Which lens next ?

[01af]

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[exile]

35/2 summicron ASPH would be the perfect compliment in my opinion.

However, if you shoot low artificial light indoors without flash you will need an F/1.4 at least, which in that price range means the 50 lux Asph instead. I have the CV 35/1.2 Nokton Asph which is a nice enough lens but too big for a carry-everywhere normal lens.

The 35 cron asph has a really nice balance of size speed and image quality matching your 75 cron asph that you already love. An older 35 or 40 cron (pre-asph) would be a cheaper and lighter option but would not provide as exact a match in lens character as the 75.

[lct]

a) If you like your 75/2 you will like both 35/1.4 FLE and 35/2 asph as well.

28/2 and 50/1.4 asph will match your 75/2 very well. Same for the 28/2.8 asph. Also the 50/2 apo i guess but i've no experience with it. 50/2 non apo? Very good lens indeed but i would use it with Mandler lenses preferably.

[algrove]

I for one always like to have one fast lens no matter which combination I take out. budget for one 1.4 lens of which there are many to choose from today.

[swamiji]

I gave up using a 50/75 mm combo, as I kept forgetting which lens I had on and then framed with the wrong lines. Also the focal Lengths are too close.

 

These days I try to at least double or halve my focal length. Like today I have 24/50/135, but I could just as easily have a 18/35/75 or a 28/50/90. It all depends on the environment I am shooting. In terms of a two lens kit, a 24/75 I think is great. The 24mm for landscape/ architecture/ street and the 75 for portraits.

[rramesh]

I gave up using a 50/75 mm combo, as I kept forgetting which lens I had on and then framed with the wrong lines. Also the focal Lengths are too close.

 

These days I try to at least double or halve my focal length. Like today I have 24/50/135, but I could just as easily have a 18/35/75 or a 28/50/90. It all depends on the environment I am shooting. In terms of a two lens kit, a 24/75 I think is great. The 24mm for landscape/ architecture/ street and the 75 for portraits.

+1 Double the focal length works well for me. 21-28-50-90.

[01af]

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Double the focal length works well for me. 21-28-50-90.

Huh!?

[rramesh]

Huh!?

Not double .. 2 steps.

[NZDavid]

35 'cron Asph has also been my most used lens recently. It's ideal for travel. But I wonder if a 'lux might be useful for portraits. The 2.8/24 Elmarit Asph also sees a lot of action. I would also look at a 50 or 75, not just for portraits but for landscapes and tighter shots. The 50 is still surprisingly versatile. You probably won't stop there, though...

[Peter H]

For a long time I have been wedded to a fantastic 28 Summicron/50 Summilux combination with 21 and 90 as the main outliers, but I've recently, in the last few weeks actually, been rediscovering the joys of the 35 Summicron.

 

Such a nice, easy, light and convenient lens capable of so much quality. Its a joy to use and a versatile little gem when you only want to take one lens out with you.

[billo101]

Great combo:

 

35 Lux FLE

75 AA

 

add 21 SEM...

 

b

[Simon Bee]

Well I thought I was set on a 35mm as my 'standard' to go with the 75 AA I already have but as it happens I have not yet gone for one as I'm still not 100% sure.

 

I had initially ruled out a 35 "lux" FLE because of it's cost, even though I could stretch to it and was aiming for a Summicron. Then I saw a mint FLE appear on "Aperture" site for £2990 the other night, should I ... shouldn't I ..... mulled it over , then last night a second appeared on "Aperture" site this time for £2890, decided to sleep on it and ring them this morning .... checked their site this morning and guess what .... yep .. one "sold" the other "reserved" , ah well that's what you get for being indecisive, then again as I said at the beginning of this reply I'm still not totally certain about whether it should be a 35 or 50.

 

So where am I now ? Back at square-one I guess, but then as I don't want to make a mistake in my purchase perhaps that's no bad thing, after all the M7 has yet to come back from Solms having the DX reader upgrade and some "a-la-carte" type customisation done.

 

So thank you to everyone as all of your opinions are greatly appreciated, I will let you know which way I have gone once I make a firm purchase.

 

Regards

 

Simon

[Gerard]

If your 1st and only lens is a 75, you do not 'need' a 50. A 28 or 35 would offer much greater flexibility.

[Simon Bee]

OK, the longer I put off my decision the more options come to mind.

 

I had said from the outset that if my 'standard' was to be a 35mm it would either be a Summicron Asph or a Summarit. If it were to be a 50mm I would consider a Summicron or a Summilux Asph as I could afford it.

 

Given the only lens I have at present is the 75 AA I agree that a 50mm should not be the 'next' choice as surely I will need a wider FOV, even though I am comfortable with a 50mm as a standard lens.

 

On further consideration, greater budget and wanting to get this purchase 'right first time' I have concluded that I could stretch to a new 35 Summilux FLE which along with the 75 AA I already have will surely stand me in good stead for the rest of my days and this may well be the path I should follow, however .....

