looking for a fast and small 40mm lens

timo832000 · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 544 Location: Germany / Cologne

I am looking for a small and fine 40mm walk-around lens to use on my Fuji XE1 and my Nex.

These are the options I have on my list:

Voigtlaender Nocton 1.4/40
Leica Summicron-C 2/40
Konica Hexanon AR 1.8/40
Zhongyi Mitakon 1.2/42,5

which one of the mentionend lenses would you choose and why?

Timo

kuuan · Expire: 2014-12-26

I'd choose the Pen-F 1.4/40 ( or M-Rokkor 2/40 ) Wink

disclaimer: I have and use the two mentioned, but don't have experience with any of those you listed
note: from what I read the CV 1.4/40 isn't sharp wide open, the Pen-F impressingly is! The early M-Rokkor ( the one I have ) with the serial number on the name ring is identical to the Summicron-C but sells for less, they are single coated. The late M-Rokkor that had been made for the CLE and has the serial number on the lens barrel is multicoated and said to be the superior lens.

but buy the Mitakon and show us your samples Wink

edit: but is there a version that you could use on both cameras? I don't think there is any as there isn't any adapter for Sony E to Fuji-X or vice versa ( only 0.3mm difference in register distance )

newst · Joined: 21 Oct 2014 Posts: 617 Location: Troy, MI USA

The bad news is that I have only used one of the four candidates so I can't make a recommendation between them. The good news is that the lens I do own, the Konica 40mm is an excellent lens. Sharp, with good color rendition and creamy bokeh.

If you want to share the criteria you used to create the original list some of us may be able to offer alternatives that meet them.

Tedat · Joined: 08 Nov 2011 Posts: 800 Location: Berlin/Germany

try the Hexanon.. normaly it's cheap and if it's not good enough for you, you can sell it without loosing much money.

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3669 Location: Calgary

The Pen F 38/1.8 is great on my NEX-7, very sharp.
The Pen F 42/1.2 is nice too.
SMC Pentax M 40/2.8 is a small pancake, though it may be too slow.
I converted/transplanted a Contax G 45/2 into a new body, its definitely sharp.
Rokkor 40/2 is near identical to the Leica 40.
Super Rokkor 45/2.8 LTM
Pentax 43/1.9 limited M-mount (one I'm very interested in)

scsambrook · Expire: 2011-11-18

I have the 40mm f1.4 Nokton in the 'non-multi-coated' version and am very pleased with it on both my Lumix G1 and. my Leica M8. I note what kuuan says about others asserting that it's not sharp wide open, but I think that's probably based on the outer part of the field rather than the centre. I regret I can't comment about the others mentioned in the thread because I haven't used them.