ilocke Posted January 31, 2010 Share #1 Posted January 31, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello all,about to buy a second hand m8..Just wondered what the best first lens would be to buy with the m8.I seem to be going around in circles at the moment. I have a limited budget of around a grand for the lens.Cheers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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!Nomad64 Posted January 31, 2010 Share #2 Posted January 31, 2010 Standard reply would be a 35 or 50mm. But it's not true for everyone. Actually it depends from your style and your habits. Normally one doesn't come to Leica M as first camera. Think about what you did in the past, no matter what camera you used. Even if it were a film, a compact or a bridge, analyze your favorite shots. Which was the average focal length they were taken at? Find it and then the lens that goes closer to that value shall be your first one. You'll compensate for the slight variations with your feet. If you're limited by the budget you're not obliged to purchase Leica lenses. Zeiss and Voigtländer (in this order) make excellent alternatives. 2nd hand Leica lenses are also a viable option. Hope this helps, Bruno Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarker13 Posted January 31, 2010 Share #3 Posted January 31, 2010 I'd think a 28 or 35 - but it really just depends on how you like to shoot. Do you need/want a fast lens? Some great options for $1,000 or less: Summicron 35/2 pre-asph, version 3. Zeiss 35/2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted January 31, 2010 Share #4 Posted January 31, 2010 Hello, congratulations on your impending purchase, and welcome to the forum. Not wishing to sound like a scratched record, but don't forget the Summarit 35. It's a beautiful little lens, and incredible quality for a very reasonable price. Some may say that it's not the fastest lens on the block, but at f:2.5, it's only half a stop slower than a Summicron. You could probably pick up a brand new Summarit for the same price as used Summicron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbbeyPhoto Posted January 31, 2010 Share #5 Posted January 31, 2010 I've just bought a s/h 28mm because I always thought the 35 wasn't wide enough .... it hasn't arrived yet but I was out with the 35 Summarit today (only lens I have) and it was fabulous. Now I don't know if I should have bought the 28 ... that's no help, is it - sorry. I was planning to sell the 35, but now I'm thinking I might keep the 35 & get a 21mm. Which means selling the 28 that I've just bought. I've no idea what the best solution is, but the answer is probably different for everyone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggie_O Posted February 1, 2010 Share #6 Posted February 1, 2010 Pick up a pair of Voigtländer Color-Skopars. When I got my M8 in 2007, I got a 21mm Color-Skopar and a 35mm f1.7 Ultron. That was a pretty good combo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photon42 Posted February 1, 2010 Share #7 Posted February 1, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) My first one was a Zeiss Biogon 2/35. I've got the flange milled in order to code it properly and use a B+W UVIR filter for it. Coding is not strictly necessary. It's a really nice lens at a good price. That was when the Summarits weren't quite available. Rgds Ivo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted February 1, 2010 Share #8 Posted February 1, 2010 I'd go for 28 or 35mm. As Maggie_O says, there are some great CV options in those focal lengths. If funds are tight, you can get both for the price of a single Leica lens, and keep some change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islandmike Posted February 2, 2010 Share #9 Posted February 2, 2010 Hello, congratulations on your impending purchase, and welcome to the forum. Not wishing to sound like a scratched record, but don't forget the Summarit 35. It's a beautiful little lens, and incredible quality for a very reasonable price. Some may say that it's not the fastest lens on the block, but at f:2.5, it's only half a stop slower than a Summicron. You could probably pick up a brand new Summarit for the same price as used Summicron. Great camera choice Having recently bought the Summarit 35/2.5 new with my M8, I would agree heartily with Nicole. It's sharp and produces great colour - takes me back to the lovely 1970s colour reproduction of Agfa CT film. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big T Posted February 2, 2010 Share #10 Posted February 2, 2010 Totally agree re the Summarit 35mm f2.5. This is one very underrated lens. Is sharp and crisp at f2.5 and just gets better from there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathomas Posted February 4, 2010 Share #11 Posted February 4, 2010 Hello all,about to buy a second hand m8..Just wondered what the best first lenswould be to buy with the m8.I seem to be going around in circles at the moment. I have a limited budget of around a grand for the lens.Cheers. All the suggestions of the Summarit are good -- I'm tempted by them myself. However, they don't fit within your budget (though a used 50mm Summarit might). I'm a used kind of guy, myself. Anyway, if you want a "standard" length lens, you'll probably want to buy a 35mm (due to crop factor) of some manufacture. I just bought a LNIB 35mm Zeiss Biogon f/2 for well under $1000 including the hood and UV/IR filter. I haven't shot a lot with it yet but I like what I've seen so far, and I also have the 25mm Biogon, which I'm **very** happy with (also bought used LNIB, and is the reason I invested in the 35mm). Some shots with the 35mm (very few): 35mm Biogon shots Some shots with the 25mm (a few more): 25mm Biogon shots Hope that helps, and best of luck... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Mark* Posted February 4, 2010 Share #12 Posted February 4, 2010 Great camera choice Having recently bought the Summarit 35/2.5 new with my M8, I would agree heartily with Nicole. It's sharp and produces great colour - takes me back to the lovely 1970s colour reproduction of Agfa CT film. Mike Very good - looks like a commercial for bmw... /Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtZ Posted February 4, 2010 Share #13 Posted February 4, 2010 Some loves 35mm, I love the 28mm focal lens on the M8. I would for a Elmarit 28/2.8 if you want a Leica lens (you can find good copies on the second hand market for a very resonable price and, even, a new one is not really too expensive). The CV Ultron 28/2 is also a very nice lens... (I don't have it) If you prefer a 35mm, the Summarit 35/2.5, the CV Nokton 35/1.4 or the ZM Biogon 35/2 are nice lenses. If I were you, I would get a CV Ultron 28/2 PLUS a new Voigtlander Nickel 50/2 Heliar 2009 Limited Edition... (both lenses for less than the price of a Summarit 35) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted February 4, 2010 Share #14 Posted February 4, 2010 try searching for second hand summicron 28/2 ASPH, they are few and far between and for obvious reasons. For me this is the lens to have for general pupose use. They are expensive but keep their value indefinitely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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