August_West Posted March 10, 2010 Share #1 Posted March 10, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Just an informal poll here, and I understand lens choice is personal but I wanted to hear some opinions and explanations. I've had my M8.2 for 2 weeks now, and have been using a borrowed 35mm Summarit. I had made up my mind months ago that my two lens kit would be a 28mm Elmarit ASPH and a 50mm 'cron. The Internet is evil and has a way of confusing people though, and lately I've been considering whether I should go for the 24mm 3.8 Elmar instead of the 28mm to widen the gap in my lens kit? Pricewise I can buy either the Elmar or the Elmarit in clean used condition for very close to the same cost. Anyone care to chime in on this? thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 Hi August_West, Take a look here M8.2...24mm or 28mm?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Luke_Miller Posted March 10, 2010 Share #2 Posted March 10, 2010 New M8.2 user (Oct 2009) here also. I went with the 28 and 50 Summicrons. Both produce spectacular results, but I find I often want wider than 28mm. So I believe I will add a 24mm at some point (if I don't get an M9). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_Johnson Posted March 10, 2010 Share #3 Posted March 10, 2010 Can you see the 24mm frame lines without a problem? I can't so I went with 28mm as my wide. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldhrads Posted March 10, 2010 Share #4 Posted March 10, 2010 I'm using a 25 Zeiss and have the 28 Zeiss as well. Both incredibly sharp, but the 25 gets more time than the 28. Waiting for my 35cron to come back from Leica, also us a 50 cron. The Zeiss choices are a nice alternative in that range at 25/2,8 and from a cost standpoint, might allow for a 3 lens kit!!! LDH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezc203 Posted March 10, 2010 Share #5 Posted March 10, 2010 I use a 24 on my M8. Seeing as its my "wide" but at 32 (after crop) it's more of a standard wide than super wide. Point 24. Personally I got the 24 because its faster than the 28 option and I am a speed junkie, so if I was to pick between 24/3.8 and 28/2.8 I would easily pick the 28. Point 28. (But this advantage is immediately erased if you would consider a 24/2.8 instead or even the ZM 25/2.8) In terms of size and viewfinder blockage, that's always been irrelevant for me. I like to "imagine" the picture in my mind first and then use the VF only to focus. Point N/A (or Point 28, if you want small and portable). One thing to consider if future expansion. I know you are considering a two lens set-up, I know, I know. But at one point in time (when I got my M8 6 months ago) I thought I was gonna have a one-lens set up. Well... so much for that. Going with a 24/50 allows you to add a 35 later. Sure a 28/50 also allows for adding a 35, but on the M8 I feel like the 28 and 35 are too similar and would cause discomfort when switching between the two (just my personal experience, may not apply). So in terms of future planning: Point 24. Personally, I would recommend the 24 Elmarit 2.8. I know this maybe out of your budget right now, but I believe it'll be worth saving for. Or an option will be to go with the Carl Zeiss 25/2.8. I know the 24/2.8 has become somewhat of a legend among savvy photographer, but the ZM 25/2.8 is also a spectacular lens. I don't believe it is "inferior" to it's Leica counter part, but simply different (renders colors a lot warmer). However, that said (and previously I said I am a speed junkie) and now that you're considering non-Leica lenses, I would also like to bring the Voigtlander 28/2.0 into this conversation. However, my biggest problem with Voigtlander is their ability to render color is a little lacking. When I use my CV 35/1.4 I usually only use the images for B&W or low saturation, there's something about the color that's just not quite there. So I guess after rambling on for much too long, this is my conclusion: If you NEED a Leica RIGHT NOW: 28 Elmarit 2.8 If you can WAIT for a Leica: 24 Elmarit 2.8 If you don't need Leica, and do mostly B&W: Voigtlander 28 Ultron 2.0 (For B&W purposes I'd take this over the Leica 28 Summicron 2.0) If you don't need Leica and do a lot of color: Zeiss 25 Biogon 2.8 Wow, I hope I didn't waste your time and this post can be of help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootinglulu Posted March 10, 2010 Share #6 Posted March 10, 2010 Hi. I agree with Eddie. My perfect set for the m8 is 50 (Planar, which i have) for portraits and feeling in the mood for the look it has and the extra reach 35 Lux aspherical (which i have) at the moment my every day lens and it is beautiful. 24 (Elmarit, which i do not have yet) for many occasions when my 35 is too tight. In a perfect world my 24 would be a Lux but i would feel sooo guilty! Something i have noticed is that i go for wider lenses on the rangefinder than i did on my dslr. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
