Want to Buy WTB - Cheap Leica (m) starter lens

Norkusa · May 2, 2016

I had the $$$ for the Leica, but not the lens. So now I have an M6 TTL body coming in the mail tomorrow but no glass for it yet. Figure I'd start cheap ($500-range) and eventually work my way up to something nicer.

Anyone have a cheap 'starter' lens to sell me? Would prefer actual Leica glass (Summarit?) but I'll consider anything as long as it has an m-mount.

Ashfaque · May 2, 2016

Congratulation. You're going to enjoy using this. Soon you'll realise how quickly money is spent though!

Joking aside, have a look at M and LTM mount lenses from Voigtlander and Zeiss and older Konica Hexanon, Canon Serener and Nikkor. Depending on your preferred focal length, you should be able to find something in around your budget.

Bests,
Ashfaque

PS: Also look at Elmar 50mm f/2.8, and if you are fine, Leica's LTM lenses.

Fixcinater · May 2, 2016

Remember, you can find Soviets or the cheaper Canon 50mm f/1.8s for < or around $100, just add an LTM:M mount adapter for anywhere from $20-80 depending on make. May give you more options within your budget. The 50/1.4 Canon is an excellent lens and easily found with an M adapter under your budget.

BMbikerider · May 2, 2016

The original question was for a lens for a 'M' series Leica. The other lenses such as some Voigtlander, Canon and Nikon lenses are scre fit and would need an adapter.
To answer his question I would look for a late 50mm/F2.8 Elmar, this old design now updated can hold it's own against almost all new lenses As good as some of the other lenses are why spoil the set with an alternative manufacture. You should be able to find one within your budget with some money left over to buy a filter or two.

Down Under · May 2, 2016

I had a Summarit on my M2 in the 1980s and I loved it. A sad day for me when I had to sell my M2 and M3 kit, to cover a long-ago personal emergency.

Here is an affordable Summarit:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Leica-Su...586013?hash=item4afe36d41d:g:ymsAAOSw2GlXGHhw

The price is in Australian dollars, so if you pay with US$, you get a further almost 30% discount!

While I'm on this thread, another Aussie temptation for you:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Leica-M3...426877?hash=item1a12ac3afd:g:P~4AAOSw~oFXIMvF

A bank loan, maybe?

Australian cameras on Ebay are little sleeper gems just now, with the South Pacific Peso currently floating at 76 US cents to our dollar. Make the best of it while our economy heads down to third world status...

bdial · May 2, 2016

What focal lengths are you most interested in?
The cheapest way to a budget lens is a LTM and an adapter, and there are some excellent LTM lenses around for relatively cheap money, not even counting the Russian ones.
For example, the Nikkor 50 f/2 LTM is a lovely lens and they are available for +or- 200 USD. Sometimes cheaper if you buy it on a Nicca or Tower body.

I think I saw an Elmar 50 for sale recently either here or in Rangefinder forum.

gone · May 2, 2016

I would go classic and get a collapsible 50 Summicron w/ an adapter. That is well within your budget. Not as razor sharp as the more modern lenses, but they have far superior IQ in my opinion. Sharp is not everything, and they're plenty sharp enough. You can occasionally get a DR w/o goggles for $500. That would be even better. On a very few TTL cameras you might have to remove the plastic goggle part on the DR lens to mount it, but this only occasionally happens. You won't get super close focusing, but how often does anyone shoot closer than 3' w/ a rangefinder camera anyway? These two lenses are some of the best lenses Leica ever made.

Norkusa · May 3, 2016

Thanks for all of the replies! This gives me a lot of possibilities to consider. I'd prefer a 35mm over any other focal length, although I'd consider a 50mm if the price was good. It looks like I could get a v3 50mm Summicron for around $750, so I'm thinking about getting one of those as my first lens.

craigclu · May 4, 2016

Zeiss ZM 35 and 50 have been superlative lenses for me. Without lab equipment, I don't think you could pick better performers. A quick look just now showed some clean ones under $600 on the auction site. This one is at $485 but not yet meeting reserve (I love mine). Likely will go in the mid $600's. The Zeiss hood is pricey for these but if bought without one, there are some chinese copy cat hoods for a few dollars that do the job.

Norkusa · May 4, 2016

Thanks for the recommendation on the ZM. Haven't even looked at those yet. And since it says 'Zeiss' on it, it's still kind of like having an actual Leica lens on my camera, right?

craigclu · May 4, 2016

Norkusa said:
Thanks for the recommendation on the ZM. Haven't even looked at those yet. And since it says 'Zeiss' on it, it's still kind of like having an actual Leica lens on my camera, right?

