A second, smaller lens for my SL and 24-90

[Big John]

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Hi all,

 

Have had the SL and 24-90 for over 6 months and very pleased with results. I would like to buy a second, smaller lens purely to have a more portable set-up, which will mean more use of the camera on a casual basis. Am no pro or any heavy use amateur, just really appreciate Leica quality. I favour a 35mm focal length so looking at M vs R vs even TL. I will default to the zoom for trips and when focussing on my photography. So this would be for occasional general use.

 

Appreciate any advice pls.

Thanks

John

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[Big John]

Sorry, had some other thoughts but couldn't edit my post above.

 

Should I also consider Zeiss lenses? Thanks.

[youngjohn]

There's loads of options, but here's a few I have used. Leica R Summicron 35/2 works great. You'll pay about £6-700 for a nice earlier V2 lens up to about £1000 for a very late ROM version (these were pretty rare).

 

Contax Zeiss 35/2.8 is also a superb lens and works very well on an SL, with very good build quality. £250 will get a nice example. Look for a later MM version which is supposedly slightly better than the earlier AE. A real bargain.

 

The Contax Zeiss 35/1.4 is my favourite and although its a bit bigger the results are outstanding on the SL. Best 35mm lens I've ever used and in my opinion is better than the 35 Summilux FLE. Quite hard to find, about £1000-1300.

 

I find the the M Summicron & Summilux 35's quite awkward to use on the SL as they only have a focus tab and it doesn't feel that comfortable for me.

 

I think you'd be happy with any of the above. Leica adapter is available for R Lenses, and Novoflex for R and Contax.

[steppenw0lf]

You can adapt almost any lens. So choose one you like - there are hundreds.

I prefer Contax to the Zeiss (usually smaller, with equal quality). But again, make your personal choice. I often use R lenses.

You could also go for a "native" lens with SL mount: The Trioplan from Meyer Goerlitz. There is a 50mm which is a sort if macro lens, and there will be a 100mm. Both have a very special bokeh - interesting for portrait or flower shots.

 

Enjoy this special feature of the SL, that almost any existing lens can be used.

[darylgo]

For casual add a Leica T and 23mm. Smaller camera that can double as a backup. The 23mm can be used on the SL also albeit at lower resolution but you will retain AF whereas all other options will be manual focus. I understand the T lenses are perfect (sensor coverage) for 4k video on the SL.

[Big John]

Thanks guys. Key thing you have made me think is to not just consider Leica lenses. I have a fantastic Leica lens - the 24-90!

 

Which 35mm Zeiss currently in production would you recommend? I assume that I look at Zeiss lenses for SLRs on their website. And pls recommend the right adapter. Assume it will not read aperture?

 

Thanks.

[steppenw0lf]

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Why limit yourself only to lenses in production ?

I would recommend the Otus 1.4/28mm, but it weighs a ton.

Use the search function of the forum and look for 35mm. You will find fierce discussions, which is the best.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

For a system with only two native lenses we are spoiled for choice..

 

The smallest will be an adapted M lens. Using a Leica M with original adaptor will give small and also exif data and lens corrections in Lightroom, if you want them. Not the cheapest solution but a good one.

 

Cheaper would be the CV M mount lenses. The new 35mm 1.7 is absolutely lovely and entirely reasonable in  price. The older 35mm 1.4 SC has a classic look for little money. Spend a bit more and get the Ziess 35mm 1.4 M and you'll have one of the best 35's available.

 

TL lenses has AF and are tiny but you'll be cropping to 10MP.

 

R lenses are a bit bigger but might be a better fit on the SL (I prefer a slightly larger lens for handling).

 

Larger again are the Milvus Zeiss lenses but you're losing the small walk around you desire. Then on to the rather huge Otus and Art lenses. Not what you asked for in the beginning.

 

Gordon

[250swb]

If by 'more portable' you mean easier to stick in a camera bag and run out the door then you want to keep the lens small because it will also need an adapter. Any of the M, Zeiss, CV lenses etc. therefore fit the bill but I think that plus an adapter R lenses and other SLR lenses will start to defeat the object of the exercise, although I do use older Nikon mid-focal length primes on my SL that are reasonably compact. Personally I wouldn't worry at all about coding, I have a couple of M lenses that are recognised by the SL but it's so easy to manually set a code or do it in post processing that it's not an issue.

[Leicaiste]

If you intend to use only one lense other than the 24-90, coding will not be an issue with both Leica adapters.

 

Because the lens choice sticks in the menu.

 

But if you use more than one, it is really easy to forget to change the lens in the menu.

 

My personal choices are the R 50/1,4 (or M 50/1,0) alone or the M 35/1,4 + M 75/2 in the pocket.

[HeinzX]

Eventually you can use a Canon 35/1,4 L II together with the Novoflex adapter or cheaper the 35/1.4

Sigma Art for Canon togther with this adapter - both should work with the AF - but I have no experience

with these lenses and this Novoflex adapter combination. Lenses like the Canon 11/24 work fine, the AFof the Canon 70/200 IS II 2.8 works slower than on the Canon 5 D III. But it works and that is better than no AF. If there is somebody who has experience with the 35/1,4 II Canon or the Sigma Art 35/1,4 or50/1,4 I would be interested to hear about.

