scottwallick
ambition ≥ skill
Instead of another apples and oranges comparisons or a singular extolling of this or that lens, thought it might be fun to have a running of list of your favorite lenses.
Let's say, list your two or three or your favorite M lenses along with a single sentence explaining each.
I'll start.
1. Elmarit 28/2.8 ASPH.: I didn't realize how great 28mm was until I got this lens and have really enjoyed shooting 'wide' (for a change).
2. Nokton 35/1.2 ASPH.: Yes, it's a monster (in size), but I love shooting in restaurants and bars in low, low light. Best deal ever.
3. Summicron 50/2 (Current): Built-in hood, perfect in use, great all over the place lens, this is the one I would choose for the "desert island".
Your turn. And have fun.
Let's say, list your two or three or your favorite M lenses along with a single sentence explaining each.
I'll start.
1. Elmarit 28/2.8 ASPH.: I didn't realize how great 28mm was until I got this lens and have really enjoyed shooting 'wide' (for a change).
2. Nokton 35/1.2 ASPH.: Yes, it's a monster (in size), but I love shooting in restaurants and bars in low, low light. Best deal ever.
3. Summicron 50/2 (Current): Built-in hood, perfect in use, great all over the place lens, this is the one I would choose for the "desert island".
Your turn. And have fun.
Chris101
summicronia
1. 35mm Ultron because it is the only M lens that I have, and it does the job very well.
2. 75mm Summalux, because I would like to have one very much, but feel that I may never be able to afford one.
2. 75mm Summalux, because I would like to have one very much, but feel that I may never be able to afford one.
Dave Wilkinson
Mentor
'59 Jupiter 8 ('M' - with adaptor!) - LTM too! good enough results - for me!...and only cost £15 
tbarker13
shooter of stuff
Well that's a tough one.
But here goes:
1. 50 Zeiss Planar. While I might prefer the 50 rigid cron for B&W, I feel like the planar is just a fabulous all-around lens. Very sharp. Great color rendition. Given a choice between this and a new summicron, I'd take the summicron. Then I'd sell it, buy another planar, and pocket the difference.
2. 35 pre-asph lux. I find it great for that certain type of look it renders. Less than perfect - but in a way I find pleasing.
3. Tie between the 35 UC hexanon and 75 summilux - two lenses i owned but sold. As much as I liked them, they just didn't get enough use for me to keep them.
But here goes:
1. 50 Zeiss Planar. While I might prefer the 50 rigid cron for B&W, I feel like the planar is just a fabulous all-around lens. Very sharp. Great color rendition. Given a choice between this and a new summicron, I'd take the summicron. Then I'd sell it, buy another planar, and pocket the difference.
2. 35 pre-asph lux. I find it great for that certain type of look it renders. Less than perfect - but in a way I find pleasing.
3. Tie between the 35 UC hexanon and 75 summilux - two lenses i owned but sold. As much as I liked them, they just didn't get enough use for me to keep them.
jarski
Mentor
28 Biogon. good gen. purpose lens for M8, but also many uses with film/full frame (same as Scotts comments about Elmarit). me likes!
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
This is a tough one - I'm lucky enough to have a set of really nice lenses. So keeping it down to three will be difficult. Still, I'll go with:
1) Leica 75mm/f1.4 Summilux. It's a big beast, but it renders unlike anything else - I've taken more of my favourite shots with this than any other lens.
2) Leica 50mm/f2.8 Elmar (the modern M-mount one). Most of the time this is what's on my M3, which makes for a neat package - with the lens providing a subtle and I'll call it delicate rendering I'm quite fond of.
3) Konica UC Hexanon 35mm/f2. This makes a compact package with a Hexar RF, and provides great out-of-focus rendering when opened up and great clarity stopped down (though I find it not so good in-between).
If the UC Hex were disqualified through being LTM rather than M mount I'd probably pick one of my other Hexanon lenses - all are very good lenses and I'd have trouble selecting among them.
...Mike
1) Leica 75mm/f1.4 Summilux. It's a big beast, but it renders unlike anything else - I've taken more of my favourite shots with this than any other lens.
2) Leica 50mm/f2.8 Elmar (the modern M-mount one). Most of the time this is what's on my M3, which makes for a neat package - with the lens providing a subtle and I'll call it delicate rendering I'm quite fond of.
3) Konica UC Hexanon 35mm/f2. This makes a compact package with a Hexar RF, and provides great out-of-focus rendering when opened up and great clarity stopped down (though I find it not so good in-between).
If the UC Hex were disqualified through being LTM rather than M mount I'd probably pick one of my other Hexanon lenses - all are very good lenses and I'd have trouble selecting among them.
...Mike
sleepyhead
Well-known
50mm Elmar-M (modern one): tiny, good ergonomics, not expensive, image quality is second to none.
This lens is truly in the spirit of Leica.
This lens is truly in the spirit of Leica.
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
I've only had experience with the three Leica M lenses listed in my sig so here goes:
1. 35 Summicron (v4) - Besides its performance strengths, for me, it's an ergonomic match made in heaven on my M6 (feeling very natural); i.e, - using my left index fingertip for focusing and using the outside edge of the same finger for aperture adjustment - it's all right there.
2. 135 Tele-Elmar - Amazing color performance and beautiful bokeh.
