Advice of lens for newbie

[pikapig]

Dear all seniors here,
Recently i just gotten myself a voigtlander r2a, now im looking for a lens to match it, given my budget(600), im looking at de following lenses to start on, Looking for advice n not sure if u guys gt pics taken w it n if can, share ur experience n views?

Voigtlander 40mm f1.4
Voigtlander 35mm f1.4
Leica Summaron 35mm f3.5, Ltm mount w adapter

Initially wanted to get de cheap n nice 40mm f1.4, esp de f1.4 look tempting, but had a look at de leica lenses n resulted in a dilemma.
Giving up de aperture f1.4 yet top up a little for de leica, anyone think if its worth it?
Pardon my ignorance n confusion..

 

[The Dry Box]

I am pretty new to 35mm myself, but am getting into this focal length.

Use 40mm if you have the r3m/a, else you may find yourself getting too far off from the actual images that you see in the 35mm frameline. I have learnt that the hard way.

I use to own the nokton 1.4 MC. It is high contrast, and is very sharp. But brand new, is 700 and may be a little out of your budget. But it IS 1.4, and can be very useful.

Somehow I end up selling this because the rendering just don't work for me.

A good alternative imo, is the color skopar pii F2.5 if you are not into the need for speed.
It is well within your budget, and is one of the sharpest lens for voigtlander. I do not have good wide open samples on my flickr page though, and has only used it once, but I like what I get atm.

All shots on Tri-X rated 400.

No opinion about the leica, but for summaron, I believe the 2.8 version has better performance and is one of their sharper 35mm. It may have better resale value than the 3.5 also.
Anyway, these are different lens for different use. You use 1.4 because you need 1.4, if you don't I think you'll be very happy with slower options.

 

[pikapig]

Hi Bro Dry Box,

Thanks alot for ur help, especially on the intro of the color skopar pii F2.5 which made me go did a study on the lens and the images it produce.

I think i found something even lesser than what i wanted to spend yet can satisfy me for now, what i really need.

Thanks once again!

 

[raytoei]

i owned this summaron lens before i sold it to some underaged skool kid, here are the + and -:


+ Sharp lens
+ V. Compact , translate to unobtrusive.
+ Because of Leica, will retain value

- Hard to get samples without haze or scratches
- Filters are impossible to get, often confused for the Elmar Collapsible filter.
- Slow lens, but this more psychological than a practical issue.
- price is somewhat ridiculous now.

cheers!

raytoei

 

[pikapig]

Hi Ray,

Thanks, u just helped me with my decisions further

 

[DoveVadar]

Hey, congrats on your purchase. I think Nokton 40mm f1.4 is a superb lens for the price vs performance.

 

[pikapig]

Thanks bro...actually im considering to get the color skopar spii 35mm f2.5

40mm f1.4, might be out of my frameline...

 

[Royale With Cheese]

since you on the R2A, might as well get the Nokton 35mm F1.4

I've used it for a really really long time. Very good for budget users like myself.

Its small, compact, light. Can be used for both day shooting & night shooting. It was practically glued to my Hexar for a whole month++ of traveling, took street, landscapes etc. all with that one lens until it got stolen............................ :cry:

I used the S.C version, not sure about the M.C, cant tell the difference when the pictures are side by side anyway, not very pro in that.

The S.C. version takes color & B&W very well. There is however slight barrel distortion on the lens but seriously, there is no where you gonna get a 35mm F1.4 modern lens for that kinda price.

in color:

in B&W:

Wide open at F1.4, not min focal distance yet though...

I've got a set on Flickr on it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agnosticgary/sets/72157623823257717/


The market place prices are a little wierd these days but the prices for these lens used to be around SGD500-SGD550 without hood

 

[pikapig]

Hi Bro RWC,

May i know what does SC and MC stands for? I tried going through chiif website and didnt really get anything out of it.

By e way, nice set of pictures

 

[pikapig]

By the way, im curious, does ppl use 40mm on 35mm frame line and gauge to their best the frame line?

Its easier to frame something wider than something smaller rite?

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Hi Bro RWC,

May i know what does SC and MC stands for? I tried going through chiif website and didnt really get anything out of it.

By e way, nice set of pictures

SC- Single Coat
MC- Multi Coat

I would say forget the 40mm & just go for the 35mm.

 

[pikapig]

Dear all bro,

I finally got my basic lens setup for my camera...
I found a nice condition and no alignment issue lens color skopar 35mm f2.5 LTM version and i love the way it look on my Voigtlander. Will be bring my cam out this weekend for its virgin shoot at USS

As i am more of a wide person, i wish to get a wide angle lens for my voigtlander next. Was looking at Ultra-Wide Heliar 12mm/f5.6 or the 15mm version...
but understand that if i uses both lens on my cam, i do not have the wide frameline, i will need to get an ext view finder rite? May i know the use of the ext view finder? Is it for framing purpose or more for focusing?

Is there onli just 1 kind of view finder?

 

[Joohander]

the vf for 15 or 12mm are only for framing, you won't be able to couple the rangefinder to the external vf. but at that kind of focal length, you won't need to do much focusing anyhow! everything seems to be in focus esp by the time you stop down to f/8 cheers!

 

[pikapig]

the vf for 15 or 12mm are only for framing, you won't be able to couple the rangefinder to the external vf. but at that kind of focal length, you won't need to do much focusing anyhow! everything seems to be in focus esp by the time you stop down to f/8 cheers!

tat is oso one reason i choose the r2a over the r4a.....haha...so my next question is, do i realli need a vf for framing then?

 

[sakuragiz]

What is the price for this 35mm f1.4 currently?

 

[blacvios]

What is the price for this 35mm f1.4 currently?

The pricelist for all voigtlander lenses are in the link below

http://www.chiifcameras.com/site2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=8

,

 

[The Dry Box]

tat is oso one reason i choose the r2a over the r4a.....haha...so my next question is, do i realli need a vf for framing then?

For anything that wide, you need the external finder to frame. Focusing will never be a problem.
Anyway, if you get either the 12 or 15, these are usually supplied with finders of their length.

 

[pikapig]

I have a problem and i need expertise here...

when i half press my shutter button n didn finish with a full press, my shutter just get stuck as in when i further depress it slowly, i cant shutter it off...i need to turn on and off the main switch to shutter it off...is there something wrong w my shutter button? I tried googling, but i can get any answers to it...

Next thing is, when i half press to read the meter, it blinks off in a sec...wat is wrong with it? By the way, i tested it without a film inside..could this be the reasons?

 

[blacvios]

I have a problem and i need expertise here...

when i half press my shutter button n didn finish with a full press, my shutter just get stuck as in when i further depress it slowly, i cant shutter it off...i need to turn on and off the main switch to shutter it off...is there something wrong w my shutter button? I tried googling, but i can get any answers to it...

Next thing is, when i half press to read the meter, it blinks off in a sec...wat is wrong with it? By the way, i tested it without a film inside..could this be the reasons?

Battery low?

 

[pikapig]

Yah....thanks guys....i just figured it out....had it changed n it work again....

Wooo...now i finally know how it feel when the batt is insufficient and why ppl say that r2m is a full mechanical rf....

lucky i tested w it tonite...bringing it to uss tomo! sweaty over my new purchase...