Your favorite Leica lens?

[Herr Barnack]

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Your favorite Leica lens?

 

It all depends on what subject matter I am shooting. 

 

Beyond that, I tend to use my 35/2 ASPH as my everyday carry and all-around lens.  If I am taking just one camera and one lens with me, it's going to be theM-P 240 with the  35'cron mounted on it.

[pico]

Regarding the Leica look, it  occurs in my opinion  when using an early soft  lens, usually 50mm with a large aperture with strong side-light. The film of the time was as responsible as the lens for the look. In my opinion, of course. Photographers in this group could post examples ... if by some miracle or good luck they have pictures  to evince the look.

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Edited June 18, 2016 by pico

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[BigBabyEarl]

The 35 Summlilux Aspherical really does have that special something to the point where I think it would be my only lens if it came to it. Playing around with it on the SL is the most fun I've had with any lens other than maybe the 50 APO. Very special.

[ECohen]

Regarding the Leica look, it  occurs in my opinion  when using an early soft  lens, usually 50mm with a large aperture with strong side-light. The film of the time was as responsible as the lens for the look. In my opinion, of course. Photographers in this group could post examples ... if by some miracle or good luck they have pictures  to evince the look.

.

 

 

I always enjoy a good discussion regarding "The Look"......I really don't think it exists ......or ever did........ at least not intentionally?

 

However  as Pico suggests  

"it  occurs in my opinion  when using an early soft  lens, usually 50mm with a large aperture with strong side-light. The film of the time was as responsible as the lens for the look"

 

There is a "special" combination of sharpness ,contrast and warmth that appears on my M240 and my new summicron  lenses.....It doesn't happen on my secondary market brand lenses...and I'v no experence with used Leica lenses ...yet

 

I am no expert on Leica and its history. I am an expert in that I have used many many brands of cameras over 40years.Nikon Hasslelblad, Mamiya, Canons, combinations of view camera, etc. all look different.

Professionally I would seek out equipment/lenses that had qualities that had a special look beyond being the correct focal length for the shot

 

IE:  T* Zeiss Hasselblad had a great look.....in B&W (FP4) and Ektachrome (EPP).

There is nothing like an 8.25 Gold Dot Swiss Dagor on Ektachrom (EPP)

 

Nikon's "look" always need something either in print or filtering and many of their lenses were different from each other. Some were great some not

 

That said today's Leica and Leica's choices in manufacture coatings and firmware do produce a more desirable "look" than my current Nikon's....At lease to me.

 

Yet another reason I prefer shooting with my 240.....I just love  the quality of the pictures ....even before I tweak them...in LR or PS

 

I'm giving you all  my two cents because I'm putting together my Leica kit and want to tap into your wealth of experience ....Near as I can tell all the reasonably current film and digital lenses have special qualities because Leica has tweaked their sensor to work and look great with all their stable of lenses old and new.

 

From the way this forum has answer my lens questions .....there is not a bad lens in the bunch....just different great qualities......And you guys are a picky bunch;-)

 

 

 

[Stein K S]

35 Summilux ASPH (... the poor mans AA...? ;-) !

[roelandinho]

On the M8 it was the 35 Summilux Asph (pre-FLE), on my M9 without a doubt the 50 Summilux Asph.

 

I personally like the 50mm focal length because of its versatility. Depending on the composition and subject distance, it can act like a weak wide-angle or a weak tele. Furthermore I like a slightly more "formal" look in my images, like in paintings or drawings. This is easier to accomplish with a 50 than a wide-angle in my opinion.

 

On an M Monochrom, I'd probably prefer the 50 APO-Summicron Asph because of the higher resolution, smaller size and weight, and the higher sensitivity of the sensor. Unfortunately I am not that rich but if I wait another five years a Monochrom will be a lot more affordable. The 50 APO I'm not so sure about though...

