Choosing One Leica Lens

[Surelythisnameisfree]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I think that would depend on if your primary driver for f/1.4 is low light shooting or shallow depth of field. If the former then I think the 35 still has more versatility and if the latter then then the 50 is better for that subject isolation

[Joshua Lowe]

If I absolutely could only use one Leica lens I'd choose a summilux 28.  It's the best balance between normal and wide angle.  You can use it in the street with ease and you can use it as a tourism lens to get some wider shots of buildings and whatnot.  The last time I was in Europe I made far more use of a 28 than I anticipated.  I tried using the 50 one day in Nice and the whole time it felt like I was forcing it to work.  I used a 35 in a small town in Italy and I liked it for photographing people but I had trouble framing the buildings the way I wanted to.  The 28 let me do both to my satisfaction.  I say Summilux because if it's literally the only lens you're ever going to own then you might as well get that extra stop vs the Summicron.  Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

[ramarren]

If you had to go for a less-than-Summilux option at 35mm or 50mm, where would you go for a Summicron (or Zeiss) alternative? I'm debating between 50 f1.4/35 f2 versus 50 f2/35 1.4. Would you include the Zeiss lenses at all for the f2 options?

 

 

I have a Voigtländer Color Skopar 35mm f/2.5 and a Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 v2 (1972 vintage). They are both excellent lenses, both perform very nicely. They also render quite differently—so which one I choose to use on a given day is a matter of what kind of rendering qualities I'm after as well as how light or compact a camera I want to carry. 

 

Similarly, I have both a Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 ASPH (LTM) and Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5. Same description applies. I'm eager to buy a Leica 50mm lens soon, but haven't quite decided which model or what year to go with yet; likely a Summicron and likely one with six bit coding (or I send it out for coding and cleaning, just like I did with the '72 35mm). 

 

I've no experience with the Zeiss ZM lenses but can say that my other experiences with Zeiss lenses has been good. I'd expect that they keep the same quality in their ZM line.

 

In general, I tend to prefer Leica lenses, however. Even the slower, less expensive models are very nicely made and image in line with what my eye expects.

 

It's worth waiting and putting money together for what you, personally, really want. 

[Cliff S]

If I absolutely could only use one Leica lens I'd choose a summilux 28. It's the best balance between normal and wide angle. You can use it in the street with ease and you can use it as a tourism lens to get some wider shots of buildings and whatnot. The last time I was in Europe I made far more use of a 28 than I anticipated. I tried using the 50 one day in Nice and the whole time it felt like I was forcing it to work. I used a 35 in a small town in Italy and I liked it for photographing people but I had trouble framing the buildings the way I wanted to. The 28 let me do both to my satisfaction. I say Summilux because if it's literally the only lens you're ever going to own then you might as well get that extra stop vs the Summicron. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

I find for cityscapes I need 16-21. 28 just misses the drama.

 

But I agree the 28 Lux is a great all round lens. Let's you do reportage and architecture. Or both simultaneously

[stevesurf]

Depends on your style- are you more of a detached observer? In that case 50 - or possibly 35 would be your focal length. If you are more of a getting-in-close type of  person a 28 would be better.

Unless you are into shallow DOF type of photography, there is no need to pay extra for high speed given  the ISO performance of the M10.

 

@Ian: I make it a rule to repond to this question twice a year. This is the first time in 2017...

 

Well said; detached observer or getting in close?  

 

"It comes to risk again and again...the DoF 8ft to infinity, allows you to snare everything...It's all delicious...bleeds its meaning to you slowly."

 

In the 1981 documentary, Joel Meyrowitz shows both habits, but relies on fast film and DoF to capture everything he can.  If you like that, you might just be a 35 or 28mm shooter at f/5.6-f/11, which might just be a Summicron.  If you love bokeh and are willing to lose more fleeting moments in favor of the stationary, IMHO, the 50 Summilux is wonderful.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDSGWy1CU78

[Universalb50]

...interesting topic, interesting and informative replies...from me,  another vote for Summicron 35 ASPH...

