Do I need a 35mm lens.....?

[Linford]

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I have been trying to talk myself into either 2.0/35mm Summicron or 1.4/35mm Summilux FLE but I have been unable to do it, yet. BUT I JUST KEEP REVISITING IT!!! What to do. My two primary lenses are both 50mm (1.4/50 Summilux and 0.95/50mm Nictilux). The Summilux is my go to when I am out of town, but around my own town I tend to carry the Nocti. Also, when I am on the road I like to carry the 2.0/28mm Elmarit for street stuff and when I want a little wider FOV. I do however find that I end up doing a lot of cropping my street shots. Hence, I am always considering the 35mm. I have a 2.0/90mm Summicron that I use sparingly and mostly for B&W. In the end, the 35mm FLE is quite an investment and the 35mm cron is nice and small but more affordable, but is the hole between 28 and 50 big enough to need filling? That is the question. I'm sure I am not the only one who has had this question. Advise appreciated. Thanks and cheers!--linford

[01af]

Everybody who is alive and kicking needs a 35 mm lens

[01af]

Now seriously ... 28+50 is a very versatile and popular combo, and the gap between these two focal lengths does not utterly need to be filled ... technically. But that's a very personal thing. I, for one, wouldn't want to be without a 35 mm lens while I could do well without a 28 mm lens. My most-used lens is 50 mm but I frequently switch to 35 mm, and I consider these to be very different focal lengths. When using the Tri-Elmar-M 28-35-50 mm Asph, 60 % of the time it's at 50 mm, 30 % at 35 mm, and maybe 10 % at 28 mm. But then, again, that's just me.

 

By the way, do not ignore the wonderful Summarit-M 35 mm! I prefer it over the Summicron-M 35 mm Asph (but not over the Summilux-M 35 mm Asph, except for size and weight).

[woorob]

I agree completely with 01af's view.

 

Have you considered the 16-18-21 WATE (IMO one of the most useful and greatest lenses Leica ever made)?

 

Go wide and expand your horizons greatly!

[Guest Ansel_Adams]

Many of the best Leica shooters used 28,35 + 50. Its the classic lineup. I would go for the 35 Summicron. Fantastic lens.

[Guest Ansel_Adams]

THE CHARM OF 35MM FOCAL LENGTH

The Charm of 35mm Focal Length | Paul Coates Photo | Paul Coates Photo

[Peter H]

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The majority of my photos are taken with a 35 or a 50. But frequently I take only one lens, and most often it's a 35, because there's genuinely very little that a 35 can't handle with a little imagination. I find it the most versatile of all focal lengths, but it very rarely if ever feels like a compromise. So if I don't know in advance exactly what type of subject I might encounter, a 35 is the best bet to cover all eventualities.

 

Also, you could stretch the 28/35/50 to maybe 24/35/75 if you wanted to, without losing much but maybe gaining a fair bit of flexibility.

 

But the cornerstone of anything I do is always a good 35.

[krieves]

My 35mm cron is the lens that stays on my camera 95% of the time. Every lens is a series of compromises, but this lens represents less of them.

[srv333]

Ever since I picked up the 35mm lux, my 28mm has sat on the shelf. In fact, I no longer like the 28mm focal length because of the 35mm. I will now sell that 28mm and replace it with either a 21mm or 24mm.

Long story short, everyone needs a 35mm of some sort.

[swamiji]

Well if you have a bad case of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome), then by all means you must have a 35mm. I have two and I don't even shoot 35mm. I shoot mostly a 28/75 combo. I have four 50mm lenses and only reach for the f1 Nocti when I want to play with my bokeh.

 

It seems to be a difficult disease to rid myself of. Good luck

[jcraf]

Yes, you do. And there are lots of options, from the Summarit 35 to the 'Lux 35 FLE.

 

Personally, I have a Summicron V4 ('King of Bokeh'....or maybe not...) and the Summilux FLE.

 

I would never be without this focal length in the M system, despite having a 24, 28, and lots of 50s.

 

Good luck!

