What lenses do you use most with the M-240

[sillbeers15]

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My most frequently used lenses are:

1 21mm Lux;

2 50mm Noc;

3 80-200mm V. Elmar (when I travel).

 

Less used lenses:

1 35mm Lux;

2 90mm AA;

3 180mm APO Elmarit.

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[lct]

35/50/90 since the eighties, 50mm being the most used by far, so nothing new under the sun bar 30 more lenses and 30 less years to use them...

[250swb]

I hoped I would be able to focus more accurately. In still found I didn't use the 90mm much because I still wasn't nailing focus (unless I had more time than I usually do). As a result, I actually sold my 90 Summicron Apo

 

Were you opening the aperture wide to focus with the Live View EVF/LCD?

 

Steve

[pgk]

Hi - I didn't buy the M-240 because of Live View - but I did think, naively, (especially with the EVF) that it offer a way of avoiding using a DSLR and big heavy lenses like the L series Canons. The reality is that while the EVF has been really useful with 21 and 18, I don't find it useful with most lenses - and the improved RF has even made 90 and 135 a pleasure to work with. OK - I do use the EVF from time to time with the 90/135, but longer R or other brand lenses really haven't been a viable alternative.

 

This isn't a PROBLEM - I'm SO pleased with all the other 240 goodness. But it has left me intrigued about how other people are using the camera - and if there are differences with earlier M practice.

Whilst I have and occasionally do use live view on my dSLR (as you say useful with long L lenses) I find it is the impracticality of doing so to be the reason why I don't use it more. I suspect that the M-240 will be little different. Where I have found live view most useful (macro and long lens), everything is tripod mounted and live view works ok in this sort of scenario. Its obviously ok for video work too, but not exactly ideal either. But all in all, I find it pretty irrelevant for most photography and suspect as you indicate, it only really has occasional uses, and consequently hasn't altered my lens line-up - with one Canon exception which is the rather specialist 65mm MPE which is easier to work with as live view doesn't have to operate at the working aperture; not something of any relevance to the M-240.

[chris_tribble]

My most frequently used lenses are:

1 21mm Lux;

2 50mm Noc;

3 80-200mm V. Elmar (when I travel).

 

Less used lenses:

1 35mm Lux;

2 90mm AA;

3 180mm APO Elmarit.

 

Hi - interested to know how you're experience with 80-200 has been. I just can't bring myself to put it in the bag. Maybe I should. When you work with it is it hand held with EVF or on tripod with LV? Great to hear.

[Jared]

Were you opening the aperture wide to focus with the Live View EVF/LCD?

 

Steve

 

I was, and it worked just fine. It was just that it wasn't very quick, and so was not practical in manny situations. Open lens, focus at 5x, recompose, stop down lens, shoot. When I had time this was no problem. But too few picture taking situations allowed that kind of time. I was just better off with the 75mm and the usual rangefinder for focus. I am far more accurate with the rangefinder on the 75 than I was with the 90.

 

- Jared

[Delcredere]

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My most frequently used lenses are:

1 21mm Lux;

2 50mm Noc;

3 80-200mm V. Elmar (when I travel).

 

Less used lenses:

1 35mm Lux;

2 90mm AA;

3 180mm APO Elmarit.

 

+1 for the frequently used lenses with a 2x extension tube for the V Elmar

[algrove]

Chris

 

Good questions and thread.

 

My interests are landscape and also street, both of which for me require a different set of lenses.

 

I thought my long and ultra wide R lenses would be just the ticket for the M240. Now that I have been using my M240's for over a year, I most often find focusing with the EVF while using M lenses to be the easiest for me. One twist of the focus ring and my 5x setting pops up for critical focusing when needed. However, RF focusing is still my favorite. I am an M user after all. That said when I want or need something over 135mm, I go for my 180/2.8 with and without 2x extender even though I have the 1.4 as well.

