M8 first lens

[friedeye]

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The Nokton 40 is a wonderful lens for the M8. Compact, fast, and a close 50mm equivalent. It would be a great first lens.

 

I also like the Zeiss 28 2.8 and would recommend it for your second lens (or first, if you like a 35mm equivalent).

 

For a third lens, consider the Zeiss Sonnar c 1.5 50mm. It uses the same hood and filters as the 28. It's a terrific, but quirky lens. Mine is optimized at 1.5 -- but I think the better way to go is to buy one optimized at 2.8. There are discussions on this site about the merits and disadvantages of both.

 

If price is no object, the Leica 35 Lux Asph (not FLE), is a brilliant, lust worthy lens, and might be all the lens you ever need.

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[MarkP]

You may want to consider a 2.8/28 Elmarit ASPH. A spectacular and tiny little lens that effectively gives you a 35mm lens (well 37.24mm) on the M8 - they aren't too expensive second hand and it's unlikely you would want to update it in the future (well...maybe to a 28 Summicron ASPH)

[MarkP]

Or you may want to consider a 2.8/28 Elmarit ASPH. A spectacular and tiny little lens that effectively gives you a 35mm lens (well 37.24mm) on the M8 - they aren't too expensive second hand and it's unlikely you would want to update it in the future (well...maybe to a 28 Summicron ASPH)

[stevesurf]

Based on the above findings (and supposed they are from trustable dealers...is better not to risk with your first Leica lens) my advice is:

1) summarits 35+75 : i have the 75, and is a fantastic lens and an excellent focal on M8

2) summicron 50 any , for the simply golden rule in the leica world "you'll never regret to have bought a 'Cron 50"

 

Really excellent advice as these lenses will help you "grow" into full frame or even film Leicas in the future.

 

I also absolutely love the images of the Summilux 50 on M8, M9 and M7

[DES]

A lot of very well informed information here as you would expect, and some serious advice.

I bought an Elmarit 28mm as my first lens, and subsequently now have a wide range including the Nocti, but the lens that I use the most by far.....is the 28mm it is superb.

I keep meaning to replace it with a summicron, but I have never got round to it. I think that speaks volumes!

[Loren]

...but I have never got round to it. I think that speaks volumes!

 

I think that it just shows that your round toit earning potential is not so good. :-)

[anonimo2003]

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I Buy it! In the end I bought a new Voigtlander 40mm f1.4, now I have to find a UV / IR filter, you have any suggestions on a possible brand?

I have another question, the 40mm with the crop factor should become a 53 and so it should include the 50mm frame instead I saw that the picture includes a larger field, slightly lower than the 35mm frame..:confused:

[DES]

I think that it just shows that your round toit earning potential is not so good. :-)

 

[MarkP]

Well I did eventually replace my 28 Elmarit ASPH with the Summicron ASPH.

[Loren]

I Buy it! In the end I bought a new Voigtlander 40mm f1.4, now I have to find a UV / IR filter, you have any suggestions on a possible brand?

I have another question, the 40mm with the crop factor should become a 53 and so it should include the 50mm frame instead I saw that the picture includes a larger field, slightly lower than the 35mm frame..:confused:

 

I would recommend B&W UV/IR filters. They are half the cost of the Leica and work just as well. Be careful with the coatings.

 

The frame lines on the M8 are representative of the actual focal length installed, not the 1.33 cropped version.

 

Your camera has frame lines for 24mm & 35mm, 28mm & 90mm, and 50mm & 75mm. They appear as pairs in the view finder. Note that there is no 40mm frame line.

 

I believe the Voigtlander 40mm activates the 50mm & 75mm frame lines (the lever should be straight up). That means when you compose your shot your actual field of view of the sensor will be somewhat larger than what is contained in the 50mm frame line.

 

You will have to guess where the real field of view is relative to the 50mm frame lines. I suggest mounting the camera on a tripod and shooting a wall or a marked target that fills the 50mm frame line and testing where 40mm actually lies within that frame. Memorize that position or make a drawing in a notebook so you can become familiar with where the field of view really is for your lens.

 

Alternatively, you could flip the lever back and forth to show the 35mm frame lines (lever outward) and 50mm frame lines (lever vertical) and guess where 40mm falls.

[Loren]

I Buy it! In the end I bought a new Voigtlander 40mm f1.4, now I have to find a UV / IR filter, you have any suggestions on a possible brand?

I have another question, the 40mm with the crop factor should become a 53 and so it should include the 50mm frame instead I saw that the picture includes a larger field, slightly lower than the 35mm frame..:confused:

 

Here is what the frame lines for each lever position look like…

 

[Guest]

It is easy to find IR/UV 2nd hand on ebay for a fraction of the new price. From the saving I suggest another NEW&ORIGINAL battery.

Enjoy!

[anonimo2003]

I would recommend B&W UV/IR filters. They are half the cost of the Leica and work just as well. Be careful with the coatings.

 

The frame lines on the M8 are representative of the actual focal length installed, not the 1.33 cropped version.

 

Your camera has frame lines for 24mm & 35mm, 28mm & 90mm, and 50mm & 75mm. They appear as pairs in the view finder. Note that there is no 40mm frame line.

 

I believe the Voigtlander 40mm activates the 50mm & 75mm frame lines (the lever should be straight up). That means when you compose your shot your actual field of view of the sensor will be somewhat larger than what is contained in the 50mm frame line.

