Suggest a Good 85mm and a Starter Zeiss/Voightlander/M-mount

[jimithing616]

Hey all I have a good selection of lenses, but as I keep finding while using my zooms, I really like the 85mm length on my 35mm cameras... not so sure about my e-pm1 I just got it 2 days ago.

Anyway, I do a lot of walking around shots, Urban environment, I like to blend in and snatch photos out of the crowd, people, things, whatever I see. It would help if it was light, but I am fine with a heavy lens too... just suggest me some great 85mm primes

Another things I want to get into is Zeiss/Voightlander glass... either C/Y mount, M42, L39, M-mount, whatever it may be...

Then another thing Kinda related is whats a good standard M mount lens I can use on my E-pm1 that is affordable... The reason I want an M mount lens is because of the thin adapters... I hate having such a big adapter with M42 to M4/3 and etc. I suppose also L39 adapters are pretty thin too so that would work also... What is a REALLY good, but affordable M or L39 mount lens I can adapt to my E-pl1

Thanks guys

[ForenSeil]

Most lenses become 2-10x more expensive with Leica rangefinder-coupling.

Affordable but still very good Leica M lenses are Summicron-C 40/2 and Elmar-C 90/4
Both are very compact, light and have good to very good IQ

Some also like the Russians like
Jupiter-8 50/2 - it's very cheap but IQ is nothing special imho
Jupiter-3 50/1.5 is very "vintage" with very interesting character, especially for B/W pictures, but it's not as cheap as the 50/2 anymore
Orion-15 28/5.6 is good but also not that cheap anymore
Jupiter-12 35/2.8 is nice but doesn't work on MFT, NEX and so on for example due large rear element,...
Jupiter-9 85/2 is not compact and comparable soft at wide apertures but also interesting character and nice price
Jupiter-11 135/4 is a better than Jupiter-9 from what I've heard

(Cosina made) Voigtländer Nokton 35/1.4 and 40/1.4 are also not bad but for 200€ more you can already get the mind-blasting top-of-the-notch Zeiss ZM lenses which are much better than the Voigtländers. The 40/1.4 is not as good as the Summicron-C 40/2. There's also a Nokton 50/1.5 which has better reputation than the 35+40mm but it doesn't pop up that often Ebay as it's discontinued and most owner don't want to sell it.

Almost Zeiss-ZM like IQ in compact lenses for an lower price you can also get with Contax G rangefinder lenses - they are not exactly as compact (but still very compact compared to SLR lenses) and don't have that nice hatpics but IQ is very stunning, even better than Leitz Summicron-C 40/2 and Elmar-C 90/4. Biogon 28/2.8 T* and Sonnar 90/2.8 T* for example - these would be my recommendations - can be had for less than 300€ resp. 200€ and are as good as other lenses for more than 600€
Planar 45/2 T* has also a very good IQ but I didn't like the focal length on NEX.

If you wan't something really outstanding good look for Zeiss ZM 25/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/2.8, 35/2, 50/2... they are as compact as they could be and have outstanding IQ, haptics and so on but they cost at least 500€ used.

[Aanything]

I like the 1.9/85 super takumar, it's the one I kept among the ones I have had.
But I see it going for quite high prices recently.
The Jupiter 9 is a good option for its price IMHO.

[frenched]

[DanielT74]

Like ForenSeil said Summicron-C 40/2 or the identical Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2 are good lenses that are very small and very affordable (under $400?). That will give you the field of view equivalent to 80mm on your MFT camera.

But Panaleica lenses are meant to be very good, like the 24/1.4, right? That will give an excellent normal lens.

[Pancolart]

[DanielT74]

If 90mm field of view is not too telephoto for you, a lens that cannot be beaten is Contax G 45/2 which needs a good adapter like Metabones one. This lens has been voted the sharpest ever made and is an absolute beauty. It is also well build and small though of course the focusing ring will be on the adapter which is not perfect.

[std]

For Pen it is nice if you can use RF lenses - they are nice small and lightweight. The adapters are also short which is a big plus.

From the ones i have i can recommend you the following:

- Pentax 2.8/70mm for Pentax A110 - this is a pretty small and not so expensive. I got mine for 42 GBP together with a 24mm and a camera body 2 months ago. The drawback is the constant aperture of f2.8 but even at wide open it's quite nice and sharp with a slightly swirly bokeh.

- Carl Zeiss 2.8/90 Sonnar in Contax G mount - this is outstanding lens which is also not so expensive but as Daniel says requre a special adapter. It's comparable with the latest Zeiss lenses which are lot more expensive. I find it better than Minolta MC Rokkor 1.7/85 i had some time ago.

Also you may want to look at 4/90mm Leica which ForenSeil suggests and i guess there was a Voigtlander 3.5/90 in M mount. I have also tried the Jupiter 2/85 but it's not that good as the 2 above - it suffers from a lot of flare and it's quite soft wide open.

Good luck and hope you will find a nice lens for your Pen.

[goamules]

To put on a small PEN camera, I would also consider weight. Some of the Canon long lenses are good, like the 85/2, or very good like the 135/3.5. But they are heavy brass. The Jupiter 9 I've discovered recently, and is a fantastic, lightweight sonnar. Any rumored softness wide open is gone by F4.

If you are going to shoot wildlife or sports or other things that need a lot of zoom, I'd get the Canon 135/3.5. It is the sharpest long lens I've ever shot, and puts Elmar 90s to shame. They are not expensive.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I'd suggest looking for early 1950s copies with the red 'P' symbol of the Russian Jupiter-8 2/50, Jupiter-9 2/85 and Jupiter-11 4/135. They are copies of the Zeiss Sonnars and if in good condition, can be superb. You tell the year from the serial number, 58xxxxx would be a 1958 lens for example. Early ones are generally better and poor copies scarce once you get into the mid 60s, the quality becomes variable.