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Thanks!


jeffery_pool

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Just wanted to say thanks to the members of the Leica forum who helped me find

a dealer for used Leica's. I ended up purchasing a 1996 Black M6 classic for

$950usd from Ken Hansen. I might as well add in this same thread that Ken is a

great seller, I caught him right before he left for vacation and he took the

time to talk to me over the phone and get my order sorted.

 

Now all I need is a cheap (the C word!) 50mm lens to tide me over until I can

afford a Summilux 50mm!

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The 40mm Summicron C is the same lens or very simialar. Probably priced a tad

higher. Either lens will bring up the 50mm framelines in your M6. The real angle of

view of the 40 is closer to the 35mm frameline. It's useable

though, and

with a Leica M you don't see the exact coverage of the lens in the viewfinder anyway.

Use

your frame preview lever to see where the 35 frameline is if the 40mm is on the

camera.

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hey, Jeffery - Other options include the Canon 50mm. Some say pretty sweet. http://www.dantestella.com/technical/canoleic.html

 

Over the past 10 years I've owned five 50crons and three 50Luxes.

 

Its difficult to be patient when one owns a body and no lens! Fortunately its not difficult to find an affordable 50.

 

I'm a pretty happy camper today having acquired (for a small sum) a 50mm Summicron (latest) and a 50mm Summilux (latest pre-asph).

 

Both my new 50s have the extendable lens hoods which I really like. No more searching for the hood in my camera bag. What is a good or cheap depends on the quality of the gear and what the buyer is prepared to pay for it.

 

Research and figure out what you're prepared to pay for the model you want. In my case I was prepared to pay up to $600 on a mint 50mm Summicron latest. I checked the big auction site daily for item meeting my criteria. I picked it up for $550 BIN - a mint condition 50mm Cron, box, leather case, caps, the works. Considered one of the best standard lenses ever made - not a bad deal as far as I'm concerned.

 

The 50mm Summilux. Well I got that one here on Pnet. Late pre-asph model mint/mint, including a Heliopan UV SH-PMC filter. Paid $980 delivered. May not have been a killer deal but considering the lens was mint/mint I was a very happy camper.

 

Sometimes you'll get lucky and get better deals - however as a former professional buyer, I'm not against paying a little extra to get what I want.

 

Good luck - Paul

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Vinay- wow! You're right- those two DO look like Lugosi and Karloff! Handsome

devils!<p>

Jeffrey- sounds like you got a good camera, and Ken is a known great guy, so

congrats. Now, as for a lens, there are so many great 50's to choose from. Don't get

too hooked on the idea of a Summilux, though. To be sure, it's a great lens, but you

might be just as happy- or happier!- with something else, something cheaper or

smaller. I'd keep your eyes peeled for an older Summicron- there's a reason it has

such a great reputation. Raid recently did a very good <a href="http://

www.photo.net/photodb/

folder?folder_id=669440"" >test</a> of 16 different M and LTM 50mm lenses

which is definately worth looking at- it might even give you ideas about a sub $100

FSU lens to tide you over. Anyway, shoot with a few lenses if you can, and keep an

open mind. I would have saved myself a lot of money and time if I had let go of my

fixed ideas about what lenses I wanted before I shot with them. One was the

Summilux, which I wanted because of the speed. But once I had it, I found I prefered

the images (and the

handling!) from my old DR 'cron, and I sold the 'lux at a slight loss. For those times I

really need the speed (not as often as I imagined, nor as often as I needed it on my

SLR's), I

bought a Canon 50 1.2, which was much cheaper, a bit faster, and has such a lovely

look. The difference in price buys a lot of film, too. <p>I'm not knocking the

Summilux at all- it's a great lens. I just want to possibly save you wasting time and

money making the same pig-headed mistake I did- not that shooting with ANY Leica

lens is ever a mistake, but you know what I mean. Good luck!

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