The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Are you happy with your lens selections

Hank Graber

New member
Well as I had not owned an M in years and the M8 has a crop factor it took a while for me to get settled in. I had and sold a Leica 21/2.8 preASPH, 28/2 Summicron, 50/1.4 Summilux preASPH, 135/4, 65/3.5 (with Viso) all great lenses with beautiful signatures. I also had a Zeiss 35/2 Biogon great in the right light but way to contrasty for me for general use.

So now I have the Leica 35/1.4 Summilux ASPH and love it. I could be happy with just this one lens. I got the little 90/4 Macro -stellar lens. If it was 2.8 and fixed with the close in performance and signature it has it would be a masterpiece. However f/4 makes it a bit of a specialized lens. I've got a 75/1.4 Summilux at DAG getting calibrated -I owned one years ago and I expect the 35/75 Summilux kit will be it for me. The 90 will go when I get a DSLR or if the 75 can do product shots at f/16 it will go sooner.

I couldn't be happier. I hate having lots of lenses -one 45-50 and one 85-100 does it for me. I'll probably have to pick up a wide for client work but I'm waiting until I get a job that requires it. I might get a wide Tilt-shift (+ a macro or the Canon 90 TSE for products) for the DSLR when I get it and keep the Leica kit simple and pristine.
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
Well I just got very happy with my lens selection. Just closed on a mint uncode Noctilux.

Now I can truly explore what Van Gogh said, "I often think the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day."
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
I hope I will be happy tomorrow when the brown truck finally delivers my Noctilux. (I had to sacrifice my 50 f/1.4 ASPH and my 50 f/1.4 non-ASPH in order to buy the Noctilux.) I have been waiting for it since May. (Leica delivered it in October, but I was traveling).

The rest of my kit consists of CV 15, CV 21 f/4, Leica 28 cron ASPH, CV 35 f/2.5 (for my film M), CV 50 Nokton f/1.5, 75 Lux and 90 cron 55mm last pre-ASPH. I have had Leica lenses in the 21mm, 35mm, and the 50mm's, but decided to make the sacrifice at those focal lengths and get the CV lenses (really not a sacrifice, they are good lenses) in order to be able to afford the 28 cron, 50 noctilux and 75 lux.
 

David K

Workshop Member
John and Cindy... congrats on acquiring the Nocts. I find it the most difficult of all my lenses to work with, not easy for me to focus in low light and the shallow DOF doesn't help matters. Still, a very special piece of glass.
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
John and Cindy... congrats on acquiring the Nocts. I find it the most difficult of all my lenses to work with, not easy for me to focus in low light and the shallow DOF doesn't help matters. Still, a very special piece of glass.
I know about f/1.0's being difficult to work with. I shot the Canon EF 50mm 1:1 on my 5D and have been using a Canon 50mm 1:0.95 converted to M-mount on my M8 and R-D1.

I'm most interested in how the Nocti's Bo-Ke will compare to these other two.

I've been doing for over a year now a project on lights in a small Texas town from 4-7am.

I hope the M8 and Nocti will let me expand it more...
 

robsteve

Subscriber
I know about f/1.0's being difficult to work with. I shot the Canon EF 50mm 1:1 on my 5D and have been using a Canon 50mm 1:0.95 converted to M-mount on my M8 and R-D1.

I'm most interested in how the Nocti's Bo-Ke will compare to these other two.

I've been doing for over a year now a project on lights in a small Texas town from 4-7am.

I hope the M8 and Nocti will let me expand it more...
John:

The Noctilux will work well for you. Most people who are dissapointed with them are trying to use them at 1 meter and f1. At your distances, a Noctilux is pretty sharp at f1.

This is all dependant on the Noctilux being set up right. A good percentage of them don't focus right on the M8 and need to be adjusted. The third party shops can do this quite quickly and cheaply.

Robert
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
John:

The Noctilux will work well for you. Most people who are dissapointed with them are trying to use them at 1 meter and f1. At your distances, a Noctilux is pretty sharp at f1.

