Next lens for my M8

[jimleicam3]

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As always I won't be straight to the point. I have a 50 mm Lux, and a 35 mm Cron. I tried the 24 f/3.8 and for some odd reason, I just never really liked it, so I was able to sell the lens and now am looking for a new lens. I really only use my camera for travel, weekends, and family fun. I also have and M3, but alas, I almost never use it. I have been thinking of the 18 mm f/3.8, thinking that this might be a great travel lens, but I have no interest in using a view finder at the same time. Comments please on the lens size, filter, ease of use, etc. As always thanks in advance for the advice.

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[kanzlr]

No idea what you like to shoot, etc. but I can tell you my setup:

 

M8 + 15mm CV + 28mm Zeiss + 40mm + 50mm Konica + 90mm Konica

 

When I am travelling I usually bring the 15+28+50 or 15+28+90

 

The 15 doesn't see THAT much use because the perspective doesn't fit that often and the external viewfinder has to be put on. My main lens is the 28 as it provides a 35ish view on the M8 that I liked a lot on the D700.

 

There is an old rule that you should always double your focal lengths when you carry primes. so 15+28+50 makes sense, 90 not so much for a 3, but for a 4 lens setup.

[richam]

I have the 18mm Super-Elmar and use it often; it's a great lens. Most times, I don't bother to attach an external finder, just imagine the extra room from the internal finder and check it afterwards on the LCD display. I do carry the Leica 21-24-28 finder in my bag, and the 24mm setting is close.

[menos I M6]

A 15 f4.5 Heliar is a rather inexpensive buy, which with an excellent Leica or Zeiss 21mm finder is a wonderful wide angle solution on the M8.

 

I would have a look at the long end also, but this is personal preference.

Very nice is the 90 f2.8 Elmarit-M (latest version with telescope hood).

But also very nice are the other slower 90mm lenses before for even less money.

[ezc203]

Do yourself a favor, if you're looking for an 18mm go for the Zeiss 18mm Distagon f/4.0 instead of the Leica Super-Elmar. With digital the difference between the Leica vs Zeiss is really non-existant because warm vs cool color rendering is easily altered in post with WB. And the Zeiss has more readily available solutions for filters (58mm).

 

Personally on the M8, 24mm is GOLD for me. I use my Lux 70%-80% of the time. It is essentially a 35mm on FF, which really suits my shooting style. Or if you want something even wider, the 21 is also a great focal length on the M8 because it is equivalent to a 28mm on FF (another very popular and practical focal length). The 18mm on the other hand becomes a 24mm and it's a little too wide for my liking.

 

Again, this is mentioned every time there's a lens-selection thread, YOU are the only one who will know what you want. Take others' opinions with a grain of salt and test test test things out for yourself.

[markgay]

As you say you don't want an external viewfinder, your widest is a 28mm.

 

On the M8 that would give you the 35mm-equivalent crop of a 35, 50 and 75.. a classic combination.

 

Beware superwides. Although I use them in both 15 mm and the WATE, you get the same perspective distortion with an 18 on the M8 as you would on any other M. It does not "become" a 24mm. It remains a cropped 18mm.

 

Something to bear in mind.

 

Regards,

Mark

[squarenegs]

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As you say you don't want an external viewfinder, your widest is a 28mm.

 

On the M8 that would give you the 35mm-equivalent crop of a 35, 50 and 75.. a classic combination.

 

Beware superwides. Although I use them in both 15 mm and the WATE, you get the same perspective distortion with an 18 on the M8 as you would on any other M. It does not "become" a 24mm. It remains a cropped 18mm.

 

Something to bear in mind.

 

Regards,

Mark

Mark

 

Sorry Mark, but that's not correct.

 

The M8 has frame lines that include the 24mm focal length.

The 'crop factor' for the M8 is about x 1.33

50mm = 66mm approx. 35mm = 46mm approx. 28mm = 37mm approx.

24mm = 32mm and so on...

