50 on M9

[tategoi]

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Now I have the 50 Summilux ASPH, and I really like the razor sharp image and the spot-on focusing. I have fallen in love with the 50 on M9. I want to get another 50 with different characteristics from my 50 'lux ASPH, which one would that be?

 

50 Summilux v2? Most I saw are the 1m min focus distance and e43.

Or the 50 Summilux v3? There are not many on sale. This is 0.7m e46?

Or should I just buy a brand new 50 Summicron?

 

Noctilux is out, heart willing but pockets not deep enough.

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[batmobile]

How about a small 50 Summarit-M or Elmar-M? Much smaller package on the M9 compared to the lux asph. It might mean you carry the camera more and enjoy more 'on the hood' shooting.

 

While fancy images with 'special signatures' can be novel, they do not create good photographs on their own and IMHO rarely have any influence on great photographs. Neat handling and having the camera with you are IMHO much more important. While the lux asph is not big, it changes the form of the M consideably compared to smaller lenses and for available light walkabout shooting one of these tiny 50s might be jujst the ticket.

[elgenper]

.... I want to get another 50 with different characteristics from my 50 'lux ASPH, which one would that be?

....

 

Get an old, uncoated Summar 2/50 from the ´30:es. It gives dreamy, misty images wide open, and sharpens up a bit when stopped down (but the bokeh is so-so except wide open, probably due to the exceptional diaphragm construction).

 

Small, light, and usually cheap. Extremely easily scratched front lens glass, so look out! Also collapsible (don´t on the M9!), except for a few super-rare collector´s items....

 

And, of course it is thread-mount, so you need an adapter ring for M.

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[DFV]

Now I have the 50 Summilux ASPH, and I really like the razor sharp image and the spot-on focusing. I have fallen in love with the 50 on M9. I want to get another 50 with different characteristics from my 50 'lux ASPH, which one would that be?

 

50 Summilux v2? Most I saw are the 1m min focus distance and e43.

Or the 50 Summilux v3? There are not many on sale. This is 0.7m e46?

Or should I just buy a brand new 50 Summicron?

 

Noctilux is out, heart willing but pockets not deep enough.

 

The Summicron 50 is probably one of the sharpest edge-to-edge lens money can buy. I have both and even if they are the same focal I use them for different reasons. I call the LUX "my people lens" while I call my CRON "my museum lens". One gives magic while the other delivers detail to the edges.

 

What about a Summicron 35 or even the new Summilux 35?

[tategoi]

I already have a 35 Summicron ASPH. Now looking for a 50. And no, no thread mount, no collapsible since I am using it on an M9. Summarit M is a candidate.

 

So the v2, v3, Summicron and Summarit are all non-ASPH. Are all non-ASPH have that "Leica glow"?

[wilfredo]

I already have a 35 Summicron ASPH. Now looking for a 50. And no, no thread mount, no collapsible since I am using it on an M9. Summarit M is a candidate.

 

So the v2, v3, Summicron and Summarit are all non-ASPH. Are all non-ASPH have that "Leica glow"?

 

Is the Leica glow missing from your Summilux ASPH? Unless you are glued to the Leica brand, for a less clinical look wide open, the Zeiss Sonnar has won lot's of fans. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/19952-m8-zeiss-sonnar-50mm-1-5-a.html

[lars_bergquist]

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I think that the idea of a Summarit as a 'walking around lens' has merit. Compactness is often a factor, and the 50mm Summarit is one of the most compact of all current Leica M lenses.

 

But if it is a different look you're after ... then you should go for an older lens, one that will give you all those residual optical aberrations that gives rise to the famous 'Leica glow'. (But remember than in those glowing days, Leica optics were famous for showing LESS 'glow' than most of the competition -- they were better corrected.) Two 50mm lenses immediately comes to mind:

 

-- V.2 or 'rigid' Summicron, 1956--68. The plain version, NOT the 'dual range'. Quite sharp, but 'mild' -- a touch of Noctilux, in fact.

