50 mm Shopping: Where to Start Research?

[Bobonli]

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As the subject suggests I'm starting my hunt for a 50. I have a 35 'Cron which I'm using with an M4-P. Very happy with that combo, want to add the 50 and be done.

Please point me to a source for concise, accurate summary of the different versions of the 50 so I can educate myself and make an informed purchase decision. I've started to watch a couple of YT videos, and they strike me as kind-of-blowhardy: people justifying their purchases. I want to know details about the different versions of the 'Cron and Lux....which ones are "great" which are "flops" etc. 

While we're at it, if anyone wants to suggest (by PM if you're more comfortable) reputable places to source a lens, I'd be very appreciative. I'm risk averse to buying sight unseen, yet that's really the only way I'd be able to purchase because the only brick and mortar shop near me that carries M hardware is B&H and I know they ask a premium. My current rig came from a big-name B&M shop that I'd dealt with years ago.....I'd go back to them if I had to but would like some other options. 

Thank you. 

[Warton]

Get a APO ‘cron 50, end of hunting . Simple 

[Jeff S]

http://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M_Lenses_x_Focal_Length
 

The forum is also full of discussions regarding 50mm lens recommendations.

If you’re near B&H, then you’re not far from various other reputable Leica dealers in NY and surrounding areas. Leica SoHo is one such shop.

Jeff

 

[rcusick]

https://www.reidreviews.com/

[edstock]

I found my 50 f2 on ebay. I saw it advertised and ordered it. When it arrived it was still in its box, plastic wrapped, and all documentation. To say I was surprised, yes. Mine was near the end of the production run of the last  non-asph model. The Leica 50 f2 is the standard by which all others are judged.

[dkmoore]

2 hours ago, Bobonli said:

As the subject suggests I'm starting my hunt for a 50. I have a 35 'Cron which I'm using with an M4-P. Very happy with that combo, want to add the 50 and be done.

Please point me to a source for concise, accurate summary of the different versions of the 50 so I can educate myself and make an informed purchase decision. I've started to watch a couple of YT videos, and they strike me as kind-of-blowhardy: people justifying their purchases. I want to know details about the different versions of the 'Cron and Lux....which ones are "great" which are "flops" etc. 

While we're at it, if anyone wants to suggest (by PM if you're more comfortable) reputable places to source a lens, I'd be very appreciative. I'm risk averse to buying sight unseen, yet that's really the only way I'd be able to purchase because the only brick and mortar shop near me that carries M hardware is B&H and I know they ask a premium. My current rig came from a big-name B&M shop that I'd dealt with years ago.....I'd go back to them if I had to but would like some other options. 

Thank you. 

Bergen County Camera is great.
 

You will pay more buying Leica in NYC and it won’t make you any more safe unless you really know what you are looking at. 

There have been many good responses already and there is endless info on this site. Flip through the many pages of 50 images. See which ones you like. 
 

My top 50 is by far the APO. 

 

[Bobonli]

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Thank you. I'll start reading.

[Kwesi]

Sounds like you first of all want a place to start researching and educating yourself on Leica 50’s. 
I would say start with Ken Rockwell for a brief historical overview of each 50 then if one pique’s your interest use the web to dig further. 
https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/lens-reviews.htm#50

 

[david strachan]

I'd read Puts on Leica lenses personally, much as Rockwell can be useful, and amusing.

Any maintained Summicron 50mm is excellent.  My only 50mm Summicron is one of Leica's first; a collapsible 50mm ltm, and have no desire for any other 50mm by Leica, as I'm so happy with it. Well it suits me for last 10 or so years.

Good luck in your search.

...

[rramesh]

This forum would be a good start. Note that there are many 50mm options from Leica, Voigtlander and others. 
 

It would be good for you to first explain your photo taking style, the look you desire, and your budget. 

Edited August 4, 2023 by rramesh

[GFW2-SCUSA]

I'm curious about your statement that B&H charges a premium. They sell Leica at list price which I think all retail outlets do. They do have the Payboo charge card that lets you save on the price of the sales tax, which is considerable with Leica toys and NYC sales tax.  I live in SC and our sales tax in my city is 9%. When I buy from B&H using the Payboo cards I don't pay the tax (it is reduced from the sale price). It works and I have saved quite a bit of money. They also have a flawless return policy. Having said all that, I would check to be sure if you live in NY you can benefit from the Payboo. 

I use a Summicron V.5 and find it to be fine. I am not a pixie peeper, so it might have flaws, but I have never been unhappy with it. Having used Leica for the past 50 years I find the lenses are just excellent for all my work. 

Last suggestion, rent a few 50mms and see which you like, the reviews are not going to tell you what you want from a lens. Only using one can do that.

[mediumformula]

A lot of Leica stuff pops up on NYC Craigs list.  I bought my 50 Summicron v4 on there for a good price.  I sold my M10M on Craigs list to a nice local photographer to help fund my M11M purchase. 

