(4x) 50mm options | Which one would you choose?

[Dennis]

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Hello everyone.

 

I own one Leica M10 and one lens: the 35mm Zeiss Biogon 2.8. That's it. I really want a 50mm, a brand new 50. My ideal choice, with what I read so far, it would probably be the Leica Summicron, but unfortunately, it's out of the budget. I put together four lenses I like, with some specs ...  But never had them in my hands before.

Important points:

• The 50mm would be for general use: most landscapes, lifestyle, Documentary, and why not Street Photography. Some portraits of my family also 🙂
• Super sharpness? Not necessary for me. I'm not looking for excellence ... I always used Nikon lenses. When I used for the first time the Zeiss 35mm and download the DNG's, wow ... I was so surprised about the difference. So, if the worst of the four lenses is similar or better of my 35mm Zeiss, I'm super happy.
• I don't collect a camera or lenses, so my choice it's not about the value in the future. Every 2/6 years, I sell all my gear, personal, and work. But for Rangefinder, it's different. I would probably stick for the long term with my lenses. I want to find my kit and stick with it. 35mm + 50mm now would be excellent. I'm not engaging in the future to buy another 35 or 50 if I already have one. So the 50mm will be with me probably for a looong time. So di don't want a lens that after five years or average use, it starts to give me problems.
• I would love a 50mm lens at least F/2, that's would be my ideal. The Summarit has F/2.4 only, and it hurts 😠(because is the highest price of the four options). Only if you think that the Summarit it's superior on many aspects compared with others, I could sacrifice the aperture wish. But so far, the 50 Leica is my 4th option
• I'm dying to see the 50mm frames inside the rangefinder, but I never saw them with a lens attached. I don't know if, with the lens hood attached to the four lenses, will "interfere" or not the space of the 50mm frame?
• I don't care about filter threads, I don't use filters at all. 

Which one, according to your experience and practice, would be a good fit? 

I appreciate in advance your help.

Have a great day,

D.

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[jdlaing]

Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.5.

Very well made Lens. Good size. Excellent handling and smooth images.

[a.noctilux]

Very simple for me, as I doubted for so long time the Summarit-M 2.5/50 that became my favorite 50mm now.

This is after "just for trying a bit" at first this small/light/cheap Summarit-M, then I didn't understand why people (including me before trying) neglected this lens.

The 1/2 Stop less than Summicron can be compensated by the good M10 more choices of "good" ISO (to about ISO 3200 very usable in dim situation).

[TomB_tx]

I have Summicron (v5 - current), Zeiss Planar, Nokton 1.5, and Summarit 2.5.

On M10 I use the Summarit most, for its size & handling. They all give excellent results so you can’t go wrong. The Nokton has wonderful build quality, but the focus ring takes getting used to. I tend to prefer the Planar images to the Nokton, and the Planar would be a good match to your Biogon. I don’t think you would be disappointed with it.

[pedaes]

Value for money has to be Planar. You are ok with Zeiss look, so as said a nice fit with your 35. 

[Dennis]

Thank you for your answers. That's great to hear your opinion: four comments, three different lenses chosen 😃

[adan]

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(Warning: I am not normally a 50mm user - I prefer a 35/75 combo. For me a 50mm would be a "75mm-light" for use in a 21/35/50/135 combo, when I don't need the 75's closer, tighter framing).

Among the options, I like the imaging of the 50 f/1.5 Voigtlander - but despise the feel of the retro razor-blade focus ring of the M-mount version. The older screw-mount version (easily adaptable to M-mount) with subtler knurling, feels better in the hand, but is limited to 1m close focusing - which I also despise.

Therefore I'll add a vote for the Zeiss: modernly crisp; focuses to 0.7m; lacks the "Summicron/Summarit Sag" in MTF at 10-14mm image radius; and has f/2.0. It is what an "improved-but-not-APO" 50 Summicron would be - if Leica got off the pot and designed one.

Zeiss Planar ZM at f/2.0, 0.7m, Leica M10

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[Dennis]

1 hour ago, adan said:

(Warning: I am not normally a 50mm user - I prefer a 35/75 combo. For me a 50mm would be a "75mm-light" for use in a 21/35/50/135 combo, when I don't need the 75's closer, tighter framing).

It totally makes sense what you're saying. It makes more sense a 35-75 combo, as 28-50 .... But I adore the angle of view of a 35mm, and the 50mm length, beside there are very close.

1 hour ago, adan said:

50 f/1.5 Voigtlander is limited to 1m close focusing

Don't like either. Coming from Nikon, I always loved the fact that I the minimum focus distance is great enough. I'm suffering a little with my 35 Biogon, which is 0.7m

Thanks for sharing. Zeiss is winning so far

 

[mdemeyer]

+1 on the Zeiss ZM Planar

[pippy]

All are excellent in their own way but if I was going to have to choose only one 50mm as a 'Keeper' from that group I'd go for the Summarit.

As has already been mentioned the slower f2.4 max aperture is in all likelihood not really an issue for the styles of photography you mention  and, in any case, the M10 can easily handle the extra 1/2 to 1 stop which it cedes to the others. For me the combination of its superb optical performance, miniscule size and light weight would make it the preferred choice.

Philip.

[luigi bertolotti]

And what about a good used Summicron ?  (the last one has built in hood, at good items can be found at reasonable prices ... in the range of the Planar, and less than a new Summarit, even factoring into a CLA/control)

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by luigi bertolotti

[Harpomatic]

12 hours ago, adan said:

Among the options, I like the imaging of the 50 f/1.5 Voigtlander - but despise the feel of the retro razor-blade focus ring of the M-mount version

I’m with Adan on this one: I do use the Voigtlander and it’s a really hood lens. But why that design? No idea why a modern manufacturer would choose looks to such detriment to ergonomics. And the silver version (I use black but owned silver as well) is even sharper on the fingers!

