M Mount Lenses with Character

[JTLeica]

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Morning all,

 

I now have a nice set of lenses but I would like one or two that show some real character.

 

I have a 75 Lu and 50 Lux Pre but there are the only two... The rest are modern ASPH lenses.

 

I quite like the idea of a 35 and 50, but maybe the 50 Pre ASPH is characterful enough?

 

Anything else I am missing from other brands like Meyer, Voigtlander?

 

Assume that Zeiss has nothing to offer in this category.

[ianman]

I would like a 35mm Summaron f2.8 one of these days.

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[stray cat]

Ian (and JT), I have two examples of the Summaron f3.5 - one goggled and one without. They are superb lenses - vastly underrated. The f2.8 version seems to get all the attention but there is nothing at all wrong with the f3.5s, and they are quite a bit less expensive. They compare extremely well to my Summicron V4, and often I reach for the one of the Summarons (whose performance is identical) rather than the Summicron - because of a bit of a different character to that of the Summicron.

[earleygallery]

Define what you mean by 'character'. All lenses have character, but some are different to others.

 

Worldwide pinhole photography day is coming up, why not try that?

[JTLeica]

Define what you mean by 'character'. All lenses have character, but some are different to others.

 

Worldwide pinhole photography day is coming up, why not try that?

 

Really just a slightly imperfect lens with its own signature.

 

A softer lens wide open, with a little glow and spherical aberrations.

 

Hard to define in words.

[JTLeica]

Ian (and JT), I have two examples of the Summaron f3.5 - one goggled and one without. They are superb lenses - vastly underrated. The f2.8 version seems to get all the attention but there is nothing at all wrong with the f3.5s, and they are quite a bit less expensive. They compare extremely well to my Summicron V4, and often I reach for the one of the Summarons (whose performance is identical) rather than the Summicron - because of a bit of a different character to that of the Summicron.

 

Yes I do really like the look of this lens. The 2.8 is dear so would likely avoid that for now.

 

I will have a little search around for some images.

[LocalHero1953]

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I have the Summaron 35 2.8 - I bought it as a compact 35 for the CL. In comparison with the Summilux FLE you notice the duller colours, so I now keep it for B&W.

[Ecar]

If you don't want to spend a fortune, the CV Nokton 35/1.4 could be an option.

[earleygallery]

Really just a slightly imperfect lens with its own signature.

 

A softer lens wide open, with a little glow and spherical aberrations.

 

Hard to define in words.

 

Not 'imperfect' but look at older LTM lenses - the Summar 5cm is a lovely lens if you find a good example (no excessive cleaning marks etc) and the later Summitar is similar. Colours will be muted but you can of course add contrast etc. in PP.

 

The Russian Jupiter lenses are another option, and much cheaper. You can pick up a 50mm Jupiter for the price of a couple of pints.

[SiggiGun]

Morning all,

 

I now have a nice set of lenses but I would like one or two that show some real character.

 

I have a 75 Lu and 50 Lux Pre but there are the only two... The rest are modern ASPH lenses.

 

I quite like the idea of a 35 and 50, but maybe the 50 Pre ASPH is characterful enough?

 

Anything else I am missing from other brands like Meyer, Voigtlander?

 

Assume that Zeiss has nothing to offer in this category.

of course, they have! Try the ZM Sonnar T* f2.0/50mm. You’ll see character. Here an example https://flic.kr/p/e8BPB2

 

 

 

Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[pgk]

The 35mm Summilux pre-aspheric is probably one of the most characterful of Leica lenses - especially wide-open.

[rk-d]

I have a pre-asph 50 lux with pleasing focus aberrations wide open that will on occasion give a swirling, glowing bokeh.  My daily driver is a 35 lux FLE which is technically perfect in comparison, but has more vibrant color and pop. Both are characterful, but in different ways. 

[Martin B]

A M lens with "real" character is for me the Leica 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit Version I. It is one of the most affordable M lenses out there but IMO one of the best when it comes to charater and sharpness. It also works extremely well on a modern digital FF sensor. 

 

Leica M7 and 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit Version I, Kodak Porta 400 NC film, taken last year

 

 

 

 

Sony A7R (36 MP FF), Leica 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit Version I (below)

Edited April 24, 2018 by Martin B

[ianman]

Yes I do really like the look of this lens. The 2.8 is dear so would likely avoid that for now.

 

 Are you expecting / hoping the prices to go down? I wouldn't hold my breath!!

[ianman]

I have the Summaron 35 2.8 - I bought it as a compact 35 for the CL. In comparison with the Summilux FLE you notice the duller colours, so I now keep it for B&W.

 

I like dull colours... :-)

[a.noctilux]

I like the "character" of Summarit 1.5/50 which is a kind of Summar 5cm that I like, and one stop more and "glow" much more.

Second Summilux 35mm pre-asph. with "pleasant glow" that don't please everyone.

 

Why not Noctilux in 1.2 and 1.0 different character but very nice to "learn to master" which would take a while.

Jupiter are also less than perfect and full of character for far less money for fun.

 

Last but not less Summaron are nice for that.

My preference goes to my last Summaron-M 5.6/28mm, just go to the thread to see what it's all about .

Edited April 24, 2018 by a.noctilux

[Martin B]

Another of my favorite character lenes is the Cosina-Voigtlander 12/5.6 lens. It is a small inconspicous lens but if used correctly in the right situations, it delivers stunning images. This lens does not perform too well on a high MP FF sensor (corner color casts and severe vignetting which requires PP), but it shines on film.

 

Leica M3, CV 12/5.6, Kodak TMax 3200 film, taken last year

 

 

on Ilford PanF+ 50 film (below):

 

 

With some PP taken with Sony A7R, CV 12/5.6:

Edited April 24, 2018 by Martin B

[Ecar]

Love the eerie mood of the last one, Martin.

[Ko.Fe.]

I'm not sure if I'm following OP logic... Where are modern ASPH lenses in LTM mount and those lenses are just RF lenses as old Pre ASPH M-mount are.
I have Ultron 28 1.9 ASPH LTM and it is good lens, but without character. I had slower and not so good in the build Elmarit-M 28 2.8 III and it was the lens with very nice rendering a.k.a. character.
And where is CZ 28 2.8 ZM which has interesting rendering as well. Plenty of charachter in this Zeiss lens. And Zonnar 50 1.5 ZM is the 50mm with plenty of character, even Jupiter-3 will do. More than any 50 Cron character or even Lux 50 character. IMO.  

I struggled to find anything not flattering with CV 35 2.5 in M and LTM mounts. But once I paid 3.5 times more for Summarit-M 35 2.5 I get lens with awesome rendering. Next to it was CV 35 1.7 ASPH LTM...

 

I think almost all tele lenses will give you character - milky bokeh. But wider it gets, difficult it find lens with character in the rendering.

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[g2van]

I agree with OP that character is hard to define. From my own usage the lenses I have character that I really like are:

- Leica 35 f1.4 pre-asph - it's really different from the FLE which I have as well

- Canon 50 f1.2 LTM 

- Voigtlander 40 f1.4 

- MS Optics 28mm f2

- Noctilux f1

- Leica 35 f2 Summicron v3

 

I like to have modern rendering lenses as well as character lenses. Seems like my preference for character is a kind of glowy imperfection wide open but also having a more classic sharpness when stopped down.