Can someone school me on lenses to mount on a Leica M rangefinder?

travellingcello

travellingcello

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I know very little about the Leica system other than that screw mount lenses are older and cheaper but can be fitted onto M mounts with adapter, that Leica lenses are expensive, and Voigtlander also makes lenses for Leica mount. I also know that Canon and other companies including old soviet ones used to make Leica fit rangefinders so their lenses can be used as well.

Other than that I know nothing about the lenses themselves - which are good, which are bad, what to avoid, what to look out for. Is using screw mount lens as good as M mount? Is there any disadvantage/advantage to the collapsible lenses other than that they are compact?

I have a Leica M3 being handed down to me by my grandfather and it should arrive tomorrow, but I found out yesterday that instead of a standard lens he only has a 135mm to give me.... I don't know which version yet but I suspect it will be one of the cheaper common variants. I am looking to buy a 50mm lens (i have an X100 so 35mm is covered) to put on it as the standard lens. I know that my budget is probably too low to buy anything really good in Leica mount but whats the best £400 can get me?

Thanks for any help in advance!
 
I got a voigtlander 50mm f1.5 for £280 or so. Very good lens and quite fast as things go. For that money you may be able to get a summarit: http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=34_36&products_id=5101

Red dot also have some optically challenged collapsable summicrons for less than your budget but it would be a personal call with the marks they have.

A voigtlander 40mm isn't too far off your budget new and are very well regarded indeed:
http://www.theclassiccamera.com/product_details_414.htm

Even cheaper second hand (single coated will be fine for B&W but the multicoated is better for colour).
http://www.ffordes.com/product/12062213201981

Collapsable elmar is within reach...
http://www.ffordes.com/product/12012512221781

Plenty out there without having to consider some of the more esoteric or russian options. Someone more versed in those may be able to tell you more as I have never really used them!

Fedka for russki stuff:
http://fedka.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=24
 
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menthel said:
I got a voigtlander 50mm f1.5 for £280 or so. Very good lens and quite fast as things go. For that money you may be able to get a summarit: http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=34_36&products_id=5101

Red dot also have some optically challenged collapsable summicrons for less than your budget but it would be a personal call with the marks they have.

A voigtlander 40mm isn't too far off your budget new and are very well regarded indeed:
http://www.theclassiccamera.com/product_details_414.htm

Even cheaper second hand (single coated will be fine for B&W but the multicoated is better for colour).
http://www.ffordes.com/product/12062213201981

Collapsable elmar is within reach...
http://www.ffordes.com/product/12012512221781

Plenty out there without having to consider some of the more esoteric or russian options. Someone more versed in those may be able to tell you more as I have never really used them!
Click to expand...


Thanks for your reply!

Are Leitz lenses older lenses?

I know voigtlander make quality lenses since ive owned one and feel free to laugh at me BUT since I'm getting a Leica I'd like to have a Leica on the front too :)

Just don't understand why the slower Elmar 2.8 is as expensive as the lens in the first link, as I understand the collapsibles are older as well?
 
The leitz/leica thing is rather confusing and is all to do with date/site of manufacture etc. I don't really have a handle on it myself! The Elmar looks very clean and is in its keeper, where as the summarit has a mark, that will probably explain the difference. The older lenses will not give you a modern rendition at all so be prepared to see pictures of different sharpness and character with the old lenses. That said they are still damn good and built like tanks!

I have a v3 35mm summicron and an 90mm f2.8 elmarit, both way older than me but still performing very nicely!
 
I have a Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 which I use on a Voigtlander Bessa R3A and I think it is a stunning lens. I haven't used any Leica lenses but from the images i have seen shot with them I'm convinced that they are not 2/3/4 x the quality of the Voigtlander but they are definitely 2/3/4 x the price.

An example


Loch-Lochy-from-boat by andysnapper1, on Flickr

Andy
 
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Andysnap said:
I have a Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 which I use on a Voigtlander Bessa R3A and I think it is a stunning lens. I haven't used any Leica lenses but from the images i have seen shot with them I'm convinced that they are not 2/3/4 x the quality of the Voigtlander but they are definitely 2/3/4 x the price.

An example
...

Andy
Click to expand...

Pretty darn nice! But I suspect that, even at a half to a quarter of Leica lens prices, this still wasn't what I would call "cheap"!

(I was pretty pleased to get a Pentax-M 135mm f/3.5 lens at the weekend from Oxfam for £20!!!! :thumbs: Mind, I've yet to see the results...)
 
ChrisR said:
Pretty darn nice! But I suspect that, even at a half to a quarter of Leica lens prices, this still wasn't what I would call "cheap"!

(I was pretty pleased to get a Pentax-M 135mm f/3.5 lens at the weekend from Oxfam for £20!!!! :thumbs: Mind, I've yet to see the results...)
Click to expand...

Correct, not cheap at all (only comparatively). If I remeber correctly it was £240 second hand

Andy
 
Aperture have a 50mm f/2 in for £450 and sometimes have the Zeiss 50mm f/2 in for about £400-£450. I'd definitely suggest a Leica lens for it, a big part of owning a Leica (for me anyway).
 
Thanks all for your help, but it did come with a Leitz Elmar 2.8 after all, I'm absolutely over the moon!

Its so mint that I'm too scared to use it though, and I haven't a clue how to use the camera yet, this could be a long night of manual reading....!
 
Good to hear. Don't worry about Leitz/Leica branding either, enjoy the camera. If it hasn't been used in a long while it may need a clean lubrication adjustment (CLA) though.
 
The Voigtlander 50/1.5 is pretty good, it's got a modern signature that's similar to Leica's 50 lux ASPH:

nbUQx.jpg


RHfaa.jpg


KJedW.jpg


vDCJn.jpg


I'm actually thinking of selling mine since I don't use it much since I bought a 35 UC-Hex (also thinking of selling my 35/1.2 as well).
 
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