help with picking old style 50mm

[ericperlberg]

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I recently picked up an old 1960s Canon 28 f2.8 for use with my Leica M9 and love the classic way it draws images. Now I'd like to buy a 50mm which draws in a classic style but don't know what to look for. I don't want to deal with rarities which will cost hoof and paw. If you have a recommendation I'd like to hear it.

 

Thanks

 

[jankap]

I have the Canon 28/2.8 LTM too. In an old thread the subject was, if the diaphragm at 2.8 is round or a six angle. Mine's shows a six-angle.

What does yours?

Jan

[Fgcm]

Zeiss 50 sonnar.

Fgcm

[ericperlberg]

I have the Canon 28/2.8 LTM too. In an old thread the subject was, if the diaphragm at 2.8 is round or a six angle. Mine's shows a six-angle.

What does yours?

Jan

 

6

[ericperlberg]

Zeiss 50 sonnar.

Fgcm

 

Thanks I was thinking about these, I know about their unique classical design but hoping to find something old.

[01af]

I recently picked up an old 1960s Canon 28 mm 1:2.8 for use with my Leica M9 and love the classic way it draws images. Now I'd like to buy a 50 mm which draws in a classic style but don't know what to look for. I don't want to deal with rarities which will cost hoof and paw. If you have a recommendation I'd like to hear it.

My recommendation is—Elmar 50 mm 1:2.8 (not the Elmar-M ... albeit that's a good lens, too). They come for screw mount and for M bayonet mount. The former is a little cheaper but requires an adapter. The latter was made from 1957 till 1974. They can be had off eBay any day for little money. I bought one just two weeks ago for use with my M9, and while at full aperture it's not fully up to modern Leica M lenses it still is better than I expected. Definitely usable at f/2.8 (with some, umm ... character ), good at f/4, and excellent from f/5.6 on. I like it very much.

 

You may also consider a modern Summarit-M 50 mm 1:2.5. It's very sharp even at full aperture but still sort of classic in its rendering. It may be regarded as a compromise between old and new, combining the favourable points of each.

[Double Negative]

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I'd suggest the Zeiss C Sonnar T* 1,5/50 ZM. New lens, old optical formula. Like having two lenses in one; one look at/near wide open (classic) with a more modern look stopped down.

[ericperlberg]

My recommendation is—Elmar 50 mm 1:2.8 (not the Elmar-M ... albeit that's a good lens, too). They come for screw mount and for M bayonet mount. The former is a little cheaper but requires an adapter. They can be had off eBay any day for little money. I bought one just two weeks ago for use with my M9, and while at full aperture it's not fully up to modern Leica M lenses it still is better than I expected. Definitely usable at f/2.8 (with some, umm ... character ), good at f/4, and excellent from f/5.6 on. I like it very much.

 

You may also consider a modern Summarit-M 50 mm 1:2.5. It's very sharp even at full aperture but still sort of classic in its rendering. It may be regarded as a compromise between old and new, combining the favourable points of each.

 

yes its the Je ne sais quoi "character" I'm after. I'll have a look at the Elmar 50.

 

cheers

[earleygallery]

Elmar, f3.5 or 2.8, older Summicron or rather than Zeiss, the Voigtlander Skopar.

[brianv]

Collapsible Summicron 5cm f2:

 

Collapsible Summicron 5cm f2- Near Perfect Glass - SeriousCompacts.com Gallery

 

1934 Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 Sonnar, now in Leica Mount. did not used to be...

 

1934 Sonnar 5cm f1.5 in Leica Mount - SeriousCompacts.com Gallery

 

The 5cm f2 Sonnar:

 

Uncoated Sonnar 5cm F2 in Leica Mount - Mu-43 Gallery

 

1940s Schneider Karat Xenar 5cm F2.8, now in Leica Mount. Did not used to be, and might be the only one.

 

Karat Xenar 5cm F2.8 converted to Leica mount, on the EP2 and M9. - Mu-43 Gallery

 

Some less expensive ones: the Canon 50/1.9 Serenar, hard-coated optics. As with all old lenses, subject to internal haze- but shoudl clean out easily.

