p.3 #1 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
Two of my options:
CV 25/4 Snapshot Skopar LTM lens: track sharp even without rangefinder focus connection. Tiny size, easy to carry. Works excellent in infrared light, too. Not suitable for digital.
Canon Serenar 35/2.8 LTM lens.
bjhurley wrote:
Great review, very informative!
Now that I've bought adapters (both LTM to M and LTM to e-mount), I'm starting to ponder the prospects of building a small LTM set. I've seen mixed reviews of the Canon 35/2 LTM and haven't seen a lot of inspiring images from it online; earlier in this thread there is talk of the longer lenses (85mm, etc.).
What LTM lenses should I consider at the wider end (35-40) and longer end (85-100) that would nicely complement the 50/1.4 LTM?
p.3 #2 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
bjhurley wrote:
Great review, very informative!
Now that I've bought adapters (both LTM to M and LTM to e-mount), I'm starting to ponder the prospects of building a small LTM set. I've seen mixed reviews of the Canon 35/2 LTM and haven't seen a lot of inspiring images from it online; earlier in this thread there is talk of the longer lenses (85mm, etc.).
What LTM lenses should I consider at the wider end (35-40) and longer end (85-100) that would nicely complement the 50/1.4 LTM?
On the longer end, IIRC the Voigtlander 90/3.5 APO-Lanthar is a pretty good performer, and not very expensive.
p.3 #3 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
Thanks for the suggestions! In the end, I went with the Canon 35/1.8 LTM, an older version of the 35/2. I like that it's less sharp and contrasty than the 35/2, and I like a lot of the images that I've seen with it. On the longer end I will take a look at the Canon 100/2 or 85/1.9 LTM but I do already have a longer m-mount lens (MS Optics Sonnetar 73/1.5) that should handle my needs.
p.3 #5 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
bjhurley wrote:
I'm starting to ponder the prospects of building a small LTM set. I've seen mixed reviews of the Canon 35/2 LTM and haven't seen a lot of inspiring images from it online.
You already made your decision, but I'll add this in case it's of interest to others: I have the Canon 35/2 LTM. My biggest beef with it is that the quality of construction doesn't feel great; the lens's mechanics feel somewhat delicate. Optically though, I think it's all around pretty good, considered its vintage. Wide open has some SA but this lends a certain smoothness to images, rather than being bitingly sharp. Wide open background bokeh can be busy. It's also susceptible to strong ghosting with bright point light sources either in the frame, or IIRC, also outside the frame. But IMO its type of ghosting has character and can be interesting for the right kind of images. Stopped down a bit and it's very sharp. Contrast and colour saturation is not modern, but it's still very good. I like it more than the 7Artisans 35/2 I bought a few years ago... I recently got the Chinese replica of the Leica 35/2 v1 8-element. I feel it has nicer, richer colour than the Canon with similar wide open smoothness/SA and somewhat busy bokeh. But it exhibits some strong wavy field curvature on stopping down, which I don't recall with the Canon.
p.3 #6 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
My Canon 35/1.8 LTM arrived yesterday and I'm enjoying it so far. All the reviews were accurate: it's very susceptible to veiling flare and it's a bit soft and dreamy wide open but I bought it for those qualities. Here are a couple of early samples; the wild bokeh in the goldenrod shot is due to my using a close-focus adapter.
p.3 #7 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
Well, despite shelling out for a 'mint' copy from Japan, it arrived with a stiff focus ring, and an even stiffer aperture ring. Plus there was corrosion all over that was hidden in the ad by bright lighting. However, just after a sent it back, a much nicer one came up here on the B&S for considerably less. Sometimes things just work out
p.3 #13 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
It’s better than the first 3 versions of the summilux imo. It adapts to sony exceptionally well. Sure the summicron 50 is sharper wide open but with more optical vignetting
p.3 #15 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
I have this Canon 50/1.4 LTM as well as the Leitz 50/1.5 Summarit LTM. I recently got the Nikkor SC 50/1.4 LTM version, too. All three lenses have a very different character. The sharpest wide open is the Nikkor. The most unique bokeh is achieved with the Summarit version. The most vintage style lens with some vignetting, good sharpness and sometimes nice swirly bokeh is achieved with the Canon lens. A few examples of each below:
p.3 #18 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
retrofocus wrote:
Which close-focus helicoid are you using?
I have the (way too expensive) Voigtländer M to E-mount (with an LTM to M mount ring adapter), but also have a much cheaper one from 7Artisans. I like the Voigtländer because it has a lock switch on the helicoid to keep it closed when you don't want to extend it, and also I've heard reports of the 7Artisans one leaking oil (hasn't happened to me yet but I don't use it anymore because I don't want to risk damage to lenses or camera). The only downsides to the Voigtländer apart from the price are that it's heavy and it also can flex when extended if you attach a heavier lens. The Canon is light enough that this isn't an issue, but it does flex under the weight of heavier ones like my 105mm Nikkor LTM.
Voigtländer have a second-generation helicoid now that may be robust, I don't know. I keep my LTM to M-mount ring adapter mounted on the helicoid since I'm mainly using LTM lenses with it.
p.3 #19 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
bjhurley wrote:
I have the (way too expensive) Voigtländer M to E-mount (with an LTM to M mount ring adapter), but also have a much cheaper one from 7Artisans. I like the Voigtländer because it has a lock switch on the helicoid to keep it closed when you don't want to extend it, and also I've heard reports of the 7Artisans one leaking oil (hasn't happened to me yet but I don't use it anymore because I don't want to risk damage to lenses or camera). The only downsides to the Voigtländer apart from the price are that it's heavy and it also can flex when extended if you attach a heavier lens. The Canon is light enough that this isn't an issue, but it does flex under the weight of heavier ones like my 105mm Nikkor LTM.
Voigtländer have a second-generation helicoid now that may be robust, I don't know. I keep my LTM to M-mount ring adapter mounted on the helicoid since I'm mainly using LTM lenses with it....Show more →
Thanks, yes, I have heard of both of them but wasn't sure if there was another one for Leica M/LTM mount to M camera mount to use it with Leica cameras instead of Sony E-mount. It sounds these helicoid adapters are only made for mirrorless camera attachments (not rangefinder M). Novoflex makes a hyper expensive extension tube system to allow close focus capability with M/LTM mount lenses on Leica M cameras - not a route I am currently willing to undertake.
p.3 #20 · The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM - Abundant and Still a Bargain
retrofocus wrote:
I have this Canon 50/1.4 LTM as well as the Leitz 50/1.5 Summarit LTM. I recently got the Nikkor SC 50/1.4 LTM version, too. All three lenses have a very different character. The sharpest wide open is the Nikkor. The most unique bokeh is achieved with the Summarit version. The most vintage style lens with some vignetting, good sharpness and sometimes nice swirly bokeh is achieved with the Canon lens.
You should try the Nikkor at various distances. IIRC it's optimized for near distances. I recently did infinity tests on various Canon mirrorless cameras with a bunch of my rangefinder lenses, including the Canon 50/1.4 LTM and the Nikkor. In those images, the Nikkor is distinctly soft with a ton of SA until f/2-ish. Even at nearer distances my Nikkor is a completely different lens wide open vs. f/2. Dreamy/glowy wide open with really wild bokeh. At f/2 it picks up a lot more contrast. The Canon is more 'normal' in its behavior.