 

 

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[Giulio Zanni]

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Elmar 24/3.8

[tobey bilek]

My first camera, Waltz Envoy 50 Nikor 2.0,  had a fixed lens.  Drove me nuts.  Then I purchased a Pentax with bag full of lenses.  Then Mamiya C330 5 lenses,  RB 67 3 lenses,  Calumet monorail 4x5,  Zone 6 4x5 & 6 lenses,  Leica M and R smattered in , Nikon digitals.  Talk about GAS.

 

I appreciate my M9 and 50 2.8  Nirvana.  Have more lenses, but use less. For Nikon digitals I grab a few zooms and make due. The big expensive primes see little use.  Still have Leica, Nikon Zone 6.  All the rest are gone.  

[Myvalko]

Nobody for the 50mm Summilux asph? My fav one :-)

[graphlex]

24 Elmarit-M. 

[otho]

50 lux asph FLE

[gvaliquette]

50 Elmar-M

[Jared]

Wow, nobody chose a Noctilux?  Perhaps too specialized?

[mmx_2]

Hard to pick one so I've put them into categories:

 

Most perfect and best for landscapes: My 24 Elmar, it has absolutely no CA and is all in all close to “perfection” (for this focal length.

Best all-rounder: My 35 Summilux FLE, this lens is very versatile and has lots of “character” (call it look if you want). It’s far from “perfect” (I think only the 50AA can really be called that) but has very pleasing colors and a gorgeous bokeh. I very much prefer it over my previous Summicron V3.

Best “portrait at the dining table” lens: My Summilux 50 asph. Very pleasing colors and bokeh and like the FLE full with nice character. Not as sharp as my Summicron 50 but I still prefer the way it draws and the Summicron has some real issues with flare whereas the Lux is quite hard to flare.

Sharpest: By far my Elmarit-M 90mm. Insanely sharp but sometimes a bit “weak” on the colors.

[Martin B]

Mine is the Leica 35/2 (version 4) lens, pre-ASPH. Excellent image quality both on my Leica M6 with film and with my digital A7R.

[Martin B]

Sharpest: By far my Elmarit-M 90mm. Insanely sharp but sometimes a bit “weak” on the colors.

 

Just bought a used copy of the first version of this lens for a very good price. I still need to test it how it performs. I figured that f/2.8 is fast enough for my use of the short tele range, and image quality sufficient predominantly in combination with my film M6 camera.

[Belle123]

Having boiled my lenses down to three I use on the monochrome, 50 F1, 35 F2 v4, 50 F2 v4, all Mandler designs.....I think of those three the older 50 Summicron is my favorite overall on the monochrome.  I get more keepers with it than if I use more modern aspherical lenses, which I also own several but most on the chopping block.  If I were to return to the M240 or a future M and work in color, my favorites would probably change.  And for example, I use M lenses as well on the T and keeping the 28 Summicron Aspherical for that.

[mirekti]

This is almost impossible to answer. I own four lenses 24 Elmar, 35 FLE, 75 APO and 135 APO Telyt. 
 

35mm has something that sets is apart a bit, but really hard to explain it.
75mm APO on the other hand has wonderful rendering (similar to 50mm Summilux) with great colors and I love its bokeh. It takes the place No.1 instead of 35 FLE from time to time.
24mm offers spectacular wide perspective while still looking "normal", small and very easy to fall in love with it.

...and 135mm, well, it is somehow the least used lens in my bag (maybe due to its size and tricky focusing on subjects further than 30-40 feet), but when I use it, it really performs. The results can be jaw dropping.   

 

I could easily live with one lens only and enjoy it (not sure if there is any Leica lens that doesn't do well), but having a chance to own more than one made me happier. It also refreshes my photography. Sometimes when I feel down and lose inspiration I simply change the lens and see what's new there.  

[cirke]

Wow, nobody chose a Noctilux?  Perhaps too specialized?

 

 

I got bored of Noctilux Bokeh  after  a few month, just as  long exposures on waterfall , I changed it for the 50 APO

 

Edited June 29, 2016 by erick

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Abram]

My answer is whichever Leica lens is mounted on my camera at the given moment. I've chosen each of my optics for specific reasons and I value each of them individually.