Two Body vs Two Lens Kit

[asiafish]

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The only time I bother with a second body is when I want to shoot the M Monochrom, but also want (or wife wants me) to shoot color.  For street and casual travel I take an M with one lens and maybe another in a pocket.  For a long trip I will bring two bags (M and SLR kits) and choose each day.  

 

I dont like like to shoot wider than 35mm or longer than 50mm on an M, though I'll occasionally push to 28mm and 90mm.  If I expect to shoot a lot architecture, landscape or outdoor portraits I tend to prefer my Canon with a 25mm and a 135mm lens and will put a 35mm or 50mm in the bag as well as its easier to switch lenses on the Canon than to switch to the M.

 

I used to try to push it with the M and use it even where it didn't excel due to the quality of the lenses, but I just bought better lenses (Zeiss primes) for the Canon and now the two systems are comparable, though the look is quit different.

[markforce]

Have been shooting with the M9 exclusively for the last 5 years, either with a 35mm alone, or a pair 21 and 50 to switch depending on location and mood. Now that I've added the M246, the intention is to keep the 35 on the 9 sort of permanently for color/daylight while using the two others for, well, mono. 

[norm_snyder]

Until recently, an M9 and an MM, with 35mm Summicron v4 and 75mm APO-Summicron.  Then two things happened--got a great deal on a second MM body, and the 75mm Summicron had to return to the mother ship for severe flare problems [possible problem with finish in the barrel interior--it's currently in Wetzlar and they are incommunicado for the holidays].  As an interim solution, I picked up a used C-V 75mm f2.5, and love it--light, sharp enough.  So for now, two MM camera bodies, with 35mm Summicron and 75 f2.5 Color-Heliar.  

[Herr Barnack]

 

“The best zoom lens is your legs.”

I would hazard a guess that Ernst Haas might possibly say the same about a second body/lens combo.

 

Thoughts?

[KanzaKruzer]

How many of you use a two body solution rather than carrying an extra lens and switching in the field? One example could include an M240 paired with a 28/2 and an M246 paired with a 50/2. Adding a second body for added capability and allowing focal length flexibility.

 

I really enjoy using the OVF, but do not find the EVF on the M240 user friendly. Enough so that I just sold my 21/3.4 on FM and still have my 90/2 listed. I'm using the funds from the sale of these two lenses to buy an A7sII and two lens kit including a Batis 25/2 and Batis 85/1.8. I really enjoy using the 35/1.4 and 50/2 with the M240 OVF. It is fast and accurate. I plan to carry the M240 with the 50/2 attached and the A7sII with the 25/2 attached. Lets me enjoy the OVF with the M240 while gaining low light and autofocus capability with the A7sII. On occasion I may shoot with the M240 and 35/1.4 paired with the A7sII and 85/1.8. Hopefully the two body solution will work better for me.

 

The closest examples I have seen on this website are those carrying both the M240 and M246. I also see a lot of two lens kit paring like the 28/50, 35/90, etc. What situations do two bodies excel at and what problems should I expect?

Thanks for all the insight on two body set-ups. I sold the 21mm and 90mm lenses and ended up buying the a7rII (instead of a7sII) and Batis 25/2. The 85/1.8 is still on order. I plan to use the a7rII and 25/2 combo with my M and 50/2 APO. I'm going to try this two body setup for the next couple months and if it works well I will take them on an upcoming Eastern Europe Rick Steves tour. It is not a photo specific tour and weight is a major concern. The next couple months help me determine if a two body approach works well as a light weight travel kit.

Edited January 4, 2016 by KanzaKruzer

[efreed2754]

Agree with boca burger points.

 

In film days either used M3 and M2R, or M2R (21 and 35) with SL then R8 with 90 to 180 + 2X.

 

Now just use M and Tri-Elmar (MATE) if only one lens for walking about.  Of course 18, 50 Lux, 75 Cron or 90 or 135 may go for the ride if want to cover all bases.

 

Depreciation of camera bodies points to using lenses over more cameras.  So yes MATE is the equalizer. 

[TRIago]

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I use:

M9 + 35mm Cron Asph

M6 + 50mm Cron Rigid

 

But mainly because I like having one film and one digital camera. Otherwise I would bring only one camera and that camera is most likely to have the 35mm attached.

[asiafish]

Just made the deal for a 50 Lux ASPH, so new two body combination will be M-E + 50 Lux and M Mono + 35 Summarit.

