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Focal lengths to accompany a 50mm


grievor

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I just recently purchased a chrome brass 50mm summicron v5 to use on my m9.

 

This being my first leica lens, I was blown away by its built quality, its design and overall image sharpness and quality. It is really the best feeling Lens I have owned so far..

 

Now I'm considering another lens to accompany it...however I have some difficulty deciding between a 28,24 or 21mm focal length.

 

I'm mainly a street shooter with the occasional landscape and architecture.

 

Any suggestions which lens to go for to compliment the 50? Probably either Zeiss or leica..

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Since you already favor a non-35 lens, a 28 would be the most logical choice. A cron 28 or elmarit 28 would be a nice street shooting lens since it has the least perspective distortion compared to the other two FLs and you don't need an external VF.

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Why do you want others to tell you what to use, how to see? It's a creative and completely personal choice IMHO.

 

Another point, if you don't know what you need, you probably don't need it at all!

 

Stick with your 50 for now.

 

If you take offence at this then my final advice, buy them all!

Edited by earleygallery
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Yup I understand what you mean.. I'm just getting people's opinion on what they think. Doesn't mean I have to take their word for it or even buy anything at all.. Haha I know what I want but a second opinion wouldn't hurt either.

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I do feel both the 24/25 and 21 have more emphasis on the landscape and architecture side than people, while 28 would be great in either environmental portraiture or indoor shot. So unless you want a lens to give you a more landscape/architecture oriented side, 28 would be a better lens. Since I mainly shoot landscape, 21 and 15 has been my mainstay focal length. I dabble a bit with the Elmar 24, but I just don't like its signature.

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I'd probably go for 35mm, but that's just me.

 

If you want to explore wide I'd be seriously tempted by the 24 Elmarit, why ? Well it's a stellar lens, work superbly on the M9  and is surprisingly good value secondhand at the moment. It's about as wide as you can go without needing to think wide and considering getting close or low to add more interest and it's not too slow (I would love to avoid anything slower than 2.8)

 

Also the 24 has much less of the sucked out perspective seen from 21 down. Putts described this as a landmark lens, plus it's small enough to be an everyday lens.

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Framing is a hassle with the rangefinder and 28mm/24mm/21mm lenses, so a 35 and 50 it is (for me).

Optimally, I would love to use a 24 in combination with the 50. But external viewfinders or the need to have to use the EVF to be able to frame comfortably is a no-no for me. And the rangefinder with 0.68 magnification and 28mm framelines is impossible to use as I use glasses.

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My first Leica lens was a 90 TE in 1968 when I bought my new M4. I added a 50 Summicron some months later, followed by a 35 Summicron. These were my M lenses for decades. The 90 forced me to emphasize the subject, where my natural tendency is to stand back and include too much "context" in a shot. Using only the 90 for a while improved my pictures with the 50. I found the 35 wide enough for my tastes. The 50 was my main lens on film. The 35-50-90 was a favored combination by many before digital.

With the M9 I use a 35 a lot more. I've had a 21 (CV) for quite a while now, but I do better with a 35. 

Edited by TomB_tx
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