Lenses Lenses Lenses....

[KallumR]

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So I'm getting an M8 soon and lenses are what I'm looking at.

As you can tell (by the fact that I'm getting an M8) I don't have lot's of money to splash around so I'd like a reasonably good all-rounder for a lens.

I don't mind about getting a Voigtländer or a Zeiss, but Leica lenses are great to.

My pricing is from $0-$750.

I don't know if lenses even get this cheap but I'd be happy if you could suggest some to me.

 

Thanks!

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[jcraf]

Where to begin? There are as many answers to this as forum members!

 

I'd start with a Leica 28mm, preferably the wonderful compact Elmarit Asph. This lens is superb on the M8 cameras, and gives you something approaching the classic 35mm view. This may slightly exceed your budget (say $900-1000 used) but go for it! It's a jewel.

 

Later you may wish to add something longer; a 75mm will give you a pairing which is close to the time honoured 35/90 set. The little Summarit 75mm is a great lens and can be had for reasonable (by Leica standards) cost, used.

 

If you want a 50mm-ish equivalent, the Summarit 35mm is a great performer, again widely available used.

 

Whilst I have used and admired the results from Voigtlander lenses, one of the main reasons for getting into the Leica system is to use Leica glass. So I think it would be nice to start with one Leica lens.

 

I have no experience of Zeiss ZM lenses, but many here rate them highly

 

Oh, and don't forget to factor the cost of UV/IR filters for each lens. Again you can get these used.

 

Hope that helps, and welcome to the Forum.

 

Regards

[jaapv]

I find the Summicron-C 40/2.0 is a wonderful standard lens on the M8. Adapt the framelines selection and have it coded by somebody like Will van Manen, get the original hood from eBay and drop in the glass from a 39 mm IR filter, and you are ready to go.

[jaapv]

I would like to add that 50 mm never really worked for me on the M8.

[lct]

If you like the 50mm field of view (35mm framelines of the M8), the Biogon 35/2.8 is a superb lens, small, sharp at all apertures, almost immune from flare, better than the Summarit from this viewpoint. It doesn't have a focus tab though so you might prefer the Summarit for that. But for the price i have never used a better M 35 than the Biogon 35/2.8 and irrespective of the price it is my best "slow" 35 ever.

Now it is a bit more expensive than what you are after (around $900 new) and it is not easy to find out second hand so my B plan would be a Summicron-C 40/2 if you have nothing against a bit of DIY to bring up the 35mm framelines of the camera (http://tllg.net/YwXo). Some photogs do prefer the 50mm framelines though.

[geotrupede]

CV lenses are the cheapest and almost as good as.

SO to start with if budget is an issue is probably the most convenient option.

you can have 35, 28 and 50 for the price of the 28 elmarit...

CV28 f1.9

CV35 f1.7

CV50 f1.5

all all great and fast lenses that cost about 300 pounds max each...

G

[Loren]

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So I'm getting an M8 soon and lenses are what I'm looking at.

As you can tell (by the fact that I'm getting an M8) I don't have lot's of money to splash around so I'd like a reasonably good all-rounder for a lens.

I don't mind about getting a Voigtländer or a Zeiss, but Leica lenses are great to.

My pricing is from $0-$750.

I don't know if lenses even get this cheap but I'd be happy if you could suggest some to me.

 

Thanks!

 

First, the M8 has a 1.33 crop factor, so a 28mm lens will appear as a 37.2mm lens would on a full frame camera.

 

Second, all lenses need a UV/IR cut filter when used on a M8. B+W makes excellent filters at about $50 each.

 

For choices within your budget you should be looking at used lenses. However, here are the new prices for some examples:

 

28mm Zeiss f/2.8 Biogon $1090

28mm Voigtlander f/2 Ultron $630

 

35mm Zeiss f/2 Biogon $1090

35mm Zeiss f/2.8 Biogon $860

35mm Voigtlander f/1.2 Nokton $1200

35mm Voigtlander f/1.4 Nokton $630

35mm Voigtlander f/2.5 Color Skopar Pancake $409

 

As a general rule of thumb, the performance pecking order is Leica, Zeiss, Voigtlander. However, each lens has its own faults and strengths. So you must determine what is important to you. All three manufactures produce better than average lenses when compared to most of the other camera manufactures out there, so there are not any junk lenses made by these three companies.

 

As a first lens I would go with either a 28mm or 35mm. Leica does have a 40mm Summicron-C that can be had used. However, the M8 does not support 40mm frame lines and you need to make a slight modification to the lens mount to get it to show the 35 mm frame lines, which is the closest frame lines.

