The ideal two lens kit... 35mm f2 + ...

[IWC Doppel]

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I would probably go 35 & 50, or 35 & 21(Or possibly 24)

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[ShivaYash]

The M-E arrived this morning and so far, I'm in love. The 35mm is nice and wide, mainly taking shots of the new baby and my wife. I think 50 will suit me nicely, but won't be buying something for a while. Definitely not a 28, that is for sure. Will have a play with a 75 too but perhaps a little big for my needs.

[batmobile]

35 + 24 or 35 + 75 depending on what I expect

My exact same thoughts.

[Stein K S]

I will be bold and answer 35 + 35.

 

Tadadadaaa!

While I often bring both the 28 Elmarit asph and 50 Elmar-M along to complement a 35 (due to their very handy sizes), I just as often bring (only) my 35 Lux pre-FLE and my 35 Cron v 4... so yes...

Edited July 28, 2015 by Stein K S

[Hey You]

My vote is for 40 Summicron-C along with 90 mm Macro Elmar.

 

As another member put it, take one step back and the 40 mm is a 35 mm, take one step forward and it's a 50 mm.  

So it covers two essential focal lengths.

Online dealer HeavyStar sells an adaptor ring which converts the atypical thread of this lens into a standard 39 mm thread.

 

The 90 mm lens also uses 39 mm filters, so that a single set of filters will accommodate both lenses.

 

It's hard to get a more compact, light, optically excellent and versatile kit than these two.

[lct]

Different generations though. The 90/4 macro is more contrasty. I'd prefer the Rokkor 90/4 with the Rokkor or Summicron 40/2 personally. YMMV.

[tobey bilek]

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Chevy or Ford?    But you need a freightliner or Perterbuilt to haul a trailer.   Depends on your usage 

 

35 Summicron and 75 APO.

[drk_1981]

with my M-P and M6: (15 + 35) or (15 + 50) - rarely run around with the 35 + 50 combo as the difference is just not there.

with my M8: (15 + 35) or (15 + 50) 

 

I like the 15 + combination on the full frames as it gives me enough possibilities. However I'm still in the process of adjusting as my M-P is still brand new. With the M8 everything is 1.33x therefore I get close to a tele with the 50mm and ultra wide turns into not too crazy wide and becomes rather manageable. Days when I know that i don't expect to shoot anything tele like then i go out with the 15 + 35mm combo.

 

in my opinion the best bang for buck is the 15 + 35 combo as it allows you to shoot scene's in the city and minimal wide with the 35 which is like a swiss army knife usefull at 90+ % situations 

[efreed2754]

In general agree with 35 Summicron and 75 Summicron.

 

For travel like 18 and MATE (28-35-50) unless consider zoom cheating.

 

Also look at some locations as wide angle  and others as telephoto.  Hence 18 and MATE or 18/35 are good; or 35 and 90 or 135.

 

Some trips include both very wide and long so bring five or so lenses and then select which ones per day.

 

Also good to mix up wider for context and some telephoto for details or different perspective.

[Sjauch]

I don't really have a favorite kit but I just came back from a short visit to Copenhagen where I used a 35+75 combination that I was very pleased with for some mixed street and tourist photography. I can think of many other combinations to use but if one of the lenses must be 35 then I feel a 75 is a very good complement. My two favorite focal length's though would be 50 and 35 so one of them would always be in a kit.

 

Funny, I just got back from a trip here too. I packed a 35,50 &90. I really thought I'd use the 50 the most, that didn't happen. I found the 35/90 combo to be the best. In the future to simplify I might just use those two lenses.

[bobbywise]

If you need the extra reach, I'd say 35 + 90

If you don't need the extra reach, I'd say 35 + 75 cron

 

Having said that, the 35 mm on you M8 would have been like a 50, so maybe change your 35 for a 50 and get a 90 to complement it (75 too close to 50).