12 hours ago, adan said:

It is what an "improved-but-not-APO" 50 Summicron would be - if Leica got off the pot and designed one.

Well said Adan! I had the Planar and the Summicron V: the Planar is the easy winner here, reasonable price, stellar optical quality, small size. The Summicron? Still £1900 and it’s been designed in 1979 - that’s a bit taking the piss for me. And that sliding hood never stays in place! If I wanted the Summicron I’d go for the version IV just for the size.

But overall a big vote for the Planar!

[lct]

15 hours ago, TomB_tx said:

the Planar would be a good match to your Biogon

+1

[Kwesi]

The only advantage the Summarit has over the Zeiss Planar is 6 bit coding - given that the M10 only gives you 1 freebie. But this may not matter to you. I have the 50/1.4 ASPH and the Planar. I always use the the Planar on overcast days because of the "Zeiss pop"

Here is the Planar on the M10.

 

 

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[Dennis]

5 hours ago, pippy said:

All are excellent in their own way but if I was going to have to choose only one 50mm as a 'Keeper' from that group I'd go for the Summarit.

As has already been mentioned the slower f2.4 max aperture is in all likelihood not really an issue for the styles of photography you mention  and, in any case, the M10 can easily handle the extra 1/2 to 1 stop which it cedes to the others. For me the combination of its superb optical performance, miniscule size and light weight would make it the preferred choice.

Philip.

Hi @pippy, I didn't like your comment hahah, you are making changing my mind 🙂 Just kidding. Besides the F/2.4 and the more expensive lens (which is no good), it totally makes sense what you say. I'm not sure if I will have in my life multiple lenses of the same focal length, who knows. Probably not, as I did so far. But with Rangefinder is different I guess, cause the same focal length can be very different between models. And maybe I'll embrace this soon, who knows. Minuscule size is great, it's what I need. The optical performance and the light weight is wow. From 4th position, it's now on 2nd after the Zeiss ... Still thinking 🤔

@luigi bertolotti Where I live, I can't find anything. Also in Mexico, it's difficult to find some guy selling M lenses, because there are almost no stores selling rangefinder lenses. Maybe with someone in the forum could sell me a lens, but it could be complicated. International shipping in Mexico, sometimes they charge 20% taxes for the import, also for used stuffs. Suggestion?

@Harpomatic Thanks for your comment. I do not like either the idea of collapse lens hood of the Summicron, I guess it's better with or without, not collapsing. The Planar is still on the top of the list so far, then the Summarit. I like the bokeh of the Voigtlander, but I don't like at all the shape and the focus ring.

1 hour ago, Kwesi said:

The only advantage the Summarit has over the Zeiss Planar is 6 bit coding - given that the M10 only gives you 1 freebie. 

@Kwesi I don't understand what this means. It's an advantage once you attached the lens and it's recognized by the camera, instead on putting manually. Is this correct? Which big advantage could have besides this? Is this very important? Thanks

[Kwesi]

54 minutes ago, Dennis said:

 I don't understand what this means. It's an advantage once you attached the lens and it's recognized by the camera, instead on putting manually. Is this correct? Which big advantage could have besides this? Is this very important? Thanks

HI Dennis,

As you know, 6 bit coding allows the camera to recognize the lens and record the lens information in the exif data. The 6 bit coding also helps the camera to decide wether the lens needs any in camera corrections to be applied. Typically, lenses from 50mm and longer don't require in camera corrections whereas lenses from 28 and wider require corrections for edge smearing and strange colors at the edges (Italian flag syndrome). This is because of the very short distance between the rear lens element and the sensor.

Because you are buying a 50, you don't need in camera corrections.

Finally, yes, I agree with you that its nice to have the lens automatically recognized by the camera but in this case you would be spending $700 more for the convenience. 

I hope this link helps explain the unique nature of Leica M sensor. At least its a start.

https://www.michelebelloni.com/the-leica-m-sensor/

[SiggiGun]

If you like the rendering of the 35 Zeiss lens, take the Planar. Best value for less money and coherent color transmission 

[Dennis]

1 hour ago, Kwesi said:

Finally, yes, I agree with you that its nice to have the lens automatically recognized by the camera but in this case you would be spending $700 more for the convenience. 

If this is the reason, it doesn't worth the extra $700, agree. But it's a plus, with nice benefits. And from I what I understood so far about Leica world, if I get a 50 Summarit, it will last forever and I'll never sell it .. Maybe I will get a 50 brother hahaha

 

1 hour ago, Kwesi said:

I hope this link helps explain the unique nature of Leica M sensor

Very interesting reading, thanks for share. I didn't know about the European class CMOS sensor. About high-iso and low-light performances, I didn't make any side-by-side tests between M10 and Nikon D5, but I think they are very good both. I'm very happy with the D5 performance at 6400 and 12800 iso, which I use often. Do you think M10 sensor is better or more accurate?

[Dennis]

1 hour ago, SiggiGun said:

If you like the rendering of the 35 Zeiss lens, take the Planar. Best value for less money and coherent color transmission 

I'm sure now, that the Voigtlanders are out of my lists, thank you all for your help. Now, because some comments, are putting back in the game the Summarit.

Now it's between Planar and Summarit 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[a.noctilux]

I can't help in your choice, sorry Dennis.

....

Out of topic,

There must be an error on your table above,

2.4/50mm Summarit-M weight must be 190g, not 105g

in our Wiki, here

comparing to my 2.5/50 older Summarit-M (E39 filter size) which I weighted myself : 180g without cap/hood.

Edited February 23, 2020 by a.noctilux