w44neg Posted February 7, 2014 Share #1 Â Posted February 7, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Firstly, I'm guessing this thread may have been created before. However, as a complete newbie to Leica, I'd massively appreciate recommendations for your favourite travel lenses, especially for the M9 which is what I'm going for. Maybe since the last thread, new lenses have come around from other brands etc. Â I'm buying the M9 for mainly travel purposes. I tend to visit cities and ports but we also go to Italy quite a lot and if I could take one lens that would cover the above, plus landscapes (as well as possible without too much compromise), I'd be happier than taking say a 28mm and 50mm etc. Â I also looked at the MATE option but I haven't found too much info on its IQ. There seems to be more info about its versatility, but then with f4 and visiting buildings in cities, the speed may not be good enough. Â I'm looking for lenses that often get commended for their "Leica-ness". Lenses that offer the very rounded look of Leica rather than just lenses that work because of their focal length etc. I'm open to Leica or non-Leica lenses that offer the "Leica magic" I keep hearing about. I understand IQ is subjective, however it's a given that some lenses offer that something extra that others can't. Â When I spoke to the store I'm buying my M9 from the other day, I requested the 35mm Summicron f2 as I've heard good things about the IQ it produces. The 35mm is a focal length that's a bit longer than I'd normally use, but I'm sure it would work well. However, I then I looked into the 28mm Summicron and the opinions and reactions to the IQ seem at least as good, plus the added wide angle may be better for my travels. I hear some complaints about the viewfinder with a 28mm lens though? Â The 28mm elmarit also sounds excellent, and will be cheaper, but after reading many opinions, the Summicron seems to edge it on the overall look of the photos produced, and it's that 5% difference that I hoping to find from the off. Â I only have a limited budget right now, and believe the 35mm will be more than suitable, but if there was something I'm missing for semi-similar money, maybe it would be a better option for me. Â Any opinions/experience etc will be valued, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 7, 2014 Posted February 7, 2014 Hi w44neg, Take a look here Your favourite travel lenses for M digital?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pragmatist Posted February 7, 2014 Share #2 Â Posted February 7, 2014 For your travelling, visiting ports and cities so forth then I would say the 35mm asph F2 Cron will satisfy your needs and give you that Leica look you mention. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_S Posted February 7, 2014 Share #3 Â Posted February 7, 2014 35mm and 28mm are rather different in perspective and this will have more of an impact than different models within a given focal length. Having said that, the 35mm Summicron ASPH is one of my favourite lenses. Â Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsv Posted February 7, 2014 Share #4 Â Posted February 7, 2014 As suggested above, the Summicron 35 ASPH is an allround one. The 28 provides you with a much wider view, which I find nice for old city centers and rolling landscapes. If you want to travel light, don't underestimate the Summitar 35mm 2.5. A very good lens at a very good price. The weight balance on your camera to me is better though with the Summicron. Â I would take a summilux 50 and an elmarit 28. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted February 7, 2014 Share #5 Â Posted February 7, 2014 The universal travel lens for me is the MATE. Take an Elmarit-M 90 as a second lens (or any other 90mm lens) and you are all set. If needed, I take a CV 4/21mm lens to complement (it is so small and light!). Â Image quality of my MATE is truly excellent. The only limitation is its f4 maximum aperture, but if you shoot digital, crank up the ISO and you are done. Â Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonki-M Posted February 7, 2014 Share #6 Â Posted February 7, 2014 21 Super Elmar 35 Lux Fle 90 Elmarit-M Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted February 7, 2014 Share #7 Â Posted February 7, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) You are correct this question comes up more than once a month it seems. Search harder and you fill find the answers. For every 10 replies you will get 12-15 opinions. Â Really depends on if you use filters. I like to group my travel lenses by filter size since I use the Monochrom in addition to the M. Â So look for E39 to see if many of those type of lenses will suffice and do not forget the 90 macro.These lens are very versatile, IMHO have Leica character and often cost the least, new or used. Even the old 135/4.0 Elmar-M for around $200-300 is a great performer and takes 39mm filters. So E39 gets you from 28 to 135mm. If you ever own an M240 then the EVF gets you focused on any lens you or the RF struggles with. Â For E46 you will have a larger selection, but also higher priced lenses across the range. This size gives you 21, 24, 28 and 35, etc. Â E55 gets even more expensive. Then there is E60, but the older 21/2.8 Elmarit-M is a very nice WA lens with lots of character and someday if you ever had the where with all to get a 0.95 or f1.0 Noctilux then they are also E60. Â When you compare weight and size for travel. I would go for light and not fast unless interiors are your choice of venue, but that could mean fast lenses and high prices. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
