Looking for a nice 50mm that won't break the bank

[Ecar]

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For a vintage look perhaps a Summarit could be worth scouting around for, although old lenses may be prone to fogging.

Yes, but it's not just vintage look - the Summarit's bokeh is really a matter of taste (I like it).

And depending on the type of pictures you take, its tendency to flare may be a problem.

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[gsgary]

Thanks for all the help, i have had a look at some shots taken with my VC 40F1.4 and i'm going to give it another go and see what the new VC 50F1.5 is like

 

This is at iso800, at my friends wedding bride and brother

 

and another friends wedding

 

and wide open

[jaques]

I have the 50CV LTM 1.5 Nokton - it was the second Leica mount lens I purchased. I can attest to its fine build quality: superior to the more plasticky CV 40 and 35 Ultrons (though I think they are well made lenses from my own experience- I am just not so sure about the focus shifts... It compares well to my vintage Summilux- not better but not worse either.

 

It really seems like a lens from yesteryear- a solid metal construction that reminds me of quality screwmount SLR lenses from the 1960's. It is pretty sharp even wide open- not too big- and even in LTM mount with a CV m mount ring focuses very well on the digital Leicas.

 

Not sure what the differences are with the new M mount lens: must say as soon as I saw it a few months ago I wanted one badly. In some ways it is ugly: but in a brutish- dare I say strangely attractive way?

[gsgary]

I have the 50CV LTM 1.5 Nokton - it was the second Leica mount lens I purchased. I can attest to its fine build quality: superior to the more plasticky CV 40 and 35 Ultrons (though I think they are well made lenses from my own experience- I am just not so sure about the focus shifts... It compares well to my vintage Summilux- not better but not worse either.

 

It really seems like a lens from yesteryear- a solid metal construction that reminds me of quality screwmount SLR lenses from the 1960's. It is pretty sharp even wide open- not too big- and even in LTM mount with a CV m mount ring focuses very well on the digital Leicas.

 

Not sure what the differences are with the new M mount lens: must say as soon as I saw it a few months ago I wanted one badly. In some ways it is ugly: but in a brutish- dare I say strangely attractive way?

 

 

For the money i think the CV lenses are great, the28f2 Ultron i have is very sharpso i think i will have to have the new CV 50 when it comes out.Im going to test the Jupiter8 i have this weekend, i think in the future i will end up selling my Canon 300f2.8L to finance a top Leica lens

[gsgary]

I have the 50CV LTM 1.5 Nokton - it was the second Leica mount lens I purchased. I can attest to its fine build quality: superior to the more plasticky CV 40 and 35 Ultrons (though I think they are well made lenses from my own experience- I am just not so sure about the focus shifts... It compares well to my vintage Summilux- not better but not worse either.

 

It really seems like a lens from yesteryear- a solid metal construction that reminds me of quality screwmount SLR lenses from the 1960's. It is pretty sharp even wide open- not too big- and even in LTM mount with a CV m mount ring focuses very well on the digital Leicas.

 

Not sure what the differences are with the new M mount lens: must say as soon as I saw it a few months ago I wanted one badly. In some ways it is ugly: but in a brutish- dare I say strangely attractive way?

 

 

For the money i think the CV lenses are great, the28f2 Ultron i have is very sharp so i think i will have to have the new CV 50 when it comes out.Im going to test the Jupiter8 i have this weekend, i think in the future i will end up selling my Canon 300f2.8L to finance a top Leica lens

[plewislambert]

I use a 40mm Summicron adapted to bring up the 35mm outline; been cleaned etc recently - very good lens. Also have a 50mm f1.5 Summarit from the 1950s, has given me some nice pictures in dim light conditions, e.g. xmas market, very sharp stopped down. I prefer the angle of view of the 40mm but the 50mm enables you to step back a little. Each lens cost under £400 on eBay.

I did have a Voigt. f1.5 50mm in 39mm thread plus adapter - worked very well. The surface finish on Leica lenses is more durable, however.

Philip:)

[Marignac]

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There is a difference in quality, I understand between Biogon and similar Zeiss lenses made in Japan by CV, and Distagons made by Zeiss in Germany.

Why should there be a difference between lenses made in Japan vs made in Germany? Technicians of both countries have proved to deliver perfect quality standards. I would rather say that Japonese people are the today's made in Germany in terms of quality. My Orient watches run clearly more precisely than my Swatch Group clockworks (Valjoux f.i.). Japonese cars regularly score better quality than German cars. My CV Noktons 50/1.5asp and 35/1.2 asph perform in no way less qualitatively than my leica lenses 28/2.8 asph, 35/2 asph, 50/2 and 75/2.5 - neither in terms of image quality nor in terms of assembly.

