Lot of sellers on eBay sell this as part of their LeicaFlex or R-series camera set, so you can hunt for discount, sell the camera (if you want to), and be left with this lens for under Eur 200 (mine has cost me effective Eur 60). It's a great lens; it's singlehandedly responsible for making me sell all my AF lenses and switch exclusively to R manual lenses. Of course vintage lenses are not perfect, and to add to that, I don't ever use Lightroom or any other editing software (just a slider here and there on my MacBook photos app). I am very happy with its character and always pick up my camera when I take out my dog for a walk (something I never did with my AF lenses). I guess that's all that matters: if a lens makes you shoot more, it's worth it. PS.: I use the Leica SL2-s and the only drawback I can think of is that the camera doesn't allow for AEL lock with manual lenses. But that's a camera bug, not the lens' fault. PPS: I am not qualified enough to judge a lens purely on its performance, which anyways is very subjective. I need to know the price I'm getting it at.. :) I love this lens, in big part, because I got it so cheap, and discovered it so accidentally (I was looking for a film camera, not a lens).
That is also often my trick. Buy a camera with lens, if you only want one of these. Got the Canon 100D this way, back in the days for only 35€, when it was worth 15 times the price. :D
I had/have a monochrome darkroom decades ago. Also a Leica R camera. I was asked to print some work from a pro wedding photog. The frames were fantastic compared to my original 50. Yes it was the newer Leica R model. It approached what I get from film + APO Leica lenses today.
Hello Ronald, Thanks for your comment. As I do explore all these lenses from todays point of view, It is always interesting to get the impressions of people who have used the lenses in their time and who experienced the performance in comparison to what was up to date. :-)
Maybe you got an R-only lens. Luckily, I made a video with tables and images to explain the different versions. 😁 ruclips.net/video/M86HCK0Bnq8/видео.htmlsi=MzXx7BmRLM-thnGI Watch and like! Please. 😉
I have the 35 f2 made in Canada Leitz, I feel about the same way about that as you do about this lens... Good but over valued. Thanks for the great video! 📸
Thanks for your comment. 😊 It‘s a famous name and definitely the lens was ahead of its time starting with gen 1. But, while in the years later the others have kept up, there are so many other cheaper and at least equal options, that the Leica is not my favourite lens.
@@bastelwi Leica M prices are from the moon. But people pay them and that’s fine. But they are not mine. The R lens value is far more reachable but still off for my opinion. Overvalued in this case means for me: for 300-400€, I can get a lot of stuff in good condition. Here an example: - canon A1 -90€ - fd 50mm 1.4 - 90€ - fd 28mm 2.8 -50€ - fd 135mm 2.8 - 90€ - a bunch of film This is in my opinion more value for the money. And still people prefer the Leica and its fine. The leica is a really good lens. But if you ask me, what to buy to start with film photography, it would not be the Leica. So both sides are valid and both opinions are right. It’s just a question of perspective.
I do enjoy collecting old lenses - but not Leica. The price and the hype are a turn off for me. Glad to see you at least acknowledge the pricing issue. Thanks for the vid!
It was for shure one of the best in class, when the lens was introduced. But with respect to the other options I have today, I can get a nice little system with 50mm, wideangle and a body for the price of one Leica lens. And still get good quality images. Yes it is good, but others are also. Therefore my verdict.
@@manugeee Ever test it against the Ricoh XR Rikenon 50mm F2 L, aka the "Japanese Summicron"? The Ricoh is about $25 and renders images remarkably similar.
@@michaelgossett2243 i was not aware of this comparison, yet. Thanks for the advice. 😊👍. Since I started the channel, a rikenon 50mm f1.4 crossed my way and got itself on the list for this tests. I will keep my eyes open. But as rikenons are rare in my area, I canot promise if I find a good one soon. :-)
Lot of sellers on eBay sell this as part of their LeicaFlex or R-series camera set, so you can hunt for discount, sell the camera (if you want to), and be left with this lens for under Eur 200 (mine has cost me effective Eur 60).