 

Leica recommend the 28mm Summicron as the ideal partner for the 75 AA in a two lens outfit and I can see the logic in that too. I could live with the 28mm as my 'standard' in the short term but I am not sure for the long term therefore if I get the 28 now I would later add a 50mm for 'my' true standard as for me the 35 would be too close to the 28.

 

So this is where I am a little stuck ......

 

a) Buy the 35 FLE to go with my 75 AA and stick at that

Buy the 28 Summicron and later add a 50 which will give me 28-50-75 combo

 

or c) and this is the difficult one ..... buy a 'new' 50 Summilux Asph along with a second-hand 28 Elmarit Asph for the same cost as the 35 FLE.

 

As I feel that long term 28mm FOV will be too wide for my liking as a regular standard I feel I should forget the 28 Summicron and either get the 35 FLE or for approximately the same price of the 35 FLE I should get a new 50 Summilux Asph AND a used 28 Elmarit Asph.

 

Just when I thought I had narrowed it down

 

Anyway, in advance of any further advise/suggestions ...... thank you

 

Simon

[lct]

Matter of tastes of course but 75 & 50 are too close whilst 75 & 28 are too far for me. If you like much your 75/2, i would go for a 35/1.4 FLE or a 35/2 asph in the first place. With a bit of luck, you won't need a 50 after that and you can perfectly add a 28/2 afterwards. Not to say that i don't like 50mm lenses, in fact it is my favorite focal length with FF cameras, but i don't bring a 75 in the same bag, preferably a 90 instead. YMMV.

[Jeff S]

These matters are quite personal, so all others can offer is their own experience. Mine is biased by the fact that I don't like the 75 frame lines, and 50/75 do not feel far enough apart for my use. This lesson was learned after buying a wonderful 75 Summicron asph long ago, only to eventually sell it.

 

If you love the 75 FOV, and get along well with the frame lines, then my experience will be less useful. Otherwise, you might add to your confusion by considering the sale (trade) of your 75, and instead building in either direction, say 35-90. Then, over time, you can decide if you want to add a wider 28 and/or a 50 in-between.

 

Over time, I've ended up with these 4 focal lengths...28, 35, 50 and 90, which in combination or separately meet all my needs, including switching from 'full frame' 35mm film Ms to the 'cropped' M8. The only time I carry 3 or more, however, is for extended travel. Otherwise it's one, or two, for the day. I'm one of those who don't find the 28-35-50 too close. Others do.

 

This, anyway, is where I ended up. When I started out with a film M a few decades ago, I bought a 35, used my feet to zoom, and used my preview lever a lot to determine what, if anything, I was missing in my tool kit for the kinds of pics I like. Thirty plus years later, I still don't need much, and I could live with a couple of lenses if I had to.

 

No reason for you to rush. But, if I were you, I'd start by asking if the 75 is your foundation or 'go to' FOV. If it is, then add one lens in either direction to suit your needs and preferences. If not, find out what is and go from there.

 

Jeff

[pfhrased]

Noone's really brought up character specifically relating to what you have - they're both quite different. The 35 FLE and 50 1.4 ASPH have very similar character to the 75 cron - because it's a hybrid of both of the others (front of 50, back of 35). If you want a matching character, go for that.

 

The 40 has its own unique look - closer to the summilux 75 than the cron (but with a sharper edge to the bokeh), but I can't seem to get rid of it (even owning the 35 FLE).

One thing worth keeping in mind is the 35 FLE is huge compared to the 40/2.

 

I agree with the others about the 50/1.4 - I adore it, but if I had the 75/2 I'm sure I would feel there wasn't enough difference in focal length. I'd just take a step back.

 

The difference between a 28 and a 35 or 40 is a bit more marked though. Spend some time with a 28 and a 35 to see if you like the focal length more than the 40 perhaps? I'd just keep the 40 as well, it doesn't take up much room at all.

[skinnfell]

50 is too close to 75 unless you have a whole bag of other leica lenses to choose from, in my opinion. Personally I would get the 35 cron, but if you can afford the 28 cron then that is a killer lens. I have 28,35 and 50 crons. Between 35 and 28 i prefer 28 due to the fact that it matches bettter with the 50 whichs is my main lens.

35/75 is a wonderful combo for "natural" looking shots.

 

That said: Considering the spectacular image quality of the 75, you might find that the new 35 lux is the only one that will satisfy.

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[Simon Bee]

OK, it's done ....... I've made a decision and after a deep DEEP breath I bought a 35 'Lux FLE. I should have it for this weekend

 

Thanks for all your help and advice,

 

Simon

[otto.f]

A few years back I would have advised a 35 alongside the 75 and I think I would advise the Summarit now. But since a few years I find more and more the 35 as a standard lens not wide enough and would go for the Summicron 28, also because it is one of the top M lenses in an absolute sense.