 

-- Elmar 1:2.8/50mm, 1957--1972. This is a collapsible lens, but it is perfectly safe to collapse it WHILE ON THE CAMERA. Don't mount or dismount it while collapsed (the lens, not you!) because you might fumble and scrape some paint off the inside of the shutter box. You may find this an intriguing lens: Low contrast and plenty of 'glow' wide open, but remarkably even definition across the frame, much crisper at 5.6. And you can often find a good specimen for a song (a Leica song, of course).

 

The old man from the Age of the First Summicron

[biglouis]

Get a late model Elmar 50 with the 6 bit coding. Possibly the best (value) lens I own, in terms of quality and bang for the buck. Lovely out of focus areas at f2.8 and incredible detail at f8. I use it mostly for landscape work but it a highly versatile lens.

 

LouisB

[neli]

If 40 isn't too far away from 50 the 40-C is a really nice lens that i use quite a lot. Quite dreamy, very inexpensive compared to most Leica glass and the focussing is super fast.

[wparsonsgisnet]

These were taken on April 15th -- M9 and 50 'lux-a:

 

William Parsons's Gallery :: BU-Dress-100415

[Shade]

Why not get a 50 Summarit or a 50 Summicron? Incase you're not needing such shallow dof or lowlight capabilities, you can have a lighter set up.

[Peter Lea]

Or how about the 50 F3.5 Voigtlander Heliar? Super sharp, safe to carry collapsed on the M9 (like the Elmar, see above), and a limited edition, so it's an investment, too. Peter

[Fotomiguel]

I use the 50mm cron and I'm very happy. Even low light with the M9 no problem at all.

I would love to have the Summilux. It's even better that the cron and one more f-stop. May be in the future.

I own as well the 50mm elmar f2.8 and I love it. For the moment I use it in my M8. This combo is really as a compact camera. I was surprised for the nice results.

[Xmas]

Now I have the 50 Summilux ASPH, and I really like the razor sharp image and the spot-on focusing. I have fallen in love with the 50 on M9. I want to get another 50 with different characteristics from my 50 'lux ASPH, which one would that be?

 

50 Summilux v2? Most I saw are the 1m min focus distance and e43.

Or the 50 Summilux v3? There are not many on sale. This is 0.7m e46?

Or should I just buy a brand new 50 Summicron?

 

Noctilux is out, heart willing but pockets not deep enough.

 

You can try different lenses with your M9 in photo shops, or in coffee shops during photo outings, The summar mentioned is a low contrast lens and you may like that, but getting one in nice condition optically is very difficult, a type I or type II summicron, for a shooter, may be easier to procure, and is also lowish contrast, the type III already high contrast.

 

Lots of people like the pastel shades you get with the low or medium contrast lenses especially with digital cameras were the lens will compress the dynamic range of the scene, before you get to photoshop it.

 

Noel

[250swb]

If you want noticably different optical characteristics I think you should look at the screw mount lenses harder, like the 5cm Summitar used with a codable adapter. I can't really see the point in modern Elmar's or Summarit's etc unless you need the different handling characteristics because optically they are all pretty similar (like sharp and contrasty) at most apertures compared to the 50mm Lux you have. A Summitar would give you noticably less overall contrast but is still sharp at f5.6, but will start to 'glow' wide open.

 

Steve

[fotolebrocq]

I agree with Wilfredo that the Sonnar is worth a look - I bought one whilst waiting for the 50mm Lux (another 6 months I'm advised) and I have been pleasantly surprised. Not to everyone's taste I know but you can see some shots I have taken with this lens here Flickr: Sun worshiper's Photostream . Nothing particularly special but it will give you an impression of what it can do

 

Tony

[tategoi]

Nice shot you have there!

 

I was speaking to a reputable dealer here, he invited me to to take his 50 Summarit and 50 Summicron for a spin, then go home and compare the shots on my iMac. The dealer also claimed that the older pre-ASPH Summiluxes have flares and other problems on the M9. He had sent a few back to Solms for repair/calibration.

[stormholloway]

I got the Nokton 50mm 1.1 and I love it. Why not get something that shoots even wider than what you've got. Plus it's a steal.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M