semi-ambivalent Posted February 7, 2014 Share #8 Â Posted February 7, 2014 50 28 50 28 50 90 21 28 50 90 21 28 50 21 35 35 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 7, 2014 Share #9 Â Posted February 7, 2014 90mm Elcan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted February 7, 2014 Share #10 Â Posted February 7, 2014 I love the 28 Elmarit ASPH and prefer it to the 28 Summicron for it's size, sharpness and excellent value. It's a great lens that should be in every Leica owner's kit. Â One lens? For me it's the 35 Summilux FLE. Does everything well; from portraits to travel, also interiors and low light work. At ISO3200 you can hand hold it in the evening if you don't have a tripod. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsilly Posted February 7, 2014 Share #11 Â Posted February 7, 2014 I shoot film (can't really comment specifically on the M9), but I think the 28mm Elmarit is a great travel lens. Wide enough for narrow streets, compact and I like the IQ. I have tried both the version IV and ASPH. The version IV is better ergonomically (I actually found the ASPH too small), but the ASPH is a little better optically. Â I think for travel you'd only really need a 28mm Elmarit and 50mm Summicron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Albertson Posted February 7, 2014 Share #12 Â Posted February 7, 2014 Most of my travel is for work, and I restrict myself to one body, one lens as that is all that will fit in my backpack after all the work stuff is crammed in. For either an MP or an MM, I invariably take a 35 'cron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ansel_Adams Posted February 7, 2014 Share #13 Â Posted February 7, 2014 35 Summicron ASPH is what I chose. Wider (say 28) is very nice also but you have to get closer which is not always possible. Longer (say 50) is also very nice. 35 is popular for a reason, it is the ideal single lens focal length for most uses. Â I have the 35 Cron ASPH and absolutely love it. I use it on film and really enjoy the range of options it provides, especially combining different films and developers, etc. On the M9 I am sure you will equally enjoy its versatility. There is a lot to be said for the discipline of using one focal length for 12 months. Â Having said that, Leica lenses are tiny... especially 28 Elmarit ASPH sure you cant fit two or three in your bag? :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted February 7, 2014 Share #14  Posted February 7, 2014 Well....... I am off on a plane tomorrow and am taking:  M240 Noctilux 50/0.95 WATE Voigt 12/5.6 90/4 + OUFRU for macro  never had much use for FL's between 21 and 50 .... tend to use my feet instead  that lot (plus sundry additional bits) fits in a Dothebag mono which is 28x14x18cm  plus and X-Vario in a tiny Lowepro streamline 100 bag ...... this is such a good little camera I cannot leave it behind........  from past experience I will probably use half of that lot .... whatever lens gets stuck on the camera in the morning tends to stick there all day ..... unless something special turns up ...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berth Posted February 7, 2014 Share #15  Posted February 7, 2014 I shoot film (can't really comment specifically on the M9), but I think the 28mm Elmarit is a great travel lens. Wide enough for narrow streets, compact and I like the IQ. I have tried both the version IV and ASPH. The version IV is better ergonomically (I actually found the ASPH too small), but the ASPH is a little better optically. I think for travel you'd only really need a 28mm Elmarit and 50mm Summicron.  My plan was to take two lenses and two bodies, for the MP the 28mm Elmarit. It's absolutely ridiculous but already I'm thinking I should add that 50mm Summicron to my Leica bag.  I haven't done my taxes yet, so perhaps I'd better.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philcycles Posted February 8, 2014 Share #16 Â Posted February 8, 2014 How about a 50 Summicron and a Contax 28-70 Vario Sonnar? It's more compact than the Vario Elmar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 8, 2014 Share #17  Posted February 8, 2014 90mm Elcan  It's a little larger and heavier than I'd want for a travel lens. On the bright side, when it's attached to the M9 it could be used as a make-shift seat. Good luck finding one that doesn't cost more than the plane too.  Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted February 8, 2014 Share #18 Â Posted February 8, 2014 You should join the "'One Challenge" this year, in Istanbul. That is the perfect opportunity to choose the gear you shoot with before you have any idea what you will be shooting! Â OTOH, if you have certain favourite subjects to shoot, as a rule, that will not change when you travel. Surprisingly, most countries have similar motifs for photographers to shoot that they find at home. So use your familiar focal lenghts with confidence. Â And seriously, come to Istanbul, in October. You'll get so much advice there you will never need to ask again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoySmith Posted February 9, 2014 Share #19  Posted February 9, 2014 I like to group my travel lenses by filter size.   You can purchase a 39 to 46 mm step up ring so you only have to carry 46mm filters.  Roy   Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_S Posted February 9, 2014 Share #20 Â Posted February 9, 2014 You can purchase a 39 to 46 mm step up ring so you only have to carry 46mm filters. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk But then you cannot extend or fit the matched lens hoods. Â Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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