 

As someone who has been a heavy user of the 28mm focal length and wider on 35mm film, I've actually been quite pleased using the equivalent of 32mm on the M8

It feels wide enough. I was surprised too by how much I liked 66mm for small, group candid shots. I came to photography in the days when 58mm was the 'standard' focal length lens on a 35mm SLR. The equivalent of 66mm on my M8 feels more like that

58mm view than looking through a short telephoto of 75mm.

 

To address the original post, I guess I'm saying: Reconsider the 24mm focal length and.... a 75mm (100mm equiv.) for the long lens in your M8 bag too. Though a bit slow for low light, I quite like the CV Heliar 75mm on my M8 and I can't shout enough praise for the wide enough 24mm Elmarit on the M8. Of course, keep your outstanding 50mm and 35mm lenses!

 

Regards,

 

Sam

[Guest Lotw]

I use the 18/3.4 on the M8 with very much pleasure and without a viewfinder. With just a little bit of practice you can easily work intuitively with this lens. My first picture with this lens, a testshoot at the store where I bought it was immediately convincing. And if you want to be really exact like in architecture you can shoot twice if necessary. I like this lens better on my M8 than on my M9, somehow. Probably because the 24 angle is more natural to the human eye perspective

[archi4]

Although quite close to your 35mm, my favorite general lens on the M8 is the 28 mm summicron which gives the field of view equivalent to 37mm on full frame. I find the max aperture of f2.0 preferable to the smaller apertures. especially for travel.

maurice

[jimleicam3]

Thanks for all the advice, those that use the 18 mm f/3.8, do you have any filter problems? Thanks again.

[Guest Lotw]

Thanks for all the advice, those that use the 18 mm f/3.8, do you have any filter problems? Thanks again.

 

No not at all, what kind of? You have to be careful when you put it on, but that's once.

BTW I agree with archi4 that the 28 S'cron is beautiful on the M8, somehow nicer than most 35's on the M9.

[giordano]

Beware superwides. Although I use them in both 15 mm and the WATE, you get the same perspective distortion with an 18 on the M8 as you would on any other M. It does not "become" a 24mm. It remains a cropped 18mm.

 

This doesn't make sense.

 

1) Perspective is determined only by the camera position and not at all by the focal length, which just determines the field of view.

 

2) Rectilinear (non-fisheye) ultra-wide-angle lenses appear to distort objects near the edge of the frame. Partly this is a sheer matter of geometry and partly it's residual distortion that the lens designer couldn't get rid of. Either way it's less obvious if you crop the image.

 

3) If you take the same scene from the same position with an 18mm lens on a M8 and a 24mm lens on a M9, the perspective of the two images will be identical.

 

4) But you're right, putting an 18mm lens on an M8 doesn't change its focal length:).

[ramosa]

As always I won't be straight to the point. I have a 50 mm Lux, and a 35 mm Cron. I tried the 24 f/3.8 and for some odd reason, I just never really liked it, so I was able to sell the lens and now am looking for a new lens. I really only use my camera for travel, weekends, and family fun. I also have and M3, but alas, I almost never use it. I have been thinking of the 18 mm f/3.8, thinking that this might be a great travel lens, but I have no interest in using a view finder at the same time. Comments please on the lens size, filter, ease of use, etc. As always thanks in advance for the advice.

 

your path isn't so different than mine. i began with a 28 elmarit and added a 50 cron. then i was thinking, should i add a super elmar 18 or a cron/elmarit 90? i opted for the 18, which is a fine lens, but it's a lens i use only rarely (when i'm out in nature, which isn't too common where i currently live). then i got a 50 lux and sold the 50 cron (as i really wanted 1.4). now i'm back to pining for a 90 ... either elmarit or cron. don't get me wrong--the 18 is a fine lens, darn sharp, good handle and easy to focus. and--per your question--i have had no filter problems. but, again, i have only used it several times and have had it for almost a year. but, when in nature, it can really work some magic--or, with more experience, i think it can for me. (i recently pondered selling it, but came to my senses, as i would have lost a bundle ...)