That oughta stir things up, here! A friend has the Leica glass and they're great but we can't tell things apart. We're both b&w guys and they're used hand held. Any difference for us, even just perceived, would have more camera control variation than glass! They likely have different color signatures but I doubt terming one being poor would be silly at this level. Just switching to decaf would have more effect! I've got Leica optics but not in the same focal lengths for direct comparisons, personally.

BMbikerider · May 4, 2016

Be aware, I have known some of the Soviet lenses with an adapter will fit, however there is a good chance that they will not focus accurately. Unlike a SLR there is no way of knowing until you have the developed film to check.

I have heard nothing similar with alternative lenses from Cannon, Nikon or Voigtlander. I used a Voigtlander 25mm on an M3 some years ago using an adapter and the focussing was accurate.

Norkusa · May 4, 2016

Mission accomplished! Just bought a 50mm Summicron-M (type 4) from KEH in Bargain condition. Was $850 but I found a 10% off coupon code that made it only slightly over budget. I bought some stuff from there recentlythat was in BGN condition, and it all looked great to me, so I'm hoping this Summicron will look good too.

Saganich · May 4, 2016

Now you just have to never sell it, tempting as it may be to help fund a nice 35 lux asph, don't do it!

zanxion72 · May 5, 2016

An Elmar 5cm 2.8 from the late 60s-early 70s will set you back for 200-300 euros. An excellent lens.

craigclu · May 5, 2016

Norkusa said:
Mission accomplished! Just bought a 50mm Summicron-M (type 4) from KEH in Bargain condition. Was $850 but I found a 10% off coupon code that made it only slightly over budget. I bought some stuff from there recently that was in BGN condition, and it all looked great to me, so I'm hoping this Summicron will look good too.

Let us know how it works out for you. You've now got the standard that everything else seems compared to! Enjoy!

BMbikerider · May 12, 2016

Many, many years ago I read a magazine in which there was a test of a normal 50mm F2 Summicron where they produced a resolution graph and this rose a little after F2 but then remaind virtually flat right over all the appertures up to F16. This graph represented the reolution line pairs per MM. Even at f2 the level of this particular lens was as good, if not better than most other lenses at their highest resolution level. I think they compared it with Cannon 50mm F1.8 and a Nikon 50mm F1.8. I was very, very impressed.

Norkusa · May 22, 2016

craigclu said:
Let us know how it works out for you. You've now got the standard that everything else seems compared to! Enjoy!

Just got my first roll back with my new M6TTL + 50mm 'Cron combo. These are just basic scans from the lab with no adjustments yet on my end, but I can tell right off the bat that this is a very special lens. Much more contrasty & sharper than any other 35mm lens I've owned. The 'look' reminds me a lot of the stuff I shoot with my Hasselblad 500C/M:

(Portra 800)

Ian Grant · May 22, 2016

BMbikerider said:
Many, many years ago I read a magazine in which there was a test of a normal 50mm F2 Summicron where they produced a resolution graph and this rose a little after F2 but then remaind virtually flat right over all the appertures up to F16. This graph represented the reolution line pairs per MM. Even at f2 the level of this particular lens was as good, if not better than most other lenses at their highest resolution level. I think they compared it with Cannon 50mm F1.8 and a Nikon 50mm F1.8. I was very, very impressed.

The UK magazine Camera used to do some excellent lens tests, they were one only two magazines you could trust for accurate unbiased reviews, the other magazine was the BJP.

They tested the 50mm M Summicron alonside similar standard lenses from all the main manufacturers and the Leitz lens was way ahead in terms of sharpness and resolution.

The OP's done well to get a Summicron

Ian

Huss · May 24, 2016

Norkusa said:
Just got my first roll back with my new M6TTL + 50mm 'Cron combo. These are just basic scans from the lab with no adjustments yet on my end, but I can tell right off the bat that this is a very special lens. Much more contrasty & sharper than any other 35mm lens I've owned. The 'look' reminds me a lot of the stuff I shoot with my Hasselblad 500C/M:

(Portra 800)

View attachment 157455 View attachment 157456 View attachment 157457 View attachment 157458

Very nice! The look of envy in the girl's face using that digital camera..

ced · May 24, 2016

I would love to see a better reproduction of the 1st image as it does not do that gear justice at all.
Good luck with a nice outfit anyway!

Want to Buy WTB - Cheap Leica (m) starter lens

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