Predicting Monochrom performance with certain lenses?

[dante]

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So I am looking down the road at buying an MM. The goal is to eliminate some smaller MF equipment (6x4.5 and 6x6) - and maybe some miscellaneous digital cameras - and to be able to use some of my existing Leica-mount lenses for extra speed and versatility (I am not so enthusiastic about not having Live View for 21mm lenses, though - you can really get used to the realtime electronic horizon, even if it means using the EVF to get it).

 

Are there any good predictors of which lenses will work (or not) with the MM? Of this list, are any of these underperformers (or standouts)? They all do great on the M 240 at a pixel level; I'm just not 100% sure, especially when you contrast filter them, that they would be great on an MM. They are all properly collimated for the M 240.

 

- 21/4.5 Biogon

- 21-35/3.4-4 Dual Hexanon

- 28/2.8 M-Hexanon

- 35/1.4 Summilux ASPH

- 40/2 M-Rokkor

- 50/1.5 ZM Sonnar

- 50/2 M-Hexanon

- 75/2.5 Summarit

- 90/2.8 M-Hexanon

 

Of these, the tiny and ultra-sharp Biogon is actually the biggest concern. On an M 240, it gets some very minor detail smearing at the extreme edges (the color shift is correctable and would not be an MM issue anyway). I would think that the Biogon should be fantastic on the MM, but that's just a guess.

 

Any insights/experiences with lenses on this list? Or even whether a lens' M 240 performance translates to MM?

 

Thanks!

Dante

[thighslapper]

Look at the 'older glass on the Monochrom' thread: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m-lenses/263929-old-lenses-monochrom-post-examples-here.html#post2251378

 

To be honest there are very few lenses that will give you rubbish results on the MM ...... different characteristics of softness and vignetting ..... but all result in good images in their own way. The MM is a very benign performer as far as lenses are concerned.

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[dante]

Look at the 'older glass on the Monochrom' thread: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m-lenses/263929-old-lenses-monochrom-post-examples-here.html#post2251378

 

To be honest there are very few lenses that will give you rubbish results on the MM ...... different characteristics of softness and vignetting ..... but all result in good images in their own way. The MM is a very benign performer as far as lenses are concerned.

 

Very reassuring. That thread is big, and I'll have to look at it at more length. None of the lenses above were represented, although having looked at some shots on that list, I now have a shopping list.

 

Dante

[davidmknoble]

I have an MM and you have to be careful with some of the collapsables, but the newest version, Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8 can be collapsed into the body....

 

Yes, I use Leica and Voigtlander glass on the MM and some is old, very well represented, just like film...

 

Good Luck!

[richfx]

I've found that the Nikkor 35mm 1.8, Canon 35mm 1.8 and 2.0 and the Nikkor 50mm 1.4 and Canon 50mm 1.4 render brilliantly on the MM with their contrast and tone. They were all designed and built during the golden age of B&W, and replicate B&W film's look much more effectively than modern lenses IMO.

[yossarian123]

Well, the only lens in the list below that I've tried on my MM is the Zeiss Sonnar. And it's spectacular. Basically all of the superlatives that you can read about online - and throw in the MM sensor mojo and it really sings. I've tried the canon 50/1.8 & 1.5, Jupiter 9, 50 cron v4, 50/2.8 Elmar, 50/3.5 elmar, 50 1.5 VC Nokton, and the Sonnar is easily my favorite on the MM.

 

So I am looking down the road at buying an MM. The goal is to eliminate some smaller MF equipment (6x4.5 and 6x6) - and maybe some miscellaneous digital cameras - and to be able to use some of my existing Leica-mount lenses for extra speed and versatility (I am not so enthusiastic about not having Live View for 21mm lenses, though - you can really get used to the realtime electronic horizon, even if it means using the EVF to get it).

 

Are there any good predictors of which lenses will work (or not) with the MM? Of this list, are any of these underperformers (or standouts)? They all do great on the M 240 at a pixel level; I'm just not 100% sure, especially when you contrast filter them, that they would be great on an MM. They are all properly collimated for the M 240.

 

- 21/4.5 Biogon

- 21-35/3.4-4 Dual Hexanon

- 28/2.8 M-Hexanon

- 35/1.4 Summilux ASPH

- 40/2 M-Rokkor

- 50/1.5 ZM Sonnar

- 50/2 M-Hexanon

- 75/2.5 Summarit

- 90/2.8 M-Hexanon

 

Of these, the tiny and ultra-sharp Biogon is actually the biggest concern. On an M 240, it gets some very minor detail smearing at the extreme edges (the color shift is correctable and would not be an MM issue anyway). I would think that the Biogon should be fantastic on the MM, but that's just a guess.

 

Any insights/experiences with lenses on this list? Or even whether a lens' M 240 performance translates to MM?

 

Thanks!

Dante