Should I buy a new lens?

[Westend_jon]

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Hi - I'm very fortunate to have been able to accumulate a number of Leica lenses and having sold my Nikon D3 and lenses am wondering if I should buy a new Leica lens or simply pay off a bit of my mortgage. Help me do the right thing!

 

I like taking photos of landscapes, people, and abstract shapes. Lots of black and white, some colour. I normally carry the m8 and a 35mm or the  M9 plus 50mm collapsible or the M9 with the 21mm, 50mm Lux and 90mm. I use the M8 for B&W and the M9 for colour. This is the current list, 50m is most used focal length followed by 35mm on M8 and 21mm on M9, 90mm rarely used. Can see no use for 135mm. 

 

M9

M8

90mm Summicron - lovely lens, very heavy

50mm Summiliux - Lovely lens, very heavy

50mm Elmar Collapsible 

35mm Summicron - lives on the M8

28mm Elmarit - never used

21mm F2.8 - great lens, use with a 21mm finder

 

Where should I go next? I was wondering if the 90mm collapsible would be a good move? I like the small / light aspects of this lens, macro not important. 

[Jeff S]

Use what you own.....until you're lacking the tool(s) to support your goals, which hopefully are about pictures, not collecting lenses.

 

Jeff

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[Westend_jon]

fair point - I don't need anything really so perhaps it's time to be sensible and pay the mortgage off....

[luigi bertolotti]

 

 

.....

 

Where should I go next? I was wondering if the 90mm collapsible would be a good move? I like the small / light aspects of this lens, macro not important. 

Your 90 is "very heavy" and don't see usage for 135 ? 75 of course... the light Summarit.

 

(if one WANTS to buy a lens, why descouraging ?  )

Edited September 21, 2016 by luigi bertolotti

[earleygallery]

Buy a Noctilux, or a 10mm Voigtlander, or a 35 Summilux, or buy the WATE! Or a pinhole lens.

[Westend_jon]

Buy a Noctilux, or a 10mm Voigtlander, or a 35 Summilux, or buy the WATE! Or a pinhole lens.

 

It was a pretty stupid question... Summilux....

[earleygallery]

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Ignore me. Buy a pony instead

[Mute-on]

If I may. Sell the 90 and the 28 if you really aren't using them. Buy another M body. I would suggest an M2. Stick the 50 Summilux on that and shoot B & W film, or colour, whatever. Just a way to reconnect with the image and photographic experience, rather than the equipment.

 

Just a thought...

 

Cheers

 

J

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[easy_action]

You've got some great lenses.  Not sure that adding to these will change much for you

 

If you really want to spend some money I'd second the idea of a film body - an M3 maybe if you like shooting a 50

[Bill Livingston]

If I may. Sell the 90 and the 28 if you really aren't using them. Buy another M body. I would suggest an M2. Stick the 50 Summilux on that and shoot B & W film, or colour, whatever. Just a way to reconnect with the image and photographic experience, rather than the equipment.

Just a thought...

Cheers

J

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And why can't he do that with the M8 and M9 the OP already has? That is precisely the same photographic experience.

 

What is this elitism all about? Most of what I read regarding cameras and camera snobbery comes from the analogue only side of the discussion... you don't see many digital users disparaging film...

 

It's just getting irritating now...

 

OP... that's a nice selection. All I would change is swap the 35 for a 35 Lux... maybe throw the 28 into the deal too and you can pay more of your mortgage down and end up with a more efficient use of your investment in lenses.

[LeicaPassion]

I would concentrate on creating even better photos with what you already have.

[Bill Livingston]

I would concentrate on creating even better photos with what you already have.

That's the best answer so far...

[earleygallery]

Hi - I'm very fortunate to have been able to accumulate a number of Leica lenses and having sold my Nikon D3 and lenses am wondering if I should buy a new Leica lens or simply pay off a bit of my mortgage. Help me do the right thing!

 

I like taking photos of landscapes, people, and abstract shapes. Lots of black and white, some colour. I normally carry the m8 and a 35mm or the  M9 plus 50mm collapsible or the M9 with the 21mm, 50mm Lux and 90mm. I use the M8 for B&W and the M9 for colour. This is the current list, 50m is most used focal length followed by 35mm on M8 and 21mm on M9, 90mm rarely used. Can see no use for 135mm. 

 

M9

M8

90mm Summicron - lovely lens, very heavy

50mm Summiliux - Lovely lens, very heavy

50mm Elmar Collapsible 

35mm Summicron - lives on the M8

28mm Elmarit - never used

21mm F2.8 - great lens, use with a 21mm finder

 

Where should I go next? I was wondering if the 90mm collapsible would be a good move? I like the small / light aspects of this lens, macro not important. 

 

Actually I have a more serious suggestion. Book a trip somewhere new with some of your spare cash and take one body and that 28mm lens and put it to use.

[MarkP]

4.0/90 Macro-Elmar-M if you like the 90mm focal length

Spectacular lens, compact and light.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/175185-in-praise-of-the-4090-macro-elmar-m/

 

Makes a great compact kit with the the 50 Elmar or 35 Summicron, and then add the 21 or 28 that you don't use much (yet).

Edited September 22, 2016 by MarkP

[dpitt]

I love the 90 Macro Elmar M.

For me Leica M is about compactness, and low weight, and this is as compact as a 90 gets.

Read somewhere that it is actually a APO lens apart from the macro range, and that shows.

[easy_action]

And why can't he do that with the M8 and M9 the OP already has? That is precisely the same photographic experience.

 

What is this elitism all about? Most of what I read regarding cameras and camera snobbery comes from the analogue only side of the discussion... you don't see many digital users disparaging film...

 

It's just getting irritating now...

 

OP... that's a nice selection. All I would change is swap the 35 for a 35 Lux... maybe throw the 28 into the deal too and you can pay more of your mortgage down and end up with a more efficient use of your investment in lenses.

 

Re. the film suggestions, speaking for myself this was nothing about elitism or snobbery.

 

If the OP has a couple of digital bodies and a fantastic selection of lenses and still feels something is missing, then if he/she hasn't already tried it a film M is something a bit different.

 

A genuine suggestion, and not intended to irritate!

[Herr Barnack]

... having sold my Nikon D3 and lenses am wondering if I should buy a new Leica lens or simply pay off a bit of my mortgage. Help me do the right thing!

 

...

 

If you are more serious about money than photography, use the proceeds to pay bills - which a mortgage is.  If you are more serious about photography than money, use the proceeds to go on a photo destination workshop with a well known photographer/teacher/mentor that is a good fit for the kind of photography that you enjoy making.

 

You would not take money that is earmarked for your mortgage and buy a camera or lens with it, would you?  Why would you do the reverse and spend money that came from the sale of camera kit that gathers dust and spend it on the mortgage?

 

JMHO...

Edited September 22, 2016 by Carlos Danger

[Westend_jon]

Thanks everyone - some food for thought. I didn't mention that I do have an M4-P which i do use with film - fridge is full of the stuff. It's a great camera and a previous owner has removed the standard rangefinder and put in an M3 rangefinder with flat glass windows and those little knobs on the framelines. 

[giganova]

You have six (!) great Leica lenses already, why wouldn't you need another one? Are your lenses not doing the job?

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[Westend_jon]

You have six (!) great Leica lenses already, why wouldn't you need another one? Are your lenses not doing the job?

 

I know, I know - I do have six great lenses and your right  - I don't need any more. There aren't any gaps and I've not been able to take a photograph because I didn't have the right lens. I think that's why I like the M8/35mm combination - it's small and light and easy to just sling over a shoulder whenever I leave the house.