[TomB_tx]

I use 35 a lot more on my M9 than I did on film Ms. When I go out without a specific idea in mind it is usually with a 35. I love small lenses, and used a v2 Summicron 35 for 40 years. Added a Zeiss 35 f2.0 which is sharper but too big, then found a Summarit 35 which is best of both.

[Numbers]

you NEED a 35 mm Summilux - the rest is just "nice to have"!

[A miller]

I've been using my 28mm a lot more recently in the streets. The ability to pre-focus pretty much everything starting at 5 feet until infinity even on a cloudy day at f5.6 and still have a 1/1000 shutter speed allows for a level of spontenaity and quickness that you just don't have with a 35mm, unless you're in a 14 or 15 exposure value (i.e., very sunny conditions). You can get this with a 35mm on a reasonably sunny day at f11 or f6, but you need a much slower shutter, which in many cases is survivable at 1/125. But ratcheting up the shutter to 1/1000 allows you to shoot amidst motion (whether you are in motion or your subject is in motion) and still get crisply sharp results.

 

With this shutter speed and DOF, you can approach a subject and in a nanosecond shoot it and be gone. I also use a 28mm external viewfinder instead of the VF in the camera, as I have glasses and the external VF very quickly gives me the entire frame on a silver platter.

 

Not at all saying that this is the only way to shoot in the streets. It's just one of many fun workflows. But to get the most out of this particular workflow, one needs a 28mm, IMHO.

 

Great results can and are had with 135mm or longer. The longer focal lengths are fun to use as well. Just different workflows....

[IWC Doppel]

Everybody who is alive and kicking needs a 35 mm lens

 

I couldn't agree more

[NJH]

I would look at it differently OP. If one is comfortable with 28 + 50 what about when you only want to carry the camera naked with one lens on it? Or what about if you get fed up switching lenses around back and forth?

 

I used an X100 as my only camera for a year so got fed up with 35 but I am back in that situation again where I would like to go out sometimes with just one lens and not feel restricted by being stuck at 28 or 50 (although I find 50 rarely a restriction). One lens One camera = the 35 in my book even though I really don't like the focal length all that much.

[mirekti]

I built up a set around 35mm, and many times asked myself if I needed a 50mm lens.

At the moment I own 24 Elmar, 35FLE, 75APO, and 135 Telyt. This is a magical set for me. Of course, I'd like to own Nocti, and 75 lux, maybe 21,24 lux, and I guess every other Leica lens. It never stops.

 

If you have extra budget, and money isn't an issue hop in, but if not, use your lenses wisely, and enjoy in what you already own.

 

However, to stir it up a little bit more. 35 FLE is my most used lens.

[Dikaiosune01]

I have often struggled with the same exact question for a long time. And in many ways, I still am. I regularily use the 50mm planner (recently moved on to the summilux). And the 28mm elmarit. it is very similar to your situtation.

 

When i keep asking myself I I needed a 35mm ... I picked up a voigtlander 35mm skopar to see how I would like it. I figured it would be a 'relatively' affordable way to answer the question whether I would like a 35mm. I am still not sure If I will pick up a leica 35mm lens... but i've arrived at the following conclusion.

(1) I would never carry the 35mm and 28mm at the same time.

(2) If I am using the 50mm, I would reach for the 28mm instead of the 35mm.

(3) Using a 35mm lens by itself is very satisfying (as an only lens option)

(4) if I'm with family and friends at recreational events; i prefer the 35mm. it allows me to work from a more natural distance while being a part of the activites. (i.e. taking pictures from across the table in a restaurant)

(5) the skopar is much too slow for indoor activities with friends.

 

My tenative conclusion: (I'm going to give myself 6 months to set aside funds for a 35mm summicron; and to see if I change my mind) I would like a 35mm for social engagements; for times when I can carry one and only one lens. And it might be a nice compliment to the 50mm when the 28mm elmarit is too slow.

[Malvolio]

You have enough lenses. Go out and shoot with what you already own

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[Linford]

Thanks everyone..... I'm headed to Chicago this weekend. I'll be considering it a great deal on this trip. Keep your thoughts coming. I'll let you know how it's coming from this end. Cheers!