 

Other possibility is to wait for the Leica Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH. - but that´s a long time - beginof 2018 scheduled. I think that Leica would have been well advised, to bring this one much earlier.

Many of those who own a SL would like to have smaller lenses with less weight and AF and full

resolution.

[Big John]

Many thanks everyone. Really appreciate the advice and comments.

 

I tried the Zeiss 35/1.4 distagon zm yesterday on an SL. Handling was very nice - bit bigger than an M lens which felt better in my hand and also looked better proportioned against the SL body. Few test images I took (indoors) proved v good. Build quality struck me as excellent, with a more positive aperture ring than on an M lens.

 

So think that's the one I am going to get. Anyone know if it comes with a hood?

 

Thanks again

John

[steppenw0lf]

I had a look at the Zeiss Milvus - it seems they are also weatherproof. So the Milvus 2/35mm could be an interesting lens for you (and in current production). To me it looks good. The difference to the ZM lens is the closest focus distance of 0.3m. (Important for SLR users like me, maybe not for you.)

I looked at the Zeiss lenses for another reason, I had an opportunity to try the Milvus 21mm f2.8 ZE. It seems to be equal to the older Distagon, which is quite famous for its IQ. I liked the results very much. I tried it on the 5Ds, where it was much better than the older Canon lenses I had tried before. So maybe a wideangle to look at, although it is quite a big lens.

[Guest VVJ]

So think that's the one I am going to get. Anyone know if it comes with a hood?

 

Typically not included with Zeiss ZM lenses.  This is the one for the 35mm:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1132675-REG/zeiss_2112_813_lens_hood_for_35mm.html

 

I have the Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 as well.  Excellent lens!

[Big John]

Woke up this morning with a question in mind - are there any 35mm autofocus lenses I should consider, before I buy online today (and get Black Friday deal). Pls remember that whole point of my second lens is to give me a more compact package.

 

Btw - think I have looked at prices for the distagon online in UK but if anyone knows of an pay super BF deals, pls pm me. Thanks!

[steppenw0lf]

As there is currently only an AF adapter for EOS lenses, you can only choose from Canon or Sigma with EOS mount.

Nikon has smaller lenses, but the adapter is not there yet. Maybe next black Friday.

[Big John]

Thanks steppenw0lf, really helpful.  I don't want canon or sigma so looks like i am going manual focus with the zeiss!

 

Having read a few review over the wk end on the zeiss distagon 35/1.4, it seems to be well regarded.  However, is it worth me looking closely at the biogon 5/2 since it is smaller and lighter?  Most of the comments re distagon weight are from rangefinder owners and I imagine that the combination of M body and this lens would feel lens heavy.  Not so on the SL.

 

Can someone explain pls what needs to be done re coding - I assume it means telling the SL what lens is on so that it can apply programmed corrections.

 

Can I ask a more generic question about non SL lenses on the SL - I read about the problems of putting lenses designed for rangefinders onto SLRs, due to various internal distances to sensors etc, given that there is a mirror in the way.  Assume no props at all for SL?

 

Thanks all - really helpful forum!

[steppenw0lf]

The SL has a sensor that is also optimized for rangefinder lenses - Reid Reviews tested many of them.

Some lenses do not need correction - users say the Zeiss 1.4/35 ZM is one of them. Actually all lenses need at least a correction of light falloff with wide/fully open aperture, but some users prefer to let it be visible - a matter of taste.

 

It means activating a lens profile on the SL. With the original adapters you usually can, with other adapters usually not. Modern M lenses have a 6bit code that is automatically read with the original adapter and automatically activates the corresponding lens profile. Older lenses or foreign lenses can also be coded, simply using the code of an existing M lens with similar properties.

But even if not, you can still apply out of camera corrections in LR if you want. (if you use RAW file format, which is DNG for the SL).

 

So coding is not mandatory, it is just for convenience. (I have not coded any of my older lenses - I simply choose the lens profiles on the camera menu). And if there is only one ZM lens you use, then the camera automatically remembers the last settings. (You set it once, the camera remembers it whenever you use it again).

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[steppenw0lf]

The selection of lenses is a very personal thing. I tend to prefer SLR lenses, I like their handling on the SL, so I mentioned the Zeiss Milvus. Others prefer lenses similar to the classical Leica M lenses, so they head for the Zeiss ZM line.

You actually would need to touch them and use them to really see what you prefer.

People say big and small, using the same words, but meaning different things for different persons.

I think FlashGordon gave a good overview of the possibilities. Too much choice is a difficult choice. 

[Big John]

So.........

 

Popped into Leica Mayfair today and tried 35mm cron and lux, took some shots onto SD. Like the images v much!!!

 

So, more compact, more expensive.... decisions decisions! Ha ha.