Building on the earlier suggestion, skip the DR unless you enjoy unnecessary stress. If you want that classic look for your M10 without the mechanical risk, just grab the Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 V4.

• It is way more reliable on digital sensors.
• Focus shift is a non-issue compared to older glass. Honestly, the V4 is the sweet spot for portraits. Its rendering is legendary and you wont have to deal with those clunky goggles blocking your view or potentially damaging your mount. Just find a clean V4 and start shooting your kids, dont overthink the gear part...

Honestly everyone is obsessed with the DR but it's just hype at this point. The goggles are a headache you dont need on a digital body, and everyone acts like it has some magical secret sauce that other lenses lack. It really doesnt. If you want that classic look for your kids, just grab a Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 V4. It is way more practical for street stuff.

• It is much lighter than the DR.
• No stupid goggles to snag on your bag.
• The rendering is beautiful, honestly better for portraits. If you really wanna save some cash and get that dreamy vibe, look at the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical. People love to trash non-Leica glass because of the brand name, but the performance is legit. Save the extra money for a CLA or just buy more film if you ever get an analog body...

I am no expert but I just finished this exact research last week. I decided against the DR because the goggles are finicky and can interfere with the M10's rangefinder calibration if they are not perfectly aligned. It feels like an unnecessary hurdle for a first lens. Here is what I found for your $1,500 budget:

• Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 V4 is the better choice. It is compact, sharp, and has the 'glow' you want without mechanical headaches. You can find nice copies for around $1,300 to $1,500.
• Leica Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8 is a great alternative if you want something even smaller. It is very sharp at f/5.6 and perfect for street photography. Go with the V4. It is much easier to use on a digital body and avoids the 'goggle' issues entirely.

> Skip the DR unless you enjoy unnecessary stress. Exactly. I saved a ton by avoiding the DR and hunting for a used Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 V4. A dealer wanted $400 for a simple CLA on a lens I was eyeing, but I did it myself for $80 in parts. The V4 renders beautifully for portraits and costs way less per year of ownership than dealing with expensive repairs on 'goggled' glass.

Exactly what I was thinking

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To add to the point above: avoid the DR Summicron. The optical block protrudes and can damage the shutter curtains or sensor housing on the M10. Stick to these instead:

• Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 V4: Best balance of classic character and modern handling.
• Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZM: Sharper than the V4 with higher contrast. You will spend about $1,200-$1,500 for a clean copy. Don't risk your digital body with the goggles.

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Listen, people are out here debating glass like they are building a transmission from scratch. Look, before you go dropping fifteen hundred bucks, I need to know something. Are you actually gonna commit to manual focusing this thing perfectly every time, or are you just chasing a vibe? Most guys I see buy these old lenses and then complain when their shots of the kids are soft because they didnt calibrate their rangefinder. Stop worrying about the goggles for a second. The real danger is buying some beat-up lens that has been dropped. You need to check for haze and internal fungus before you even think about putting it on that M10 mount. If the glass has been opened by some amateur, the tolerances are gonna be absolute trash. Are you planning on having a pro verify the focus calibration first?