Good but not so expensive Lens for M7

[sblutter]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

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

 

I agree the DR is a good lens on a film camera - but newer versions focus to .7m vs, 3.4ft - a very handy portrait distance w/o the slim DOF when in the close range of the DR. (Don't care for the DR on M9 - too soft)

[Ronazle]

Other than an early and used Summicron (not a collapsible), my recommendations would be:

 

First: the 50mm collapsible Voigtlander F:/3.5 Heliar which is, by any reasonable criteria, superb (but slow).

 

Second: the 50mm Voigtlander F:/1.5 Nokton which is quite good although the screw mount version is a little large.

 

Regards, Ron

[pico]

What you might learn is that as Leica lens design evolved, image qualities changed, for better or worse.

 

For worst is by by Peter Karbe who took lens engineering to the max, and destroyed Leica's aesthetics.

 

Moving forward in terms of scientific metrics does not necessarily serve human aesthetics.

.

 

 

 

Sent from my Etcha-sketch.