[Edward Louis Marit]

I use either MM v1 with 35 summicron paired with MM v2 with tri elmar , or other times I take MM 1 with 35 and 240 with either tri elmar or noctilux

 

Dspends if I think I will be shooting color but quite honestly mostly I take the 2 monochrome. I think I have used the M240 no more than 5 times in 2 years.

 

Just a black and white guy I guess.

[thondup]

I use the 50mm summilux asph on my M9 as the all purpose lens.

[wattsy]

I'm much more of a one camera, one lens (at a time) person nowadays for anything I'm doing for myself. I might also add a second lens in the bag if I think I might need it but often not. (The last time I went with two bodies I ran colour film in one, b&w in the other but forgot to take the yellow filter off when swapping the lenses over.  )

[PaulJohn]

M-P + 50mm cron

M4 + 35mm cron with Tri-X

A 28mm elmarit also fits in my bag but I rarely use it.

 

I'm debating swapping the 50 cron and 28 for a 50 lux

 

I have the M-P on a neck strap and the M4 on a wrist strap which makes swapping over less cumbersome. Also swapping lenses is easier with a neck strap.

[asiafish]

I use the 50mm summilux asph on my M9 as the all purpose lens.

 

I just bought a 50 Lux and pick it up tonight.  I suspect it will become a near permanent fixture on my M-E as well, with the 35 Summarit living on the Monochrom.

[jmahto]

I went to Las Vegas for 4 days and carried everything I had in my luggage bag, however I ended up using only 35FLE on M240 all the time. Didn't feel the need to change lens at all. It covered everything.... desert landscape, casual shot from moving car, Vegas strip outside, Casino inside, portrait of wife and kid indoors and outdoors, Street performances/shows everything. So liberating.

[james.liam]

I just bought a 50 Lux and pick it up tonight.  I suspect it will become a near permanent fixture on my M-E as well.

 

Congrats!

Both you and I came form the v.5 Summicron (I sold mine, I think you're still holding on to yours). You will not regret the decision. Really something special

[a911s]

I would hazard a guess that Ernst Haas might possibly say the same about a second body/lens combo.

 

Thoughts?

 

He did. "Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward."

 

Although, even at my workshop with him, he carried two bodies with 35 and 90mm. Pretty much what I do now too (28 and 50 on M9-P and M-E). 

[stevesurf]

Many great points supporting two camera-lens combos, as stated:

 

Speed to switch between focal lengths without a lens change

 

Ease of switching between color and monochrome and film

 

Lastly, I'll add that I have successfully used M9, M8 in continuous shooting applications to capture firework displays; while one is buffering, the other is shooting.  I know, the newer Ms eliminate this, but I like my older digital Ms .  Also, picking up a film body while the digitals are in noise reduction or buffering has worked as a great option for me, especially where I know I'll only have a minute to take a burst of shots before some security guard notices and heads over to eject me

[chris_tribble]

For reportage / theatre / music it's always 2 M240s with 28 summicon asph on one and 50 lux asph on the other AND a Canon 5D2 with 70-200 2.8 mk2 on a monopod.  I couldn't imagine using less than a two body kit for this kind of assignment.  For travel it's a different story.  If I'm travelling as light as possible it's a single M240 + either 35 summicron asph or 50 elmar-M.  If I'm out for a long day with a wide range of possible subjects then it's a two lens kit of 35 + 135 apo-telyt.  Works for me   

[Geoffrey James]

There is an Eric Rohmer film that starts with a saying -- lui qui a deux maisons perd sa raison,  lui qui a deux femmes perd son ame -- he who has two houses loses his mind,  he who has two women loses his soul.  Normally one camera is enough, although I did a project about a prison in 2013 with a camera on each shoulder -- Monochrom with a 28 Summicron on one, M9 with V4 Elmarit 28 on the other.  The monochrom had a black strap,  the M9 a red one.  But I don't see doing it again.  I wish I had had a Q for the colour -- it would have made the low light situations much easier. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[a911s]

For reportage / theatre / music it's always 2 M240s with 28 summicon asph on one and 50 lux asph on the other AND a Canon 5D2 with 70-200 2.8 mk2 on a monopod.  I couldn't imagine using less than a two body kit for this kind of assignment.  

 

 

That's a nice kit. I've used something very similar before.

 

No working professional who is being paid to deliver the goods is going to walk out of the house with one camera body nowadays. Stuff happens.

Edited January 19, 2016 by a911s