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Why buy other than Leica lens for a Leica M system???!!

leicahg

By leicahg
in Leica M Lenses

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it really depends on, as others have said, what you mean by "better"......

I have enough Leica brand M glass for my needs, a selection that has been honed down in decades of Leica M usage, but there's quite a few "other brands" that I own and turn to rather than the Leica equivalent that I also have available.

As an example I have the Voigtlander 21mm, 25mm and 28mm Color Skopar f4 M mount lenses and many times I choose to use them rather than the Leica 21/24/28's primarily because of their compact size on my 240's and MM1..........and to be honest I find that they're built very well and for me there's little difference that really matters in their "quality" of imaging, maybe because I tend to look at an image more for it's emotional effect rather than it's technical merit. 

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carlosgavina

carlosgavina

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Although I believe getting an M would be one of the best ways to enjoy Leica Glass, and the majority of my lenses are from Leica, you shouldn't throw away great lenses from other brands :)

 

I love my Voigtlander Super-Wide Heliar 15mm for instance, such a great lens in a tiny factor. 

 

I also second the Zeiss Sonnar 50mm 1.5, a lens with such character.

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Philjh

Philjh

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I used a Zeiss 50mm f2 Planar and a Zeiss 35mm f2.8 C-Biogon on M-E and M240.

I was very happy with the build quality and was often surprised at the high IQ of these lenses.

I felt they were every bit as good as the Summicrons.

My reason for using the Zeiss lenses was cost, I bought mint, used, examples which cost me £800 for both,

a fraction of the price of equivalent Leica glass, a different look perhaps to the images but still extremely usable.

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Tailwagger

Tailwagger

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Which is better... more contrast or less?  More saturation or less?  Better average acuity all across the frame or razor sharp on center with softer edges? Forget about non-Leitz glass, you have to trade these factors off among native M lenses.  And not even new versus vintage. Just search the forum about opinions on the four currently available 50mm lenses, let alone the 50+ years of M 50mms that led up to them.

 

The great joy (and potential expense) of shooting with an M is the incredible variety of lenses and looks that are available both in and out of family.  Part of the journey is learning how to use each to best advantage.

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leicahg

leicahg

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thank you to all members who have genuinely replied to my question....I have enjoyed each and every reply, comment, input, feedback...knowing that there is no conclusion for such a dscussion :) It will go on and on...as long as Leica exists...

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ECohen

ECohen

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I love the softness  & bokeh of my Zeiss Sonnar ZM 50mm, I probably take about 70% of my pictures with it. It is a lot more flattering as a portrait lens than any Leica lens I've tried.

 

 

I know this is the wrong place for this question so I may re-post it on the lens forum.......but  since most here agree, that there is real joy in owning many brands of lenses for the unique characteristics of each.

 
Here's my off topic personal question for you experts.
 
I want a 90mm ish lens for portraits and the very occasional landscape......mostly portraits/people (color and b&w) wide f-stops for pretty backgrounds. I'm looking for an asset to my arsenal with a specific purpose....it doesn't have to be an everything lens.
 
Which should I choose?
Zeiss 85mmf/4 Tele-Tessar T* ZM     or  LeicaTele Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 thin  from Canada  ....or is there a better choice? Can anyone tell me the specific characteristics of each, so I can make an informed choice? Not having the luxury of testing each...... your all I got.
 
I also don't think I need to spend 4k for a new Leica Summicron and I don't necessarily think those are the characteristics I'm looking for?.....although I'm sure it would be just fine.
 
I do wish I had unlimited funds and time to collect and experiment with the nuances of all the different brands, styles of coatings......So many great lenses out there.... cheap and expensive....so little time to learn and try them all.... I do love photography!
 
  
Thanks to all for the advice it really is appreciated
 
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Peter H

Peter H

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....................................

I do wish I had unlimited funds and time ..................

 

 

 

 

We wish to thank you but regret to inform you that you have not been successful with your entry for our "Original Wish of the Year" competition.

 

The winner will be announced one day, probably elsewhere.

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ECohen

ECohen

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We wish to thank you but regret to inform you that you have not been successful with your entry for our "Original Wish of the Year" competition.

 

The winner will be announced one day, probably elsewhere.

 

This is why I love this form...thanks Peter for the smile.

