Your favorite Leica lens?

[peterjcb]

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the 50mm seems to be the lens that I'm most comfortable with....while I understand that it's not a one size fits all, generally speaking if I go out with a 35 or 28 there is always that moment when I wish I had my 50 instead.

that being said, my "go to" lens would have to be both my 50 Lux asph and pre-asph lenses. I honestly could live with just those if need be but fortunately I don't have to...

[keenr]

Agree...nifty fifty. If shooting M240, I prefer the 50apo over the lux. Better microcontrast, less distortion, just perfect in resolving light.

[lct]

Depends for what. In good light 50/2.8 v2. In low light 50/1.4 asph. For portraits, ZM 50/1.5. For travels 50/2 apo. 

[jdlaing]

35 Summilux Asph.

[TomB_tx]

On M9: 35 f2.5 Summarit. On film M 50 Summicron v3.

[Jared]

The problem with topics like one is that "favorite" will be heavily influenced by the type of photographs one likes taking.  Street photography?  You'll probably get a lot of votes for 35mm lenses with a few 28mm and 50mm lenses sprinkled in.  Environmental portraits?  Probably the 50mm.  Landscapes?  Perhaps the 21mm SEM or the WATE.  Or some of the S-mount lenses, of course.  Sports?  Not exactly Leica's forte, but maybe the new 90-280mm SL.  Wildlife?  Definitely the 90-280mm.  Vacation photos?  Maybe a 28mm.  Portraits?  One of the S-mount lenses or maybe the 90 APO (or the 75mm Summilux).  

 

You have to choose the right lens for the job, so depending on what subjects you shoot you will almost certainly have a favorite lens that is more about the focal length and speed than about the particular rendering characteristics, sharpness, bokeh, etc..  

 

Since this is an M forum, I expect 35mm and 50mm lenses to dominate in your responses.  Those are the focal lengths that are best suited to rangefinder photography (though obviously other focal lengths work well).  My vote would be for the 50mm Summicron APO. Small, light, relatively immune to flare (recent copies), fast enough.  The 35mm Summilux FLE would be a close second for me.  

 

- Jared

[Trev]

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I've only got two. Fave is the 28mm Elmarit (Canada) Used on an M4-p

[keenr]

Agree...nifty fifty. If shooting M240, I prefer the 50apo over the lux. Better microcontrast, less distortion, just perfect in resolving light.

[cirke]

135 apo telyt  , when the light is good

2nd 50 apo

Edited June 10, 2016 by erick

[Printmaker]

A 35 Summicron type 4 on the M9 and 50 Summicron type 5 on the Monochrom cover 90% of my work. Not sure why but I like the 35 for color and the 50 for B&W. Hard to switch them around.

 

I also have a 50 Summicron type 3 that I like to use on the M9 for portraits and 21, 90 & 135 when needed.Seems a bit redundant to have two 50 Summicrons but they draw so differently. It would be hard to choose one to sell.  Perhaps I will trade both 50 Summicrons in on a 50 Summilux ASPH one day.

[AB007]

It depends. For Leica M digital, 28/2.8 ASPH or 50/1.4 ASPH or 50/0.95. However, 50/2 DR for Film M. 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

This week??

 

90AA.

 

next week??

 

Who knows?

 

I don't go in for this "if you could only have one", of favourites, really. Changing things up is one of the things I like about photography the most.

 

Gordon

[indergaard]

35 FLE - both on film and digital.

21 SEM a close second, especially on digital. This lens is just fantastic! The colors, micro contrast, resolution, and lack of distortion is just amazing. It puts every other 21 (or 21 equivalent) I've tried to shame!

[pippy]

50mm Summicron IV.

 

Pip.

[Nick Bedford]

My rad little workhorse for anything ever, the 35mm Summarit f/2.5.

[TRIago]

I love my 50mm Rigid Summicron.

 

 

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[nightscrawler]

Well well, I bought the 35mm Summilux Steel Rim, 35mm Summicron 7 elements and 8 elements altogether. At first, I don't really admire on the Steel Rim. But I am gradually turning in love with the image of the Steel Rim delivered. Certainly, its not that sharp and with quite some optical shortfalls comparing to modern lens. However, this is one with strong characters and I have it on my cameras most of the time in the recent months. 

[IWC Doppel]

My favourite Leica lens overall is my 35 Summaron F2.8 why ?

 

Size, build, price, performance (Character, resolution, rendering), look

 

Take price out of the equation it's the 35 Summilux Aspherical (AA)

Edited June 17, 2016 by IWC Doppel

[smkoush]

28mm Summicron followed by a close seconds of 50mm Summilux ASPH/90mm Macro-Elmar-M. These are only used on film M (no digital here). 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[bobbywise]

35 Lux FLE