Which sharp 50mm for the m10m?

[Olaf_ZG]

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I am thinking of a m10m, and would love to have a crisp and sharp 50mm next to my sonnar.

the sonnar is great for portraits and dreamy stuff, however I would like to do architecture as well (buildings and staircases) in the style of Joel Tijntjelaar.

my budget will be about 3000euro. Next to crisp/sharp, it must also be good looking on the M (for that reason the Lanthar is not my preferred option as to me it is an ugly lens).

would be a non-apo summicron sharp enough? Could a planar be ok?

Thanks for feedback.

[Al Brown]

There is really just one simple answer... used Summilux 50/1.4 ASPH (which is also APO). You can get them anywhere between 2500eur - 3000eur.

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[Erato]

APO50.

[Olaf_ZG]

36 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

There is really just one simple answer... used Summilux 50/1.4 ASPH (which is also APO). You can get them anywhere between 2500eur - 3000eur.

Love the look of the one with the hood! Wouldn’t it be too much of an overlap with the sonnar or the non-asph 50mm?

[Olaf_ZG]

11 minutes ago, Erato said:

APO50.

Not really within my budget…

[Knipsknecht]

I would recommend the 50mm Summarit f2.5 or 2.4. Small, light, very sharp and modern rendering. Only downside: Leica has stopped producing the Summarit line, so you only can get it used (but there are a lot of reliable professional sellers and you will save some money😇.

Here is a review: https://mrleica.com/leica-summarit-m-50mm-f2-5-lens/

Another candidate would be the ZEISS Planar T* 2/50 ZM. It's a little bit faster than the Summarit and you can get it new for a very reasonable price.

Here is a review: https://jacktaka.com/zeiss-50mm-f2

As you already have the Sonnar, you probably know about the pros and cons regarding Zeiss lenses, right?

Other than that the Summicron (non-APO) would be only an alternative if you don't want another Zeiss lens. And if you're looking for corner-to-corner perfection, well, then APO is the way - either Leica or Voigtlander.

[Al Brown]

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43 minutes ago, Erato said:

APO50.

OP's budget is "about 3000 euros" as he wrote in the initial post.

[shirubadanieru]

- Elmar-M 50mm f2.8

- Heliar 40mm f2.8 (not a 50mm but it shows the 50mm lines and is close enough)

- 50mm Planar

- Lux 50 ASPH 

- Cron 50mm V4

 

All of these as sharp as you need. If you get the Lux 50 ASPH you don’t need the Sonnar. You can use it for dreamy portraits at f1.4, and use it for architecture from f2 or f2.8 onwards. Might be a good way to simplify gear. If you want to keep the Sonnar, the Elmar and Heliar are super sharp from f2.8 and super tiny.

[maxpower]

For what it's worth, my vote goes to the 50 Lux ASPH as well. 

[Herr Barnack]

A minty used 50/1.4 Summilux would be the best choice. 

The newer ASPH version is an outstanding lens but if you can find one, don't disregard the previous non-ASPH (called the type 3) 50 Summilux 11-868 (black) or 11-856 (silver). 

[Keith (M)]

Crisp and sharp 50mm for the M10M?  Going by my nearly three years of M10M + 50mm usage, has to be the Summilux ASPH.   (My other 50mm's are the C-Sonnar f1.5,  5cm Summicron Collapsible LTM and more recently the  Noctilux f1.2).

[sinjun]

3 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

it must also be good looking on the M

This is obviously a matter of taste but I would assume by this that you don't want it to be too big. Whilst the 50mm Summilux is a superlative lens (if you haven't tried one you should) it's on the large side for a 50mm. The silver chrome version is attractive in my eyes despite its size but is very dense and heavy. If large aperture is not important I'd recommend a look at the modern summarit. The non-APO summicrons are very well thought of and along with sharpness seem to have attractive character (though I wouldn't count the ver. 1 collapsible as a sharp lens). To my eyes a sliver chrome summicron verison 5 is very good looking on an M camera, black or silver, and is as crisp / sharp as most would want, with an attractive character.

[lct]

6 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

I am thinking of a m10m, and would love to have a crisp and sharp 50mm next to my sonnar. [...] my budget will be about 3000euro [...]

No need to spend that much. Planar 50/2. Perfect match with the Sonnar 50/1.5. 

[Al Brown]

2 hours ago, Musky said:

The other option is the Voigtlander 50f2 APO-Lanthar.

The OP stated in his initial post: "for that reason the Lanthar is not my preferred option as to me it is an ugly lens."

[DadDadDaddyo]

Without prejudice toward any posters in this present thread, I confess I don't understand the substance of comments about how a particular camera or lens "looks": not how it "sees", but how it "looks".

