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New lens for M8 or M9?


piblondin

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I have an M7 and 50mm Summicron and a M8 and 40mm Summicron. Traditionally, as you may gather from that info, I prefer the 50mm FOV. However, there have been some instances over the past year in which I would have preferred 35mm--not many, but definitely some.

 

I've mostly neglected my M8 because I so much like the handling of the 50mm Summicron and the quietness of the M7. I also find the 40mm too soft when shot wider than f/2.8. And I don't much like its focusing tab. The fact that it doesn't focus to infinity on my M8 also bothers me even though I don't think it has any practical impact on my images.

 

However, I do like the prints I'm able to get out of digital and I like the flexibility I have with the ISO to shoot indoors. (I end up using ISO 1250 quite a bit. I don't always find the results usable.) I want to start shooting more digital and less film by the time I start traveling again in the spring. I'm not sure how to go about doing so. One option would be to get an M9 and use it with the 50mm Summicron. Another would be to get a 35mm lens for the M8. From what I understand, it would have to be a 35 ASPH to make me comfortable shooting wide open. But these lenses seem unavailable. If that wasn't the case, I think I would certainly get a 35 FLE over an M9. Thoughts? Opinions?

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If you sold your M8 and bought a M9 (or an used M9) and used your 50mm Summicron, the cash outlay should be less than buying a new 35mm Summilux FLE. In addition you will get the benefits of greater full frame similarity between M7 and M9, better high ISO image, more pixels etc.

 

On the other hand, if you would like to keep the M8, when I had the M8 I used the 35mm Summicron ASPH with great satisfaction. Those are more available on the market and in the used marketplace and much less money than the FLE Summilux, if you can live with the slower speed.

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Honestly, I haven't spent enough time looking at 35 Summicron ASPH samples to see if I like them. Can you point me towards some with the M8? I searched Flickr but wasn't particularly moved by what I saw. I'm enamored by the current 35 Lux and think I would find 35mm useful on fullframe/film. (I think I would want the FLE because, though I would use f/1.4, I wouldn't use it exclusively as some photographers do.)

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I agree that the 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE is a great lens and you won't go wrong with that one. That's the lens I use most often on the M9 since I like the 35mm view. It is hard to find nowadays so best thing is to get on a dealer's wait list.

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Not sure if you'll get a FLE for this spring so if you want a significantly sharper 35 than your 40/2 at f/2 your choice is limited to 35/2 asph and previous 35/1.4 asph i'm afraid. Now the 50/2 you like is not significantly sharper than your 40/2, in the center at least, so perhaps a good CLA of the latter could solve your problem for little money. You could even ask for a replacement of the focus tab by a concave one if any. Getting an M9 is another option of course but you might regret to have spent a little fortune on it if you fall in love with the M10 next year eventually.

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my suggestion would be to

 

buy a 35/2 ASPH or a 35 Summarit now to use it on the M8

and if you still like the 35 after the honey-moon period, sell the 40/2

check out your options after Photokina 2012, if the M10 comes out prices for the M9 will come down significantly (until dealers have sold all stock)

then, if money allows, buy a "cheap" M9 or even the M-10 (and sell the M8)

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I would consider a 35/2, but probably not the 2.5 as I'm looking for something faster, given the questionable 1250/2500 performance of the M8.

 

I'm inclined to buy an M9 from a dealer after Photokina, but don't know how much usage I'll be able to get that late in the year.

 

my suggestion would be to

 

buy a 35/2 ASPH or a 35 Summarit now to use it on the M8

and if you still like the 35 after the honey-moon period, sell the 40/2

check out your options after Photokina 2012, if the M10 comes out prices for the M9 will come down significantly (until dealers have sold all stock)

then, if money allows, buy a "cheap" M9 or even the M-10 (and sell the M8)

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I am somewhat in the same boat, wanting a full frame but waiting for M9's to drop a little expecting them to do so after photokina

 

I really like the wider angle on my M8, I have a 21, 24, 28 and two 35's (ashp and pre asph) I prefer the field of view with the 21-28 which is 28 - 38 in M8 terms.

 

Where are you based ?

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