w44neg Posted April 3, 2015 Share #1  Posted April 3, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hopefully not as strange a question as it first seems. I have an M240 with a 35mm Lux FLE. It's paired alongside a wide angle lens currently, but at some point, I expect I'll want a slightly longer focal length.  I don't want to spend too much but I want some clear, sharp images. The M8 will basically convert my 35mm into a 46-47mm length as you'll know, and I guess I'd need an IR adapter. Currently, M8s are available for <£1000GBP, so would you spend the money on a lens, or an extra body which could be used alongside the 240 simultaneously (albeit rarely) I guess? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 Hi w44neg, Take a look here Serious question... Leica M8 or 50mm lens?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jdlaing Posted April 3, 2015 Share #2 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Lens. You won't get the same resolution out of the M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted April 3, 2015 Share #3 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Personally and nothing against the M8 as I owned one. I would never go back to one though. And you would need UV/IR filters again. There will come a time when you cannot get your M8 fixed at any cost and that would not be the case with a lens. I would rather carry an additional lens rather than an additional body, batteries, charger, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndReini Posted April 3, 2015 Share #4 Â Posted April 3, 2015 There is another aspect that I haven't heard many people talk about. I shot extensively with my M8 for the three years before the M9 was released. I used the 35mm a lot on the M8, and I figured I would just use my 50mm the way I used the 35mm before. What happened though was that for the first two months or so, every frame seemed too wide, no matter which lens I used. There was this muscle-memory, and whenever I held the 35mm lens in my hand, and raised the camera up to my eye, I instinctively knew the angle-of-view of that lens on the M8, and the same with the 50mm. It took me a while to learn to visualize the full-frame view of these lenses again. I realized that for this reason I could not switch back and forth between the M8 and M9 the way I could between different lenses and I sold my M8 instead of keeping it as a second body the way I had intended. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornnb Posted April 3, 2015 Share #5  Posted April 3, 2015 Currently, M8s are available for <£1000GBP, so would you spend the money on a lens, or an extra body which could be used alongside the 240 simultaneously (albeit rarely) I guess?  Lens.... the M240 has a much more capable sensor than the M8. And there are plenty of good 50mm options out there to suit whatever your situation is, from the affordable and sharp Zeiss 50mm Planar to the APO 50mm f2. The Zeiss 50mm Planar is a serious option, though the Summicron v4 is slightly better the Zeiss is pretty damn close and can be had for just 500 British pounds. It out performs the Summilux ASPH at smaller apertures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted April 3, 2015 Share #6  Posted April 3, 2015 Whilst I still have an M8-2 and I still like and use it I would still suggest a 50mm lens - for £1000 you could get a decent Summicron or a Summarit plus change, or perhaps a reasonable pre-aspheric Summilux, if you are lucky, any of which would be a good option. Add a bit more and you could be into an aspheric Summilux to match your 35mm and you would have a lovely set-up. Some will argue that the 35 and 50 will be too close but from my experience they aren't. One point is s to whether you have other lenses, because if not, swapping one lens between two bodies could become rather tiresome and is a really good way of potentially ensuring dusty sensors? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpitt Posted April 3, 2015 Share #7 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) I agree with those voting for lens. But my vote is to actually buy both! For about 1000GBP you could go for an M8 + a nice Summicron 50 collapsible or even 50 Elmarit. Â Working with two bodies would definitely be an advantage. Resolution of M8 is plenty for most, and it would bring a lot of possibilities being able to grab either body as needed in stead of having to switch lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otto.f Posted April 3, 2015 Share #8 Â Posted April 3, 2015 50 Elmar___ is cheaper than an M8 which has been a terrific camera but the hustle with the IR filter with one 35 would not be my choice in your situation. Summicron 50 IV also great. You'll be amazed about the noise of the M8 shutter now that you're used to your M240 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subject Focus Posted April 3, 2015 Share #9 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Lens. Carrying around an extra body seems more tiresome then a lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted April 3, 2015 Share #10 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Just crop your M photos by 1.3X Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted April 3, 2015 Share #11 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Just crop your M photos by 1.3X Â BY or TO? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 3, 2015 Share #12 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Get the lens for all of the reasons mentioned above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w44neg Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share #13 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Thanks all. I've been having a think. I have an old 5cm screw mount lens but it needs attention. I'm going to send it in to Leica and see what can be done, as although I'd prefer a sharp image, this lens looks like it will offer a different type of clarity to my images, which will separate them from the 35mm pics nicely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted April 3, 2015 Share #14 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Thanks all. I've been having a think. I have an old 5cm screw mount lens but it needs attention. I'm going to send it in to Leica and see what can be done, as although I'd prefer a sharp image, this lens looks like it will offer a different type of clarity to my images, which will separate them from the 35mm pics nicely. Â Which lens and what attention does it need? Leica may not be the best place to send it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w44neg Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share #15 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Which lens and what attention does it need? Leica may not be the best place to send it. Â It's a 1950s Elmarit 5cm f2.8. The front element is scratched I think so it would need re-boring at the least; perhaps even replacement if that's possible? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted April 3, 2015 Share #16 Â Posted April 3, 2015 You mean an Elmar ? Â What do you mean by scratched? One scratch is unlikely to make any difference to its performance. If you mean lots of surface scratches or 'cleaning marks' as some call them then it's probably better just to buy another lens - the cost of repairing yours will be more than the cost to buy a good one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w44neg Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share #17  Posted April 3, 2015 You mean an Elmar ? What do you mean by scratched? One scratch is unlikely to make any difference to its performance. If you mean lots of surface scratches or 'cleaning marks' as some call them then it's probably better just to buy another lens - the cost of repairing yours will be more than the cost to buy a good one.  Sorry yes (auto correct) Elmar. Looks like more than one scratch tbh but I like the lens and wouldn't mind at least a repair quote. If it's silly then I'm not interested of course, but worth finding out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted April 3, 2015 Share #18 Â Posted April 3, 2015 Honestly you're better off just using it. One scratch is unlikely to affect performance at all. A trick is to put matt black in the scratch if it's deep, to avoid flare issues when shooting into the light, but a lighter scratch isn't going to be an issue. More scratches may mean softer images particularly if shooting towards the light source. Â Not sure what Leica can do for you, apart from charging you 100 euros to send it back! Â It's not a valuable lens, so as I've said, you'd be financially better off just buying another one, but I bet it will work perfectly well as it is. Buy a hood and adaptor and off you go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornnb Posted April 4, 2015 Share #19 Â Posted April 4, 2015 It's a 1950s Elmarit 5cm f2.8. The front element is scratched I think so it would need re-boring at the least; perhaps even replacement if that's possible? Â I would recommend picking up a Zeiss Planar f2. It's the best option in terms of price/performance. Near Summicron performance for just 500 pounds. Deal of the century Steve Huff calls it. Good review here: Zeiss Planar T* 2/50 ZM | La Vida Leica! http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2013/04/09/a-new-look-at-the-zeiss-zm-50mm-planar-f2-lens/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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