the water pump is in the same vein - doubled-up images of the wall lettering top left, and clothing rack stanchion center left. The flower shot (same lens, different camera-subject-background distance relationships) is closer to neutral-to-good bokeh. The blur circles are brightest at the center, and fade away at the edges, without hard outlines. Just a hint of bright edges and doubled images in the middle distance (yellow-green hedge). Those doubled up letters are exactly that. A neon sign with double tubing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lm_user Posted July 22, 2014 Share #18 Posted July 22, 2014 Consider a 90mm elmar Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalHeMan Posted July 22, 2014 Share #19 Posted July 22, 2014 Consider a 90mm elmar Agree. For real budget (around 180-200€ for a good used copy) the 90mm Elmar-C is an excellent performer. Can't post photos to the forum right now, but I think this is a reasonable example of the bokeh wide open (I think) Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230790-bargain-m-bokeh-lens/?do=findComment&comment=2635113'>More sharing options...
philipus Posted July 22, 2014 Share #20 Posted July 22, 2014 Andy, With due respect, the OP asked for a lens "that has a large aperture and produces nice bokeh and is priced on the lower end of the scale". It is a subjective question, thus, which is why I suggested the Summitar, a lens that I find pleasing. I note that the OP didn't ask for a lecture on what is "good" boke in a technical sense, though lenses producing such can probably be also be found at the lower end of the scale. I'm sure he'd be interested in hearing your views, as an experienced photographer, on that. Incidentally, MJ Hussman not long ago wrote a piece in LFI on boke and out of focus rendering so if the OP wants to dig deeper into circles of confusion that's a good place to start. For a lens within the parameters (including focal length) set by the OP, I still maintain the Summitar is capable of pleasing out of focus rendering. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Fingering | Flickr Leica II Portra 400 Harold, as nice as your shot with the Summilux-M 50 Asph is, in my view that is not a lens which is priced on the lower end of the scale. Btw, does the Canon 50/1.2 you shot with fit on an M? rgds Philip 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Fingering | Flickr Leica II Portra 400 Harold, as nice as your shot with the Summilux-M 50 Asph is, in my view that is not a lens which is priced on the lower end of the scale. Btw, does the Canon 50/1.2 you shot with fit on an M? rgds Philip ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230790-bargain-m-bokeh-lens/?do=findComment&comment=2635315'>More sharing options...
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