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Which SINGLE fixed/ prime lens would you take on a family vacation


A miller

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If you could bring only one focal length lens on a family vacation overseas, which would it be and why? Please assume that the vacation will be to a place that unites family members and is also quite scenic, neither being a primary subject. Please assume that here will be occasions for only portraits, only scenic pics and some combo thereof. Many thanks for your thoughts, which no doubt will help me on my upcoming trip!

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My recommendation:

35mm 2.0 or 2.8 is fine and is regraded as a standard lens especially if you want to include several persons in one shot.

35mm also makes for great portraits even up close. Also good dof, close will be slim dof and at a distance there is plenty of dof, makes for fast focusing.

50mm is a little too tight often for several people captures and dof starts to get slim even at distance.

21mm is nice for surroundings and wide views and dramatic close ups and deep dof not great for portraits corners often strange, difficult to keep verticals straight etc.

24mm still very wide, things in corners often look strange.

28mm is for groups starting to be ok for portraits a great alternative to 35mm

 

I shoot the 28mm 2.8 Elmarith Asph on M8u for something like this...

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I understand limiting yourself to one camera.But why would you want to limit yourself to one lens?

Leica lenses are so small and light that weight or size should not be an issue.

 

 

Taking a classic 35/90 or 28/50 dual lens setup for the vacation is what I would prefer.

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I understand limiting yourself to one camera.But why would you want to limit yourself to one ?

 

 

Thanks to all who have responded so far. The insights shared are very interesting and helpful.

 

As to the question above, it is true that the leica lenses are very compact and portable. Under the right conditions, one certainly need not be limited to a single lens. But the lenses that I have are all very expensive and I will be in and out of cabs and buses, doing a fair amount of outdoor trekking and living out of a suitcase for three weeks and I feel that the more lenses I bring the greater the risk of one of them getting damaged, lost or stolen.

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I almost always bring most of my lenses when traveling, I agree that is the whole point of Leica-M lenses, compact and optimal quality in union.

 

Why have nice lenses if you don't use them...

 

They are very tough, almost not possible to break not even heavy Pro use over decades...

 

But I also understand the 'keep it simple approach' hence the one lens do all is quite obvious...

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I f I could only take a SINGLE lens on a family holiday it would without doubt be a 35. Ideally a fast and versatile lens such as a 1.4/35 Summilux FLE. If I didn't need the speed then the 2.5/35 Summarit as it's so small.

 

I note your comments regarding travel with expensive lenses where you may not be able to look after them as well as you would like, especially when trekking. Even if insured replacing such lenses (except for the Summarits) can be difficult.

 

I have a kit comprising smaller and cheaper Zeiss and CV (some bought second hand) which combined cost less than one of my more expensive Leica lenses. These I'm happy to take anywhere. The 35 Summarit is also readily replaceable. They still all produce excellent results.

 

Personally, for such a trip I'd take the 1.4/50 Summulux FLE and 2.0/28 Summicron ASPH (and the D-Lux 4). If worried about the lenses where I was traveling then the 1.5/50 ZM C-Sonnar and 2.8/28 ZM Biogon.

 

Another option would be that if you want only one fast 35 for the trip then a 1.4/35 Nokton is less than $700 new, or a 1.4/40 Nokton less than $500 new - and leave your worries at home :).

Edited by MarkP
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I f I could only take a SINGLE lens on a family holiday it would without doubt be a 35.

 

I note your comments regarding travel with expensive lenses where you may not be able to look after them as well as you would like, especially when trekking.

 

Another option would be that if you want only one fast 35 for the trip then a 1.4/35 Nokton is less than $700 new and leave your worries at home :).

+1 ;) (with apologies to MarkP for the "cut & paste")

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Thanks to all who have responded so far. The insights shared are very interesting and helpful.

 

As to the question above, it is true that the leica lenses are very compact and portable. Under the right conditions, one certainly need not be limited to a single lens. But the lenses that I have are all very expensive and I will be in and out of cabs and buses, doing a fair amount of outdoor trekking and living out of a suitcase for three weeks and I feel that the more lenses I bring the greater the risk of one of them getting damaged, lost or stolen.

A good reason for an insurance.

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If I were restricted to only one lens, I would take my Summicron 28 ASPH.

 

Why?

(in no particular order)

 

f/2 is fairly fast for all but nighttime shooting

The 28 Summicron ASPH is spectacularly sharp and contrasty

28mm is the optimal focal length for wide angle shooting without the close range distortion of a 24mm or 21mm

28 mm is a great focal length for reportage, street and travel photography

The 28mm Summicron is a very small and light optic

The 28mm Summicron comes equipped with a great lens hood (not too short as the attached M lens hoods tend to be)

The 28mm focal length gives you good depth of field at middle apertures

At f/2, the 28mm Summicron will give you shallow depth of focus when your main subject is at close distances

The bokeh is pleasing, which is not always the case with ASPH optics

With a 0.72 viewfinder M body, no shoe mount finder is needed

The 28mm angle of view lets you get quite close to your subject while still giving you a generous amount of background

With a 46mm filter size, (most) filters are priced within reason (even B+W and Heliopan)

The Summicron 28mm ASPH delivers outstanding results on both B&W and E-6 emulsions (and would do likewise with digital)

 

I have used the 28mm Summicron ASPH extensively. It has become the one lens I will not leave home without.

Edited by Messsucherkamera
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