 

Before I got into the Leica system, I considered myself a 50 person (really like using the 35 mm on the Fuji-X system, which is like 50). The first lens I used extensively on the Leica system is the 35 mm FLE, and this has pretty much converted me to preferring to use 35 mm over 50 mm. So for me, if I were only to have two lenses in the Leica system, I'd choose 35/75.

 

At the end of the day, it all really boils down to what/how you prefer shooting to determine what lens(es) you choose.

[ShivaYash]

Really happy this question has gotten a good level of replies, most of all helpful ones. For now, the 35 just suits me down to the ground. I hope to try out of 50 + 75 in due course. I mainly shoot photos of my family and friends, and the odd social event. How do people get on with the small frame lines regarding composition? I used to have a Leica 90 but didn't get on with it. Was a beauty of a lens but just not enough usage for me.

[fussgangerfoto]

For me, it would be 35 cron and 50 lux. Anything more is just, well, more.

[asiafish]

I like small and light.  If taking only one lens it will usually be the 50mm f/2 Summicron (v5).  Small, light, sharp, fast (enough) and I just love the way it renders on either my M-E, M Monochrom or on film with my M5.  I also like the 50mm frame lines that leave a lot of open space outside, yet are still large enough.  Finally 50mm just tends to work best with the way I see the world.

 

For a two lens kit I currently add the 35mm f/2.5 Summarit, again because it is very small, very light, and I love the way it renders.  For urban wandering the 35mm tends to stay on the camera, while for indoor activities, events or suburban and rural areas I'm usually back to the 50mm.

I've lately been interested in 28mm, and shoot my X Vario often at its widest position with increasingly good results.  I will probably buy the 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit ASPH in a few months and try pairing it with the 50 Summicron on my next trip.

[Herr Barnack]

For me, it would be 35 cron and 50 lux. Anything more is just, well, more.

 

I would pretty much agree with fussgangerfoto.  I would ask for a tiny bit of wiggle room to allow for the possibility of replacing the 35 cron with the 28 cron ASPH. 

 

If you have a 50, you can get along without a 75 or a 90 if you are willing to be bold enough to just walk closer to your subject (provided it is not located on the far side of a deep canyon, of course).

Edited July 30, 2015 by Carlos Danger

[farnz]

50+50.

 

Mandler+Mandler: Rigid Summicron during the day and (f/1) Noctilux as the light fades.

 

Pete.

[Mark Pope]

I can see why you may think the 90mm is too long with the M8 but on the M9/ME, it's a very nice focal length IMO.

When I started with Leica, my outfit was a M6TTL, 35mm ASPH Summicron and 90mm Elmarit and the was fine for most situations.

 

I have a fairly old screw-mount (CV) 75mm which I do like, but currently, I don't like the focal length enough to warrant buying a Leica equivalent.

 

I've never really had any problems with the smaller frame lines when using the 90mm.  A 1.25x magnifier can help, as it increases the magnification of the finder to 0.85x, as well as helping with accurate focusing.

 

So my natural inclination would be to suggest a 90mm lens as a second lens.

 

You're lucky enough to live very close to a couple of Leica dealers, so I think the best thing to do would be to pop down to one (or more) of them and have a play with some lenses and see what you think.

[assaf110]

I like 35 + 75.  50 is admitted quite a different focal length from 35, but I get lazy changing between those two focal lengths. 75 offers enough of a spread and is for me the best focal length for portraits.   

+1

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Hallo,

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[asiafish]

Funny, I just got back from a trip here too. I packed a 35,50 &90. I really thought I'd use the 50 the most, that didn't happen. I found the 35/90 combo to be the best. In the future to simplify I might just use those two lenses.

I recently brought the same combination.  Took two or three shots with the 90, about 25 or 30 shots with the 35 and hundreds with the 50mm.

 

not entirely accurate though, as I also had my X (Typ113) with me and that camera is always at the equivalent of 35mm, and I used it more than my M-E with all of its lenses combined.

Edited July 30, 2015 by asiafish

[asiafish]

I just so ordered a slightly used 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit ASPH this afternoon, so next trip I will try the 28 and 50 combo and leave the X at home.