Lense for new M4

J

joshkrake

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Hi i have just recently bought a black Leica M4 after using a Canon AE-! for the past year to study. I was just wondering what lenses are going to be best for this camera. Im thinking probably the 35mm summicron because i like to do alot of street photography, but what about the 35mm nokton? How do they compare to each other?
 
The 35 Summicron is hard to beat. Other excellent options are:
Leica 35mm Summaron
Canon 35mm f/2
Canon 35mm f/2.8 (there's one in the classifieds now; no relation to the seller)
Konica UC-Hexanon
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8
CV 35mm f/1.9 Ultron

The CV lenses like the Ultron & the Nokton which you mention are great. I just love the characteristics of old lenses which is why I mention the older ones above.

Then there's the 50mm focal length...

Phil Forrest
 
The Nokton has way huge distortion and focus shift between f2 and 5.6. The summicrons I've used (v3, v4, and asph) are all extremely low in distortion, and minimal focus shift when stopping down.

The Nokton does give you an extra stop.
 
I use a 35mm f/2 Biogon on my M4 and it is a fantastic performer. Sometimes I wish it went to 1.4, but I make do with f/2.
 
Any version 35mm summicron. Better buy would be ver 2 or 3. Doubt if there is a meaningful difference between ver 2, 3. or 4. I have the ver 4 and shoot 85% of my pics with it. Ver 2 and 3 are probably built better, although I have no complaints with my ver 4.
 
I don't actually understand the question.

Frameline compatibility aside, what do we mean by 'lenses that are going to be best for this camera'? Somebody above said, "For M4, the best is the V1 summicron." Why is that?

I bring this up because it's not the first time that I've noticed this particular thought pattern. That is, that somehow there's some lens that suits a body perfectly. A pairing made in heaven, as it where. As far as I can tell, such a concept is total nonsense. The only factors that matter are the practicalities: focal length, budget, speed as well as other aspects of technical performance.
 
RFluhver said:
A pairing made in heaven, as it where. As far as I can tell, such a concept is total nonsense.
Click to expand...

... many things are total nonsense at first sight. :rolleyes:

Try using an M4 (or M2) with any of the older 35mm lenses made by Leica and some rolls of Tri-X. ;)
 
Even if you plan to buy one lens now, I recommend you to buy one that makes part of two lenses you could enjoy together: it's not possible to get everything from just one lens, so it's good to get some things from one, and the rest of them from another one...

Cheers,

Juan
 
The Nokton has no focus shift, but it is big, and it is a special type of lens. It would be best to start with a lens matching this camera for aesthetics, not too big and performing well. The summicrons would be an obvious choice, but there are cheaper alternatives, as pointed to above.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. I ended up getting the Summarit 35mm 2.5 due to cost. I am extremely happy with the size, feel, build quality. Now to go shoot
 
Congratulations!

You got a sharp and beautiful lens that's small and fast enough for everything with fast film...

And you'll enjoy its size everyday...

Well done!

Cheers,

Juan
 
maddoc said:
... many things are total nonsense at first sight. :rolleyes:

Try using an M4 (or M2) with any of the older 35mm lenses made by Leica and some rolls of Tri-X. ;)
Click to expand...

{irony mode}
i got me an M4-P last week.
on my ZI, i use the zm biogon 35mm/2.0 - do you want to say that this lens is going to break my new (old) M at the second sight?
why should i try an older leica lens, when i sold the 35mm summicron (IV) because i did not like its image? i do not like the LTM summaron either, it does not "bite" ...

{/irony mode}

cheers,
s.
 
sebastel said:
{irony mode}
i got me an M4-P last week.
on my ZI, i use the zm biogon 35mm/2.0 - do you want to say that this lens is going to break my new (old) M at the second sight?
why should i try an older leica lens, when i sold the 35mm summicron (IV) because i did not like its image? i do not like the LTM summaron either, it does not "bite" ...

{/irony mode}

cheers,
s.
Click to expand...

What was so difficult to understand in my comment ? :confused:
 
maddoc said:
What was so difficult to understand in my comment ?
Click to expand...

what is so difficult in including the meta-communication remark "irony mode" in reading?

by the way, i really do not understand what you mean with saying "at first sight". what changes your perception on the second sight?

among all possible choices for lens, i choose the one that suites me best, whether it's an old one or a new one. it just happens, that my choice is a rather new construction. it works for me better than all the others that i tried yet. and, funny (?) enough, this very lens does the same, independently from the body i put it on.

the question "what lens for camera 1/2/3/4?" is almost as senseless as the question "what lens to use in city XYZ?". asking this question is understandable, but asking this way supposes the wrong parameter for finding an answer. of course the lens must mount on the body, but beyond that, it's purely a choice of personal preference.

cheers,
sebastian.

ps: what lens do you recommend for shanghai? :-D
 
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