August_West Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share #7 Posted March 10, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thanks so much for the input! Eddie, your's is especially thought provoking. At this time I can't see the point in making the sacrifices I made to purchase the M8.2 only to put non-Leica glass on it! Just my way of thinking (and my wife/family will verify that my way of thinking is a long way from the norm) so I'm going to consider Leica lenses only. Maybe I'll consider just buying the 50 'cron now, and saving for the 24mm Elmarit. I don't have both of them in the budget right now. Any other input is appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted March 10, 2010 Share #8 Posted March 10, 2010 I really don't know that Zeiss glass is inferior to Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted March 10, 2010 Share #9 Posted March 10, 2010 Maybe I'll consider just buying the 50 'cron now, and saving for the 24mm Elmarit. I don't have both of them in the budget right now. OK. Here's some more food for thought, perhaps? I bought the 35mm and 50mm lenses almost back-to-back and lived with them for a while. Then I wanted to GO WIIIIIIIIDE and picked up a CV 15 and later a CV 21. The CV15 was "too wide" and the CV 21 wasn't "wide enough." I jumped on the Super-Elmar 18mm, which was perfect. (I added a 90 and a 135 to my long side along the way, also.) Effective focal lengths on the M8 for me are: 23mm (18mm) - dramatic but excellent, flat wide 46mm (35mm) - normal - 'Cron ASPH for general use, CV f/1.2 for nightvision and bokeh 65mm (50mm) - portrait - 'Cron for bokeh, Elmar for size + sharpness, Elmar f/3.5 for vintage look 117mm (90mm) - portrait The 18mm selection was tricky--I had to buy a CV 15 and a CV 21 to figure out that the perfect wide for me would be 18mm. So, it cost me two lenses, two adaptors, two filters, and shipping, twice. Oh, yeah, and two lovely finders for using the 15mm / 21mm on the M8. I guess what I'm suggesting is that you cannot go wrong with a 35/50 combo, for sure. Or a 28/50 combo, mostly. It's the wide-wide lens decision *that's not here yet*, but will eventually be coming, that affects part of your choice of a 28mm vs. a 35mm, all other things being equal. If you get the 28mm today, you run the risk that when you do go wide, 24mm or even 21mm is going to be "too close" in focal length to the 28mm. Not so if you choose the 35mm. So . . . Are you planning to go really wiiiiide anytime in the foreseeable future? If you are, you should think about leaning on the 35mm. If not, lean on the 28mm, as planned. The Internet *is* evil. Cheers--and good luck! Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmc Posted March 10, 2010 Share #10 Posted March 10, 2010 okay, im in the same spot. i have the 50 2.0 but really need a wider option to capture my children and dogs, who move too fast and always want to come towards the me (the person holding the camera. i find myself running backwards just to keep them in the frame! so my question is the physical size of the 24. i have been looking at the 28 with e39 size filter ring (4 gen?) because i love the size. i think this lens will be on my camera most of the time and i would like something a bit smaller, and lighter, than my 50. not that i mind the 50's size. any comments on the size compared to the 50 and 28? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarker13 Posted March 10, 2010 Share #11 Posted March 10, 2010 I really don't know that Zeiss glass is inferior to Leica. No doubt. I sold my 50 summicron after working with a 50 planar. But heck, if the OP feels better buying Leica glass, then by all means, he should buy the Leica glass. Leica certainly makes wonderful lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezc203 Posted March 11, 2010 Share #12 Posted March 11, 2010 True true, the thing about buying Zeiss is, you really don't know how great they are, until you have personally compared them to the Leicas. If you buy Zeiss first (as I did) you will forever long for Leica lenses, so I ended up buying Leica anyways. It's terrible, but oh well. I have to agree with will. I think instead of starting with a 50/28or24 2-lens kit, perhaps you should consider a solo 35mm to start? The 1.33 crop makes the 35mm act more like a slightly wider 50 standard on FF, so it's a good place to start. This way you can go tighter or wider depending on your own preference. BMC - in terms of size, I don't think any lens can compare to the new 28/2.8 ASPH it is TINY, but the pre-ASPH ones are about the