Kultur Posted October 21, 2009 Share #1 Posted October 21, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello everybody, Just thought I would introduce myself. I am a graduate student of cultural and intellectual history. I have been attracted to Leica for some time now. The Leica 'philosophy,' and the world-class lenses available for the M system, has me searching for an M2 body. I did have a DSLR, and maybe it is my romantic character, but I never felt like I connected with the camera on an artistic level. Which brings me to my next point/inquiry. I am primarily into art and street photography. I spend a lot of time in Europe, and plan on being there next summer for a few months. I have been doing a lot of research and I have decided that my dream camera is the MP. Of course I cannot afford that right now so I have decided the next best bet for my budget is the M2. I will of course have it looked over and 'tuned' up if there is such a thing. So my plan is to purchase an M2 w/a decent 35mm lens in the $400-$600 range. I figure this would be the best lens for my style of shooting? If I really like the 35mm focal length I will probably save up for the Summilux 35mm f/1.4 and sell whatever I have to help fund the purchase. I figure putting a high end lens purchase before the MP is a better idea??? Once I have my dream lens, I will start saving for the MP. So my question: what is a good 35mm lens in the $400-$600 range that will be re-sellable? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 21, 2009 Posted October 21, 2009 Hi Kultur, Take a look here New User: Advice Appreciated.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
msweeney Posted October 21, 2009 Share #2 Posted October 21, 2009 Welcome to the forum Kultur, For your budget I'd recommend the very affordable Voigtlander lenses, you can see pictures (and prices) of them on Cameraquest. Voigtlander makes several 35mm lenses with varying maximum apertures of f/2.5, f/1.7, f/1.4, and even an amazing f/1.2 lens. Good luck in your street shooting... be sure to post some pictures for us to see! ~ Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomasw_ Posted October 21, 2009 Share #3 Posted October 21, 2009 CV 35/1.4 is similar to the pre-asph summilux in many ways, though lacking the tendency to flare. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest maddoc2003jp Posted October 21, 2009 Share #4 Posted October 21, 2009 Welcome to the club ! About your 35mm choice ... 35mm is an ideal FL for the M2. Generally, I would all affordable (!) money spent for the lens and opt for a more expensive M body later (... and quite sure not for the MP ). Depending on your preferred subjects / topics and if low-light photography is not your primary choice, I would go for a 35mm Summicron lens. The step from f/2.0 to f/1.4 is very expensive ... The 35/2.0 ASPH version is most probably to expensive, but also a nice pre-ASPH 35/2.0 (version III) might fit your needs. Good luck with your choices ! Cheers, Gabor Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 21, 2009 Share #5 Posted October 21, 2009 Voigtlander (one of them) is a right choice; alternatively, Leitz Summaron 35 2,8... a more "tasty" choice of a lens that can be found around 500$ or less, is still very good, and will maintain its value as most of old Leitz lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted October 21, 2009 Share #6 Posted October 21, 2009 A Summaron 2.8/35 is an excellent lens from the time of the M2, smaller, lighter and - if you don't need the f 1:2-stop - better than the first version of the 35mm Summicron, which is very expensive on the second hand market. There are two versions of the Summaron: one with "goggles" for the M3, which you don't need and the "simple" one for the M2. In spite of it's age the 2.8/35 Summaron is still competitive today. You may find a good one for the price you have in mind, and may even be able to resell it without loss later. The quality of the lens and it's small design will guarantee that there is always a demand for it. Edit: Luigi was quicker... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattLain Posted October 21, 2009 Share #7 Posted October 21, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) to stay in your budget with the M2 already paid for, a voigtlander lens looks like the only choice. but their standards are still very good. there are a couple of voigtlander 35mm's in the used section of ffordes.com good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattLain Posted October 21, 2009 Share #8 Posted October 21, 2009 and a 40mm 1.4 nokton (single coated) in the used leica lenses section, same website. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
christer Posted October 21, 2009 Share #9 Posted October 21, 2009 Hello everybody, snip... So my question: what is a good 35mm lens in the $400-$600 range that will be re-sellable? Thanks. I have found that Leica 2nd hand lenses can be resold closer to their purchase value than other brands. Just take your time when purchasing. And selling. Rushed transaction are generally uneconomical. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted October 21, 2009 Share #10 Posted October 21, 2009 The M2 is a great choice. Once you have it and are used to it I doubt you will want to buy that MP after all! Or at least you certainly won't want to sell the M2. I would advise that you buy your M2 from a dealer who offers a 6 or 12 month g'tee, which will save you the cost of a CLA if you buy privately and find faults later. As for the lenses I mostly use a 35mm Skopar on mine, it's a great little lens, and ideal for street photography. I also have a Summaron 2.8 but the goggled version which is best with an M3, but nice ones fetch quite high prices and may be just outside your budget. It's an older lens so you do need to make sure you buy a nice clean/clear example and buy in person or from a trusted source. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kivis Posted October 21, 2009 Share #11 Posted October 21, 2009 The CV Color Skopar will go nice on any M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgray Posted October 21, 2009 Share #12 Posted October 21, 2009 I'd go for an M6 with a Voigtlander 35/1.4. Small and fast lens, and affordable. You can find a lot used on rangefinderforum. If you find a CV 35/2.5 or ZM 35/2 for a price you like, those are great too. The M2 is a great camera, but any one that you pick up might need a CLA, which could tack on some money. So check to see the last time it was serviced. I like the M6, which is essentially the same as an MP. They tend to be newer, which is nice, and they have a built-in meter, which can be very useful. Film loading is a tad bit more modern too compared to the M2. I don't know what M6's are running for these days, but when I got mine, it was $300-350 more than a nice M2. I know some people might pipe in and talk about the vast differences between the MP and the M6, but it comes down to a different rewind knob, a different advance lever, and the lack of a red dot and 'M6' logo. There are some other minor differences (brass/zinc top) but it's mostly fondling at that point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kultur Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share #13 Posted October 22, 2009 The M2 is a great choice. Once you have it and are used to it I doubt you will want to buy that MP after all! You might be right. Lenses will come first--once I have what I want, only then will I consider the MP. Even if that means $4,000 lenses on a $600 body. For those suggesting the M6. I prefer the M2 because it is full mechanical, vintage and I have an amazing person here in Canada who can CLA it for a decent cost. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted October 22, 2009 Share #14 Posted October 22, 2009 You might be right. Lenses will come first--once I have what I want, only then will I consider the MP. Even if that means $4,000 lenses on a $600 body. For those suggesting the M6. I prefer the M2 because it is full mechanical, vintage and I have an amazing person here in Canada who can CLA it for a decent cost. ...Kulture, the M6 is a sturdy, fully mechanical camera with the added security of a built-in light meter. Ditto the MP. Vintage M2 or not, you will need to meter in a lot more situations than not - even those sterling individuals that "read" light cannot do so under all scenarios. This particular point becomes more critical if you intend to shoot different film speeds or, even worse, film types with less-than-average exposure latitude. The simplest solution with an M2 would be to use a hand-held light meter. For this reason alone, I would narrow the options down to either an M6 or an MP. Now is the time to spend smart. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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