Finally! selling all my gear to get the M9 but which lenses?

[spersky]

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I have waited and waited for years for the Leica M9. I almost got the M8 and the M8.2. Now I can finally get the ultimate camera. I have about 10k worth Canon gear than weighs at least 30 lbs. It will all be replaced for one M9 and 3 lens.

 

I am very excited. I can finally have a camera that I actually carry with me.

 

Which lenses? the summarits? or the summilux asph? I want the 35mm and 50mm and the 90mm apo.

 

Is the ASPH that important in the 35mm and 50mm? having 1.4 s-top is very nice as well, but the savings of the summarits in no joking matter.

 

Regards,

Steve

[Nikkor AIS]

Im loving my 35 1.4 Summilux. It's just swell:). I just love the lens. The sharpness is fine and the bokkeh is smooth and creamy. To me the images with that lens have the lecia "look". And that's what I wanted. Good luck selling your Canon gear.

 

Gregory

[enboe]

Each lens has it's own personality. There are two axes of design you are varying with your selections.

 

The first is the optical formula axis. Spherical (classical) vs aspherical (cutting edge) optical formulas. Both can yield beautiful pictures. The Summarits are of the classical family. Their designs are sharp, and they have very smooth bokeh for the out of focus areas. The Aspherical designs push their optical performance to the limits of technology. Extremely, sometimes painfully sharp across the entire image field.

 

The second axis you are exploring is lens speed. If you shoot lots of low-light, or wish to leverage very shallow depth of field, the Summilux lenses are definitely worth considering. They will cost you a pretty penny, however.

 

Enjoy.

[vdb]

Many choices, but the only lens I could not live without is my 50 1.4 asph. My favorite combo. I suggest visiting the photo section to see some real life examples of ll your potential lens options. LFI gallery may also help.

[gwelland]

Buy the best that you can afford. If I were starting again then I would concentrate on getting the 35 & 50 Summilux's even at the expense of being only able to afford a couple of lenses vs three.

 

My $0.02.

[lars_bergquist]

You should start with a standard lens, meaning either 50 or 35mm. I cannot tell you which; that is a question of 'eyes' and temperament. You will need one of these lenses whichever way you decide to build your kit later. If you want to go longer, it's 90mm. Yes, even if your first lens is 35. If or when you go wider, the next natural step is 28mm if you start from 50, but if from 35, it is 21mm, if you find that you can handle that focal length with ease. I use 24/25 and 18, though I do not carry both at the same time. 24 is a very useful wide, because levelling and composition is easier and quicker than with the 21. 18mm is an occasional 'wow lens' -- this is what you haul out in the Piazza San Pietro.

 

The old man from the Age of the Rollei 35 (40mm, period.)

[dfarkas]

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I think that 35, 50, 90 is a great combo on the M9 (and one that I use). I'd suggest:

 

35 Cron ASPH, 50 Lux ASPH, 90 APO (or 90 Summarit)

 

You may also wish to think about adding a 24mm down the road. Depending on what you like to shoot and how much light you'll have, the 24 Elamr ASPH is a really nice, compact lens. If you need more low-light ability, the 24 Lux ASPH is hard to beat.

 

If you want to stay within the frameline set of the viewfinder, either 28mm would be nice as well.

 

Best of luck in your transition.

 

David

[chris_tribble]

David - agreed, but there's an argument for going a bit wider with a 3 lens setup - If I had to get rid of everything bar 3, I'd keep 28 cron asph, 50 lux asph and 90 cron apo. For me the 35 is the lens I'd keep if I had to have only ONE lens...

[dfarkas]

David - agreed, but there's an argument for going a bit wider with a 3 lens setup - If I had to get rid of everything bar 3, I'd keep 28 cron asph, 50 lux asph and 90 cron apo. For me the 35 is the lens I'd keep if I had to have only ONE lens...

 

Good point, Chris.

 

I guess I'm just a four lens kind of guy!

 

David

[doug_m]

Unless you must have a 35 lux (1.4) and cannot afford both a 35 and 50 mm, the first lens to buy is the 50 mm lux ASPH. IMHO, this is lens is a must unless you have financial or other good reasons not to buy it.

 

The 50 lux ASPH is the perfect lens for the M9. I bet HCB would be using this combo IF he was alive and someone put a gun to his head to make him shoot digital ! (I figure if I do not say this I will get thrown out of the forum:) ).

_________________

 

I have used the 28 cron ASPH and 90 cron AA a fair amount. They are excellent lenses but do not knock your socks off like the 50 lux ASPH, 75 cron, or 24 lux. If your budget and shooting needs can handle it consider the 75 cron instead of the 90. The 75 cron focuses down to 0.7 M (as does the 50 lux ASPH) and has a higher reproduction ration than the 90. The 24 lux is exceptional but it is also quite expensive and may be too wide for you.

 

Good luck. You also may have a hard time finding a new 50 lux ASPH so start looking now. I know where there is a new one in the US so PM me about this if you want details.

[thompsonkirk]

Since David hasn't mailed me an M9 yet, I'm only speculating; but isn't 75 a good choice instead of 90?

