Bare minimum.

[ananda]

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I am shooting with an M and just a single lens. The Summilux 50 Asph. The least kit one can have and still have a working Leica. I rather like it. Where once I had three lenses, now the one. l have to wonder if anyone else is so set up, and prefers this minimal kit? I am in my 60s and frankly, I just don't see the point in carrying a lot of gear around. I just got back from Costa Rica to home in NC and was satisfied with what I had.

[jdlaing]

Sounds like you have the perfect setup for what you want.

[jmahto]

It's perfectly possible to shoot with only one lens in 28-50mm range. It is question of what one is comfortable of.

 

However, I will be surprised if anyone uses a FL outside this range as the only lens. Anyone?

[mikemgb]

Many of my cameras in the past have had fixed 35mm or 40mm lenses, even with the zoom lenses I have now I find myself shooting at about 35mm 90% of the time. A fixed lens brings out your creative side, you learn to get the best out of what you have and the results are often stunning.

[bencoyote]

Though I was recently bitten by a case of GAS that was my intentionally my kit for the most of the time that I've had the M. It is still my walk out the door setup unless I have something else in mind.

 

I agree, you don't need a lot of kit and working with a fixed lens brings out creativity. I think it is debatable and a matter of personal preference whether the one lens kit is the old classic 50, the classic 35, or the current standard lens 28 (largely due to cell phones). I'm kind of heartened that so many young photographers are learning and innovating with composition with the fixed lens in their cell phones. I think it bodes well for the future. 

 

<rant> I have a kind of contrarian view of zoom lenses in comparison to most camera manufacturers. I think zoom lenses, especially slow zoom lenses like 3.5-5.6, are expert's lenses. Yet the camera manufacturers seem to think of them as the basic beginner's lens. With a zoom lens, you have all these focal distances which have different characteristics and compositional challenges. Furthermore, shooting slow lenses require even more compositional skill because you can't do things like just throw everything distracting out of focus and you need a rather big bag of tricks to work around around their limitations. It would seem like the wise kit lens to ship with a beginner's camera would be a 35 or a 50 and market the zoom lenses to experts. </rant>

 

Anyway, I think you have basically the ideal minimalist kit.

[mltx]

I had the same minimal set (M + 50/1.4a) before but now I prefer M+APO 50/2a which is even less in size and weight with a little sacrifice for the maximum F stop.

[azuled]

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I maintain only a minimal set, M240 and Summilux 35mm FLE.  I like having only one lens to travel with, it makes life easier.

[gbealnz]

Works for me too, albeit with the likes of the Leica X1. Perfect for 99% of anything I wanted.

Passed up the 1% and simply "looked", something many photographers seem to fail to do, look.

Good on you.

Gary

[ayewing]

My first Leica was a secondhand M2 which came with an Elmar 50mm collapsible lens and this served my needs for many years back in the 1970s. With more disposable income and leisure time in retirement I have over the years acquired a variety of lenses ranging from 15mm to 135mm but I find that when I go for a walk with my current M240 it is most often fitted with an Elmar-M 50mm, a nice late coded version of the lens I started off with.

[Schrödinger's cat]

Interesting you should bring this up just now, as I have been recently evaluating what I carry personally.

 

Two years ago I was wagging a pro body Nikon and three pro zoom lenses around the UK and the back of beyond in Mexico.  I suddenly work up one morning and realized I was old and started thinking about something easier.

 

I'm now down to an M240 M-P and two lenses, my images are just as interesting (perhaps an overstatement.  lets just say they didn't get any worse ) , my back thanks me, and everything is easier to drag through security and on public transportation.

 

The last couple of weeks I have been experimenting with only a 50mm and, while I haven't actually reached any conclusion as yet, think it might be a viable possibility for me.

[sml_photo]

I own three lenses, but usually just go "out" with just one of them.  I guess my mood determines which one I use. 

I suppose I could "get by" with one lens, but I suppose I like the fun of having options.

