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Archive 2010 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

ManWearPants
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

I don't know where you guys find such affordable Leica. I got my Cron 35 rom serial 38xxxxxx at closed to $1k. According to the serial, this is already a 10 year old lens. I am quite reluctant to buy a 33xxxxxx lens which is probably 20 years old for half the price.

Mar 28, 2010 at 03:39 AM

ManWearPants
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

mh2000 wrote:

mint Summicron 50's should be about $300.
nice Summicron 90's (pre-APO) should be ~$500.
mint Elmarit 135's are ~$200 and quite nice (yes, it's longer than 100).

what's wrong with the Canon 100/2? I thought it was quite nice. Have heard only good things about the Nikon 105 though.

Personally I think the Summicron-R 50 is stellar, even though it isn't f1.2... my favorite lens of all time. (It is just the right balance of everything IMO).

I am refering to late versions, high serial #, rom or late 3 cam versions. At current market price, you won't be able to find them under $500.

Canon lenses are getting better. I am pretty impressed by the 100L, TS-E 24 MkII. I guess I will keep to Canon if I need these specialized lenses. Otherwise, the alternatives are always...alternatives.

Mar 28, 2010 at 03:48 AM

ManWearPants
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Edgar Maguyon wrote:
I notice on ebay there are 2 kinds of Summicron R 35s, one that appear bulkier in size with a bigger filter size and costs more than a grand, and the other, older, narrower and $500ish range.. they both good?

Maybe i'll just go full Leica ...35, 50, 90 & 135 muuahahah

If somebody can do me a favour and snap this off eBuy. I have been eyeing it for a while and I really do not need another 85mm. Please....BTW, that is a Sonnar MMG....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Contax-RTS-Objektiv-2-8-85mm-MM-Sonnar-made-in-West-Ger_W0QQitemZ230450226777QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCamera_Lenses?hash=item35a7e76659

Edited on Mar 28, 2010 at 03:55 AM · View previous versions

Mar 28, 2010 at 03:53 AM

philip_pj
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Edgar, what are you looking to use these lenses for, subject matter wise? Advice would be different depending on your style of shooting. It sounds like you are gearing up for some fun with this impulse, I hope you enjoy the addictive process of alt lenses..

Mar 28, 2010 at 03:55 AM

telyt
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Edgar Maguyon wrote:
... what about the 50mm? The E55 looks the same as the non-E55...

first version (Series VI filters):
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/leica/50r20-1.jpg

second version (E55 filters):
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/leica/50r20-2.jpg

Mar 28, 2010 at 04:59 AM

Edgar M
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Thanks for the pics and info gus...i guess I will hunt for E55 35s and 50s and also a 90 and 135.

I am shooting everything from amateur hobbysit travel, to occasional freelance gigs, from people, to street, portrait, to landscape, to still life to food.

But, my main concern is getting sturdy metal body lenses with hard-stops and a focus ring that actually "stops" on either end (not found on the majority of plasticy canon L and non-L lenses)..as well as keeping small size in mind and most importantly small front filter thread diameters of 49mm-55mm. Because I am shooting video too and attaching adapters to the front of these lenses which need a small filter thread (62s, 72s, 77mm Canon EF lenses are way too big and wont work)

Mar 28, 2010 at 11:50 AM

Edgar M
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

How is the Leica Elmar R 180/4?

Mar 28, 2010 at 01:47 PM

mh2000
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

No one needs ROM versions of these lenses when they are adapting them to other bodies. Late 50's were ~$300 when I bought and sold last. Non-APO 90's were about $500 when I last looked (finding a mint copy for this price was difficult though). Elmarit-R 135's are not expensive... and are very pleasing IMO.

doing a little current research...

KEH currently has:

EX 35/2 3 CAM Late Germany 55 for $665

Average mint 3 CAM 35's seem to be going for ~$600 on ebay now.

Average mint 3 CAM 50's seem to be going for ~$350 on ebay now.