 

When new to the M240 I took my first long trip with the M + 28-90 and used it with EVF about 90% of the time even though I took my normal compliment of M lenses too. I took my APO 70-180 on that trip, but seldom took it out of my backpack. I used my 15/2.8 about 35% of the time on that trip and just love how it renders on the M. Many believe the Zeiss 15/2.8 is the same, but I can tell you it is not in my experience. I also used my APO50 some on that trip without flare issues and never used my 35.

 

So based on the above I use my APO50 and 35FLE the very most for street with the 35 being on about 85% of the time. However, for landscape I use either very wide or short and very long telephotos the most, i.e., 18 or 21 and 90 or 180 (for that slice of landscape that just stands out to me as special).

 

For example, on a recent landscape trip to the American SW I used the 18 much more than I ever though I would and seldom put on the 21. Never used the 35. I used the 50 once in a while, but used the 90 a lot more (25-30% of the time) than I had imagined before departure. Then I pulled out the 180 on occasion. Having 2 bodies helped with sand/dust issues, but still had to send one body in to Leica for cleaning. (I never clean my own sensors, unless absolutely required while on a voyage, and send them into Leica while under warranty.) Once out of warranty I have no idea how I will handle sensor cleaning. I tend to keep a wide on one body and on the second body whatever my morning choice is based on the venue destination for the day, either 50 or 90 with the 90 being put on 75% of the time over the 50 on that second body. As an aside, I must say that the GPS was highly helpful once back home in helping to properly identify where a certain image was taken and how many were grouped at that specific location. After switching to the 64GB Sandisk Extremes, I found I filled up 5 on just this one trip of 3 weeks long.Keep in mind I was shooting with 4 bodies from before sunrise until after sunset with most daylight shooting reserved for the Monochrom using either the APO50 or 90/2.8.

 

So sorry this got so long, but I wanted to give the reader an understanding of my venues and choices of lenses per venue.

[jbl]

I'm in the midst of a very long love affair with 50mm. I have a minor problem with acquiring 50mm lenses, so I have a number of them. I keep hoping that Barnack's ghost will show up if I manage to assemble enough of them.

 

Recently, I tried to mix it up and put a 75mm APO on and it was a bit of a challenge for me. I got one keeper, but I had to keep backing up which bothered me. I think I prefer challenging myself by going wider rather than longer.

 

But at the end of the day, if I have to grab a lens for a quick shot, it'll be a 50mm. Probably a 35mm after that.

 

-jbl

[ananda]

Mostly 28 Elmarit ASPH and then the 50 Lux ASPH. I almost bought adapter and an R lens but frankly I decided not to because it seemed to defeat my aim of having a small kit and traveling light.

[hoppyman]

I use my 50 Summilux ASPH the most by far and then the APO Summicron 75 ASPH. I guess it depends which genre has you engaged the most currently. For me the LV and EVF were a novelty to play with. But then I don't have any R lenses to resurrect. They are a great tool to confirm that the RF is spot on though in testing.

[LocalHero1953]

+1 to the use of LV for testing. Until I used it to test both the rangefinder and some non-Leica and older lenses I wouldn't have considered it a particular asset at all. I wouldn't be without it now.

[bideford]

+1 with too many 50's

 

At the moment it is a 40 year old Canon 50mm 1.4

 

Lovely colours and sharp wide open.

 

James

[Nick De Marco]

28mm Summicron ASPH is my standard lens on the M - 80% of time

 

Then 50mm Summicron v4 -15%

 

Than all the others (but mostly either 50mm Nockon, 50mm Sonnar, 35mm Summicron ASPH, 35mm Nockton, 90mm Summicron, 21mm Voigtlander f1.8).

 

I never thought I would use the 28 as much as I do but I find it to be the perfect walkabout lens. Perfect for street photography, architecture and landscape alike. It is rare I need wider, and if I need closer I can walk forward. It renders beautifully on the M Typ 240. If I go light on a trip I take also just the 50mm summicron, because the 35mm is too close to the 28 and can't be used as well for portraits, and the 90mm is too long for me for most things.

 

Now I am probably buying the Noctilux f1 used this better got a lot of use, though in reality for most normal daytime stuff I think the 28 and 50 summicron would remain the ideal 2 lens kit.

