Which 40mm for Leica (analog) CL?

eli griggs · Wednesday at 12:25 PM

Lots of Leica CL shooters here and I find I can swing a good CL lens, so, “M” or “LTM” with adapter?

What represents best value and photographic quality to you, without getting into thosands of dollars for braging rights?

aw614 · Wednesday at 12:47 PM

The Vogitlander Nokton 40mm F1.4

mshchem · Wednesday at 12:54 PM

aw614 said:
The Vogitlander Nokton 40mm F1.4

+1

eli griggs · Wednesday at 3:07 PM

aw614 said:
The Vogitlander Nokton 40mm F1.4

Why is this your recondition?

xkaes · Wednesday at 3:18 PM

I don't no about the Voigtlander, but the Minolta Rokkor 40mm is identical to the Leica. In fact they share the same glass. The CL was a join project between Leica and Minolta. Originally, the lenses were supplied by Leica, but things evolved over time, and Minolta eventually made the lenses. The CL was sold in different markets, at different times as the Leica CL and the Minolta CL. Under the manufacturing agreement with Leica, Minolta was allowed to sell the new CL -- in Japan -- as the Leitz-Minolta CL. All of these variations were the same exact camera, but the supplied lens might be a Leica or a Rokkor.

Rayt · Wednesday at 3:30 PM

I had the Leica 40mm Summicron CL and it performed on par with the 35mm Summicron v3 which I also had. Selling lenses to fund another always ended with regret for me. Anyway now I have the 40mm Rokkor CLE version which is same as a CL but multicoated.

eli griggs · Wednesday at 4:04 PM

Rayt said:
”Selling lenses to fund another always ended with regret for me.“

Same here.

The true value is an investment in the unknown needs of an unknown future.

GregY · Wednesday at 4:59 PM

I've used and owned the VC Nokton 40 1.4 (on an M4P), Summicron C 40 (had several), Rokkor M 40, Heliar 40 2.8
Currently using the Summicron C 40....a stellar lens.
I didn't care for the size/heft of the 1.4 on the CL...it's big & awkward.
The Heliar is thoroughly modern in character...but the tiny filters are hard to find.
The 40mm C Summicron is a gem.
Having said that I use the 28 and 35...much more than the 40 but that's the way i see
Loved the Elmar 3.5 cm LTM on the CL !!

aw614 · Wednesday at 9:19 PM

eli griggs said:
Why is this your recondition?

It's generally affordable and you can buy it new for 400, or a used one for under 300ish.

I have both the Minolta/Leica 40mm and the Voigtlander. The leica version came with my CLE I bought.

I can't compare the performance with the two, but for the price I bought it for (I was able to repair the issues it had). The times I've shot with it, I was pleased with the results.

petrk · Thursday at 1:59 AM

aw614 said:
The Vogitlander Nokton 40mm F1.4

Nice lens. But I have found it too big. I regret buying it in the end, it changed the character of the camera. Big and heavy comparing original Rokkor. Barely use it.

brbo · Thursday at 9:21 AM

petrk said:
Nice lens. But I have found it too big. I regret buying it in the end, it changed the character of the camera. Big and heavy comparing original Rokkor. Barely use it.

Nokton 40/1.4 is big and heavy if Summicron 50 is gargantuan?

(picture taken from this review that compares Nokton 40/1.4 with Summicron-C 40/2)

xkaes said:
I don't no about the Voigtlander, but the Minolta Rokkor 40mm is identical to the Leica.

I'd think that 40.5mm (M-Rokkor) filters would be easier to find than Series 5.5 that Summmicron-C 40 uses.

xkaes · Thursday at 9:46 AM

petrk said:
Nice lens. But I have found it too big. I regret buying it in the end, it changed the character of the camera. Big and heavy comparing original Rokkor. Barely use it.

If you use a CL (or CLE) you probably want as small a lens as you can get.

brbo said:
I'd think that 40.5mm (M-Rokkor) filters would be easier to find than Series 5.5 that Summmicron-C 40 uses.

And, B&H has dozens of 40.5mm filters -- NEW (which I never buy) -- starting at under $3.

Oldwino · Thursday at 11:02 AM

Minolta M-Rokkor CLE f2. Excellent lens with much better coatings than the Leica Summicron 40mm.
Voigtlander Heliar 40 f2.8. Tiny and sharp, with "vintage lens" user interface.
Voigtlander Nokton 40 f1.4. My least favorite of the three, the out of focus rendering is nervous & busy.

GregY · Thursday at 1:16 PM

Oldwino said:
Minolta M-Rokkor CLE f2. Excellent lens with much better coatings than the Leica Summicron 40mm.
Voigtlander Heliar 40 f2.8. Tiny and sharp, with "vintage lens" user interface.
Voigtlander Nokton 40 f1.4. My least favorite of the three, the out of focus rendering is nervous & busy.

"much better coatings" don't make a difference if you're working in BW & honestly i don't remember any problem shooting transparency film with them in the '70s.
..the 40 Summicron C is a fine lens..(as are other Summicrons from any era), and good value for the money (in the $500 USD range)
The Heliar does have a vintage vibe construction, personally the image character was a bit too modern for me.

Which 40mm for Leica (analog) CL?

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