Which Lens ?

[Lord Kelvedon]

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I recently brought a M8.2. I have a loaned Summicron 50mm F2 lens to use.

What would be the best replacement for this. I have looked at a Summicron 50mm F2 used and a Summarit 50mm F2.5 which is six bit and new, both at the same kind of price.

[tbarker13]

Are you set on 50mm as your first lens? For me, that's an odd focal length on the camera (though I do use several 50s for portraits).

[earleygallery]

Use the frame selector lever to see how a 35mm lens would look - it would be nearer to how a 50mm would look on full frame. 50 on an M8 is a short tele lens and limited in application, unless you shoot portraits most of the time of course.

[Lord Kelvedon]

Thanks for your reply. OK 35mm but which Summicron (Used) or Summarit 6 bit(New)

 

 

Kelvedon

[shootinglulu]

6 bit m' lord.

[andybarton]

Summicron

 

The codes aren't really necessary on 35mm and above, but the IR filters are.

[Lord Kelvedon]

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Thanks for the reply I'll toss a coin then.

 

Kelvedon

[luigi bertolotti]

Summicron 35 asph I think is the best "normal" one can have for M8; I have a Summarit (75) too, and, while very satisfied as image quality, I notice that after 2 years its mechanics is no more "as new"... this can be one of the minus of the Summarit line... the mech design is undoubtly "cheaper" than other lenses...

[Ecar]

Summicron 35 asph I think is the best "normal" one can have for M8; I have a Summarit (75) too, and, while very satisfied as image quality, I notice that after 2 years its mechanics is no more "as new"... this can be one of the minus of the Summarit line... the mech design is undoubtly "cheaper" than other lenses...

Agree. My Summarit 75 also had to go back to Solms (still under warranty...) for a loose aperture ring - and I know I haven't abused the lens.

[luigi bertolotti]

Agree. My Summarit 75 also had to go back to Solms (still under warranty...) for a loose aperture ring - and I know I haven't abused the lens.

 

My one is NOT still under warranty... http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/118351-summarit-75-little-problem.html#post1256426

[Onley]

I agree about the 35mm focal length. But unless you want the very latest I would go for a used non ASPH at a fraction of the cost ( about £500). It is a magnificent lens and was good enough for Cartier-Bresson and all the Magnum team! I have one and am thrilled with the quality. It should last for ever. With what you save you can invest in a second lens either wide angle or portrait/ long focus depending on your type of photography.

[wda]

Surely a used 35mm Summicron will cost far in excess of £500! Even a pre-Aspheric version is likely to be more than that figure.

[Islandmike]

Thanks for your reply. OK 35mm but which Summicron (Used) or Summarit 6 bit(New)

 

Kelvedon

 

I can't comment on the Summicron 35, as I have not used it, but I am delighted with the results from my Summarit 35/2.5 (6-bit), which I bought new. With, of course, a full warranty, which provides peace of mind.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[ottocrat]

Surely a used 35mm Summicron will cost far in excess of £500! Even a pre-Aspheric version is likely to be more than that figure.

I'd love to know actually. I have a pre-asph (version 4) 35 Summicron and I'd like to know what it's worth, I've been offered €600 for it which I thought was a bit low!

[Shade]

For a one lens solution, I'd go for the 35mm Summicron.. Takes portrait just fine, does street fine, takes scenery fine...

 

I'd opt for a 35mm Summilux as well, but - I heard alot about it's focus shift, so I'm not very certain about it until I try it myself. But since it's more expensive and is hard to find here in my country, I purchased a Cron instead.

 

If you do alot of portraits and are on a budget, or want that "classic" look, you can go for the Zeiss C-Sonnar 50mm 1.5...

 

They both cost quite a sum... but should you want a cheaper alternative, you can get the Voigtlander 35/1.4 Nokton, or the Voigtlander 50/1.1 Nokton (budget noctilux hehe)...

 

 

If you insist on using Leica glass and on a budget, the 35mm Summarit is also a grand performer.

[Guest Chris M]

If your going to buy for the first time a new lens, you might want to consider the 28 cron, it shoots at around 37mm, which would be a great lens for a bit of everything.

 

chris m.

[Guest]

I recently brought a M8.2. I have a loaned Summicron 50mm F2 lens to use.

What would be the best replacement for this. I have looked at a Summicron 50mm F2 used and a Summarit 50mm F2.5 which is six bit and new, both at the same kind of price.

 

Why not start from where you are: taking pictures and experimenting now and spending extra-dosh later, when you know actually what YOU want?

Asking others what you want might only be an expensive waste of time. Some are more comfortable photographing individuals others never considered anything else than snapping groups, then there are landscape fans, architecture buffs, you name it...

 

How do you like your 50mm pictures so far?

This focal lenght has been dissed a lot in the 2-3 years before Sept. 09, but "strangely" the prices for 75mm glas on ebay went up when after that. Could it be that many M9 owners got fond of their 50 on their M8? Anyway, I still am.

 

The two focal length most sold over the decades are 35mm and 50mm (=25-28mm and 35mm on the M8). Going longer one needs more practice with focussing and going wider than that some more composition experience helps.

 

With the M Leica one caries a camera that is smaller (and sharper than most) and accepts to let the feet do the zooming (or/and later cropping, since - also on the M8 - there's ample reserve for this, compared to analog, which was good enough for decades). Using the frame selector one can find out after a few days of shooting, what the personal preference is: "Ah, a xy mm lens would be nice now!"

 

To cut a long post short: I suggest to

A. stay clear of the 50mm Summarit (out of this lens line it's by far the worst performer optically, and they all tend to be subpar for Leica glass mecanically - a fact unchanged by any warranty)

 

B. Keep using the free 50mm Summicron, considering to buy it if it is a bit older and has a TAB , shooting as much as you can find time and have fun.

 

(I boldly also suggest a starter's investment, my main suggestion being: find out for yourself what suits you best)

C. Get a 4/25mm Skopar but check it first on a computer screen.

Mine makes pictures not inferior to the brand new 3.8/24mm (my copy definitely outperforming non-Asph 28 Leica lenses), some other suck. Lucky me, because I had to return only one to get this excellent copy. It also seems logical, that it is easier to make a good -and compact- on a bugget 4.0 than 2.8. (Not disrespecting the 3.8/24mm though, it sure outperforms my humble 25mm on FF).

 

If your lordship has brand-new f:1.4 wide angles or a Noct, or in fact any a lens of 75mm and above on the mind, please get some mileage with the wonderful M8.2 first.

 

 

Cheers!

[Onley]

Surely a used 35mm Summicron will cost far in excess of £500! Even a pre-Aspheric version is likely to be more than that figure.

 

 

Not so! I purchased mine, in excellent condition, for £450 a year ago. I did have to look round for a few weeks but it was worth it! Until then I had used (and still do) the tri-elmar a lot, which I also purchased used, and still find it a superb travel and all-purpose lens but the 35mm Summicron is such a joy to use and is wonderful whenever I want narrow depth of field or dim light conditions when the tri-elmar is just a little lacking. The image and build quality of both is outstanding.