 

You will have to guess where the real field of view is relative to the 50mm frame lines. I suggest mounting the camera on a tripod and shooting a wall or a marked target that fills the 50mm frame line and testing where 40mm actually lies within that frame. Memorize that position or make a drawing in a notebook so you can become familiar with where the field of view really is for your lens.

 

Alternatively, you could flip the lever back and forth to show the 35mm frame lines (lever outward) and 50mm frame lines (lever vertical) and guess where 40mm falls.

 

One moment, I had read on the forums that the viewfinder of Leica was not calibrated on cropp, so if I bought a 35mm becomes a 46.55mm I have to looking for the 50mm; so even for a 40mm which becomes a 53 mm;

actually the camera viewfinder shows me the right frame that is 28-35-50-75,etc cropped??:confused:

[Loren]

One moment, I had read on the forums that the viewfinder of Leica was not calibrated on cropp, so if I bought a 35mm becomes a 46.55mm I have to looking for the 50mm; so even for a 40mm which becomes a 53 mm;

actually the camera viewfinder shows me the right frame that is 28-35-50-75,etc cropped??:confused:

 

No.

 

Mount a 35mm lens and the frame lines for 35mm are the inner set of lines. Everything inside those 35mm frame lines will be in the picture. Outside of those lines they will be outside the picture.

 

Mount a 50mm lens and the frame lines will be the outer set of frame lines seen in the viewfinder. Everything inside those lines will be in the picture. Everything outside the lines is outside the picture.

 

Just use the frame lines that correspond to the lens you are using (i.e, 24, 28, 35, 50, or 90mm) as shown in the instruction manual and my link.

 

40mm will be a bit of a guess because the 35mm frame lines will be too big and the 50mm frame lines too small. You will get used to it after some practice.

 

I just confirmed what I wrote using my M8. My Zeiss 28mm picture includes everything from the outer edges of the gray 28mm frame lines.

[anonimo2003]

An example:

 

The photo (M8 with a 40mm) having a cropp of 1.33 so is equivalent to taking it with a 53mm in a FF, the framed area in the viewfinder should correspond more or less than 50 mm; it is not so. So the frame are cropped????

[pop]

An example:

 

The photo (M8 with a 40mm) having a cropp of 1.33 so is equivalent to taking it with a 53mm in a FF, the framed area in the viewfinder should correspond more or less than 50 mm; it is not so. So the frame are cropped????

 

The frames are made to show what the picture is going to show. Hence, the frames for the 50mm lens will show what the image will look like with that lens.

 

As there are no frames for a 40mm lens, you'd have to do some guessing as to what exactly will be shown. In my experience, the frame lines for the 35mm lens will be fairly close, though.

 

Just stop thinking about crop factors and so on. The frame lines are adapted and will be correct for the lenses actually mounted.

[anonimo2003]

The frames are made to show what the picture is going to show. Hence, the frames for the 50mm lens will show what the image will look like with that lens.

In some Italian magazines I'd rather read "The little frames of the viewfinder (and this is really amazing) have not been re-designed ad hoc and, because of the multiplication factor of the focal (x 1.33), are all approximate. As if a house automotive, designing a new car, let the mask of the old exchange rate with the indication busted gear ... "

So after I took some pictures did not understand

Just stop thinking about crop factors and so on. The frame lines are adapted and will be correct for the lenses actually mounted.

Ok, so the frames of the M8 give me the exact area that I photograph; So they are converted by a factor of cropp compared to the M9;

[pop]

Yes, quite. On my M8 the frame for the 50mm lens used to show what the M8 would put into the image and on my M9 the frame for the 50mm lens used to show what the M9 would put into the image. However, both were accurate at one particular distance only (1 or 2 meters, I can't recall which).

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[friedeye]

Just to recap:

 

The M8 frame lines reflect what any given lens will look like on that sensor. A 50mm lens mounted on an M8 will give the area of a 66mm lens on a full frame camera, and the lines are adjusted for such. It may say 50, because that's the lens on the camera, but the view is the equivalent of a 66mm in full frame.

 

A Nokton 40 will most closely match the frame lines of a 35mm lens, be it an M8 or M9. On the M8, with the crop factor, it will give you the view of a 53mm lens. The M8 frame line for a 35 mm lens is roughly 46.5 mm --- so it's not the same, but it's far more accurate than the frame lines of a 50mm lens that the Nokton brings up.

 

The solution is to file down the flange, so that the Nokton brings up the 35mm lines. It's a simple procedure done with a metal fingernail file - instructions can be Googled. Honestly, it's no big deal. I did it in 10 minutes and have never regretted the decision.

 

One more thing. You may find your new Nokton has a stiff focus ring. Don't worry - it will loosen up over the next month or so. Just work it and it will eventually be as smooth as butter.

 

Enjoy your lens - it's a good one.

[stevesurf]

I Buy it! In the end I bought a new Voigtlander 40mm f1.4, now I have to find a UV / IR filter, you have any suggestions on a possible brand?

I have another question, the 40mm with the crop factor should become a 53 and so it should include the 50mm frame instead I saw that the picture includes a larger field, slightly lower than the 35mm frame..:confused:

 

Here's the B&H link (B+W Model 66-014685)