It's not a fashion accessory! It doesn't "go" or "not go" with one's outfit, one's hair, one's ensemble. Are folks actually concerned with how they'll look using it??

This is not merely a matter of style, but of practical application. If we're thinking about how we look, we'll never be willing to let the camera dictate where it needs to be placed for a given photograph, because we'll be worried about being seen in that position. It's a stance, not a pose!

We've been given splendid tools, exquisitely suited to task!

How they look???

(Does this camera make me look fat?)

[Olaf_ZG]

5 hours ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Without prejudice toward any posters in this present thread, I confess I don't understand the substance of comments about how a particular camera or lens "looks": not how it "sees", but how it "looks".

It's not a fashion accessory! It doesn't "go" or "not go" with one's outfit, one's hair, one's ensemble. Are folks actually concerned with how they'll look using it??

This is not merely a matter of style, but of practical application. If we're thinking about how we look, we'll never be willing to let the camera dictate where it needs to be placed for a given photograph, because we'll be worried about being seen in that position. It's a stance, not a pose!

We've been given splendid tools, exquisitely suited to task!

How they look???

(Does this camera make me look fat?)

I would agree with you, almost 😇.

on my other cameras I really couldn’t care less, however, on the M to me it matters. May be cause the M itself is so wonderful crafted, may be cause I know that on the M “beauty” can go together with function.

but may be you are right and may be it is plain stupid. But then, I don’t care, can blame it on midlife crisis 😎

[Olaf_ZG]

18 hours ago, Knipsknecht said:

I would recommend the 50mm Summarit f2.5 or 2.4. Small, light, very sharp and modern rendering. Only downside: Leica has stopped producing the Summarit line, so you only can get it used (but there are a lot of reliable professional sellers and you will save some money😇.

 

Didn’t think of this one, must try it on the camera, as it is said to be small, and somehow the way I hold a camera, too small wouldn’t fit me (fe, fuji x100 series is too small lens to my liking)

16 hours ago, Herr Barnack said:

A minty used 50/1.4 Summilux would be the best choice. 

The newer ASPH version is an outstanding lens but if you can find one, don't disregard the previous non-ASPH (called the type 3) 50 Summilux 11-868 (black) or 11-856 (silver). 

The Summilux gets most votes here, if I go for a non-asph I would like v4 as it focus up to 70cm, however, not sure if this lens is crisp and sharp. Is it even possible to have dreamy and crisp and sharp in one lens?

11 hours ago, Musky said:

Personally I think Planar it is. this is when I had it  

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compact like the Cron. Not smooth like it and those aperture clicks are a just a little rough. But in B&W is great  

A bonus mention can be this lens  the 50f3.5 Heliar

The planar could be a serious option. Though it will be probably less good then the contax g-series 45 planar. Loved this lens for film.

Heliar is estetic wise no option. And the Lanthar is big indeed.

[Olaf_ZG]

Next week a go to my dealer and will try some of those lenses, both on a m10m and on my current mm.

As I by mainly secondhand (or demo), it would take me a while to search and find. Happily I am not in a hurry.

Regarding 35mm, this I have with the SL. And with a Q, the need for wide is covered, so it really must be a 50mm.

Thanks to you all for your feedback. 

[Al Brown]

6 hours ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Without prejudice toward any posters in this present thread, I confess I don't understand the substance of comments about how a particular camera or lens "looks": not how it "sees", but how it "looks".

It's not a fashion accessory! It doesn't "go" or "not go" with one's outfit, one's hair, one's ensemble. Are folks actually concerned with how they'll look using it??

This is not merely a matter of style, but of practical application. If we're thinking about how we look, we'll never be willing to let the camera dictate where it needs to be placed for a given photograph, because we'll be worried about being seen in that position. It's a stance, not a pose!

We've been given splendid tools, exquisitely suited to task!

How they look???

(Does this camera make me look fat?)

If the OP wants the lens to perform AND look good, there is absolutely nobody here that should judge him or shame him. It is his money, his terms, his life. This IS prejudice.
Leica spends tons of marketing cash on its design and looks, that is what distingusihes it from other plasticky camera makers. Everybody buying Leica is sensitive to this aspect - if nothing else at the initial choice of silver vs. chrome.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[hmzimelka]

25 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

If the OP wants the lens to perform AND look good, there is absolutely nobody here that should judge him or shame him. It is his money, his terms, his life. This IS prejudice.
Leica spends tons of marketing cash on its design and looks, that is what distingusihes it from other plasticky camera makers. Everybody buying Leica is sensitive to this aspect - if nothing else at the initial choice of silver vs. chrome.

Absolutely!