It's a great lens; it's singlehandedly responsible for making me sell all my AF lenses and switch exclusively to R manual lenses. Of course vintage lenses are not perfect, and to add to that, I don't ever use Lightroom or any other editing software (just a slider here and there on my MacBook photos app). I am very happy with its character and always pick up my camera when I take out my dog for a walk (something I never did with my AF lenses). I guess that's all that matters: if a lens makes you shoot more, it's worth it.
PS.: I use the Leica SL2-s and the only drawback I can think of is that the camera doesn't allow for AEL lock with manual lenses. But that's a camera bug, not the lens' fault.
PPS: I am not qualified enough to judge a lens purely on its performance, which anyways is very subjective. I need to know the price I'm getting it at.. :) I love this lens, in big part, because I got it so cheap, and discovered it so accidentally (I was looking for a film camera, not a lens).
That is also often my trick. Buy a camera with lens, if you only want one of these. Got the Canon 100D this way, back in the days for only 35€, when it was worth 15 times the price. :D
I had/have a monochrome darkroom decades ago. Also a Leica R camera. I was asked to print some work from a pro wedding photog. The frames were fantastic compared to my original 50. Yes it was the newer Leica R model. It approached what I get from film + APO Leica lenses today.
Hello Ronald, Thanks for your comment. As I do explore all these lenses from todays point of view, It is always interesting to get the impressions of people who have used the lenses in their time and who experienced the performance in comparison to what was up to date. :-)
Is this lens a 2 cam or 3 cam version? How can I tell? I have this lens and it meters correctly on my R3 but not on my Leicaflex SL.
Maybe you got an R-only lens. Luckily, I made a video with tables and images to explain the different versions. 😁
ruclips.net/video/M86HCK0Bnq8/видео.htmlsi=MzXx7BmRLM-thnGI
Watch and like!
Please. 😉
I have the 35 f2 made in Canada Leitz, I feel about the same way about that as you do about this lens...
Good but over valued.
Thanks for the great video!
📸
Thanks for your comment. 😊
It‘s a famous name and definitely the lens was ahead of its time starting with gen 1. But, while in the years later the others have kept up, there are so many other cheaper and at least equal options, that the Leica is not my favourite lens.
@@bastelwi Leica M prices are from the moon. But people pay them and that’s fine. But they are not mine.
The R lens value is far more reachable but still off for my opinion. Overvalued in this case means for me: for 300-400€, I can get a lot of stuff in good condition.
Here an example:
- canon A1 -90€
- fd 50mm 1.4 - 90€
- fd 28mm 2.8 -50€
- fd 135mm 2.8 - 90€
- a bunch of film
This is in my opinion more value for the money.
And still people prefer the Leica and its fine. The leica is a really good lens. But if you ask me, what to buy to start with film photography, it would not be the Leica.
So both sides are valid and both opinions are right. It’s just a question of perspective.
I do enjoy collecting old lenses - but not Leica. The price and the hype are a turn off for me. Glad to see you at least acknowledge the pricing issue. Thanks for the vid!
Your welcome. :-) thanks for the compliment.
I have to say that using the leica R system for a while really healed my urge to get a leica M camera. 😅
It´s not expensive lenses because you pay what you get and what you get it´s the better 50mm/f2 lenses ever made!
It was for shure one of the best in class, when the lens was introduced. But with respect to the other options I have today, I can get a nice little system with 50mm, wideangle and a body for the price of one Leica lens. And still get good quality images.
Yes it is good, but others are also. Therefore my verdict.
@@manugeee Ever test it against the Ricoh XR Rikenon 50mm F2 L, aka the "Japanese Summicron"? The Ricoh is about $25 and renders images remarkably similar.
@@michaelgossett2243 i was not aware of this comparison, yet. Thanks for the advice. 😊👍.
Since I started the channel, a rikenon 50mm f1.4 crossed my way and got itself on the list for this tests. I will keep my eyes open. But as rikenons are rare in my area, I canot promise if I find a good one soon. :-)
the better 50mm ever made for me are the Voightlander apo lanthar 2.0 and the Zeiss Loxia 50mm 2.0