advise

[sheikhrafiq79]

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i m going to buy lenses for m, 35mm 90 mm, do i need 50 mm lens also for m240, my most work is traveling/landscapes.

[Broadoaker]

Yes, you'll need at least one of every lens that Leica makes. Seriously.

[Stealth3kpl]

He speaks the truth.

4 lens kit: 21, 35, 50, 90

3 lens kit 21, 35, 50

2 lens kit 28, 50

1 lens 35

 

Works for me.

Pete

[Gerard]

If you are aiming to build a kit for travel, and you enjoy shooting landscapes, consider a wide and short tele. Such as a 21 / 75 combo. You may find these focal lengths work harder for you. If you do intend to get a 35, I don't think you really 'need' a 50.

[sanyasi]

Unlike others, I see a big difference between a 50 and a 35, which means only one thing: This is a decision only you can make through personal experience and style. Since you are inclined to start with the 35, I would start there and see how it goes.

[snooper]

Another 2 cts... Unlike others, I never got wider than 28 because the M viewfinder is about what you get on a 28. I tried 21, 24... but got back to the Cron 28. Maybe Live View would give you a real chance to master the 21 / 24... But makes the 35 mandatory...

 

Unlike others I see a huge difference between a 35 and a 50, and you have to be able to make portraits with your camera, at least friends and family.. Don't do them with a 35 (or wider) unless you really master this lens :-)

 

So... 28 / 50 sounds reasonable, luxury would include a 35...

 

End of my amateur 2cts

[digitalfx]

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My two most used focal lengths are 35 and 50...but this is really a personal choice. I would suggest starting with one or two lenses and grow gradually. This is the best way to appreciate your lenses, if you start with too many choices you tend to not learn about the lenses characteristics.

[viramati]

1 lens. 50

2 lenses 28 & 50

3 lenses 28, 50, WATE

4 lenses 28, 50, WATE, 90

 

most used 28 and 50

travel kit M9 x 2, 28 and 50

[sblitz]

depends depends depends -- are you shooting street? portraits? landscapes?

 

i have an 18, 28, 35, 50, 75, and 135 (you can these for about $500 mid-1960s vintage, great lens). had a 21 but prefer the 18, but like most above the combo changes depending on one, two, or three lenses with me and whether i want to lean wide or long. if i am traveling to a new city and only one lens 28, a place i know 35, more than 1 -- 28 and 50 or 35/75, 3 -- 18/35/75. the 135 gets pulled on occasion (why i wouldn't spend more than i did).

 

starting with 35 and 90 i think the next should be either 18/21 if you want 35 to be your "normal" lens or 50/75 if you want the 35 to be your wide.

[Guest borge]

It's all about what YOU like. Nobody can tell you what kit works or not.

 

Personally, I'd say, for a 1 lens setup a 50mm is the best you can get. Others will say a 35. I personally owned the 35 FLE for 4-5 months and sold it today. And I'm actually happy about the sale, since I never got a long with the 35 focal length. Superb lens, but I *always* wished I had the 50 mounted instead, no matter what I was photographing.

 

I've tried the 28 as well. Didn't like it. The next thing will probably be a 75. I've also tried the 90 and didn't like it. Whatever I try I keep falling back on the 50 no matter what.

 

I urge you to rent a couple of focal lengths for a few weeks and really try them out. Then compare the pictures from each focal length and see which ones pleases you most. In my case I had zero keepers from the 35 over 4 months. I had MANY keepers from the 50 though. I'm just a 50's guy and sold the 35 with a very good feeling, even though I didn't have to.

 

Many people say that the 35 and 50 are very similar. I would say quite the opposite! They are VERY different.

[helged]

On travel and hiking, I aim for a versatile, high-quality, small and light-weight package. Standard choice of lenses are 21SE, 50 (lux or cron), and 90 (marco-elmar). This is great combo. For me.

 

On the M9-class of bodies, a 21 mm view finder is kept permanently on the hot shoe. Very convenient for a quick check of the wide angle view. On M240, the EVF is always on the camera.

[sblitz]

just to add about the external viewfinder on the m9 or film m's with a 21 or an 18 or wider -- set the f stop, focal focus, and you only need look in the ext vf to frame and shoot.

[Marac]

My personal kit consists of 15,28,35,50,90

 

My most used kit is the 28,50,90

 

That is regardless of taking the M8 or the Monochrom out to play.

 

Different people have different needs, the 3 lens kit above suits mine perfectly.

[sheikhrafiq79]

for my most of the work i use 35mm and 90mm, since i travelling, i don't like too wide.

[jaapv]

It simply depends on the expected subject matter.

[IkarusJohn]

I'm off on a motorbike tour in the US in April next year. I plan to take M9 & Monochrom and the following lenses (all modern ASPH designs):

 

• 21 Summilux
  
• 28 Summicron
  
• 50 Summilux
  
• 90 Summicron
  

 

They all fit quite nicely in a tank bag. An alternative would be 21-35-75-90. The 75 and 90 are close in focal length, but the 75 is a Summilux (one of Mandler's last and best designs - sharp stopped down, but dreamy wide open), whereas the 90 Summicron is APO ASPH, and very sharp.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that speed and character are also issues to consider - I won't be taking a tripod (well, I might take a little fold up travel one) and I don't use flash.

 

Cheers

John

[tmldds]

Since you mentioned your focus is traveling and landscape, I would start with a 35, versatile enough for outdoor and indoor shots.

[StephenPatterson]

Since you have asked for "advise" I am going to do just that.

 

Buy a 35mm lens, either Voigtlander, Zeiss, Summarit, Summicron or Summilux, depending on your budget and sample images you like the look of. Use this lens, and only this lens, for six months. After six months two things will happen. First, you will have answered your own question, and second, you will have become a much better photographer.

 

I know this is not the answer you want, and seldom do new Leica owners follow this path...but you should.

[erl]

I don't think I have met two photographers that shoot the same subject the same way. So any advise you get here will be biased.

 

Not helpful at first glance, but think about it. Or more to the point, think about what YOU like shooting and how. That will define the lenses you should have and nothing else matters or helps.

 

I know this is putting 'the ball back in your court', and it was meant to. So, start working your brain and enjoy the journey. It really is fun.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Guest borge]

If you have an M camera then play with the framelines and see which one (28, 35, 50, 75, 90, 135) you prefer in most situations that you normally would photograph and buy that focal length.