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Which M lenses do you own?


ducstar

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18mm SEM – I love this lens for what it can do when called upon indoors or out

 

35mm Summicron – first lens I owned and it stayed on the camera for almost two years – great general purpose travel lens, but now use less often

 

50mm Noctilux 0.95 – converted me to the 50mm view, remains on the camera most days – love it wide open, love it stopped down, am never uninterested in the results

 

75mm Summicron – use least often but only because I do portraits infrequently, something this lens does very well – should probably sell it

 

280mm Telyt-R 280mm f/4 – legendary for a reason but am still learning when and where it makes sense to use

 

I've promised myself that I'm done spending money on glass but if a flawless example of the 180mm f/2 turned up I'd be sorely tempted...

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I'm going to assume the question limits to native M-mount lenses, not adapted LTM.  That will help make me appear less of a hoarder :)

 

21/4 CV

21/2.8 Pre-ASPH

28/2.8 v.4

35/2 v.3

35/2/v.4

50/2 11819

50/1.4 v.2

90/2.8 thin T-E

90/2.8 fat T-E

90/2 pre-ASPH

135/4 Elmar

135/4 T-E

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Hey Charlie, that's very funny :)

My current lineup is in my signature. I also used to own the 18 distagon but I'm not much into extreme FL so I sold it. I also sold the 35 biogon to make space for the c biogon and distagon but I kind of regret it now as it is the perfect companion to the 50 planar. In fact I could easily do all of my photography with just the biogon + planar.

Ahh looks like I missed the Sonnar! I'm surprised you sold the biogon, but easy enough to grab another if you miss it :)

 

I have too many lenses, but it keeps me busy ;

 

I agree with you and David about the superb and now discontinued ZM 18. Very modern lens.

Edited by uhoh7
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21 SEM

28 Cron ASPH

50 Lux

90 AA

 

Will probably pick up a 35mm somewhere down the track but the above does me very nicely.

The 28/50 combo is my favourite. The 21/90 double up on mirrorless/tripod duty.

 

I particularly love the little 'pint-pot' 50 Lux, what a cracker that is, spares me wondering about Noctiluxes and APOs.

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I currently use / own 18mm SEM, 35mm lux FLE, 50mm lux FLE, 50mm DR and the 90mm Macro.  I'm thinking about adding another 35mm, the summicron IV possibly.  I normally go out with a MM and a MP and like having the same FL on both bodies.  Out of the 5 lenses, the 90 gets used the least and I've been considering selling it for several months.

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>>Out of the 5 lenses, the 90 gets used the least and I've been considering selling it for several months.<<

 

I have been doing the same. I rarely use the 90.... I have a 50 APO and keep thinking about a 50 Lux or Nocti.

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As of yesterday, I doubled my inventory by adding a 35 Summilux to the 50 APO. I intend to show restraint and not buckle to the lens equivalent of Moore's law. Such intent has failed miserably with other systems, so I don't hold a lot of hope.

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After I purchased and sold almost all Leica lenses, I kept:

 

28 Elmarit asph

35 Summarit (2.5)

50 Summarit (2.5)

50 Summilux Asph

90 Elmarit - M (last version, with telescopic hood)

 

My standard kit is 28 - 50 - 90

 

Franco

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I have sold my Leica lens collection to pay for my daughter's USA university and was left with some "unwanted " lenses:

 

Leica:

50/1.4 from the MP3 (6 bit coded and ucollectable )

90/2.5

28/2.8 Asph.

24/1.4

 

Konica:

21-35 Dual

50/1.2 Limited

35/2 UC Hexanon ltm

50/2.4 ltm

 

ZM:

50/1.5 Sonnar

Rollei :

40/2.8 Sonnar

80/2.8 Planar

 

Will be buying the Zeiss 35/1.4 soon.

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Voightlander 15mm III

21mm SEM

ZM 25mm f2.8

35mm f1.4 FLE

ZM 35mm f1.4

50mm f0.95 Noctilux

50mm f1.4 Summilux Asph

50mm f2 Apo Summicron

ZM 50mm f1.5 Sonnar

75mm f2 Summicron

 

...considering the new 28mm f1.4 but I love what the ZM 25mm can do & I tend to stop down to f5.6 - 8.  Will hold off from a 90mm until a 90mm f2 FLE eventually appears.  Use my 75mm AA for 'head shots' & some macro work with the Leica adaptor.  Thought about 135mm but I like using the RF view & not the EVF - shoot my 15mm, 21mm & 25mm lenses without using it.

 

All of the above get used & I only take a maximum of 2 lenses out.  My favourite of all is the ZM 35mm f1.4 as this produces images that are 'just right' & rarely needs post processing.

 

 

Other than Leica I use a D800, especially if fast moving subjects (like this mornings school sports day for my little girl) or any telephoto stuff.

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21 Summilux Asph

28 Summicron Asph

35 Summicron v1 (8 element) - mostly used with M246

35 Summicron v4 - probably will sell

35 Summilux FLE

50 Summicron v2 (Rigid) - mostly used with M246, love this lens 

50 Summicron Apo

90 Macro Elmar

135 Apo Telyt 

 

normally travel in 2-lens combinations, max 3

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I am fortunate (or rather unfortunate :D ) to pass the phase of hoarding gear when I get into the M system. I have tried a good amount of M lenses before settling down with this line-up.

 

ZM 15/2.8 - Yes, this is one big and heavy lens (but beautifully sculpted lens) for the M system but it will be the last M-mount lens I would part. Currently, this is my most used lens.

 

Cron 28 - A fine lens and I like its WO rendition, but stopping down, it can't compare to either the ZM or the 50 AA I have. 

 

Cron 50 AA - I rather enjoy shooting with this lens. This would accompany the 15 as my minimal 2-lens hiking kit.

 

M gear that I have tried but not jived too well with my style:

 

CV 15 II - not as sharp as the ZM at f/8 for across the frame performance, never touch the ZM at the center.

 

Contax G 21 Hawk's conversion - it has beautiful rendition (quite gentle compared to the modern Zeiss/Leica), almost no optical distortion (but quite noticeable perspective distortion as a result). Doesn't work too well with digital sensor.

 

Elmar 24 - sharpest wide I have shot with on any system. Sold because I don't get any excitement shooting with the lens :(

 

CV 35/1.2 both versions - large and heavy, but poorly constructed IMO. The rendition is okay, certainly smooth bokeh. Not to my taste.

 

CV 35/1.4 and 40/1.4 MC - I don't like anything about these two. Too small...

 

Lux 50 ASPH - Very nice lens, love almost everything about it, but it could not serve as my only 50 due to field curvature.

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Too many

 

28 elmarit - bought when I had an m8 but not really used since

35 cron pre asph - very small, light and the best lens for walking around a town

50 cron collapsible - bought in case I ever buy a chrome film body...

50 cron pre asph - best lens I own

50 nokton - not sure about this one yet

90 cron - great lens, heavy

90 tele elmarit - great for travel

135 elmar - old, not very good, not really been used

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