[platypus]

For example, on a recent landscape trip to the American SW I used the 18 much more than I ever though I would and seldom put on the 21. Never used the 35. I used the 50 once in a while, but used the 90 a lot more (25-30% of the time) than I had imagined before departure. Then I pulled out the 180 on occasion. Having 2 bodies helped with sand/dust issues, but still had to send one body in to Leica for cleaning. (I never clean my own sensors, unless absolutely required while on a voyage, and send them into Leica while under warranty.) Once out of warranty I have no idea how I will handle sensor cleaning. I tend to keep a wide on one body and on the second body whatever my morning choice is based on the venue destination for the day, either 50 or 90 with the 90 being put on 75% of the time over the 50 on that second body. As an aside, I must say that the GPS was highly helpful once back home in helping to properly identify where a certain image was taken and how many were grouped at that specific location. After switching to the 64GB Sandisk Extremes, I found I filled up 5 on just this one trip of 3 weeks long.Keep in mind I was shooting with 4 bodies from before sunrise until after sunset with most daylight shooting reserved for the Monochrom using either the APO50 or 90/2.8.

.

 

PLEASE!! post some images from your American SW landscape shooting adventure

[farnz]

Chris,

 

50mm. Normally a single lens and it's the 50/1 Noctilux unless I want to travel light during the daytime when it's the 50/1.5 C-Sonnar. Occasionally I take out the 80 Summilux-R, which always produces wonderful results when it can talk me into leaving the others in the house. I must listen to it more often.

 

Pete.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

50mm is by far my most used lens. Followed by 21mm and, if Leica ever fix it properly, my 135APO. But that one is currently back in service, again.

 

However I have, recently, purchased a used 35mm Summilux ASPH. because I want to learn to see 35mm. I've tried a few 35mm lenses and not really got used to them but I love some of the samples I see from others. So for the next three months my most used lenses will be 35mm and 75mm.

 

I am using the EVF when stopping down the 35'lux to take into account its focus shift. I've also ordered a set of the new Novaflex tubes to get some real macro going on....

 

Gordon

[01af]

It is not exactly my most-used lens right now ... but it's getting more and more use and might end up as my most-used lens eventually—the Water Lens, a.k.a. Minolta M-Rokkor 40 mm 1:2 (second version, for the Minolta CLE camera, with "ø 40.5 mm" writing on the front rim—the first version basically was just a re-badged Summicron-C 40 mm).

 

Technically, it is not my sharpest lens. But it is very sharp, and it has ... character. In spades. It once was dubbed "the Water Lens" by a Japanese lens connoisseur, and I kept wondering for years what that was supposed to mean. I own this lens for a couple of weeks now, and I think I am beginning to understand ...

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[MarkP]

50mm is by far my most used lens. Followed by 21mm and, if Leica ever fix it properly, my 135APO. But that one is currently back in service, again.

 

However I have, recently, purchased a used 35mm Summilux ASPH. because I want to learn to see 35mm. I've tried a few 35mm lenses and not really got used to them but I love some of the samples I see from others. So for the next three months my most used lenses will be 35mm and 75mm.

 

I am using the EVF when stopping down the 35'lux to take into account its focus shift. I've also ordered a set of the new Novaflex tubes to get some real macro going on....

 

Gordon

 

Hi Gordon,

 

whats the ongoing problem with your 135 APO?

 

Enjoy your 35 Summilux. I'm surprised you feel that you need the EVF for focus accuracy for focus shift with the 35 Summilux unless this is this a pre-FLE version which should not have significant focus shift.

 

Regards,

Mark

[Ecar]

In terms of focal lengths, the M240 hasn't changed much for me: roughly half is 50mm, a quarter is either 35 or 28 and a quarter is everything else.

What the M240 has significantly improved is my ability to reliably focus old lenses in all circumstances and at all apertures without shift, thanks to the EVF.

I am thus more willing to mount 'vintage/exotic' glass on the camera than I used to be. In turn, this helps me better understand the characteristics of each lens and improve my ability to choose the right tools for the job at hand and/or for the desired effect. An interesting and rewarding photographic journey.