This is all dependant on the Noctilux being set up right. A good percentage of them don't focus right on the M8 and need to be adjusted. The third party shops can do this quite quickly and cheaply.

Robert
It would have been going to DAG at the first sign of adjustment if needed. I also had Canon do a full CLA on my 50/1.0 about six months after I had it and it is much sharper now.
 
P

papimuzo

Guest
No, since the Summarit 2.5 range appeared and after the tests by Guy!!:rolleyes:
Till now I own CV 21/4, CV 24/4, Elmarit 28/2.8, CV 35/1.7, Leitz Summilux 50/1.4 (machined by John), CV 75/2.5
Sold a Summilux 35/1.4 which couldn't be used on M8 without some difficult trimming and a Summicron 90/2 to help buying the M8.
 
D

Digital Dude

Guest
√ Well, with only a 28-cron’ as a starter lens, I suppose so. My 50-lux’ is on order and the 21-Elmarit is a twinkle in my eye.:rolleyes:
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
√ Well, with only a 28-cron’ as a starter lens, I suppose so. My 50-lux’ is on order and the 21-Elmarit is a twinkle in my eye.:rolleyes:
You have just described perhaps the ideal trio, obtained in the ideal order --- kudos

:thumbs:
 

Nick_Yoon

New member
I have 15, 21, 28, 35, 50, 90 (more than one lens for some focal lengths)...I love the 28mm equivalent view, but hate using external viewfinders, so am considering buying a Zeiss 25 as the widest I can use w/o ext VF (I wear glasses).

My main kit would then be 15, 25, 35, 50. Compact kit: 25 and 50.

But I'm thinking I should really try shooting more with the M8 and 28 to see if I really need a 25. Decisions, decisions.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Nick honestly if you have a 28 the difference between it and a 25mm is 1 step backwards or forwards. Not that great a difference , play more and see how it feels first the 28mm. The 28mm is my lens cap and i had the 24mm and it was just too close in focal length. Ideally if you have a 28mm as the go to lens than a good path is 15,21,28,50 or if the 35mm is the go to lens than maybe 15, 24, 35, 75. but don't ignore a 12mm in there also which 12, 21, 28 is also a nice spread. But you have a nice setup now and my bet is you won't need a 24 or 25
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I am fooling around with a bunch of lenses. I hope to settle down to a much smaller set than this.
If I was happy or maybe less curious, I would stop buying lenses.
Current Stable houses:
CV 15
WATE and frankenfinder
24mm asph 2.8
28mm asph cron (keeper)
35mm asph 1.4 (problematical near focusing range)
35mm asph 2.0
50mm 2,5 summarit (getting to know this lens, looks pretty good, wanna try a lux)
75mm CV 2.5 (maybe for sale)
75mm asph 2.0 (wanna get a lux to see how I like it)
90mm pre-asph 2.0 (nice lens, heavy in chrome, in Solms getting coded and adjusted)
90mm asph 2.0 (bought a cheap? beat up version to hold me over until the pre-asph returns)

Major problems:
close focus on 35mm lux
21mm 2.8 envy, maybe pick up a zeiss 18 and sell the wate and 24 2.8)
Problem is the 24 is my favorite european street lens, the 28 works better in US dimensioned streets

I am beginning to think that if the 50 lux works well enough for isolations, then I can keep the 75 and 90s home, on the other hand... gotta find a 50 lux and the 135 that Guy lent me in Yosemite me worked real fine, but I think its contrast is a bit on the low side which makes it ideal for some things and not for others.

I am beginning to hope that Leica will make something wider than 21 and at least 2.8 or maybe a 14mm f4.
That would make my kit
new leica 14(12?)
21 2.8
28 2 (24 kept for euro or asian trips)
50mm something maybe the lux, for sure not the nocti
oh, heck I will end up keeping them all.
Anybody wanna buy a cv75?
-bob

Attached is a focus test shot of my patient wife waiting in Photo Village in NYC. (90mm asph 2.0 beater)
 
Last edited:

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
Well, I've finally gotten my lens selections for my M8 and R-D1.

