Modern fast 50mm lenses for the Leica

The Nokton-M 50mm f/1.5 is hard to beat in difficult light.

Leica M2, Nokton-M 50mm f/1.5, Tmax400.

Erik.

14880088895_9288ffa43f_c.jpg
 
Erik van Straten said:
The Nokton-M 50mm f/1.5 is hard to beat in difficult light.

Leica M2, Nokton-M 50mm f/1.5, Tmax400.

Erik.

14880088895_9288ffa43f_c.jpg
Click to expand...
Erik, your photography and developing is always right on. If I gave you either of my Canon 50 1.2's or Canon 50 1.4 you could come up with the same result. My lens are like yours; clean and serviced without any fog etc.
 
I only have an M3, the only Leica I will ever have for that matter. I needed a fast 50 that goes when I say go, jumps when I say jump and focus when I say focus. There is only one lens that does all this with what I feel is a distinct look and does not whimper or serve up some form of maddening focus shift, the 50 1.4 asph. It's a tool, not a toy.
 
I would seriously consider the C Sonnar 50mm f1.5. It is small (relatively speaking) and very good. For some reason it works very well with black/white - nice tonality, very little flare and easy tp handle. Mine is part of my "travel" kit whenever we go somewhere - I jus know that it will perform.
The Nokton 50mm f1.5 is another choice - bigger yes, but a very high performance lens - choosing between a Summilux 50f1.4 and the Nokton 50f1.5 - I would go for the Nokton. Filter size is a bit inconvenient, but as many of us - I used Nikon SLR's for decades and have boxes full of 52mm filters!
The new M-version Nokton has certain advantages - it is a bit more compact, it will focus closer and in the black finish, lighter than the chrome version. It also intrudes a bit less in the finder of an M camera than the Ltm version - though I haven't found that it is problem, at least not for me.
The Summilux 50 ipre-asph is also an older lens - and you have to be careful with glass condition with these. They do look good on a M - but unless you get a bargain - they are over-priced compared to the rest of them.
 
Surprised no one has mentioned my favourite 50: the ZM Planar. No focus shift and beautiful rendering. Better than the latest 'cron as it has less flare (and cheaper).
 
I currently only have 2 50's: the ZM Sonnar (optimized at f1.5) and the ZM Planar. With these two, I really don't feel the need to own another 50, but wouldn't mind trying out the CV 50's: 1.1, 1.5, 2.0, 3.5.

I go to some lengths to shoot the Sonnar at f1.5 because wide open is where it is very distinctive. I sometimes use an ND filter to shoot it at f1.5, especially here in perpetually-sunny Southern California.

The Planar covers everything else.
 
lawrence said:
Well I do agree, so there ;)
Click to expand...
Not sure about Coke bottle bottoms, even with the 55/1.2 wide open, but it's a pretty good lens by f/5.6 or so. But wide open... Well, I actually like the effect at f/1.2, which is actually quite similar to the effect at f/22 (except DoF), but they're flat and fuzzy outside the f/4 to f/11 range and if I wanted a sharp fast lens I'd certainly look elsewhere. One of mine was rebuilt by Balham and was therefore about as good as it was ever going to be. Lovely plumage . . . sorry, 3-D effect!

Cheers,

R.
 
Thank you all. I feel much clearer on the issue now. I'm looking for a black C-Sonnar. Make that focus shift into a focus mu-mu.

A joke that gives away my age.

Thanks again.

Vince P

PS I've been using 28mm f/3.5 and 35mm f/1.4 VC lenses for ~3 months, with occasional days of 21/4 and Summicron-C 40mm. I took out my Summicron DR today -- what a beautiful object -- and the coating damage has gotten much worse, basically covering the back of the front element and with a couple of small spots of what might be fungus thrown in at the edges. I'm going to shoot with it for a week or two to see what it can still do.....
 
I also chose the CV 50/1.5 and not the 50 Summilux. I did get the 35 and the 75 Summilux lenses, though.
 
I started with a Canon 50mm f1.4 then went to a Summilux V2 and after reading all this stuff about the Sonnar new and old for years I finally picked up a Jupiter 3 two years ago. Now I use it more then I do the Summilux, all my Leica pals think I have gone coco but it makes me want to get a new Sonnar. However I know my pictures will not improve with a newer lens so I will stay with what I have.
wbill
 
8720943125_257af5b89a_c.jpg


Jupiter 3 50mm f1.5 on a IIIg. Fuji Presto 400 in Td 201. Cant complain about sharpness or flare control. I like T-shirts with these kind of legends on them. Saves me from trying to remember where the shot was taken!
 
The Nokton 50mm f1.1 is a spectacular lens. However it is big and heavy - and unless you shoot just about everything at f1.1 or close to it - it is over kill. However, it is an interesting lens for using slow films - the focus drop off is dramatic to say the least. I have one and when the lights go down - out it comes. It is also a lens that takes no prisoners - you better focus right as any screw-up on your part will show up. Just like the Noctiluxes you also need to check your rangefinder - the slightest but of misalignment will show!
 
I had and *loved* the C Sonnar ZM. If you can live with the .9 min focus distance and 46mm filter, it's a wonderful lens. I had no issues with focus shift. Mine came from BH and I never had it optimized or anything. It just worked. YMMV. I even used it for a critical assignment when my planar was out for CLA. Yes, it's not super sharp, but sharp enough. And the bokeh! (I've now "merged" the Planar and Sonnar into a Lux ASPH.)

I tried 2 of the current Voigtlander VM 50/1.5s. One had severe back focus (3"), the other front focused slightly(1.5"), but noticeably. It sounds like a great lens on paper, but I had those bad experiences. However if you get a good one, which I assume you can from Cameraquest, it ticks all the boxes (minus filter size) at a really great price!

I've also had 2 Voigtlander 40/1.4s, and they were great! Used them on an M8, RD1, and M240. Really nice if you are ok with the 40mm FL and the softer classic rendering. They distort at the edges, but for the money it's hard to complain.

Got to try a really nice Lux Pre-ASPH and besides the .7 vs .9 close focus difference from the C-Sonnar I could not see enough advantage to warrant the increase in price (especially for a used lens). However, lots of people love the Pre-ASPH Lux, so if you can find a really good deal it could be worth it.
 
8365239764_19063de695_c.jpg


Nokton 50mm f1.1 at 1.1. I was using a copy film, Orwo MA8 rated it at 12 iso, developed in home-made Delagi D8. It was a really dark and gloomy January day! Speed was around 1/30s with a Leica M6 0.85 finder. Focus on the white shawl as it was dark enough to make it virtually impossible to focus on anything else! The Orwo MA8 is an interesting film - but it will attract dust with a vengeance!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top