Samyang

I believe this manufacturer to be underrated in the lens world. They produce manual lenses (but have started with AF lenses) and some of them, those that I have personally tried, are excellent performers. The only problem I have found is the longer lenses tend to be big and heavy which certainly is a drawback when going out for a full day of photography.

Samyang 12mm F2 NCS CS

This lens performs brilliantly, and because of that I've actually bought it for my m43 and Fuji systems. With focus peaking available on both systems it's quite easy to nail focus. Small, sharp and contrasty this lens should be considered if looking for a wide angle lens.

Present Price: €350 (price has increased since I bought it)

Samyang 50mm F1.2 AS UMC CS

I have so many 50mm lenses it's quite embarrassing at times but I like the focal length and am always on the lookout for that perfect lens. This one comes very close to perfection on my Fuji system. I have nothing to complain about this lens. I just love it. I might just pick up another for my m43 system.

Present Price: €300

Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC

I bought this for my Sony E-system because I didn't fancy paying the Sony asking price, or Zeiss for that matter. I'm serious when I say this is probably one of the sharpest lenses I have ever had, and it has character Is it big? Yes. Is it heavy? Yes but the results are worth carrying this around with me all day. I think the problem I have since switching to mirrorless systems is I've got used to the lighter weight. Now, when I use lenses like the Samyang 135 f2 I find it heavy. I can only recommend this lens because image quality is tremendous and if you're looking for a lens in this range, get it. You won't regret it.

Present Price: €500 - Price has increased drastically since I bought it.

Voigtländer

I don't own many of these but I do like the build quality. They are owned by Cosina and I believe the lenses are built by them too.

Voigtländer Color Heliar 75mm f/2.5

You can't buy this new on the market but they are available on ebay from time to time. It's by no means perfect but I like using it because of its small size and has a focal length that I like. It was replaced by the f1.8 version which is still available for around €600.

It was produced for different mounts and is priced accordingly. Be sure to check those out before buying and also ensure your adapter fits the mount.

Present Price on ebay: €200 - €500 approx.

Carl Zeiss

Zeiss produces some excellent glass for a few systems, unfortunately they come at a hefty price. There are some out there that aren't too expensive and produce some excellent images.

Carl Zeiss Planar T* 2/50 ZM

As you can see I got this (yes another 50mm) in Leica mount but use it using an adapter. It isn't large by any account but it is quite heavy. It's a beautiful lens and a pleasure to use. It brings most of it's life stuck to the front of one of my Fuji cameras. Results are stunning.

Price point: €750 - Price has increased since I bought it.

Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM

Another one of those classic Zeiss lenses. It's only an f4 lens but when I use this on my Sony A7r I can't think how results could get any better. It really is a joy to use and I sometimes wonder why I use anything else. It is a bit long and most users prefer the 35mm to 50mm range.

Very rare nowadays and I could only source 2 presently for re-sale. No new ones availble.

Present Price: €650 on ebay.

Leica

Leica Elmarit 90 f2.8