 

50mm lenses may be too long a focal length for general all-arounder shooting if it is your only and first lens. I would stick with the 28mm or 35mm.

 

However, if you are curious, the Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar is clinically tack sharp for about $860. I bought from an eBay camera store selling a brand new one for $760 last week, which is the high end of your budget.

 

Zeiss makes a 50mm f/1.4 Sonar for about $1200. It is not as sharp as the Planar, but has excellent bokeh. It is a good portrait lens.

 

Voigtlander makes some 50mm lenses, too.

 

50mm Voigtlander f/1.1Nokton $1000

50mm Voigtlander f/1.4 Nokton $900

 

Used prices are about 80% of new. Lenses are an investment as they can be used on any camera body with the same mount. So used prices do not provide a lot of discount over new.

 

Any of the Leica lenses start at 2X your budget new. Again, used prices are not deeply discounted. However, some of the older Leica lenses from the 1950s and 1960s work well with the M8 if you can find one in good condition.

[jaapv]

But - the lens is a better fit to the framelines than 35 lenses One of its advantages on the M8.

[Loren]

But - the lens is a better fit to the framelines than 35 lenses One of its advantages on the M8.

 

True. I am thinking it may not be the best first lens for the uninitiated and it requires modification of the lens mount to display the 35mm frame lines. Even the filter threads are non-standard.

 

It's these little quirks that can make the first experience less than joyful for a new product when you stumble across all these idiosyncrasies.

[Loren]

So I'm getting an M8 soon and lenses are what I'm looking at.

As you can tell (by the fact that I'm getting an M8) I don't have lot's of money to splash around so I'd like a reasonably good all-rounder for a lens.

I don't mind about getting a Voigtländer or a Zeiss, but Leica lenses are great to.

My pricing is from $0-$750.

I don't know if lenses even get this cheap but I'd be happy if you could suggest some to me.

 

Thanks!

 

I forgot to mention that all non-Leica lenses and the older Leica lenses do not have the 6-bit coding on them.

 

The 6-bit code tells the camera what lens is mounted and how to provide any in-camera corrections. This applies to Leica lenses, but you can self-code non-Leica lenses to register as a Leica equivalent.

 

You can read more HERE about coding.

 

The Cat's Meow for self-coding lenses is the MATCH TECHNICAL LENS CODER KIT CV/Z VERSION 1.0.

 

Mine arrives tomorrow since I now have two non-coded lenses. You can also download one of the many free templates and code them yourself with a magic marker. This is what I have done to my first Zeiss lens. It saves you $90 over the kit.

 

The new Zeiss lenses have a step machined into the flange so that the magic marker doesn't rub off when you mount and dismount the lens.

 

You don't have to code the lens, but it helps get the full potential out of the camera when you do.

 

I bought the coder kit because it makes it easy to code the lenses and if they rub off or you want to change the code you can do it reliably and fast.

[jaapv]

True. I am thinking it may not be the best first lens for the uninitiated and it requires modification of the lens mount to display the 35mm frame lines. Even the filter threads are non-standard.

 

It's these little quirks that can make the first experience less than joyful for a new product when you stumble across all these idiosyncrasies.

One has to send the lens to a third party to be coded anyway, and he can do the filing at the same time, so it is not too hard, but yes, I can see that it might be a bit off-putting. As for the thread, I saw one with original hood and cap on eBay a couple of days ago, hoods are not difficult to find either. The glass of a 39 mm will double for a 5.5 series filter, even if it rattles a bit.

Heavystar sells an 5.5 -39 adapter plus hood for next to nothing too.

[lct]

I would not advise lenses with significant focus shift like CV 28/2, CV 35/1.4 or ZM 50/1.5 to new M8 users.

[rramesh]

The 28 Summicron will be perfect as a first lens. Should you decide to move to a M full frame later, this lens will also come in very useful.

 

Use this for a while before considering another lens.

[Ecar]

One has to send the lens to a third party to be coded anyway, and he can do the filing at the same time, so it is not too hard, but yes, I can see that it might be a bit off-putting. As for the thread, I saw one with original hood and cap on eBay a couple of days ago, hoods are not difficult to find either. The glass of a 39 mm will double for a 5.5 series filter, even if it rattles a bit.

Heavystar sells an 5.5 -39 adapter plus hood for next to nothing too.