1. 35 Summicron (v4) - Besides its performance strengths, for me, it's an ergonomic match made in heaven on my M6 (feeling very natural); i.e, - using my left index fingertip for focusing and using the outside edge of the same finger for aperture adjustment - it's all right there.
2. 135 Tele-Elmar - Amazing color performance and beautiful bokeh.
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RobertB
Established
28 Biogon. good gen. purpose lens for M8, but also many uses with film/full frame (same as Scotts comments about Elmarit). me likes!
Second that, I really like the 28 biogon.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
1. Elmarit-M 28/2.8 E49 version. Because it looks like a 50 lens and you can shoot street with it very good.
2. M-Hexanon 50/2.0. Built in hood, only available in black (a huge benefit when always dressing black and owning only black M's), as good as a current Summicron for a third to a fourth of the price
No third lens. Do not own the M-Hex at the moment, the Elmarit will go on sale once it returns from its CLA. I changed over to LTM lenses only.
2. M-Hexanon 50/2.0. Built in hood, only available in black (a huge benefit when always dressing black and owning only black M's), as good as a current Summicron for a third to a fourth of the price
No third lens. Do not own the M-Hex at the moment, the Elmarit will go on sale once it returns from its CLA. I changed over to LTM lenses only.
ferider
Mentor
In M-mount ?
Mandler's first (50/2 DR) and Mandler's favorite (75/1.4), due to their unique integration of very high resolution stopped down, and painterly drawing wide open.
Plenty more favorites in LTM mount, but I save these for another thread
Roland.
Mandler's first (50/2 DR) and Mandler's favorite (75/1.4), due to their unique integration of very high resolution stopped down, and painterly drawing wide open.
Plenty more favorites in LTM mount, but I save these for another thread
Roland.
Roger Hicks
Mentor
Pre-aspheric 35 Summilux. Small, fast.
75 Summicron. The perfect partner to the Summilux.
After that, everything's gravy.
Cheers,
R.
75 Summicron. The perfect partner to the Summilux.
After that, everything's gravy.
Cheers,
R.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
So far my 50mm f1.2 Canon has been 'the one' ... but I have a suspicion it's about to be knocked off it's perch by my new 50mm f1.5 C Sonnar!
Both tricky lenses to get the best from but I feel that's part of what makes them so special and so rewarding when they do 'deliver!'
Both tricky lenses to get the best from but I feel that's part of what makes them so special and so rewarding when they do 'deliver!'
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helen.HH
A smile & a wink…
i MIGHT agree w/ YOU Keith
re: the C sonnar...
that might be my fav 50 once it gets returned optimized !!!!
re: the C sonnar...
that might be my fav 50 once it gets returned optimized !!!!
ampguy
Mentor
I think the pre-asph summiluxes are the bees knees for everything but the high contrast color DSLR look, then there might be alternatives.
Krosya
Konicaze
Well, If I have to select ONLY M-mount:
1. CV 35/1.2 - as it is a sharp and has a beautiful bokeh and there is Nothing like it.
2. M-Hexanon 50/1.2 - same as above.
3. ZM 21/2.8 - best 21 mm lens out there other than maybe a new Summilux 21. Sharp and has great bokeh wide open, amazing stopped down.
Now if you add LTM lenses into the mix - I would have another list (notto replace this one, but an alternative.
1. CV 35/1.2 - as it is a sharp and has a beautiful bokeh and there is Nothing like it.
2. M-Hexanon 50/1.2 - same as above.
3. ZM 21/2.8 - best 21 mm lens out there other than maybe a new Summilux 21. Sharp and has great bokeh wide open, amazing stopped down.
Now if you add LTM lenses into the mix - I would have another list (notto replace this one, but an alternative.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
i MIGHT agree w/ YOU Keith
re: the C sonnar...
that might be my fav 50 once it gets returned optimized !!!!
Finally got around to shooting a whole roll with the Sonnar today Helen ... with Legacy Pro 400 exposed at 1600 which I'll develop in Rodinal tomorrow morning.
The Sonnar really felt good on my Ikon ... ergonomically it's the nicest 50mm lens I've used!
back alley
IMAGES
favourites? i like them all, really.
to choose...
the elmar 50/2.8 (newer), i love what it does when combined with the rd1.
the zm 50 sonnar, love the look and need to use it more.
my all time fave (ltm, atm) is the cv 15 on the rd1 (a sort of 21)
joe
to choose...
the elmar 50/2.8 (newer), i love what it does when combined with the rd1.
the zm 50 sonnar, love the look and need to use it more.
my all time fave (ltm, atm) is the cv 15 on the rd1 (a sort of 21)
joe
C_R
Established
1. Elmarit 28 Asph., I shoot a lot of landscape and love the stellar IQ.
2. Nokton 50/1.5. Best compromise of IQ and beautiful drawing for general purpose- and
3. Noctilux 1.0 for some special, otherwise impossible shots
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38068178@N08/sets/72157622516629433/
2. Nokton 50/1.5. Best compromise of IQ and beautiful drawing for general purpose- and
3. Noctilux 1.0 for some special, otherwise impossible shots
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38068178@N08/sets/72157622516629433/
kemal_mumcu
Well-known
75 Summarit 2.5 Because it's the lens that has set a new benchmark in my mind for IQ. But not just that but also ergonomics, finish and quality of build which are also important.
Can't say I have a second favourite worthy of writing down yet...
Can't say I have a second favourite worthy of writing down yet...