[robert_parker]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Personally my vote would be for the 50 Summilux in any of its incarnations, my preference is for the 50 Summilux pre-Asph v4; my altenatives would be the Noctilux v4 as it draws light beautifully, or the 35 Summicron Asph (the latter especially if you wanted to convert to B+W)

[Eoin]

I rationalised my Leica Lens choice recently for an upcoming M10.

However I settled on 3 for my needs. A primary focal length of 35mm and 2 other Lenses, 21mm Elmarit Asph & 75mm Apo Summicron to give options either side of the primary Lens.

I chose a Summilux 35 FLE as the main lens, the FLE specifically to overcome the focus shift I had experienced in the previous Asph version back in my M8 days.

f1.4 especially as it would be a "use it everywhere and at any time" type Lens. I chose the Summilux over the Zeiss ZM f1.4 for compact size and less viewfinder intrusion.

 

My mantra this time around as I transition back to Leica is, buy once, buy well, I'm sure I'll enjoy getting to know and explore the FLE's traits as it's the only lens I am un-familiar with.

But from images I've seen taken with this Lens, I like the results a lot.

[NB23]

One lens : 50/1,4 Asph

 

Two lenses : 35 + 75

Where's the logic???

 

If your favorite is a 50, then it should always be present in any kit.

 

I don't understand these averaging calculations. If I'm a 50mm person, would a 18mm + 90mm kit compensate?

[NB23]

In my experience:

 

50mm is a hassle because you always need to focus. Bokeh and subject separation is present.

 

35 is an "easy fifty" in the sense that you can miss focus and still have a good shot.

 

28 is a true story teller. No need to lose energy focusing perfectly, but you need to nail the composition.

 

The wider you go,the stronger a photographer you need to be. Bokeh can't save your ass as it does with the 50 images.

 

Personally, focusing with a 50mm lens really consumes too much energy. In the end it fustrates me. With a 28, my vision is free.

[MarkP]

28 & 50 cover most of my needs.  Just can't bring myself to sell all of my other lenses :-)

[Exodies]

Where's the logic???

If your favorite is a 50, then it should always be present in any kit.

I don't understand these averaging calculations. If I'm a 50mm person, would a 18mm + 90mm kit compensate?

Maybe it's the other way round - 35 and 75 are the favourites; 50 is the compromise.

[NB23]

Maybe it's the other way round - 35 and 75 are the favourites; 50 is the compromise.

Maybe. But if two lenses are favorites and you'd have to choose only one, why choose a third one?

 

You can shoot only one lens at a time, and it's not like you're automatically missing the 28 when you're using the 75 and vice-versa.

 

My mind can't understand this.

[Gregm61]

My "favorite" lens, is the one that captures the subject matter best that I am shooting that day, and it's rarely the same every day. What a boring life that would be. That's why I own an interchangeable lens system and carry four lenses, not one or two. That would never be enough.

 

When I was at the Anteitam National Battlefield last summer, it was primarily the 28mm Elmarit and 50mm Summicron When I was in the West Texas Canyon country last Fall and I when I go to White Sands National Monument in a couple of months, I will be using the 18 and 28mm lenses way more than the 50 or 90, but I will have them all because there will be something I wind up using them to capture.

[gnuyork]

I only have one lens and it's the 50 Summicron. I can't complain. I personally think it's the ideal focal length for street style photography as well as other styles. Occasionally I wish for something wider, but I'd skip a 35 and go right for the 28. I have to say though, I have the Leica X1 also which, with the crop factor is approx 35mm fov, and that's not too shabby for the street either.

 

My ideal set up would be 50, 28, 90 (in that order)... One lens lineup would be a tossup between 35 and 50, with a slight preference to the 50 (hence my 1st and only lens so far).

 

here are some examples with the Summicron 50. I find it to be quite versatile if you are willing to move your feet.