philmcm Posted January 27, 2016 Share #1 Posted January 27, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Long time lurker, first time poster here so please go easy! I'm in the fortunate position of owning an R6.2 and an R9, both of which I love for various different reasons, most of which have already been expressed by people far more eloquent than I on these very pages. I tend to use one for colour and one for black and white film. My main interest is in photographing buildings and architecture, from details in city streets to ramshackle barns in the middle of nowhere. The combined weight is obviously not insignificant and I'd quite like to take two cameras and one lens on my next trip, but I can't decide which lens; or if I perhaps am missing out on that one great general purpose bit of R glass that I'd never thought of buying (or couldn't afford, which is more likely to be the case). So my question is this really: which ONE lens would you recommend given the cameras I have and the kind of thing I enjoy taking photographs of? I need something which will really stand out, no matter what challenge I throw at it. I should perhaps add that my own personal favourite at the moment is my well-worn Macro-Elmarit-R 60/2.8 Is there something even better out there though? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 27, 2016 Posted January 27, 2016 Hi philmcm, Take a look here Just one lens... which though?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
sc_rufctr Posted January 28, 2016 Share #2 Posted January 28, 2016 Summicron R 50mm for the 6.2 and the R9. (if you can stretch it Summilux R 35mm as a second lens) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted January 28, 2016 Share #3 Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) "... from details in city streets to ramshackle barns in the middle of nowhere." Well, you can walk in and out with a middle range fixed focal length, but that is often not feasible, and won't necessarily give you the best foreground/background perspective relationship. It sounds to me as if you need a zoom (though I hope my earlier caveat makes clear, as I'm sure you agree, that I don't think it should be used simply as a pair of "lazy legs"). I think therefore that your best solution would be the rather expensive 28-90. (I fear that it is expensive though; Red Dot has one for £4k.) It's my travel lens of choice. Edited January 28, 2016 by masjah 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 28, 2016 Share #4 Posted January 28, 2016 I agree with John about a zoom but for your purposes I'd probably choose the 21-35, if it really had to be just one lens. As you have two cameras though I think you should have a lens on each which you can quickly swap over when you need to. Instead of the expensive 28-90 you could add a 35-70, or a nice prime like the 50 Summicron. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philmcm Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share #5 Posted January 28, 2016 That's useful stuff - thanks and keep 'em coming! I rather feared someone would suggest the 28-90. Sadly a bit beyond my budget right now or for the foreseeable future, but it's good to have dreams. I do have a Vario Elmar 35-70 but to be perfectly honest haven't been entirely thrilled with the results - prints don't jump out at me in quite the same way as anything taken with the macro 60, which is just a truly extraordinary bit of glass to my mind. Anyway, like I say, thanks for your time and for taking the trouble to respond; it really is much appreciated. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted January 28, 2016 Share #6 Posted January 28, 2016 For architecture and street photography please consider the 21-35mm R - it's an under-rated lens and very capable. I have a 21-35mm R which is the most used lens on my R9/DMR; also have a 28-90mm R but it stays at home as is not wide enough on the DMR's cropped sensor for general photography. A secondhand triple cam Mk I 50/2 Summicron R does not weigh much, is pocketable, and can bought for £$€ reasonable if you need a faster lens. But your 60mm Macro Elmarit will probably produce better results than a 50/2 Summicron within its slower aperture range. Another possible option is the 35-70 f4 Vario Elmar which although slower than the 35-70/3.5 R, allegedly produces better images and has a reasonable macro performance - but I've not tried the two 35-70 R lenses myself. dunk 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 28, 2016 Share #7 Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) I do have a Vario Elmar 35-70 but to be perfectly honest haven't been entirely thrilled with the results - prints don't jump out at me in quite the same way as anything taken with the macro 60, which is just a truly extraordinary bit of glass to my mind. I have a 35 Summicron R, a late example of the first version. It's a super lens IMHO but I did waver at one point and thought of swapping for the 35-70 f4 which was said to be even better (at 35mm) and for the convenience. I'm had the chance to shoot a few photos with