CV's.

12/5.6
15/4.5
28/3.5
28/1.9
35/1.2
50/2.5
75/2.5

Canon
50/0.95 (moded to M-Mount)
85/1.5 LTM with CV type 2 adapter (waiting on Sherry K. to get it CLAed)

Leica LTM
50/2.0 Summicron with CV type 2 adapter (waiting on Sherry K. to get it CLAed)

Leica M-mounts

24/2.8 ASPH (on order)
35/2.0 Summicron IV (waiting on seller)
50/1.0 Noctilux (waiting on UPS) Keep thinking about a ridged 50/2.0 Summicron for a general use 50 when I want Leica glass but less weight than the Nocti. Also think about having DAG cut down a DR Summicron as there are some really cheap ones out there but not sure it's worth it. I'll be emailing DAG about it.
75 - going to use the CV until all the 75 Summarit test are in but sort of lean to the 'Lux for the speed.
90/2.0 E55 UPS will deliver today
135/4.0 (waiting on UPS)

I've got my lenses sorted out and think I'm covered with good glass. I'm very happy with the CV for the wider lenses and don't see a real need for speed there.
 

robsteve

Subscriber
50/1.0 Noctilux (waiting on UPS) Keep thinking about a ridged 50/2.0 Summicron for a general use 50 when I want Leica glass but less weight than the Nocti. .
John:

I have always paired a 50mm Summicron with my Noctilux. When the light didn't demand a Noctilux, I carried the Summicron. My Summicron is the tabbed Canadian version from the late 1970's or early 1980's. I have had the older rigid Summicron and the latest optical version such as the one I described above performs better and was cheaper too.

Item number 160187505033 on Ebay is just like my 50mm Summicron.

Robert
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
John:

I have always paired a 50mm Summicron with my Noctilux. When the light didn't demand a Noctilux, I carried the Summicron. My Summicron is the tabbed Canadian version from the late 1970's or early 1980's. I have had the older rigid Summicron and the latest optical version such as the one I described above performs better and was cheaper too.

Item number 160187505033 on Ebay is just like my 50mm Summicron.

Robert
I think that's a good plan. Gone Summicron hunting.....
 

LJL

New member
John,
I also carry another 50 with my Noctilux for the same reasons you mention. In my case, I have opted for the CV 50/1.5 Nokton. While not Leica glass, I have always been pleased with the results I get from that lens, and for stuff stopped down past f4-5.6 or so, it may be hard to tell it from any other Leica lens.

So, for the special bokeh shots, the Nocti goes on and does things nothing else can. For anything not requiring the f1.0-1.4 range, the CV 50/1.5 Nokton goes on and delivers very nice captures. I landed on this lens based on some of the reviews and examples that Sean Reid had posted and speaks about, and I have been wonderfully happy with it as an outstanding performer.

LJ
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I see some discussion in the canon are concerning swing and tilt lenses.
Has anyone any experience with the Nikon 28mm / 3.8 shift lens adapted to the M8 with maybe a novoflex adapter? I have one of these that has been lying around for awhile. It looks like it is capable of 11mm of shift off the centerline, no swings though.
thanks
-bob
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I see some discussion in the canon are concerning swing and tilt lenses.
Has anyone any experience with the Nikon 28mm / 3.8 shift lens adapted to the M8 with maybe a novoflex adapter? I have one of these that has been lying around for awhile. It looks like it is capable of 11mm of shift off the centerline, no swings though.
thanks
-bob
Hi Bob:

I owned one of the newer ones for a brief period and used it on my 1Ds2 and 5D. It was quite good, getting a bit soft at about the 9mm point on a full horizontal shift. I used a Cameraquest Nikon to EOS adapter, but would now get one of Son's adapters. In the end, I preferred the convenience of direct metering and aperture adjustments of my Canon 24 TSE, and I use the tilt just often enough with it to make it the better choice for me.

Cheers,
 
Top