[bencoyote]

I had the same minimal set (M + 50/1.4a) before but now I prefer M+APO 50/2a which is even less in size and weight with a little sacrifice for the maximum F stop.

 

Yeah, I totally didn't get that when I first started looking at Leica long before I bought one. Now I realize that there are summicron people, summilux people, and summarit people. The same can be said of situations. I LOVE the way that M system has that flexibility. I kind of realize that I'm a summilux kind of guy because of the situations that I end up shooting in.

 

I know that it will take time but I hope that Leica carries over that key insight into the SL system. So that a person can ask themselves if they need the ginormous 24-90 f/2.8-4 no compromises lens or if it makes more sense for them to have a smaller lens with some well understood compromises that reflect their needs and what they shoot better. 

[PaulJohn]

Yes I am keeping it simple too. I am going away for a week to Marbella and only taking my M240+90mm, Monochrom+50mm, M4+35mm, Hasselblad 503cx+50mm and D810+24-120mm zoom with 10 stop ND and polarising filters. Oh and packs of Ektar and Portra. Oh and a tripod and chargers too. And of course three camera bags. Aaaaargh!

 

Can anyone recommend a good psychologist?

[AlanJW]

Like others here I frequently go out with one lens, even though I own a bunch.  It is the 50APO that will most frequently get the nod, but sometimes the 35mm Summilux.   This is true for M240 and SL both.   There is a discipline to using one lens that IMHO forces you to think more, which is a good thing.  The more I do this, the more I think I should sell some of the lenses, but every time I have sold a good M lens I have almost immediately regretted it.  Thus the drawer stays full even my bag is lightened.

[Michael Hiles]

I travel with a 35, 50 and 90. The 35 and 90 get rarely used, and only when I am going somewhere that calls for it (the 35 for an old church for instance).

 

Otherwise I see and make pictures in my mind's eye and work to make my equipment (M2 + 50 summicron) do what I want. And the 50mm sees what my eyes see, mainly.

[ananda]

I am discovering the one lens practice compelling, and thanks for all the replies. There is a creative factor, and a certain elegance to it. My only question is whether to exchange the Summilux for the Summicron Asph APO???

[Michael Hiles]

...exchange the Summilux for the Summicron Asph APO???

 

You likely would never see a worthwhile difference, I suspect. Your pictures will good or not depending on your mind's eye, not on your expenditure. Spend time on where to point the camera, and save your money.

[mltx]

... My only question is whether to exchange the Summilux for the Summicron Asph APO???

I did that and more than happy to keep APO 50a on M as minimal set.

 

The point is that there is a matching factor between camera model and lens.

 

I have tried/used three 50s: Summilux 50/1.4a, Summicron 50/2, APO Summicron 50/2a on both M and ME.  My personal feel is that Lux 50a does not perform as good as the two Crons on M, but performs excellently on my ME.  So I used to adopt the matching: ME+50/1.4a and M+50/2.

 

But when I tried APO 50a on M, the image results are very striking (with some CCD characteristic, if I may say so) and definitely it is the best performer among the three on M.  APO 50a also performs excellently on ME, but the resolution potential cannot be fully exploited because of the lower resolution of ME. 

 

That is my personal feel to share and may not suit others.

[robert blu]

I have more lenses, not many, but I do like to shoot only with one. Of course only one lens on the camera  but I mean when traveling I bring more lenses and than each day I select the one I'll use going out and leave the other in the safe of the hotel.

So I'll have a 50 day, maybe next day will be 35 and next one the 75 0r the cv 12....

I select which one depending on the  or on the idea what I'll try to photograph, what I'm looking for...

robert

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[pgk]

Yes I am keeping it simple too. I am going away for a week to Marbella and only taking my M240+90mm, Monochrom+50mm, M4+35mm, Hasselblad 503cx+50mm and D810+24-120mm zoom with 10 stop ND and polarising filters. Oh and packs of Ektar and Portra. Oh and a tripod and chargers too. And of course three camera bags. Aaaaargh!

 

Can anyone recommend a good psychologist?

 

You'll need a good back specialist too .....