 

Just buy the lenses that appeal to you, their rendering that is, and be lucky if you happen to like a Zeiss or a CV, because their pricing is more affordable. Prices of optical goods is more image driven than many people acknowledge (imho). And the CV 50/1.5 asph is absolutely a great lens. I've a Cron 50 IV living here as well, and they are different in rendering, but not in quality. The Sonnar I don't know.

 

As for the Nokton 1.5 asph - the existing one that they stopped producing - I can say that this is a perfect every-day lens. It is small, lightweight, absolutely usable (contrasty and sharp) wide open, no focus-shift at all. Its only downs are a Bokeh that can be a bit un-relaxed and it can be capricious in back light situations. But then the latter is true as well for my Cron 50 IV and my Cron 35 asph. For flare resistance and crisp rendering I'd go maybe for Planar, for Bokeh I love my Canon 50/1.2 LTM, but for THE ONE 50 you can't go wrong with the (old) Nokton 50/1.5. Yeah - and the SLux 50? Yes, but to me it is definitely not worth 10 times the price. My photos aren't that superb

[bjornthun]

There is a difference in quality, I understand between Biogon and similar Zeiss lenses made in Japan by CV, and Distagons made by Zeiss in Germany.

 

My Distagon 15/2.8 ZM feels better made than any of my Leica lenses - it's very solid, no play anywhere, and the aperture clicks and focus ring are butter smooth and firm.

 

Both ZM Distagon 18/4 and the ZM Biogons are made in Japan, and by the way all Nikon and Canon mount Distagons are made in Japan. All of these have excellent quality. It doesn't matter if a product is made in Germany or Japan, it's the quality and design philosophy people buy into.

 

Btw. the Leica R lenses 35-70/4 and 80-200/4 were also made in Japan.

[IkarusJohn]

There is no reason for lenses made in Japan to be any better or worse than those made in Germany. What I said is that I understand lenses made by Zeiss in Germany are better than those subcontracted to CV in Japan.

 

I have a Distagon made by Zeiss in Germany, and it is the best made lens I've held in my hand, including all my Leica lenses, and my now sold Hasselblad lenses (also made by Zeiss in Germany).

 

You are correct that Japan almost certainly makes many things of better quality than many things made in Germany, but that is not what I was saying, if you read my post carefully.

[ashwinrao1]

How about the tiny and amazing Canon 50 mm f/1.8 LTM (costs about $200-250 USD), which has a great look, particularly for BW:

 

 

 

 

Another fantastic option is the Rigid 50 mm f/2 Summicron, which can be usually had for about $900 USD...

 

 

[philipus]

so what else is there out there around F1.5

 

It's not f1.5 but the Summitar is only a tiny bit "slower" and a good performer on film, even wide open. I use it extensively in parallel with my 50mm Summilux Asph and ditto pre-Asph. Good copies can be had for very little. I would advice going for a coated post-war version with 10-blade aperture to get nicer oof highlights.

 

Leica II + Summitar (1950) + Provia 400

 

Cheers

Philip

[KM-25]

I'd go for the Zeiss, despite its quirks.

 

Pretty little lens, nice focus action, great size and weight, but it did not work for me as my only 50, focus shift drove me nuts. I bought mine brand new from B&H in August and just sold it for a loss of $400 after it sitting for a week in 4 different ads plus ebay, got taken to the cleaners on that one, never again man, never again...

 

On the brighter side, I found a mint condition V2 50 Lux for $1,200 and it is perfect in every way if a little heavier. I'm set with this one, no more chasing 50's for my M3....

[TomB_tx]

Pretty little lens, nice focus action, great size and weight, but it did not work for me as my only 50, focus shift drove me nuts.

Just for reference, I have a 1960 Summilux v1, and it has about the same amount of focus shift as the Zeiss Sonnar f1.5. Like the modern Zeiss, my original Summilux has focus spot-on just past f2.8. So when Zeiss calls their lens a "classic" design, I'd say they are right.

Use the lens enough to know its characteristics and you learn to adjust focus a bit for larger f-stops, to compensate for the shift.

[Ecar]

Use the lens enough to know its characteristics and you learn to adjust focus a bit for larger f-stops, to compensate for the shift.

Exactly. My technique when shooting wide open is to focus and then lean a bit forward. The amount of leaning required becomes second nature after a few shots. YMMV.

[KM-25]

Exactly. My technique when shooting wide open is to focus and then lean a bit forward. The amount of leaning required becomes second nature after a few shots. YMMV.

 

Some can work like that, others can not. Since I use the camera and lens professionally, I need it to work the way I work. I have parted ways with the Zeiss and now have a version 2 lux that does not require this fiddling, problem solved.