Tessar. Posted May 21, 2018 Share #1 Posted May 21, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, I'm really enjoying using my new 24mm Elmar on my M-P and especially liking the way it renders images. The colour, contrast and sharpness of the images is amazing. I'm so impressed with it that I'm wondering which 35 or 50mm lens would allow me to achieve the same look and would be grateful of any advice on which to look for? Thanks Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 21, 2018 Posted May 21, 2018 Hi Tessar., Take a look here 50mm lens with similar look to 24mm Elmar. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
a.noctilux Posted May 21, 2018 Share #2 Posted May 21, 2018 I bet that most of last generation Leica lenses "Asph./apo" would fill the bill. - 35mm ...asph. Summarit-M , Summicron-M, Summilux-M - 50mm ... asph. Apo-Summicron-M , Summilux-M Some ideas... If budget is tight... Even the Non Asph. Summarit-M in 2.5/35, 2.5/50 that I use have those lovely IQ on film and 24M sensor Plain Summicron-M in 35mm or 50mm can be good candidates also. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessar. Posted May 21, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted May 21, 2018 Thanks for that Arnaud. I was looking on flickr at pics made with the 50mm Summarit but they seemed to lack a bit of bite, for want of a better word. Could have been that way because of the way they're displayed/compressed on flickr though? I've seen a nice Elmar-M in silver for a reasonable price. The Leica Compendium (Irwin Puts) states that the Elmar is almost as good as the current Summicron, would you agree with that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted May 21, 2018 Share #4 Posted May 21, 2018 (edited) Mike, I agree with Mr. Puts but I'll refer to my Elmar-M own experiences to go further. I do use old Elmar 3.5/50 in screw mount and like the rendering very much, so when the Elmar-M 2.8/50 was offered I bought one in silver. Enjoy the Elmar-M 50mm for a while and many things bother me. The silver chrome weight, the collapse lens that I rarely collapsed for compactness, the six-blade iris in contre-jour with "ugly hexagonal blobs". Old Elmar 3.5/50 has lovely round iris. I sold it, and found a lighter black Elmar-M 50mm, used it for a while. Now the black Elmar-M exchanged for a Summarit-M 2.5/50 and I'm happy with this light/compact lens when I don't need the Summilux/Noctilux speed. This 2.5/50 is really my favorite 50mm lens with it's nine-blade iris and no-flare-prone [my Summicron(s) 50 may flare in contre-jour], and so compact/no need to collapse. Summarit-M 50mm so good/light/small that now in 35mm (I own f/1.4/2/2.8/4 lenses already in 35mm), I tend to use the Summarit-M 2.5/35 when I need 35mm. Edited May 21, 2018 by a.noctilux Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregm61 Posted May 21, 2018 Share #5 Posted May 21, 2018 The 24mm f3.8 Elmar is, just an outstanding lens. I have it semi-permanently mounted on an M262 and use it in tandem with an M-P240 that has a 35mm f1.4 FLE. Those are my two primary lenses, with a 75mm f2.4 Summarit and 18mm f3.8 Super Elmar in the bag as third and forth (wider and longer) lens options. 24mm Elmar.. 35mm Summilux FLE.. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesL Posted May 21, 2018 Share #6 Posted May 21, 2018 (edited) The 24mm f3.8 Elmar is, just an outstanding lens. Yes, I've seen nothing quite like it. These four samples were taken on a Fuji X APS-C camera. Edited May 21, 2018 by CharlesL Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessar. Posted May 21, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted May 21, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Ah, so I have to get the Summilux FLE 35mm to get the same look, unfortunately it's a bit over my budget at the moment. Maybe one day . It does make me think what good value the 24mm Elmar is though! Arnaud, I'm actually leaning towards the chrome version of the Elmar because it's built more solidly than the black version. The 6 sided iris doesn't bother me too much, I'm not a bokeh sort of guy really, or at least don't go looking to produce it and wide open the iris will not show up in the pictures.. The Elmar seems like particularly good value at the moment in comparison with the other Leica 50s so I think I'm going to give it a go and see what it's like with the M-P, I can always return it if I don't like it after taking some test shots. In which case I'll go looking for a 50mm Summarit, Thanks, Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted May 22, 2018 Share #8 Posted May 22, 2018 (edited) If you like the 24/3.8 you may well like the late 50/2.8 as well. What about two Elmars in the Tessar family? . M240, Elmar-M 50/2.8, full size: https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-sbC2XPR/0/32b5027c/O/i-sbC2XPR.jpg Edited May 22, 2018 by lct Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessar. Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted May 22, 2018 Well I went for the chrome 50mm Elmar-M II as I have the option to return it if I don't like it after testing... managed to get £50 off the asking price too so a good deal! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted May 22, 2018 Share #10 Posted May 22, 2018 The 24 Elmar ASPH is a modern lens that gives that razor sharp, higher contrast, but otherwise transparent imaging one sees with the newer Leica lenses. IMO the APO-Summicron and 1.4/50 Summilux ASPH complement it best. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessar. Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted May 23, 2018 Well I received the Elmar-M today and have packed it up to return it as the tube had a bit of a wobble when extended and locked, and there was some rotational play in the locking action of the tube. Nothing a service wouldn't fix, with new lubricants and adjustment, but not something I want to get into. .. In the absence of funds for a Summilux ASPH, I think I may be on the lookout for a decent Summarit ASPH Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted May 23, 2018 Share #12 Posted May 23, 2018 Well I received the Elmar-M today and have packed it up to return it as the tube had a bit of a wobble when extended and locked, and there was some rotational play in the locking action of the tube. Nothing a service wouldn't fix, with new lubricants and adjustment, but not something I want to get into. .. In the absence of funds for a Summilux ASPH, I think I may be on the lookout for a decent Summarit ASPH A shame to return it for such a minor, easily rectifiable non-problem. All it needs is a minor adjustment to the three prongs on the end of the tube, it does not need a service. You’ve turned your back on one of the stars among Leica M lenses. Anyone can have a summarit. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted May 23, 2018 Share #13 Posted May 23, 2018 If you are after 50mm lens, Summarit-M 2.4/50 has no asph. lens. As I had Summilux-M 50 asph. (sold it, less used in my 50mm), I think that Summarit-M (I use now as said 2.5/50) can be a nice candidate. Even without asph. lens . Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted May 24, 2018 Share #14 Posted May 24, 2018 I have no experience with the current Summarit 50/2.4 but my 50/2.5 is an excellent lens indeed. A sort of small 50/2 non apo with a focus tab, no built-in hood, less CA and less focus shift than the Summicron. No Tessar/Elmar look though but it is a subjective point of view. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblutter Posted May 24, 2018 Share #15 Posted May 24, 2018 Well I went for the chrome 50mm Elmar-M II as I have the option to return it if I don't like it after testing... managed to get £50 off the asking price too so a good deal! I love the Elmar-M, have both chrome & black only b/c I got a great deal ($450) on the chrome. This after yrs of swearing by 50 Summi 50 v4 The weight & compactness when out is of course a big feature - but more the rendering. And @ 2.8, plenty enough bokah for me 98% of the time (tho if needed, f:1.5 Nokton, tripod & LV are waiting) Enjoy your lens - shoot a lot! Well done Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessar. Posted May 25, 2018 Author Share #16 Posted May 25, 2018 I know but then there are plenty around and the shop didn't really seem that bothered about sorting it out. It did get me thinking more (dangerous I know!) about how I would use it and what else was available so I was looking at an M-Hex 50/2, but all the time was thinking how much would I use a 50mm lens and that the angle of view was a bit narrow. So... I was looking on the auction site and found a 35mm Summarit (f/2.5) for a reasonable price and accepting offers, so put in what I thought was a more reasonable offer and it was accepted, so that's that for now. From what I can see it has I modern but well rounded look to it, which shouldn't be a million miles from the Elmar 24mm. A shame to return it for such a minor, easily rectifiable non-problem. All it needs is a minor adjustment to the three prongs on the end of the tube, it does not need a service. You’ve turned your back on one of the stars among Leica M lenses. Anyone can have a summarit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted May 25, 2018 Share #17 Posted May 25, 2018 (edited) Summarit-M 2.5/35 . Funny thing, that one was my last bought 35mm not long ago, after using 35mm Summilux/Summicron/Summaron . After using a while I can declare that Summarit-M are stellar lenses since I had good idea to buy/use 2.5/50mm. Only 10cm less in focussing range from 0.8 m , I don't know/understand why : but that doesn't bother in my practice. Edited May 25, 2018 by a.noctilux Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregm61 Posted May 25, 2018 Share #18 Posted May 25, 2018 (edited) Ah, so I have to get the Summilux FLE 35mm to get the same look,... Well, I could have said the 50mm f1 or 75mm f1.25 Noctiluxes, so I just saved you $5-6,000, LOL. I do also own a copy of the current 35mm f2.4 Summarit. That, the 24mm f3.8 Elmar and 75mm f2.4 Summarit would just about have to be the current all-around low-weight/budget, pretty darn close to about as good as it gets, all-Leica option set-up. I might just throw those and the 18mm f3.8 Super Elmar in the bag for the weekend and I see where it takes me. Edited May 25, 2018 by Gregm61 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_S Posted May 26, 2018 Share #19 Posted May 26, 2018 I do not own a 24mm Elmarit, but from what you are describing, the VM (yes, Voigtländer) Heliar f/3.5 50mm may be a candidate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkmoore Posted May 26, 2018 Share #20 Posted May 26, 2018 Thanks for that Arnaud. I was looking on flickr at pics made with the 50mm Summarit but they seemed to lack a bit of bite, for want of a better word. Could have been that way because of the way they're displayed/compressed on flickr though? I've seen a nice Elmar-M in silver for a reasonable price. The Leica Compendium (Irwin Puts) states that the Elmar is almost as good as the current Summicron, would you agree with that? The difference may be related to the ASPH. (aspherical lens) The summarit and Elmarit 50mm lenses do not have ASPH elements. To get similar color you would probably want to go Summicron APO or non APO. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.