Next lens for my M6: Zeiss 25mm or 28mm?

[keithdunlop]

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Greetings,

 

I have been in love with my Zeiss 50mm f/2.0 Planar on the M6 body, but now I'm ready for my next lens.

 

I like the Zeiss ZM line very much and would like to stay in that family for now. I should say that, in addition to my personal work, the M6 is used alongside my pair of D700's for weddings and I would like my lens range to stay relatively consistent. For the Nikon's I use 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm fixed lenses.

 

Therefore, my instinct is to get the 25mm Zeiss for the M6, but I'm a little concerned about framing. I do not want to deal with external finders, and frankly, the 25mm is so close to a 28mm that I can probably estimate the outside of the frame just fine. I have enough experience in shooting with a 24mm that I can pre-visualize what I'm going to get.

 

What I don't know is what framelines the 25mm will pull up on the M6. If it pulls up, say, the 35mm framelines, I'm concerned that I'll be annoyed with the wrong lines showing. If the 28mm framelines get pulled up, then I think it will be easier to "see" just beyond them for framing the 25mm lens.

 

I would welcome any help in making my decision.

 

Keith

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[TryFocusing]

This may not help appreciably, but I have a 35 f2 on my M6 that is a favorite of mine with that camera, even though I shoot wider on digital. I'm actually thinking about a 50 these days for the M6.

[keithdunlop]

The 35mm f/2.0 will be lens #3 no doubt, followed by a Leica 90mm Summicron pre-asph.

 

Then, I just have to book enough new clients in the next few months to afford an M9.

[tobey bilek]

21/28/35 makes a good 3 lens kit for wide

 

35 or 28 is most useful as a single wide with the edge going to 35. I think both are not the solution.

 

25/35 is a good two lens wide kit. 18/25/35 is also a good three lens kit.

 

I think you need to plan the whole kit and then purchase components as you can afford them.

 

When I bought mine 21/28/35 was what I got. After 24/25 became available, I use that in place of 21/28. Don`t get into the box of having to sell something because you made a wrong decision and two lenses are too close together or you have to carry too much.

[tgray]

The ZM 35/2 is a very nice lens. But you didn't ask about that one. I've not used the ZM 28, but 28 is my favorite focal length and I find it pairs up very well with 50. I agree with you, for most situations, 28 and 25 are probably interchangeable. I went with the 28 because there are frames in the finder for it, which is better than guessing. I think it is useful to have those lines in the finder. Also, you can get 28/2 lenses. Though now there is the Leica 24/1.4, but that's way out of my range and too big.

 

The only reasons I could see getting the 25 instead is if a) something about that specific lens's performance speaks to you or something or you use a 35 a lot. In the latter case, it might be nice to space out your lenses just a bit more than 35 and 28.

[NZDavid]

Have you actually tried accessory finders? They are really quite easy to get used to, very bright and clear. Really, even 28 is pushing it without one. I have finders from Leica, Zeiss, and Voigtländer. I am a big fan of the Leica 24 ASPH (I have the 2.8 version) but also the Zeiss 21 is excellent with an appreciably wider FOV.

[mathomas]

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Really, really love my 25mm ZM. Amazing lens. Ultra sharp. Great color. Nice enough bokeh for my purposes. I shoot it on both my M8, and my M2 (with a Voigtlander 25mm finder).

 

(All the below on M8)

 

 

 

 

[FiZZ]

If it's not that much of a difference, why not just settle for a 28?

 

Sorry but I haven't tried any to tell you about the frame lines. However, what you could do is try to tape the lever so only the 28mm frame lines show up. Use gaffer tape, very strong, and doesn't leave any sticky residue.

[gransden]

Just a little note from a big ZM fan (25, 35/2, 50/2, 50/1.5). These are used on either an M2 or M4. I've never really used a 28 on any 35mm system. The 25 gives a bit more "wide" which is very nice in the urban environment or a tight spot, but without the 90 degree feel of a 21. It has received excellent reviews as you no doubt know. You will love the 35/2; all the lenses you are considering are Biogons; a lens other manufacturers wished they had invented. The 50/1.5 does not disappoint when used for the purpose it was produced. The Planar excels when you want the fine detail in the neg. Have fun.

