Good but not so expensive Lens for M7

[Dave M]

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Hi I have purchased a Leica Summicron-M 90 mm F/2.0 Lens for a M7 camera that I have not purchased yet.I am also on the lookout for a 50mm lens can anyone recommend a cheaper lens for black and white film.I work in a brick making factory and the camera will be used for portrait shots,hopefully I can bring out the character of the lads thanks Dave.

[wda]

Dave, how much cheaper? Making a guess, how about an older 50mm Summicron or late Elmarit-M?

[Dave M]

Dave, how much cheaper? Making a guess, how about an older 50mm Summicron or late Elmarit-M?

 

Hi Dave around £300 secondhand or even cheaper or I might change the wife for one thats not such a tight arse.

[pico]

It is a bother and risky to buy from the 'net because you cannot see the lens before-hand, with care and some luck you might find an excellent 50mm Summitar. More on that in a moment.

 

I've had wonderful luck with a screw-mount Canon 85mm F/1.9 or F/2 Serenar Results like this in factory lightning; your 90mm should deliver similar results.

 

Summitars were made in different configurations. For example, coated and uncoated. I choose coated, post WWII models. In addition even the coated versions had different aperture shapes, octagon or circular. I choose circular. It has a great look and puts a little light into the shadows in contrasty light.

 

Each can be had within your budget.

.

just my X0 bits worth

[250swb]

Hi Dave around £300 secondhand or even cheaper or I might change the wife for one thats not such a tight arse.

 

The CV 50mm Skopar, or indeed the 35mm Skopar or 28mm Skopar or 21mm Skopar are all very good lenses irrespective of the price. Going longer the 75mm Heliar f/2.5 is also a top lens.

 

Steve

[Dave M]

Hi would you say that the leitz wetzlar summicron 50mm f2 lense is a good lens thanks .

[wda]

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It is an excellent lens. I have the current one and I also have a Version 2 from 1966. The older one is respected for its drawing for portraits.

 

Explore Leica dealers' stock. Here is a low-cost item from Ffordes 50mm F2 Collapsible by Leica - Ffordes Photographic

[FlashGordonPhotography]

50mm Voigtlanger f1.5 Nokton LTM. You'll need an inexpensive M mount for it. Fabulous lens for the money. Scarily close to a pre asph lux.

 

Gordon

[swamiji]

Well since you started with a 90mm Summicron, I would go with a 50mm Summicron ridged. A good pair

[Dave M]

Hi thanks all of you for the advice thanks again Dave.

[earleygallery]

The original Elmar 50 f2.8 or f3.5 are both superb, available in M or LTM mount.

[stevesurf]

Dave, many congrats on your purchase; the M7 is great for portraits; I use mine in the Auto mode and wide open with Summicron 50/1.4 and Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5. Keep in mind an ND filter is good to have in case your scene is brighter and still want to use your 50 wide open.

 

Here are some links I've found useful for the Sonnar, as well as a decent B+W ND filter:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m-lenses/325301-zeiss-1-5-sonnar-photos-review.html

Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 ZM Review

https://www.schneideroptics.com/Ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=570&IID=8499

 

The Sonnar is a great deal for it's unique rendering and you can get B+W ND filters well discounted at many places.

 

Good luck and please post some images

[Dave M]

Hi been reading up on the Jupiter-3 ultra fast 1.5/50mm lens in Leica M39 screw mount this lens can be purchased for £100 to £200 depending on condition.Do you think this lens delivers good quality results and is worth the money or is it better to pay the extra for a Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0 Lens thanks Dave/

[pico]

Hi been reading up on the Jupiter-3 ultra fast 1.5/50mm lens in Leica M39 screw mount this lens can be purchased for £100 to £200 depending on condition.Do you think this lens delivers good quality results and is worth the money or is it better to pay the extra for a Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0 Lens thanks Dave/

 

 

The very first shortcoming to beware of with Russian lenses is focus accuracy. You might get lucky, but it is not likely. That makes using the lens wide-open risky. But what the heck? It is cheap enough, so take your chance.

 

If you get a bad lens, maybe you can use it to irritate ants on a clear day. Yes, it is not even good enough to fry them.

 

Excuse my English. My native language is Vulgarian.

 

 

Sent from my Etcha-sketch.

[250swb]

Do you think this lens delivers good quality results and is worth the money or is it better to pay the extra for a Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0 Lens thanks Dave/

 

The Jupiter 3 can be good, but even at its best it isn't as good as a Summicron, or even close. So it depends how important your photography is to you. Often people get very enthusiastic about lenses like the Jupiter because they aren't interested in photography and are instead interested in equipment and comparing lenses. So a Jupiter is ideal because they can compare many until they find a good one.

 

If you can't guess that perhaps a Summicron would be a better lens then you are on the wrong track regarding expectations. But there are lenses that with other restrictions, like a slower lens, that can match closely what a Summicron can do and not cost as much. The 50mm CV Skopar, the 50mm Elmar M f2.5, or a 50mm Summarit are all excellent without the jeopardy of wasting money on something that may simply not work very well at all.

 

Steve

[Dave M]

Thanks for the advice looks like the Russian lens may be hit and miss I will take your advice and stick with Leica quality rather than a cheaper option.I am still learning about Leica lenses and equipment and your advice is invaluable to me thanks Dave.

[ynp]

Russian 50/1.5 is a Sonnar and it has a very noticeable focus shift. My lens was restored and optimized for f1.5 and the work is expensive. Mine lens was bought with my camera many years ago and bears a lot of sentimental value, and loads of character.

 

I believe the is is possible to find a nice clean late coated lens, but l'd have the lens block remounted with tighter tolerances and better internal blacking.

After the job done it is almost as expensive as a new ZM f1.5

 

 

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[ynp]

A Konica M-hexanon f2/50 or LTM Hexanon f2,4/50 are very interesting and reasonably cheap beginner lenses for an M -camera.

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[xalo]

Hi Dave,

another 2 centimes. I'd suggest the 50mm Dual Range (DR) Summicron. Got one as my first 50 for about the cost of your limit (but some time ago). It was 'cheap' because slighty hazy; also, one lens of the goggles has separation (this is not a part of the lens, but of the accessory finder system needed to focus down to about 50cm or so). Had the haze cleaned at one point by a local tech, not very expensive. Even before, the lens was very good. It is still my preferred 50 for b&w and delivered beautiful portraits. The DR's advantage is, you can get closer than with any other Leica M 50mm (thinking of details, hands at work etc.). For portraits you would not need the goggles right away and could possibly find a copy without them to keep close to your budget.

Otherwise, the collapsible Elmar 50/3,5 is an excellent lens and great value (I'd look for a later, M-mount version with the more convenient aperture ring). But ƒ3,5 might not be enough and/or force you to use faster film or push iso.

 

Alexander

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[sblutter]

Dave, how much cheaper? Making a guess, how about an older 50mm Summicron or late Elmarit-M?

 

Was just checking old 50 summi's. Other than quite older versions, even they're about $1200 (v. IV)

 

Its my fav lens - was contemplating a back-up