Jump to content

Having both a 35 and 28mm? Lens dilemma

stephengv

By stephengv
in Leica M Lenses

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 118
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

Ko.Fe.
Ko.Fe.

Hard to give right answer. Here is none from no one available. You have to find it by your own.   I used 28mm because of Winogrand work I admire, but it is very different from 35mm, which is my univ

stephengv
stephengv

Guys thank you for all the help again. After an initial two months, I love the 28mm Elmarit ASPH II. Thank you again.    Some sample:     

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

colonel
colonel

28mm is significantly more useful in close urban environments but less useful when "across the road"   I find 35mm a great single lens solution when you only want to have 1 lens, however when I carr

Posted Images

stephengv

stephengv

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Different focal lengthes make more or less sense when you look at the opportunities to pair them.

 

Since you say that you use 35mm almost all the time the most frequent pairing partner for a 28mm would be - 35mm. This does not make much sense since they are rather close.

 

This would perhaps be different if your most used lense was 50mm. You could pair it with a smaller difference with 35 mm and with a larger gap with 28mm (same for longer lenses: 35/50/75 or 90 as a triple with smaller gaps and 28/50/90 or 135 as one with bigger gaps).

 

Starting from 35mm a 24 or 21mm makes more sense when you want to go wider.

 

 

Thank you. I'm just not sure that the gap between 28 and 35 is worth the extra $ haha. Thank you for your opinion. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Stein K S

Stein K S

Posted
Posted (edited)

35mm would be my by far most used lens. However, I also have a  28 because the gap between 35 and 28 is definitely enough to warrant it in my opinion. It is also so that 28 is the widest lens for the M not requiring an external viewfinder... which also makes it ¨attractive¨ (for what it is worth... ;-)

Edited by Stein K S
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
stephengv

stephengv

Posted
  • Author
Posted

35mm would be my by far most used lens. However, I also have a  28 because the gap between 35 and 28 is definitely enough to warrant it in my opinion. It is also so that 28 is the widest lens for the M not requiring an external viewfinder... which also makes it ¨attractive¨ (for what it is worth... ;-)

 

 

Thank you. Yup I was just also thinking that the 28mm is the widest lens to view via the camera viewfinder. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
colonel

colonel

Posted
Posted

I recently purchased the CV 28/2 lens which I use in combination with my 35/2 Summicron 7-element lens. Especially in urban environments, both work nicely in parallel for different situations. I use the 28 mm lens for group shots with close proximity whereas the 35 mm range more for full body portraits. For architecture and indoor shots, I found the CV 28/2 a nice addition to my CV 21/1.8 lens and more suitable than the 35 mm FL. Nevertheless, the 35/2 is my most used walk-around lens. 

 

 

I can strongly recommend the Voigtlander 28mm f2 VM. Very good value, well made, sharp, good contrast. There is focus shift between f2 and f8 but outside 4-5 metres it makes no difference.

If you have the money get the new Leica 28mm f2 but if not you can't go wrong with the Voigtlander

 

For 35mm f1.4/1.2 there is a plethora of choice ......

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
SilentShutter

SilentShutter

Posted
Posted

GAS attack is fine :rolleyes: .

 

The thing is not lethal.

 

Each time that I have new gear, my photo-life take a new life.

 

Good things with those lenses, I can play with some short or long time ... then after that go to another lenses.

Keeping right ones is more difficult, I owned/used some lenses for more than one time ;) .

 

A teacher once asked us "what is the worst lens you can get ?"

We had no idea how to reply

"The lens you left at home" was his answer

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites
a.noctilux

a.noctilux

Posted
Posted (edited)

A teacher once asked us "what is the worst lens you can get ?"

We had no idea how to reply

"The lens you left at home" was his answer

 

Seeing with positive attitude : the best lens is the one you have attached now to your M.

 

Sunday, a yearly "Fête des Associations à Montpellier" is very photogenic event here.

 

I wanted to take some videos (OH ! ) so the obvious choice is M240.

But choice of lenses to bring is tough.

Ended with 3 small/light : Elmarit-M 28mm asph. , Summarit-M 2.5/50mm attached to the M , and Macro-Elmar-M 90mm all in very tiny bag.

 

At the end of the event, I realize that the only one lens used was the 50mm Summarit-M :p , as I was really in that moment "see life in 50mm" in front of me.

Incredible.

 

Maybe, if I didn't have the other two lenses (28/90), I would like to use them : life is not so easy .

 

And my videos are "craps".

 

What I could not frame with 28mm or 35mm

50mm field is just right

 

Tai Chi demonstration by a Master

 

 

M240 | Summarit-M 2.5/50mm | 200 ISO

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

.

And just before

In public ...

 

Edited by a.noctilux
Link to post
Share on other sites
Per P.

Per P.

Posted
Posted

The field of view for a 28mm is approx. 76 degrees, and for a 35mm approx. 64 degrees. That is a 16% difference, which is more or less equivalent to the difference between a 21mm and a 28mm.

 

But, for me, this is irrelevant. The 35mm is my most used lens in a city environment, by far, and I could live with it as my only lens - in the city. I may carry a 28mm or 24mm, since I have them, just in case I want to go wider. The 28mm is more practical because of the viewfinder, but the 24mm can provide more drama. There is more than one opinion per user on this topic and they count for nothing. We all need to decide for ourselves based on need vs want, available funds, type of photography etc. For what it is worth the 28mm is the one I have been tempted to sell most often.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites
colonel

colonel

Posted
Posted

It's important to know for anyone considering, rules it out for me.

 

Well it depends what this means for the individual. If you want it to be spot on for close focus and don't want to lean forward its an important consideration.

But if you are happy to use f2 and f8, LV, or lean forward for close focus then its ok. At long focus it makes no difference.

 

I use f8 for close street in good light or f2/f2.8 for low light and it works fine. For other stuff I am further away

Link to post
Share on other sites
IkarusJohn

IkarusJohn

Posted
Posted

M 240 haha I have no frame preview lever. My other camera is a Leica M6 TTL .85, hence to 28mm frame lines.

If you have a smartphone, there is an App which shows the framelines for different focal lengths. The only reason I suggest this is it's really down to you and what field of view you prefer. Perspective is the same - it's really just how much goes in the frame and the level of distortion.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...