Leica Compact pancake lens with no (or minimal) color shift?

[carlb]

I'm looking for a pancake m-mount lens for travel. The idea is to keep the M ready to shoot at all times, with as small a footprint as possible. I'll take larger lenses too, for photo-specific outings.

The problem as I see it: the wider pancakes will have considerable color shift. So how do the 40mm pancake m-mount lenses fair for color shift?

 

[rbelyell]

for years i used the nikkor 35/2.5. it was the smallest lens ive ever used. it was also one of the sharpest, and had lovely color. i shot it on a variety of cameras, including the gxr. i never shot it on any leica, so i cant vouch for that combination. but really, this is a stellar, tiny lens, not very expensive and can be a real workhorse.

if you need wider, i also really liked the thinble sized canon 28/3.5. not as sharp as the nikon (but then very few are), but lovely color.

right now i have the 21/2.8 mandler designed elmarit glued to my rd1. it is not a 'pancake', but is really tiny for a fastish 21. and really, this is the most lovely 21 ive ever used, including a few zeiss versions. color is just phenominal. i have never seen color shift on any of these lenses. again, that is not with leica cameras, but with several others.

 

[carlb]

Thanks Tony. Those do sound like excellent choices. The RD1 has an APS-C sensor, so maybe less color shift noticeable than a FF sensor?

 

[carlb]

For me, the smallest height with lens cap, from the front of the camera, is most important ...

Sounds like the 40mm are a bit of an odd-duck on the M9, due to the framelines not matching up. Darn. So guessing 35mm M mounts?

 

[rbelyell]

honestly, ive not heard about color shift on the m9 with any of the lenses i mentioned. maybe if you posted my suggestions on rangefinder forum and ask about CS with them on an m9 you get more direct experience replies. truth is theyre all pretty easy to sell if they present a problem. that nikkor really is killer, esp for the price i dont think you could do better, and that includes the 40 cron, which i also had for a long time.

 

[Brian]

Nikkor 3.5cm F2.5, wide-open.

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Udvar Hazy Air and Space by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

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Udvar Hazy Air and Space by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

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Udvar Hazy Air and Space by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

This lens is the same optical formula as the Summaron, higher contrast.

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nikkor_35_f25 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[rbelyell]

thats interesting as to my fully uneducated eye the nikkor i had rendered nothing like the summaron. maybe it was just it was much higher contrast, but i thought it was much sharper across all apertures as well. colors were different too, as i recall the nikkor rendering a tad cool, and the summaron rendering the traditional leica warm.

in all my years of buying and selling gear, i only regretted selling two items: my original x100, which i subsequently repurchased, and this nikkor. unfortunately as i presently shoot apsc, this amazing 35 turns into my least favorite fl, 50, so i won't be buying it back. if i ever go full frame its first on my list!