What Leica lens to get?

[kualiwei]

Hi fellow CSers,

I'm looking to invest in a Leica M6. Am pretty new to the family of Leica lens. I have looked at different Summicron 50mm, and got pretty confused.
What is the difference between a Summicron and Summicron-M 50mm lens? Which one should I get if I want to get a good Summicron 50mm below $2k?
Is there a difference between getting lens for a Leica film and a Leica Digital?


Thanks in advance!

 

[ed9119]

moving this over to the Rangefinder subforum for more help for you

 

[NazgulKing]

Eh... There's the Leica R mount for the Leica SLRs, and the Leica M mount. Basically, there's only a Summicron 50mm M mount lens, but there are 5 variations. Questions is which one you want...

 

[magicianhisoka]

I'd say spring for the version 5 with the built in hood. Pretty much same optical formula as version 4.

Here's a link to help you with your research!

Leica 50mm Summicron Price and Information Guide

 

[raytoei]

summicron-m 50mm can be gotten quite cheaply, ie. < 2k sgd.

i have a version 4 ie. with the focusing tab, this is the 2nd last version.

there are differences in sharpness and resolution. the highest rated resolution summicron is the dual-range cron.
Ralph Gibson does most of his nudes photos with the Cron, many of his earlier ones were with the DR Cron.

many of the old-timers still like the collapsible cron, it flares like crazy but has a old look that is hard to describe, in the
later years, HCB used the collapsible to great effect.

My suggestion: go with version 4 or 5, same formula, and can't go wrong.

the older version are collectible because of their higher resolution of lower contrasts (great for BW work)
but alot of them have cleaning marks/scratches or haze.

(i was searching for a dr cron in peninsula recently, but could not find a decent one with goggles)

here is a better link for summicron comparisons: http://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/50mm-summicron-comparison-table.htm

 

[NazgulKing]

Or consider the Zeiss lenses. Really, unless you have a fantastically sharp scanner, you aren't going to make full use of the lens resolution anyway.

 

[kualiwei]

wow. thanks for the information! at least I know now to look in which direction.
Thanks admin for moving this thread here too.

 

[kaxdd]

If budget is a concern, maybe can try the collapsible summicron or Summitar. I have both and I have to say the Summitar is a keeper! Sharp even at F2! More contrast than the Summicron IMO. You can either below $800 if you are lucky.

 

[magicianhisoka]

A secondary option can be the zeiss 50mm f2 planar. Superbly sharp from what I see with that 3D pop that zeiss is famous for

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Konica hexanon 50mm F2, superb performer but not known to much because it aint leica........ Quite sad really.

 

[elixir]

Summicron-C 40mm. Smallest Leica lens, but big on performance. Not as wide as a 35mm yet not as narrow as a 50mm. Best of all is its price! But then, there is no 40mm framelines. Got to agar agar.

 

[artspraken]

In answer to your question, yes there is difference between Leica lens for film and digital. For film, you do not really need ASPH lens coz film by nature does not bring out the sharpness as much as digital.

 

[kualiwei]

thanks for all the inputs and suggestions! have been looking out and doing research on them.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

In answer to your question, yes there is difference between Leica lens for film and digital. For film, you do not really need ASPH lens coz film by nature does not bring out the sharpness as much as digital.

Actually film is very sharp bro

You just need a dedicated scanner to scan the film to see the difference

 

[FBA]

Konica hexanon 50mm F2, superb performer but not known to much because it aint leica........ Quite sad really.

I second that. Bitingly sharp in the center and creamy bokeh when you shoot wide-open. The 50mm Hexanon is my go-to lens for the M9 -- I use it a lot in soft-light situations and if I want really good subject separation. Focusing is spot-on, too, unlike when I was using it with the M8.

FARI

 

[newghost]

Starting off with a summicron is like, tried and tested, you can't go far wrong... then again, one lens is never enough if you like a little bit more character and different rendition in your lenses!

 

[Cactus jACK]

first off, welcome to your RF journey!!

when you balance out size, weight, performance, price and the &#8220;need for speed&#8221;, the summicron is an excellence choice for travel and general photography. there are several variants, but no ASPH version, yet... the latest built-in hood lacks a focusing tab, some ppl like it, some don&#8217;t mind it, others need the tab. Then there is the previous version with the tab with the same optical formula. these 2, along with the zeiss planar and the hexanon (50f/2) are excellent lenses, sharp and high contrast.

however, some ppl, for their b&w work, prefer lower contrast lenses, such as the older summicrons or the old summarits, and LTM lenses. Of course, the film you use, the developer, and processing also have hands in the amount of contrast of the final product... stretching to digitizing your film, as does the scanning and photoshopping.

so getting the right lens is half the battle won...

to me, therein lies the issue between the lenses for film and digital... it&#8217;s not so much about the sharpness of the lens or the light-falloff, etc, but rather the finish of the image. digital shooters often prefer relatively more contrast, which can add to the image, having the effect of akins to increased saturation and sharpness. whereas some B&W shooters prefer lower contrast lenses as they can retain more shadow details and a have a smoother tone to the image. Of course, these are just some generalisations, but you get the idea of the differences they offer.

before long, you will be exploring faster 50mm lenses and the 35mm focal length...

enjoy!!

 

[kualiwei]

first off, welcome to your RF journey!!

when you balance out size, weight, performance, price and the &#8220;need for speed&#8221;, the summicron is an excellence choice for travel and general photography. there are several variants, but no ASPH version, yet... the latest built-in hood lacks a focusing tab, some ppl like it, some don&#8217;t mind it, others need the tab. Then there is the previous version with the tab with the same optical formula. these 2, along with the zeiss planar and the hexanon (50f/2) are excellent lenses, sharp and high contrast.

however, some ppl, for their b&w work, prefer lower contrast lenses, such as the older summicrons or the old summarits, and LTM lenses. Of course, the film you use, the developer, and processing also have hands in the amount of contrast of the final product... stretching to digitizing your film, as does the scanning and photoshopping.

so getting the right lens is half the battle won...

to me, therein lies the issue between the lenses for film and digital... it&#8217;s not so much about the sharpness of the lens or the light-falloff, etc, but rather the finish of the image. digital shooters often prefer relatively more contrast, which can add to the image, having the effect of akins to increased saturation and sharpness. whereas some B&W shooters prefer lower contrast lenses as they can retain more shadow details and a have a smoother tone to the image. Of course, these are just some generalisations, but you get the idea of the differences they offer.

before long, you will be exploring faster 50mm lenses and the 35mm focal length...

enjoy!!

WOW. really detailed info here. People have been recommending the Summicron-M 50mm F/2. I saw that there are different versions available. Can I just ask if Leica still produce new Summicron 50mm? Also, what are the prices for the different versions used/new? I have been looking around the marketplace section but cant really put my finger on the pricing as there seems to be quite a huge difference even though every seller says it/s Summicron 50mm. I saw one only $1500 but I saw several others at $2500++.

If possible, could I get some idea on the pricing on the Summicron 50mm? Thanks in advance!

 

[amritsg]

Why not check out this website antique cameras and go under Leica m lenses. They give a rough approximation or m lenses all different versions considered. It's in US$ though. So just some simple conversion and plus minus a bit.

 

[felicidade1]

The latest Summicron 50 with ASPH will be at least $2400 Used. If you're thinking of getting one- might want to hold for a while as there MIGHT be a new version on its way.