a 35-70 along with my Summicron and decided to stick with the Summicron, as it just gave nicer results. It might not work for you as an only lens but maybe think about swapping for your zoom for one (for the record I also compared the Summicron with a 21-35 at 35 and the prime was still better for edge sharpness but the 21-35 would be ideal for your purposes I think). Edited January 28, 2016 by earleygallery Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted January 28, 2016 Share #8 Posted January 28, 2016 If funds would run to it, you could follow James' and Dunk's suggestion of a 21-35 (one of which I also have and it performs very well indeed) and also buy one of the older 90s (By which I mean not the 90/2 apo asph). These together would cost not much more than half the price of the 28-90, and you'd be really well set up, with 21-35, your current 60 and a 90. With two bodies, three lenses would be OK. Even for architecture, a 90 is so useful; I find it concentrates the mind wonderfully on essentials! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted January 28, 2016 Share #9 Posted January 28, 2016 If funds would run to it, you could follow James' and Dunk's suggestion of a 21-35 (one of which I also have and it performs very well indeed) and also buy one of the older 90s (By which I mean not the 90/2 apo asph). These together would cost not much more than half the price of the 28-90, and you'd be really well set up, with 21-35, your current 60 and a 90. With two bodies, three lenses would be OK. Even for architecture, a 90 is so useful; I find it concentrates the mind wonderfully on essentials! Yes, an early 90/2.8 Elmarit R is a super performer and was one of the two R lenses I first acquired in 1988. I was amazed at the image clarity obtained with the 90mm R compared to that from my Canon FD 35-105/3.5 - even though the Canon is a super optic. dunk 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreasAM Posted January 28, 2016 Share #10 Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) I have two R-camera's, the R6.2 and R7, still going strong after 25 years or so. On my film days (reintroducing them at the moment, by the way) I use the Summilux-R 35 mm. and the Summilux 80 mm. together. When you stop down the lenses. beginning at f2.8/f4 they are very sharp, when used wide open they are sharp in the middle of the frame with beautiful rendering in the fall-off. For architecture in urban spaces and moderate landscape the Lux 35 mm. is great. For sharpness with architectural details the Lux 80 mm. stopped down to f4/f5,6 can't be beat. Perhaps only by the APO Macro-Elmarit 100mm./2.8 mm. But this lens has a very long throw and is longer (with filter E60) so I only use it for macro these days. With the Lux 80mm. in this combo you get the best portrait lens for free. These lenses have both filter size E67, this is also practical. When this Lux-combo is not mobile enough (they each weigh over 700 gr.), or the streets get more cramped, I take it down a notch, by using a Elmarit 28 mm./f2.8 version II and the Summicron 50mm./f2 vers. II. Together they are lightweight (for R-lenses that is) and a great combo to roam the streets in the city, with build-in hoods and they have also the same filter size E55. I think this combination is also more affordable and available nowadays. Both combo's can be used on 1 camera of course when travelling. To choose one lens; I would choose the, do it all, Summilux 35 mm. Great in low light also. Edited January 28, 2016 by AndreasAM 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a911s Posted January 28, 2016 Share #11 Posted January 28, 2016 I would go two lenses on two bodies for travel - for quick shooting and back-up: 35mm Summicron II and 60mm Macro Elamarit Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philmcm Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share #12 Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) I love this place. What great advice! Thank you all for your contributions and I'm happy to have hopefully helped make for an interesting debate. A couple of really good points have jumped out at me: firstly the sound advice regarding investing in a (hopefully affordable...) 21-35 which I think Earleygallery was the first to mention, although dkCambidgeshire's excellent post helped make my mind up. Combining the 21-35 with my existing 35-70 would certainly make an enormous amount of sense, not sure why I'd never thought of that before really. Secondly I'm definitely going to hunt down an early 90/2.8 Elmarit R. And probably a 35mm as well. As a911s says, two lenses for quick shooting and backup do really make a lot more sense than trying to manage just one. I did suspect at the outset that there was one stellar lens I was missing out on rather than juggling the ones I have already (a Summicron-R 50mm f/2, an Elmarit-R 28mm f/2.8, a Vario Elmar-R 35-70 f/3.5 and the aforementioned Macro Elmarit-R 60 f/2.8) and it sounds to me like the 21-35 will complement those just perfectly. Thanks so much! Edited January 29, 2016 by philmcm Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted January 29, 2016 Share #13 Posted January 29, 2016 Good hunting! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 29, 2016 Share #14 Posted January 29, 2016 Lol 'just one lens' has resulted in sending you off to look for 3! That's the way it goes 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted January 29, 2016 Share #15 Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) Lol 'just one lens' has resulted in sending you off to look for 3! With only three lenses being recommended, everyone's GAS must be taking a holiday. Edited January 29, 2016 by Carlos Danger Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manolo Laguillo Posted January 29, 2016 Share #16 Posted January 29, 2016 You are interested in architecture... The 2.8 / 28 PC Super-Angulon-R is a gem. I have one, it works perfectly on my M246. You don't need to use it shifted every time, but if you have to shift, the possibility is there. A tripod is not strictly necessary, IMO. Very often I shoot with it handheld. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenw0lf Posted January 29, 2016 Share #17 Posted January 29, 2016 Long time lurker, first time poster here so please go easy! I'm in the fortunate position of owning an R6.2 and an R9, both of which I love for various different reasons, most of which have already been expressed by people far more eloquent than I on these very pages. I tend to use one for colour and one for black and white film. My main interest is in photographing buildings and architecture, from details in city streets to ramshackle barns in the middle of nowhere. The combined weight is obviously not insignificant and I'd quite like to take two cameras and one lens on my next trip, but I can't decide which lens; or if I perhaps am missing out on that one great general purpose bit of R glass that I'd never thought of buying (or couldn't afford, which is more likely to be the case). So my question is this really: which ONE lens would you recommend given the cameras I have and the kind of thing I enjoy taking photographs of? I need something which will really stand out, no matter what challenge I throw at it. I should perhaps add that my own personal favourite at the moment is my well-worn Macro-Elmarit-R 60/2.8 Is there something even better out there though? Hi, I'm also quite new (a new SL owner). and so also have to decide which lens. But I have R lenses since the 80s. So I know there is no 'better' or 'best', it all depends. My standard-lens is currently the R Summicron 50mm, as it is bright, cheap but very high quality, can be used for macro (even with the macro extender of the 60mm). But the 60mm is also a very good choice. The 50 cron is maybe a little "smoother" (depends on the lens, but my 60 is slower focusing than the cron, which maybe also depends on my fingers). I like all the R crons, but as a second lens I like the 90mm or even the old 135mm 2.8 or the small 180mm 4.0 which is also handy. A third lens could be the Summicron 35mm or Elmarit 28mm or even 24mm this depends on your taste (on the SL the third could be the WATE). Enjoy the choice. Stephan Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 1, 2016 Share #18 Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) If you have experience with a few different focal lengths, and take only one into the field it will often be the wrong one. Why? because you spoil the real scene with imagined alternates. It is all in your head. I lived for many years with a 50mm Summicron. Forty years later my favorite is a 35mm which I now consider the very best compromise. Everything of importance in human enterprise is about compromise. Choose one and be happy, Edited February 1, 2016 by pico 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted February 1, 2016 Share #19 Posted February 1, 2016 If you have experience with a few different focal lengths, and take only one into the field it will often be the wrong one. Why? because you spoil the real scene with imagined alternates. It is all in your head. I lived for many years with a 50mm Summicron. Forty years later my favorite is a 35mm which I now consider the very best compromise. Everything of importance in human enterprise is about compromise. Choose one and be happy, Years ago, a zoom lens was a 'compromise' - but nowadays a good modern zoom can out-perform a prime - within its aperture range. dunk Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
finarphin Posted February 2, 2016 Share #20 Posted February 2, 2016 ... buy one of the older 90s (By which I mean not the 90/2 apo asph). I would be careful here: there are two of these. The older one is a double-gaussian lens, and, in my opinion, has an old-fashioned Leica look to its results. The newer one (not the asph) is a modified triplet. Its results look different. It's not a question of sharpness, it's something else. If I had my choice, and funds were no object, I would go with an 80mm Summilux. Never used one, though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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