I currently have a Konica 50mm F2. How good or bad is it compaired with a current Leica 50mm Cron. Can I make do with it or should I consider the Leica. And just to make things complicated do I need to consider the F1.5 from Cosina ooops Voigtlander as well since it costs even less? I also have a Tri-Elmar 49mm but at F4 it's a bit slow in some situations. Would appreciate your advice. Finally should it be chrome or black.

Thanks in advance.

-- Arthur Yue (yueart@ctimail.com), September 24, 2001

Answers

Arthur,

In my opinion, The Konica is a fine lens indeed. It matches up to the leica in terms of built and optics. However, I find the colour of the summicron totally blows the Konica away. In B/W, I'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

-- Joel (joel_low12@yahoo.co.uk), September 24, 2001.

Traded the Konica for the Leica 50 just for the filter size compatibility with my 35mm Leica.

The Konica 50mm f2.0 is just as good a lens as the Leica 50 for my uses. Konica has in the past, and currently, makes excellent lenses.

-- David S Smith (dssmith3@rmci.net), September 24, 2001.

I'm imagining you bought a Hexar RF Kit and a Tri-Elmar. I would see no reason to waste money selling/trading the Konica 50 on a Leica 50. You will probably use the Tri-Elmar most of the time. According to the test results at www.photodo.com the 50 Konica is in the same league with the Summicron and shots I've seen with both lenses at my local camera store confirm this. Certainly there's nothing about the Summicron other than the nameplate that makes it cost 3x as much.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), September 24, 2001.