[LeicaR10]

Bobonli,  I see you are looking for a 50mm lens.  You will read all kind of articles about different M lenses and same goes for technical reviews.  Based on my 40+ years with Leica cameras and lenses of all types, I most highly you consider what is IMO the most important aspect to any lens selection.  The aspect is rendering or how the lens draws. Leica has made most excellent 50mm lenses over the many decades.  These lenses have appeal to many types of photography genres.  I would most highly recommend you take a look at site links below.  It has photographs taken will many of the Leica M lenses, old to most recent.  You will see the lenses do render different.  Reading is fine if you are into technical aspects, but at the end of the day, photography and photgraphs get down to content and whether your photograph will cause the viewer to:  Stop, Look, Think and hopefully Feel something about that moment in time.  IMO, anything else is a mere photo.  I will send you a PM for suggestions as to where to buy from reputable dealers.  r/ Mark

Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lenses?lens=Leica

Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lens_sample_photos?lens_id=372&page=1&focal_min=0&focal_max=800&aperture_min=0&aperture_max=32

Try:  https://om.co/2023/02/05/why-modern-leica-m-is-a-great-landscape-camera/

Edited August 4, 2023 by LeicaR10

[hansvons]

7 hours ago, Bobonli said:

As the subject suggests I'm starting my hunt for a 50. I have a 35 'Cron which I'm using with an M4-P. Very happy with that combo, want to add the 50 and be done.

 

Precisely where I’ve been. An M4-P and an M6 want lenses. My 35mm is a V1 ASPH.

My camera investments must return the money. Thus, I carefully think about what I buy and what not. I tend to keep my gear for a relative long time.

Used Leica vintage classics in good condition hold their value, some even get more valuable over time. From a business point a favourable feature. Voigtländer lenses are much less expensive but don’t hold their value that well.

There are film-era and digital-era M lenses. The APO 50mm is a digital-era lens, and if I recall correctly it shows compatibility issues with film Ms. And they are super-expensive. All other M 50ies seem to work well with film Ms.

After reading and testing I figured that a V4 Canada 50mm Summicron has the best value in all respects. I purchased one in excellent condition for 1K EUR half a year ago. It will certainly keep its value.

I don’t take part in that the more aperture the better race. I mostly use the 50mm for environmental portraits at f 2.8 to f 5.6. I don’t want crazy shallow DOF, which I find difficult to focus reliably with a rangefinder. Others may not be bothered by soft images. YMMV. 

 

[madNbad]

If it’s only going to be used on a M4-P, get a Voigtlander 1.5 Nokton ASPH V2. With film you don’t need a lens optimized for a high resolution sensor and you’ll be able to buy a bunch of film with the money you saved.

[105012]

Another aspect is how the lens focuses. A short focus throw means that small movements result in larger focus changes, so if you focus by moving the focus lever (ring) whilst bringing the camera to your eye, you will have larger errors with a shorter focus throw. The original Leica 50mm Leica lenses were built with this human factor in mind, modern 50mm lenses tend to leave you with a greater error if you do focus this way, as well as encouraging ‘hunting’ for the focus point when using the rangefinder. I love the speed and accuracy of focus that can be achieved with my older 50mm lenses when compared with my modern ones (I have 11 different 50mm lenses).

[sinjun]

There is an invaluabe comparison by Flavio Bosi of ten different 50mm lenses here and in subsequent linked pages:

https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/leica-m-50mm-lens-comparison-part-1

You may not agree with subjective elements of his assessments, e.g. to do with rendering, and there is always the potential issue of sample variation in any such comparisons, but he has a very thorough, no-nonsense approach to testing and gives plenty of examples along with photos of the lenses themselves. Well-worth reading in my opinion.

 

 

[kaspart]

maybe this thread can give you some inputs:

 

 

[hansvons]

46 minutes ago, sinjun said:

There is an invaluabe comparison by Flavio Bosi of ten different 50mm lenses here and in subsequent linked pages:

https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/leica-m-50mm-lens-comparison-part-1

Quite a test! Thanks. And the winner is  :

3 hours ago, hansvons said:

After reading and testing I figured that a V4 Canada 50mm Summicron has the best value in all respects. I purchased one in excellent condition for 1K EUR half a year ago. It will certainly keep its value.

Not quite, though, as my copy is V4, not V5 as his. However, the optics are the same. So, yes, the V4 is the winner .  As an important sidenote, which he, unfortunately, didn't mention: the V4 comes with a focus tab and a vented hood. The V4 Summicron is the best fifty in the M-universe if you want a somewhat affordable, non-nonsense 50mm M lens. Again, your mileage may vary broadly, of course.

https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/leica-m-50mm-lens-comparison-part-3

Please check how relatively flat the Summicron renders the woman's face compared to the competition. It almost renders dimensions like a 75mm lens. For me, that's a huge plus!

---

He mentions bad infinity behaviour and refers to his particular Summicron copy. My copy gets five stars at infinity. Can't get better.

---

What he says about Voigtländer is spot on. 

Edited August 4, 2023 by hansvons

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[a.noctilux]

To the OP,

While hesitating you would loose opportunities to see by yourself if the 50mm lens is for you.

Just buy one "50mm" that is available then use the lens for a while to build your own opinion.

Why not my now favorite Summarit-M 2.5/50 or another one can be fine.