WillD Posted July 8, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Apologies if this has been asked before since I know there is a lot of lens debate, however I haven't found a thread yet. I'm just about to purchase an M9 and I am torn between whether to get a 50mm or 35mm as my first, and likely only, lens (at least for the time being!). From the reviews and with my budget I am most likely to go for a Cron, but I would love to hear some first hand experience with the two lenses from the forum. I'm conscious that the 35mm vs 50mm choice is a lot down to subject matter and personal preferences (I tend to shoot landscapes, architecture and my family predominantly) but insights would be appreciated. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi WillD, Take a look here 50mm or 35mm for M9?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
andybarton Posted July 8, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 8, 2011 Welcome to the forum If you shoot landscapes and architecture, the 50 is likely to be too long for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzo Posted July 8, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 8, 2011 ..... (I tend to shoot landscapes, architecture and my family predominantly) Seeing what you like shooting most, I would think a 35mm is your best choice between the two lenghts IMHO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightwrangler Posted July 8, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 8, 2011 I tend to shoot landscapes, architecture and my family predominantly landscapes, architecture: 35 (maybe even a 28, but you only asked about the two) family: i suppose you could get close enough to your family to shoot them at 35 as well So: 35mm would be the best compromise imho Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbonthemoon Posted July 8, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 8, 2011 I'd go for 50mm and get fuji x100 for 35 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted July 8, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 8, 2011 Stop worrying – because worrying won't get you anywhere, and nobody else can end your worry. Nobody can literally see through your eyes, and all external advice is close to meaningless. Instead, buy any of the focal lengths. You will soon find out if it suits your purposes and your way of seeing. With the camera's preview lever, you can easily find out what the alternative would mean. If the lens you purchased suits you, all is well. If not, sell it at a very moderate discount and get the other. The real risk is of course that in the end, you will want to keep both. WARNING: The Surgeon General has determined that Leica gear is addictive and can hurt your peace of mind. The old man from the Age of the 3.5cm Elmar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillD Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted July 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thanks for the suggestions so far, it does seem like the 35mm Summicron may weel be best suited for me to kick off with. I know that the shop where I am getting the M9 has an ex display model so I shall probably go for that. And as Lars says, hey if I feel like a change at some stage I can always trade it in. Ok, so now let's say that I've got the 35mm which works wonders but I want to expand my little collection. Does anyone have the 90mm Summarit f/2.8 and how do they find it as a tele and in combination with the 35mm? And lastly, if I wanted to go wide is the 28mm enough of a difference from the 35mm? Should I go for the 24mm (but does this then require and external viewfinder). So I guess you could sum it up with what's the perfect 3 lens set up!? Thanks again, now I can't wait to get my M9 on Tuesday and start shooting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted July 8, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 8, 2011 For something wider than 35mm, I would certainly recommend at least 24mm or even 21mm, instead of 28. You will need an accessory finder (OK, there are people who shoot with both eyes closed – but I am not one). The old man from the Age of the 3.5cm Elmar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jager Posted July 8, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 8, 2011 There really isn't a perfect 3-lens setup. If there were we wouldn't have the multitude of lens threads talking about them (and which many of us enjoy)! I agree with Lars. Get a one-lens setup. Doesn't much matter which one. That 35 Cron at your dealer would be perfect. Use it for a while. Let that inform what you get next. (Indeed, there will be a next...) FWIW, common wisdom among many, over many decades of Leica practice, has been to match the 35 with a 75. The 50 frequently gets matched to a 90. There are excellent reasons for those marriages. My own, personal, view is that each Leica lens is sufficiently different from even their close neighbors as to warrant contemplation. I find, for instance, that the 28 and 35, though being very close in nominal focal length, to have very different qualities and characteristics. My advice would be to go slowly. Even when you do pick up that second (and then third) lens, you'll probably find your photography is rewarded by choosing one lens and then leaving that stuck on your camera for large chunks of time. Welcome to the forum. And congratulations on the M9! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted July 8, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 8, 2011 i have the 90 summarit, and i think it is a great lens. others might have more character, whatever that means, but this lens delivers for me what i need. i also have a 21, 35, and 50 and use the 50 most of the time followed by the 35 (especially when i only want to carry the camera with the lens). have to admit i have been thinking about getting a 28 and 75 to fill out the array... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted July 8, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 8, 2011 As Lars said, you have a preview lever. So with any first lens, which I agree should be used extensively, you have many alternative views at your disposal. In the meantime, your one lens will require you to use your feet...and that's likely to help influence your next decision. My guess is that no matter how many lenses you eventually buy, you'll use one of them at least 75% of the time, and one more most other times. Report back in 10 years. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted July 8, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 8, 2011 As my Kiwi friend likes to say "The 35 Summicron is a cracker of a lens". I have no idea what that means, but it sounds good!!! For me my 3 lens setup is 21-35-50 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillD Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted July 8, 2011 As ever, wise and welcome words from the forum, thank you. One quick question - what is the 'preview lever' and how does it work, I'm not sure I have read about this? Otherwise, I hope to have my M9 and 35mm Cron by midday Tuesday and my first shots downloaded by midnight. I'll then be back in 10 years (as recommended) or sooner to report back! Thanks all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 8, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 8, 2011 The preview lever, the one on the right of the lens, just below the viewfinder, allows you to see the field of view for the other lens combinations, regardless of which lens you have fitted. So, even if you have a 90 fitted, you can easily see what field of view you'd get from a 35 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jager Posted July 8, 2011 Share #15 Posted July 8, 2011 When you mount a lens to an M-camera it brings up the proper frameline (or, more precisely, the frameline pair) for that lens. On the M9, the three pairs are 28/90, 35/135, 50/75. So if you buy that 35 Cron, for example, it will have both the 35 and the 135 framelines displayed in your viewfinder. The preview lever is a small lever which falls under your left index finger when holding the camera to your eye. By moving it between its three positions, you can momentarily bring up any of the other framelines, allowing you to actually see what any of those other focal length lenses would look like. It's very quick and intuitive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillD Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share #16 Posted July 8, 2011 Thank you for that, you learn something every day on this forum! I shall experiment when I get to try the camera in the shop. I'm assuming that to 'see' what a 24mm or wider looks like you would have to use an external viewfinder? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jager Posted July 8, 2011 Share #17 Posted July 8, 2011 I'm assuming that to 'see' what a 24mm or wider looks like you would have to use an external viewfinder? Indeed, yes. Though noting that some folks simply use the entirety of the viewfinder as a close enough set of "framelines" when using a 24. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm Posted July 9, 2011 Share #18 Posted July 9, 2011 Indeed, yes. Though noting that some folks simply use the entirety of the viewfinder as a close enough set of "framelines" when using a 24. Assuming you do NOT wear glasses, in which case even the framelines for 28 mm may be difficult to see at one glance - and may require some slight horizontal shifting of eye position to see the full 28mm field of view. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted July 9, 2011 Share #19 Posted July 9, 2011 As a single/first all-purpose lens for landscape, architecture and family (small groups of people, or wider portraits ie. individuals in their surroundings) I would think 35mm id the best option. Remember that although a 50 is different, M9 & lens image quality is good enough to crop to 50mm field of view if needed. Good luck. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillD Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share #20 Posted July 9, 2011 Thanks MarkP, the 35mm it is then to start with, and good point re the cropping. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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