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jmahto

jmahto

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I know this is the wrong place for this question so I may re-post it on the lens forum.......but  since most here agree, that there is real joy in owning many brands of lenses for the unique characteristics of each.

 
Here's my off topic personal question for you experts.
 
I want a 90mm ish lens for portraits and the very occasional landscape......mostly portraits/people (color and b&w) wide f-stops for pretty backgrounds. I'm looking for an asset to my arsenal with a specific purpose....it doesn't have to be an everything lens.
 
Which should I choose?
Zeiss 85mmf/4 Tele-Tessar T* ZM     or  LeicaTele Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 thin  from Canada  ....or is there a better choice? Can anyone tell me the specific characteristics of each, so I can make an informed choice? Not having the luxury of testing each...... your all I got.
 
I also don't think I need to spend 4k for a new Leica Summicron and I don't necessarily think those are the characteristics I'm looking for?.....although I'm sure it would be just fine.
 
I do wish I had unlimited funds and time to collect and experiment with the nuances of all the different brands, styles of coatings......So many great lenses out there.... cheap and expensive....so little time to learn and try them all.... I do love photography!
 
  
Thanks to all for the advice it really is appreciated
 

 

I have TE 2.8 thin and I have got very good results (family portraits) wide open. It is perfectly good lens where there corner to corner sharpness is not needed. I have no focusing issue on M240. The front and back bokeh is excellent. See below (probably at f/5.6)

https://flic.kr/p/sbgLro

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jmahto

jmahto

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Addressing OP... Another consideration could be to have "similar" interface/control across lenses. Direction of aperture ring/stops is one which I care about. I have one Nikon mount lens and I have to be conscious about the reverse direction for aperture. Most of my shooting is spontaneous and I don't like fiddling with the controls. With Leica lens I can set the aperture without taking my eyes off the view finder.

 

Of course it is not the only criteria and is well below the performance/preference criteria for glass but if the glass performance/preference criteria is met then I will pay a premium for familiar control layout. 

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jmahto

jmahto

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We wish to thank you but regret to inform you that you have not been successful with your entry for our "Original Wish of the Year" competition.

 

The winner will be announced one day, probably elsewhere.

Can someone please post a link to the entry form? Can I have more than one wish? What do you mean by "original"? Does it need to be Leica related? Does it need to be material wish? When will the winner be announced? Can I do anything to influence the decision? Do I ask too many questions?

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Tailwagger

Tailwagger

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I want a 90mm ish lens for portraits and the very occasional landscape......mostly portraits/people (color and b&w) wide f-stops for pretty backgrounds. I'm looking for an asset to my arsenal with a specific purpose....it doesn't have to be an everything lens.

 

 

 

I too went a final version TE 2.8. Great lens and to my mind quite versatile.  That said, I do think eventually I'll wind up with an early Summicron as it has a bit more personality.  Colleague of mine was interested in an M, so I brought it in for him to take a look at this morning.  Took a quick snap of him with the 90, wide open, taken at about 6 feet, white board about 4 feet behind.    

 

[EDIT Apologies... I should have written Elmarit... not TE.  Mine is vintage 1997]

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lct

lct

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[...] Which should I choose? Zeiss 85mmf/4 Tele-Tessar T* ZM     or  LeicaTele Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 thin  from Canada  ....or is there a better choice? Can anyone tell me the specific characteristics of each, so I can make an informed choice? Not having the luxury of testing each...... your all I got. [...]

 

I have no experience with the ZM 85/4 but it has an excellent reputation. It is not a small lens though. As much as i like the Tele-Elmarit which has been my companion for 20+ years i cannot recommend it due do its propension to flare. It is one on my worst 90s from this viewpoint. If you're on a budget my best advice would be to try the excellent M-Rokkor 90/4 for Minolta CLE. Here with the T-E. 

 

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semi-ambivalent

semi-ambivalent

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I have no experience with the ZM 85/4 but it has an excellent reputation. It is not a small lens though. As much as i like the Tele-Elmarit which has been my companion for 20+ years i cannot recommend it due do its propension to flare. It is one on my worst 90s from this viewpoint. If you're on a budget my best advice would be to try the excellent M-Rokkor 90/4 for Minolta CLE. Here with the T-E. 

 

attachicon.gifDSC01574_afterweb.jpg

What on Earth happened to the yellow paint there?

 

s-a

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