 

As the Old Man said, the 90 was once part of a 'classic' lens set - but only before there were 75s. I used a 90 for a while on M3 & sold it because it moved too far beyond a 'normal' range of vision; its pictures said 'telephoto' a bit too loudly. But I haven't had this feeling when using a 50mm on M8 (67 equivalency).

 

Dr, Mandler thought the 75 Summilux was his masterpiece, but I can't imagine focusing so long a lens at 1.4 with predictable accuracy. And Sean Reid's tests show how the 75 Summarit pretty much keeps up with or in some respects even outdoes the Summicron. So I'm thinking the Summarit might be an optimal 'long' lens for M9?

 

Kirk

[JLV]

Hi,

 

My choice would be 35 lux and 75 cron AA.

Easy to carry both and much more versatile combo than a single 50 lux.

As a 3rd lens, I would add the 24 Elmarit wich is a must too if you can't afford the 24 lux or don't want such a big lens.

 

Here are my 2 cents.

 

Welcome to Leica world and LUF and Enjoy.

 

Best regards,

Jean-Luc

[giordano]

My favourite combination with a film M was 35, 21 and 90, with the 35 getting most use. I always had a 50 but it never got much use. If or when I acquire an M9 I'm sure it'll be the same.

[devils-advocate]

To be realistic, the 50 'cron is beautiful and relatively cheap. The Summarits are also excellent lenses. If money is no object, get the 'luxes. If it is, then get the summarits and/or crons.

 

Most people will never see the difference, because they aren't shooting wide-open almost ever. Outside of their maximum aperatures, there is functionally very little difference between any of the lenses you are considering.

 

- N.

 

ps. I disagree with one of the earlier posters re: the 90AA. It is arguably the best 35 lens ever built. The problem is getting it in focus at wide aperatures. If you get a 90mm, get a 1.25x magnifier.

[doug_m]

Actually, I shoot wide open with my luxes as much as possible because for me shallow DOF is the style of shooting I like best. I also think it- and DOF control in general- is one of the things that Leica lenses and rangefinders excel at.

 

In regard to the 90 AA, it is the only lens I have bought twice and it is an excellent lens- but I don't think it is in the same class of rendering exceptional images as the 75 cron or 50 lux ASPH. Just my two cents.

[Mokkacream]

1) If you would do a survey, I would guess, that 35mm and 50mm would be the most frequent used lenses on a FF Leica.

 

2) If you want to extend this range, then 24 and 90 would be the lenses, that would make a bigger difference in comparison to 28 and 75.

 

Now you can choose from a range of lenses per focal lenght.

 

a) Summilux = f/1.4

Summicron = f/2

c) Summarit = f/2.5

d) Elmarit = f/2.8

e) Elmar = f/3.8

 

As you go from a) to e), luminous intensity, size, weight and price all decrease.

All lenes are very good, but some have special qualities, which are appreciated very much.

 

In general, you would choose for a higher aperture, if taking photos in lower light and/or a shallow depth of field was, what you are looking for.

 

You would have to pay: more weight, bigger lenses, a bigger area blocked by the lens, when looking through the rangefinder, more money.

 

 

As the 35 an 50 are probably the most used and usefull lenses on a M9, the 35 and 50 summilux would be the first choice, if money doesn't matter. Both are absolute acceptable regarding weight and size .

 

As there is a problem with focus shift with the actual 35 summilux, the best choice at this moment would be the 35 summicron or to wait for the new 35 summilux (coming soon ).

The 50 summilux is one of the best lenses at all, although a few appreciate the summicron more.

 

With these two you would have lenses to play with for a long time, after which you could still and better decide, with which lenses you really want to extend this range.

[geaibleu]

This very question has been raised recently quite a few times.

The most common choice of this forum participants seems to be the 50 lux with the 35 lux as a close second.

Few mentionned the 90 f 4 macro which I understand is unfortunately being discontinued despite its many assets.

Moreover no one dared to indicate the 135 f 3.4, which happens to be my favorite lens even though not (at the time of purchase) recognized by my M 8. ( see attached self portrait).

Perhaps instead of HCB's original "one body one lens", one should say one body one lens at a time, since a given choice of topic to photograph requires a given lens.

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[spersky]

Thanks for all the input. I will get the 50mm Summilux for now as my first lens, and I will leg into the other lenses when I can afford it.

[tom0511]

50lux is a very good starting point IMO.

 

I also love the 35 and 75 Summarit-so I would assume the 90 Summarit is very nice as well.

 

even though its close together 35,50 and 75 are my most used lenses with the M9 - maybe 85%, than 21 and 135mm for the rest. (and I own nearly each focal length between 16mm and 135mm)

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[spersky]

I found a new 50mm summilux asph in black. I bought it. It is likely the last dealer in the USA to have one. After about 20 calls to various shops, I found one who had only one left

 

Now I can just look at it the lens until my M9 comes in. BTW, I am first on the list at a local shop I used to go to. Message me if you want to get on the very very short list. I talked to them today, and I think I am still the only on their list. They require a 500 dollar deposit.

 

Thanks

Steve