Average mint late 3 CAM 90's seem to be going for ~$700 on ebay now.

Average mint late 3 CAM 135's seem to be going for ~$250 on ebay now.

ManWearPants wrote:
I am refering to late versions, high serial #, rom or late 3 cam versions. At current market price, you won't be able to find them under $500.

Canon lenses are getting better. I am pretty impressed by the 100L, TS-E 24 MkII. I guess I will keep to Canon if I need these specialized lenses. Otherwise, the alternatives are always...alternatives.

Mar 28, 2010 at 06:05 PM

telyt
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Edgar Maguyon wrote:
How is the Leica Elmar R 180/4?

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/882457/0#lastmessage

Mar 28, 2010 at 06:22 PM

biotar
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Edgar Maguyon wrote:
How is the Leica Elmar R 180/4?

Well, I find it a great lens BUT.

It really really suffers from lateral chromatic abberations. As this is not present in each scene and generally easy to repair this doesn't disable this lens too much, but this might be the furthest from APO Leica in the line-up.

Other than this, this might also be the lightest and smallest 180 around for 35mm (can't tell for sure). It is built extremely well and the focus ring is really smooth. It might be the least sharp Leica 180, but here it competes against the exellent 180/3.4 and APO lenses.

Its greatest merits next to being light and compact are:
- Leica colours
- extremely low price for the quality (paid 150 for EX in a store in Amsterdam, up to 250 is a reasonable price for this lens to my opinion).

Mar 28, 2010 at 06:27 PM

adamdewilde
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

On a 5DII, I have the following and love em:

35/2 ZE - Amazing, way better then the 35L, I shoot it wide open and it's sharp wide open. If you need 1.4 then there's nothing you can do, but at f/2 this lens kills the 35L and then brings it back to life, to kill it some more. Images from this lens jump off the screen.. Er make me feel like I can jump into my computer screen.

50MP ZE - I love that this lens is sharp wide open, IMHO and from the samples I've looked at, my 50MP is sharper at f/2 then my 50L was at f/2... It's also a somewhat makro lens, and it renders beautifully... It's my least favorite of the 3 ZE lenses I own, but it's a damn good 50mm lens, better then anything else I've used.

100MP ZE - OMG, this is probably the best 35mm lens period. If you like 85 to 135 focal lengths then get this lens.. It's honestly ideal from portraits to makro work to landscapes, it's amazing. Things just look better when shot with this lens.

Mar 29, 2010 at 12:22 AM

Edgar M
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Thanks for the ZE recos.. but I am looking for something smaller in filter threads(preferrably 55, 52, 49, maybe 58) and much cheaper. Those MP ZE are quite pricey.

Anyways, I think I nailed it down to Summicron 35, 50 and 90/2. The 135 Elmarit looks lovely and is cheap, but I think it would be too similar in focal length as that of the 90 (I like to come as close to "double" the focal lengths of my kit, so all the lenses have a much dif view than the next)... So I think I will skip the 135 Elmarit and go for a 180 or 200 as this is roughly twice of the 90.

So..anyone can recommend a good 180 or 200 (with <58mm filter threads) to match my Cron selection? I know some recommended the Voigtlander 180, cant seem to find it, seems too rare, and might be too expensive.

How is the Leica Elmarit 180/2.8? (the cheaper, <$500 non-APO versions)? I know it has a large 67mm filter size... just curios?

thx

Mar 29, 2010 at 01:24 PM

biotar
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

I wouldn't go for the pre-apo 180 just because it's neither the one thing (the kings of 180: Leica APO) nor the other (a travel lens with small diameter). Just on this basis I still recommend the 180/4, although you might be better of with, say, the canon 70-200/4IS.

That is, only if you don't like the colour and feel of the Leica of course. It is precisely this that legitimates its place in my travel bag.

IQ wise I couldn't imagine more capable lenses than the Telyt 180/3,4 and the APO 180/2.8. No (even second hand) experience with the Voigtlander though...