 

http://www.seriouscompacts.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=660

 

The Leica Summarit 5cm f1.5 is also nice.

 

http://www.mu-43.com/gallery/data/1770/breakfast_summarit1a.jpg

 

http://www.mu-43.com/gallery/data/1770/fantasy_swing1a.jpg

 

Where does it end. Somewhere around thirty 50mm lenses in leica mount...

[jaapv]

I would look for a good Summarit 1.5 It has bags of character wide open and is surprisingly good at 5.6.

[tobey bilek]

You will be most happy with a 50 2.8 Elmar or the 50 3.5 .

 

I was never totally pleased with my collapsible 50 2.0, seemed flat in contrast , and most are full of scratches. Mine was clean, but still flat.

 

All these old lenses have soft very fragile coatings. Look at them wrong and they scratch.

 

50 1.5 Sonars have focus shift issues. nice otherwise.

 

50 2.0 rigid or DR are nice. Same optics, but the DR were precisly nominal focal length so as to work with the DR mount. The Rigids were within tolerence, but varied a mm or two, so the were paired with matching focal length mounts.

 

A DR may be a problem with anything newer than M6 original model including M6ttl, M7 all digital.

 

Older Nikors are decent,50 2.0 and 1.4

[ericperlberg]

This is all very helpful. I found a choice of 50 2.8 and 3.5 Elmars and one f2 summicron collapsable.. Haven't located Summarit 5cm 1.5 yet. Lots of reading ahead. Thanks all for the recommendations and links.

 

Is Ace a reputable secondhand UK dealer?

[Printmaker]

I use a 50 Summicron type III (1969). It is a good cross between a classic and a more modern design. This lens is sharp and contrasty in the center center with ever so slightly softer corners. It draws beautifully but can flare when pointed into the sun. Over all, it is a great full length portrait lens.

 

The collapsable Summicron is probably from the same era and shares the same characteristics. It should sell for about 600- 700 pounds.

[bybrett]

Late to the party... I've just bought a 1949 Summitar f2.0 which is drawing very nicely on M9.

[earleygallery]

I hesitated to suggest earlier, one of my favourite lenses but really for B&W only, the 5cm Summar. Just wait until you can find a really good one.

[brianv]

The collapsible Summicron started out in the early 1950s, in Leica Thread Mount. The original ones, SN below about 105xxxx used Thorium Glass and can "yellow". This can be UV Bleached. The lenses that followed will not yellow. The coatings were improved with later lenses. The Collapsible Summicrons SN 13xxxxx have improved coatings, and are quite close in performance to the Rigid Summicrons.

 

I end up grabbing the collapsible more than the Rigid.

[luigi bertolotti]

Elmar 50 3,5 Red Scale for a sure and easy choice, or the old Summarit 50 1,5 if you want a more "exciting" oldie (but pay attention to find a very good one... I have two and one of them is really an underperformer... bought for cheap 25 years ago...)

[Jaybob]

Late to the party... I've just bought a 1949 Summitar f2.0 which is drawing very nicely on M9.

 

I second the late model 10 bladed Summitar. A semi affordable lens with an amazing signature on either digital or film.

 

3 small drawbacks

only takes "Summitar sized" filter thread. Finding a clean lens is pretty hard. Keeping it clean with a Leitz or B&W UV can be dang close to impossible as they can be rare and pricey.

If you even think about pointing it toward a light source, she will flare out. The "barn door" lens hood takes some getting used to.

Even though they say it's safe, it's a good idea to put a rubber band around the inner barrel to keep it from collapsing too deeply inside your expensive camera.

 

Within the past year I replaced my 1950 Summitar for a rigid Summicron from 1965. That's another fine choice, but more expensive.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[bybrett]

to put a rubber band around the inner barrel to keep it from collapsing too deeply inside your expensive camera.

 

Great tip thanks.