vinster Posted October 30, 2011 Share #1 Posted October 30, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Well i have narrowed choices down to the ex-display model for £4500 if not happy with that when i see it next week pushing the boat out for the M9P Chrome.as this is a retiring present for my self i will be only buying it once.Im due in hospital during a November to have my left kidney removed so the get well period will be a good time to learn camera. So looking for lens recommendations which go best with the camera. I have a leaning to a 35mm but also was thinking of starting with a 50mm and getting a 28mm at a later date.If i get the 35mm this would almost cover both ranges . I like street, landscapes, rivers and portraits.I know 1 lens cant cover the whole range but the 2 lens ranges that come up most are the 35mm and 50mm. Im a fanatic about sharpness ,so any recommends what to buy, i would love the 35mm 1.4 but out of budget range this year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 30, 2011 Posted October 30, 2011 Hi vinster, Take a look here Almost there M9--M9P now lens advice please. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Double Negative Posted October 30, 2011 Share #2 Posted October 30, 2011 The first lens is always a daunting choice. Especially - as it sounds like from what you like to shoot - a bunch of different things at both close and far distances, etc. Perhaps start with "the ol' standby" of 50mm and go from there. One neat trick that the rangefinder offers is the frame preview lever. Diddling it, you can see what other focal lengths would give you. I might suggest walking around, playing with the different options and see which you like most. I wrote up an article a little while back that might help as well - "Choosing Focal Lengths." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
satijntje Posted October 30, 2011 Share #3 Posted October 30, 2011 ...I had same problem to solve; The advice that i received was: M8: 35mm M9: 50mm Buying a Summicron around 1000 Euro second hand in good state seems to be an excellent choice........ My gear will be delivered by UPS tomorrow ;.)) The cron is waiting for his (or is it a her) attachment...... John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWW Posted October 30, 2011 Share #4 Posted October 30, 2011 I know it's a personal choice regarding preferring either the 35mm or 50mm but I usually find the 35mm more useful as a single carry around lens. You'll most likely get both eventually anyway so starting with either the 35 or 50 Summicron (or Summarit) should be a pretty safe choice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sp12 Posted October 30, 2011 Share #5 Posted October 30, 2011 Have you considered third party options? For the price of 1 Summicron you can get several third party lenses of similar quality. For example, the Voigt 28/2, 21/4, and Zeiss 50/1.5 can be had for ~2000$ total new. You'd be very lucky to find a Summicron 35/2 ASPH for that price used. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted October 30, 2011 Share #6 Posted October 30, 2011 Third party lenses are an excellent way to get started with a Leica M. I began mainly with Zeiss, but after getting a taste for Leica lenses I found that they were spending more time at home than mounted on the M9. They have now found new homes (except my CV15). If you buy Zeiss or CV and decide to sell later the financial impact is not great, but you will probably not recover 100%. I still have no regrets about my decision to start with Zeiss (21/2.8, 35/2.8 and 50/1.5) it's just that once you use a lens like the 50 Summilux ASPH, well, there's no going back. If I was doing it all over again I would probably start with the 35 Summicron ASPH while waiting on a 50 Summilux ASPH. Mastering lenses one at a time is the best way forward. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpalme Posted October 30, 2011 Share #7 Posted October 30, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Get well soon! Anyway I have a 28 cron on M8 (37 mm equivalent ) seems I'm always wishing for a little bit tighter. And my 50 is a little too long. I don't have a 50 ish equivalent lens since I'm just waiting to upgrade to an M9 soon. There are plenty of 50 summicrons on the market with the latest version going from $1600-1800 used. Some $2k if it's pretty new. 50mm is considered "standard" and I think the best place to start. Of course it all depends on the users style/preference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
*j-w-m* Posted October 31, 2011 Share #8 Posted October 31, 2011 I have both the 35 Summicron and the 50 Summilux - having had both for a while I have learned that "normal" for me is 35mm. Meaning that when I look at a scene and visualize the edges of the frame prior to putting the camera to my eye, I tend to naturally envision framing that favors the 35 over the 50. I love the 50 for its strengths, but if I had only one focal length to start I would choose a 35. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelogan Posted October 31, 2011 Share #9 Posted October 31, 2011 I have used the M8 for a while now with the cropped sensor, and my opinion is that a 35mm lens is perfect on this camera. I have a 35mm Summarit which is a fantastic lens IMO and very underrated. For the M9 I would 100% get started with a 50mm lens. The reason for this is fairly simple, and that is that for all intents and purposes, the 50mm focal length is the most equivalent to what your eyes see, making the rangefinder experience very natural and easy. It is a great place to get started, and to add to that you have possibly the most selection of lenses in this focal length. Assuming you go for a 50mm lens, the next decision would be what kind of rendering you prefer. If you like classical, dreamy, soft(ish) images then I would grab a pre-aspherical Summilux and shoot at f/1.4. I would go for a later version if at all possible, approx $2000. If you prefer sharp images but still retaining some of that classical Leica look, you can't go wrong with a Summicron, or even a Summarit 50mm (which is a bit slower at f/2.5 rather than f/2 but is optically fantastic). The Leica Elmar 50mm f/2.8 is also a fantastic lens, but slower again, and has that classic Leica collapsible profile that you either love or hate. Do keep in mind however, that the Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH is about as perfect as a lens can get, but it costs $4000-$5000. Alternatives exist in the Zeiss and CV land, and if I were going for one of these, I would grab another 50mm f/2 Zeiss Planar in a heartbeat. From this 50mm starting point, you could add in possibly a 35mm and a 90mm at a later date and build from there. I was faced with this dilemma recently, and decided to get a Summilux ASPH (in Chrome) and later the Chrome M9-P. It's expensive, but it's also an investment IMO, and while the CV and Zeiss alternatives will generally depreciate slightly, the Summilux ASPH will command a better return, better images, and not leave you dreaming of what a better lens could give you. Good luck with your decision making! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macpants Posted October 31, 2011 Share #10 Posted October 31, 2011 I am fairly new to the Leica/ Rangefinder scene so I had a similar predicament to you a short while ago. Partly motivated by the difficulty of getting hold of Leica glass I initially opted for a Zeiss Planar T 50mm f/2 (chrome barrel). This is a fantastic lens. Close focussing down to 70cm (instead of 1m) and stopping down to f:22 instead of f:16 with 1/3 stop intervals instead of 1/2 stop I can highly recommend this lens. It is also a lot cheaper than the Leica equivalent. As for sharpness I can state that it is incredibly sharp. I don't know how it compares to the 50mm Leica lenses in terms of technical sharpness using grids etc but in the real world it is a beauty. I have since acquired a 35mm Summilux APO ASPH f/1.4. This too is an incredible lens. It almost certainly is a bit better than the Zeiss but massively more expensive. Colour rendition and bokeh need to be seen. The truth is I love them both and, if budget is not an issue, get two lenses. The wide is probably more useful for an everyday lens but generally I tend to prefer the angle of view of the standard 50mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalArts 99 Posted November 1, 2011 Share #11 Posted November 1, 2011 Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'd just get the lens that's available and with a price that I'm comfortable with. In the end, any lens will be fine. Once you mount a lens on your camera, then that's the lens you have. Then you use your feet and that thing between your ears to help direct your eyes. It's amazing what you can do with one lens, despite the focal length. Using just one lens can be very liberating. Unfortunately it's too easy to get hung up on the equipment. Discussing equipment is always the easy part. I hope your operation goes well and that you recuperate quickly. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanghait Posted November 1, 2011 Share #12 Posted November 1, 2011 Congratulations on retirement and sorry to hear about the pending hospital trip. Since you are a sharpness freak, perhaps it can be your guiding light in your search. Some of my experiences below: The 50 Summarit is one of the sharpest lenses I've ever owned. I have smattering of 50's including the Summilux ASPH and newest Noctilux. It is still one of my favorites because of size and sharpness. The summicron is probably only a quarter inch longer, but its enough that I notice. When I first debated getting the lens, I thought my eyes played tricks on me as it seemed sharper than the the summicron. Sean Reid's latest review in October reinforced my suspicions that it might be a tad sharper. Of the 28's and 35's, I prefer the 28 Summicron when paired with a 50mm. Both of my 35's get a lot less usage than my 50 and 28 now. I love them, but the 28 produces something a little more special imho. Unfortunately, the 35 doesn't cover everything you are looking to do. Street and portraits I think a 50 works great. A 28 will do your river's and landscapes justice. No matter what you choose......you can't go wrong. You will love it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinster Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted November 1, 2011 plumped for a 35mm f2 summicron in silver. Time will tell if i made the right choice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted November 1, 2011 Share #14 Posted November 1, 2011 plumped for a 35mm f2 summicron in silver. Time will tell if i made the right choice. An excellent choice. You will not be disappointed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted November 3, 2011 Share #15 Posted November 3, 2011 The 35 is an all time favorite, so is the 50. I think both range is a winner and there are a wide variety of shooting style you can do with both. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
myoder Posted November 3, 2011 Share #16 Posted November 3, 2011 I don't have a digital yet. On list for M9-P chrome, but have an M3 with a 50 Sum. pre-ASPH and know that I will want a 35 eventually. Just checked Dales Photo site 15 minutes ago and snagged a used chrome Summicron-ASPH. I'm set for lenses but no camera. SIGH! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulus Posted November 5, 2011 Share #17 Posted November 5, 2011 Well i have narrowed choices down to the ex-display model for £4500 if not happy with that when i see it next week pushing the boat out for the M9P Chrome.as this is a retiring present for my self i will be only buying it once.Im due in hospital during a November to have my left kidney removed so the get well period will be a good time to learn camera.So looking for lens recommendations which go best with the camera. I have a leaning to a 35mm but also was thinking of starting with a 50mm and getting a 28mm at a later date.If i get the 35mm this would almost cover both ranges . I like street, landscapes, rivers and portraits.I know 1 lens cant cover the whole range but the 2 lens ranges that come up most are the 35mm and 50mm. Im a fanatic about sharpness ,so any recommends what to buy, i would love the 35mm 1.4 but out of budget range this year. If you ( can ) buy a 50mm summilux asph. You'll never want to get another one. Simply the best! You can last ages with this lens before desiring another one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Pop Posted November 5, 2011 Share #18 Posted November 5, 2011 It depends on your budget. For 35mm, you could get a Zeiss Biogon C f2.8 (slow though but very nice). Next choice would be the Summarit 35 f2.5. The best though would be the 35 Summicron f2 Asph. For 50mm, if you get a Summicron f2, you won't go wrong. The sharpest, bar none. Wide range of prices on these; good users can be had for a pretty good deal and as long as the glass is clear you won't be disappointed. Summilux 50 1.4 is nicer if you want more speed, and want nicer bokeh, but they are a LOT more expensive, at the expense of sharpness, and a bit slower to focus. My first lens was a 1972 Summicron 50. Fantastic. But for the 'one lens' decision, it's 50 or 35 in my opinion. Check out photos on flickr to get an idea of the framing of 35 vs 50, and once you decide, then determine what speed, sharpness, and price you're thinking of. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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