 

Or one could get the Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2, which is essentially the same lens as the Summicron-C 40/2 but takes standard 40.5mm filters. Cheap hoods also available.

[lct]

Or one could get the Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2, which is essentially the same lens as the Summicron-C 40/2 but takes standard 40.5mm filters. Cheap hoods also available.

+1 for the choice of the Rokkor 40/2. 40.5mm IR-cut filters are not that standard though. I've found a cheap Rocolax for mine but i don't know if Schneider/B+W or Heliopan make them actually.

[Ecar]

+1 for the choice of the Rokkor 40/2. 40.5mm IR-cut filters are not that standard though. I've found a cheap Rocolax for mine but i don't know if Schneider/B+W or Heliopan make them actually.

 

I'm currently on the road, but IIRC I have a B+W 40.5 UV/IR filter somewhere.

[philipus]

Daedra, I read your other thread about the M8 wherein you said you considered a 50 Elmar. If you said that knowing the M8's crop factor, then I would like to suggest you consider one of the 50 Summicrons - the pre-current (non-APO) version. I find it really very lovely (on film I should add but I have no doubt it will perform as wonderfully on digital).

 

It is very small, easy to use with a big focusing ring and an aperture ring that is set apart from the focusing ring so there's little risk that one adjusts focus accidentally. It also has a very useful 39mm filter thread. It can be found within your budget, all depending on condition. The (rather cool-looking) vented hood might not be included (but then again it might). However, it is not always necessary as the below shows. I've found this lens to be quite flare resistant.

 

Walking towards the sunset | Flickr

M4 50 Summicron (11817) Portra 400

 

Good luck

Philip

[skinnfell]

I had an M8, and the images it made can still hold their own compared to my MM, at least in prints up to A3 size.

I had a number of lenses but my favorite was the 35/2. I still have this lens and shot it today actually. The M8 is not very sensitive in its ISO base, so you might want to get a wide aperture if you can.

 

I prefer my pictures to be as sharp in the corner as in the center. If this is a priority for you too, I would get one of the leica 35s. I have not tried the Summarit-M 35, but if I was buying today I would pick up that one.

They frequently show up on the used market as people get lured into 1.4ness (and out of money). I know you are short on budget but I wouldn't skimp on lenses. It might be hard to get it at $750, but if you save up a couple hundred dollars more, there should be numerous to choose from.

 

And do make sure you get a 6bit coded one (Summarits always are), the M8 can not manually code like the M9. IF the coding is missing or wrong you might get colored corners.

 

Alternatively - a leica 50 summicron. They are fine without coding but gives a slight telephoto result, ca 67mm. I really liked this perspective.

 

"I can always sell it later and buy something better" is a bad strategy imo.

Better with 1 good lens than 10 mediocre ones.

 

 

PS. On my leica blog there are images from M8, M9, MM. All with absolute bare-bones processing. I bet you can't spot which is which (without looking at the exif.)

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[Nordvik]

My favorite lens on the M8 is the Zeiss Planar 2,0/50 ZM. It's cheep, light, sharp, good contrast, very nice colors, good bokeh, flair resistant and have no focus sift. The cons: It's bigger then the 50mm Summicron and I don't like the focus tab.

 

It's also a very wide 50mm. Compere the color photo from M8 + Planar with B&W from M9 + Jupiter 8, which is a very narrow 50mm (Leica 50 are between). I found this lens very usable as an everyday lens. Not too narrow even on M8.

 

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[epand56]

Daedra,

 

I shot several years with the M8 and did try many lenses. Given that you have $ 750, I would suggest you to buy a Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f:1.9 Aspherical.

On the M8 crop factor, it would play more or less the role a 35mm plays on a full frame camera.

It is not a very small lens, but is slim, not heavy and is a beautiful shooter. It's very sharp and have a very pleasant bokeh. Along with the Summilux 35 Asph it was the lens I used more.

It's a wonderful lens to use. These examples are small, but I think they can give you the idea of the quality of this unexpensive monster

 

https://scontent-b-mxp.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/t31.0-8/s720x720/210692_214939658532264_3602152_o.jpg

 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t31.0-8/s720x720/219468_214939618532268_7922015_o.jpg

 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/s720x720/219146_214939578532272_5921274_o.jpg

 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t31.0-8/s720x720/221006_214939558532274_8377220_o.jpg

 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t31.0-8/s720x720/201469_214939538532276_7254822_o.jpg

 

Last but not least, I suggest you to avoid the new release of this lens, the Ultron 28/2, that is not at all as good as this one.

Hope this was useful.