size of the current 50 Cron. The 24/2.8 on the other hand is substantially larger with a very wide filter (e55). My caution against buying the 50 Cron as your first and primary lens is the crop factor. When I was new to the M8 world, I wasn't aware of the 1.33 crop, and found the 50mm TOO TIGHT. It put me so far away from my subjects that I could not enjoy the rangefinder philosophy of getting up close and personal. I would strongly suggest starting with a slightly wider lens (35mm), it's just more practical that way. But again, very personal selection process, please try try try all kinds of lenses before buying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted March 11, 2010 Share #13 Posted March 11, 2010 My lens setup is a 25/2.8 Zeiss Biogon, a 35 Summicron (v. 4) and a 50 cron. I think the Zeiss is actually my favourite of the three, even the build quality seems *at least* on a par with the Leica lenses and possibly even slightly better (I like the very precise feel of the aperture ring and the weighting of the focus ring). I'm currently considering selling the 35 cron and replacing it with a new 35/2 Biogon. The Summicron is smaller, sure, but the Biogon is a nice size and like I say I love the quality of my 25 Biogon. The 35 cron just doesn't please me in the same way - feels a bit loose (I've had it tightened), seems somewhat lacking in resolution compared to the other two lenses. Though those three lenses (25, 35, 50) are a bit close together - I might just do without the 35mm range altogether... or losing the 25mm and going wider... it's hard! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
misha Posted March 11, 2010 Share #14 Posted March 11, 2010 I've had the elmarit 24/2.8 apsh for almost two years now. its great. zero complains other than than being one stop too slow for my needs. with that in mind, i just got the 28/2 summicron and will be selling mine. PM if interested. cheers misha PHOTOGRAPHY BY MISHA FRIEDMAN Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
August_West Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share #15 Posted March 11, 2010 Well, I appreciate the input very much! I've been using the loaner 35mm Summarit for 2 weeks now and with no disrespect to those that favor the 35mm size, I just haven't found that lens to be one I'd consider for my two lens kit. Keep in mind that like many of you I toted a luggage case full of SLR bodies and lenses for nearly 30 years. I also found that I used two of the 7 or 8 lenses 90% of the time on my SLR, so given the cost associated with M lenses, and what I've learned in my aging, I want to keep my M8.2 kit to two lenses. I'm starting to lean towards the 24mm & 50mm kit. And I really am thinking on saving for the 24mm Elmarit instead of buying the Elmar. Of course, all this may change in the next few days as I'm returning the loaner 35mm and getting a loaner 75mm Summarit today! It's possible that I'll really like the 75mm length and change my kit to a 28mm and a 75mm kit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezc203 Posted March 11, 2010 Share #16 Posted March 11, 2010 I'm currently considering selling the 35 cron DIBS!!!!! Heh heh heh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezc203 Posted March 11, 2010 Share #17 Posted March 11, 2010 ...getting a loaner 75mm Summarit today! This is very dangerous. The 75 Summarit is spectacular. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted March 11, 2010 Share #18 Posted March 11, 2010 DIBS!!!!! Heh heh heh LOL, PM me, I've PM'd Misha about his 28 cron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted March 11, 2010 Share #19 Posted March 11, 2010 24mm sucks with glasses on the M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knomad Posted March 11, 2010 Share #20 Posted March 11, 2010 I'm finding that my 28 Elmarit isn't getting a lot of use. That's partially because my primary lens on the M8 is a 35 Summicron and 28 is just a little close to that... but it's also because I find that I'm wanting something a little wider than a 28 (like a 24 or a Zeiss 25). Basically, the 35 lives on the camera because I like to be able to see a little around the brightline frame for composition, the 35 is perfect for that, and it's also a stop faster; while the 28 is far enough out in the frame that I can't see that much around it, and it isn't wide enough for me to make the tradeoff. If I'm going to give up that ability to edit both in and out of the frame as well as some speed, then I want something wider. I use the 35 all the time, and a 50 Summilux a lot also. It's only the 28 that sits unused, so it's just a matter of time til I sell it and get something wider. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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