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Leica M8 + Carl Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f1.5 for street


Jessestr

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Hi

 

I'm using a 40mm Voigtländer Nokton f1.4 right now for street and some (not-close up) portraits. But I'd like to sell the 40mm for a Zeiss Sonnar f1.5 50mm..

 

But will it get too long for street on an M8? Will be 66.5mm.. As I love to shoot street but portraits too. Yes I know there is no "ideal" lens for both.. but at the moment I can't afford to have a 35mm and 50mm. Should I stick with the Voigtländer 40mm for both or get the 50mm Sonnar?

 

Many thanks

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Just going from what I have read: the Sonnar is a great characterful lens, but maybe not the best if you need an all rounder. More a second lens to have.

 

Does the Voigtlander bring up the 35mm frame lines? You could stick the preview frame line selector at 50mm with some duct tape and try shooting that way for a day and see if you find it too constrictive.

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  • 1 month later...

I'm using a 40mm Voigtländer Nokton f1.4 right now for street and some (not-close up) portraits. But I'd like to sell the 40mm for a Zeiss Sonnar f1.5 50mm..

 

Many thanks

 

The Sonnar got a pretty poor review in the Amateur Photographer lens issue on 20th July. Why not a Leica lens?

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  • 3 weeks later...

I try to force my self to use my m8 and 50mm summicron (I know not the lens you were asking about) for street shooting and its very hard for me to not see in a 35mm focal lenth perspective. Its just what I've been used too. So I tend to go back to my Zeiss 28mm 2.8 for street photography.

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The Sonnar got a pretty poor review in the Amateur Photographer lens issue on 20th July. Why not a Leica lens?

 

I use a Jupiter 3 (a Russian Sonnar clone) with fantastic results. I use it from wide-open to about f2.8 (can't tell with the non-stepped aperture).

 

As an all-arounder though I would recommend either a used Leica Summicron or a used or new Leica Summarit. The Cron is a bit faster, but the Summarit actually has smoother bokeh and is perhaps even sharper.

 

I am a huge fan of all four Summarit lenses (I own the 35, 75 and 90 and have rented the 50). The 50 Summarit is so nice in its rendering that I'm considering selling my 50 Cron to get one.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi

 

I'm using a 40mm Voigtländer Nokton f1.4 right now for street and some (not-close up) portraits. But I'd like to sell the 40mm for a Zeiss Sonnar f1.5 50mm..

 

But will it get too long for street on an M8? Will be 66.5mm.. As I love to shoot street but portraits too. Yes I know there is no "ideal" lens for both.. but at the moment I can't afford to have a 35mm and 50mm. Should I stick with the Voigtländer 40mm for both or get the 50mm Sonnar?

 

Many thanks

If you like the 40 mm focal length on your M8 and you want a Sonnar, have you considered a Rollei 40mm f/2.8 Sonnar, which is available in LTM? It's a lovely little lens that has the Sonnar signature. If you use a 35-135 or a 50-75 LTM to M adaptor you have the choice of 35 or 50 mm frame lines.

 

Pete.

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I have both lenses and love them. But, my advice is:

 

Keep the Nokton 40. File down the flange (easy - use a metal nail file) to bring up 35mm lines. Directions are on the web in several places.

 

The Sonnar, as mentioned above, is a specialty lens that exhibits considerable focus shift. The factory optimizes these lenses at 2.8 -- at that stop, focus will be accurate. If you shoot wide open at 1.5, you'll have to lean in a little or learn what your focus offset is through practice and adjust. Same goes for shooting at stops higher than 2.8 -- but the lens will shift in the other direction, and by 5.6 or so, will be covered by the additional depth of field.

 

My lens is optimized at 1.5 - because I use it for low light and thin DOF. When I stop down, additionally, my shift is in only one direction and I've learned to adjust.

 

BTW the Jupiter 3 mentioned above (I have one of those as well) has a smaller front element and exhibits less shifting. A fantastic lens that can be used as an all rounder. I love mine.

 

But - bottom line - on an M8 a 50mm lens is a virtual 65mm lens - and that's too tight, IMHO, for general street photography.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Hi

 

I'm using a 40mm Voigtländer Nokton f1.4 right now for street and some (not-close up) portraits. But I'd like to sell the 40mm for a Zeiss Sonnar f1.5 50mm..

 

But will it get too long for street on an M8? Will be 66.5mm.. As I love to shoot street but portraits too. Yes I know there is no "ideal" lens for both.. but at the moment I can't afford to have a 35mm and 50mm. Should I stick with the Voigtländer 40mm for both or get the 50mm Sonnar?

 

Many thanks

 

Go get it...50/1.5 Sonnar is beatiful design lens, especially for portrait but good for street as well. This lens give you different signature compare to Cron,Nokton,Lux

 

Later you can add 28 or 21mm.

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