Mar 29, 2010 at 07:32 PM

Edgar M
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Thanks... So the Elmar 180/4 is pretty decent, good, or excellent? Comaprible to Canon L 200/2.8, Nikkor ais or Zuiko OM in the 180/4 or 200/4? I hope so, since it is light, small, cheaper.

I was looking at the Telyt too, kinda pricy, but I will keep my eye out for one.

As far as an APO 180/2.8.. way outta my price range. Trying to keep my budget and hover in the 500ish range for each lens, if not less.

Mar 29, 2010 at 07:55 PM

Steve Spencer
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

You might consider the Nikon 200mm f/4 in Ai or AiS mount. It has 52mm filter threads and seems to be a decent lens at a pretty inexpensive price. The Olympus 200mm f/4 is another very reasonable options. It has 55mm filter threads and is also a good lens, at a very reasonable price. I hope this helps.

Mar 29, 2010 at 08:14 PM

rachp
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

The 200mm that Steve mentioned is a very good inexpensive option. Can you use a Pentax mount on Canon? If so, you can get less expensive Voigtlander 180mm in other than Nikon mount. It is really worth the money.

Mar 29, 2010 at 08:37 PM

Jonas B
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

I have an old Leica APO Telyt-R 180/3.4. Ugly and beaten up on the outside, but what images it makes! Super sharp. I don't know the going rate but don't think they cost a lot of money. Anybody knows?

Mar 29, 2010 at 09:41 PM

pascal03
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

With the $500ish budget in mind....

~35mm: Close enough to 40mm - Voigtlander 40mm f2.0, Olympus OM 40mm f2.0, Nikon Series E 35mm f2.8 (1/5th the price, but well worth it), ZF 35mm f2.0 (Slightly higher, but probably the nicest 35mm in the group). But since you shoot Canon, the Canon 35mm f1.4 L is about as good as it gets in the 35mm range.

~50/55/58mm: Olympus OM 50mm f1.2, Nikon 50mm f1.2 (later version), Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4 SL-II.
I currently have a Leica 50mm f2.0 Cron (version 1 with series VI) in Nikon mount - and this is my absolute favorite 50mm lens. You may also want to consider the Pentax 50mm f1.2 - but I am not sure if it has mirror issues with the 5D or not.

~100mm: Olympus OM 100mm f2.8, Nikon 105mm f2.5 or Nikon 105mm f1.8 AiS, Nikon Series E 100mm f2.8 (Compact, cheap and quite good)

~180/200mm: OM 200mm f4.0 or Nikon Micro 200mm f4.0 AiS (wicked sharp)

Mar 29, 2010 at 10:06 PM

Edgar M
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

Very very good info and suggestions everyone.. so much to choose from I am getting more indecisive the more I research.

I am trying to decide going Summicrons or Zuikos now.. keep reading good stuff on the Zuiko - 50/1.2, 100/2, 200/4, Nikon 105/1.8, and Summicron - 50/2, 90/2, etc... I think I am going to skip a wide/35mm for now..just choosing between 50s, 100s and 180/200s.

Which costs more nowadays?... Summicron 90/2 or Zuiko OM 100/2? ...is the Zuiko impossible to find? The Crom 90/2 seems hard to find as it is. Wondering if these are hard to come by. What are the going prices for these?

Mar 30, 2010 at 01:02 AM

ManWearPants
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Which 35mm, 50/55/58mm, 100mm, 180/200mm? n00b needs help :)

For the Zuiko, you will need to find the late versions which are equally hard to come by. I guess all good things are hard to come by.

If OP will allow me to hijack his thread to end my dilemma. Which to choose from the below for a 2 piece travel kit?

1) Elmarit-R 28mm (version 2) vs Summicron-R 35mm
2) Summicron-R 90 (pre-APO) vs Elmarit-R 90 (last version)

Mar 30, 2010 at 11:06 AM

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