[Xmas]

If it's not that much of a difference, why not just settle for a 28?

 

Sorry but I haven't tried any to tell you about the frame lines. However, what you could do is try to tape the lever so only the 28mm frame lines show up. Use gaffer tape, very strong, and doesn't leave any sticky residue.

 

An elastic band is ok as well, carry spares.

 

Noel

[Bateleur]

On the odd occasion that I use my 25mm ZM lens I'm quite happy estimating the actual field from the projected 28mm frame lines on my M6, as I'm not partial to an external finder. My advise is to go for that lens as you are keeping it in the family as it were and keeping pace with the parallel focal lengths.

 

Regards

Charles

[gotium]

For what it is worth, the ZM 25 is an incredible lens - razor sharp from corner to corner and high-contrast. Really striking to see scanned negatives, and sharper than any other lens I use (including the ZM 35/2, which is my most-used lens).

[keithdunlop]

Well, the 25mm it is!

 

Thank you all for your input.

[jonnymoondog]

So how do you like your new 25? I'm thinking about taking the plunge, but I want to get the Zeiss external VF as well.

[MarkP]

The 2.8/25 Biogon is a lovely lens.

 

The D-Lux-4 24mm Leica EVF is a very good and cheap alternative to the others.

 

I have the metal 21mm Leica EVF (the Zeiss is lovely and bright but very bulky and has offset issues for framing on M cameras), but for my 2.8/25 ZM and 3.8/24 Elmar-M I've found that the 24mm EVF from my old D-Lux 4 works well.  It is compact, has no offset issues on my M cameras, and even on eBay is half the price of the equivalent 24mm Leica Metal finder for the M cameras.

[RudiLorenz]

you did not state the viewfinder magnification of your M6. Each of the three available versions has different frames in the viewfinder. My M6/0.85 does not have a frame for anything shorter than 35mm. I use an auxiliary viewfinder for my 24mm Elmarit.

[fotohuis]

C.V. zoom VF 15-35mm. I have the SWH 15mm-M, Elmarit 21mm and Elmarit 28mm in W.A. Further the Summicron 50mm and Summarit 75mm. M7 Leica.

[MarkP]

With a 25mm lens you are more or less framing to the absolute periphery of the finder (short of forcing your eye look to around the very edges) so I don't think it really matters what framelines are brought up.  Regardless, for any lens fit there will always be two sets of framelines displayed in the viewfinder and we all learn to ignore the second set (although many complain about the 75mm framelines)  

 

The 2.8/25 is a fantastic lens if thats the focal length you want.  The advantage being that you're also comfortable pre visualising the framing from your old 24mm lens, and you've already mentioned you want consistency across the focal lengths of your lenses in both camera systems.

 

24-25 & 50 or 28 & 50 are obviously both really good combinations but 28mm is easier to use with the Leica internal VF.  In my old Nikon F3/T system 24 & 50 was my most used combination but I have moved to 28 & 50 for my Leicas.

 
You could also pick up an external viewfinder (EVF).  I also used the 24mm EVF for the D-Lux 4 which I happened to have lying around. It was actually very close to the 25mm lens when I tested it at the time on my digital Leica.  These can be bought much cheaper that the metal 24mm M-camera EVFs.  The Zeiss EVFs are beautiful to look through but way too large and bulky, and in my experience a bit less accurate for framing than the Leica EVFs which may be slightly compensated for the hotshot being offset from the centre of the lens axis.

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[NJH]

This is a little bit of a painful memory for me this focal length discussion. I tried 28 and 25 mm lenses on my M6 classic both with external viewfinders and the 28 with the cameras own viewfinder. In the end I have decided to skip those focal lengths and work 21mm on an external viewfinder (CV little round metal one, its superb) and 35mm lens which these cameras love. I got quite a few shots I really liked with the 28 but also many skewed at funny angles as it real tough getting perspective right poking ones eye around looking through a viewfinder which doesn't match the lens. By the time one has corrected those shots in PP you end up with what a 35mm would have seen anyway, and the 35 is a really comfortable lens on Ms with the 0.72 VF. Not saying not to try or use these 25/28 focal lengths but definitely try 35 and 21 and see how you feel about them.