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Leica M10 Ordered; What is about a lens


wosamko

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Dear all,

 

I hope this post finds you well,

 

I have already ordered M10 :) But I did not buy Leica lenses hoping that Zeiss lenses is equal to the output quality images like Leica

 

Please advise: Is it fine to buy a Zeiss lenses to SAVE Alot of money?

Also please let me know your suggestion for only one lens to carry to be used for family, indoor, travelling; 28,35,50 or 70mm?

 

Here is a link for Zeiss lenses for Leica M 

https://www.zeiss.com/camera-lenses/us/photography/products/zm-lenses/distagon-1435-zm.html

 

 

 

2- What is the best single lens for M10 to be used for family, event and travel? I don't want to carry more than two lenses. One should be enough

1- Is Zeiss lenses great for Leica M10?

Thanks

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By using non-Leica lenses, you eschew the capability of the Leica lens profiles to optimize the lens's rendering. Personally, I buy Leica cameras to use Leica lenses. 

 

Whether the Zeiss lenses are as good or not is mostly a matter of subjective evaluation. Plenty of people use them and like their imaging results. 

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You will have different answers by many people ;).

 

MATE is the only lens I would buy if I had any lens (that's not the case :p):

have a look in this thread...

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/286739-getting-a-mate-pure-gas-or-simply-very-smart/

 

Or -_-

now I discovered Summarit-M lens line, I would take one or two of 35/50/75/90 or begin with the very nice and light

Elmarit-M asph. 28mm plus Summarit-M 50mm or 75mm.

 

I would not bother with other brand lenses.

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Please advise: Is it fine to buy a Zeiss lenses to SAVE Alot of money?

Also please let me know your suggestion for only one lens to carry to be used for family, indoor, travelling; 28,35,50 or 70mm?

 

Zeiss lenses are awesome. The first lens I ever got for my first Leica was a C-Biogon 35mm f2.8, and it's an incredible lens. Simply fantastic in every way, draws wonderfully, very sharp, beautiful rendering. Loved it.

 

Leica lenses are fantastic as well. The only downside with Zeiss is that several of their fast lenses backfocus annoyingly. Leica lenses pretty much do not.

 

At some point, you should get yourself a Leica lens or two (start with good used lenses instead of bank-busting new lenses), but Zeiss (and Voigtlander) make some real gems, and can really be worth it. Lately I've been shooting the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2, and it's really lovely.

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Congratulations on your new M10 ! Beautiful camera inside and out.

 

For my eye, I will always recommend the 35mm FL for a "one prime lens only" Full Frame kit. I fell in LOVE with the Leica 35 Summilix 1.4 ASPH FLE rendering, sharpness and handling on the M10 to inlcude the little focusing tabs. But I know this is an expensive lens particularly after having just aquired the M10. A good used copy my help put that gem within your reach.

 

If not, the more affordable Zeiss 35 1.4 ZM is IMO well known to also be a stunning piece of glass on M cameras. ( I've never owned or used the Zeiss 35 F1.4 personally) 

 

I do however use the very well priced and smallish Voigtlander 35 F1.2 ver II on my M10 too and feel it's a solid ( but not Summulix extraordinary) 35mm recommedation for M cameras with a bonus 1.2 to work with.

Edited by LBJ2
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Lately I've been shooting the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2, and it's really lovely.

+1. Absurdly inexpensive in relation to Summiluxes, say, although the colour rendering does not match that of Leica lenses – almost as if there's warm yellowish light cast on the scene.

 

Yes the Zeiss 35 1.4 Distagon has superb optics but it is a heavy lens (viewfinder blockage far less important). In the end I sold two copies I had had had since they came out because of this.

Edited by microview
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By using non-Leica lenses, you eschew the capability of the Leica lens profiles to optimize the lens's rendering. ...

 

Lens correction was important for the M8 with wide angles and UV/IR-Filters and to avoid magenta or cyan casts for some wide angles lenses with the M9.

 

With the M10 correction of lenses has the least importance. Whoever needs the lens data in the Exif can manually select any profile from the menu; there won‘t be much difference for the results.

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Please advise: Is it fine to buy a Zeiss lenses to SAVE Alot of money?

Also please let me know your suggestion for only one lens to carry to be used for family, indoor, travelling; 28,35,50 or 70mm?

 

I use Zeiss and Leica lenses on my M6 and M10.

 

I also use Zeiss lenses on my Nikon SLRs and Contax rangefinders.

 

However, I do not buy Zeiss lenses to save money. I buy them because they are well-built and I like their high image quality.

 

I really like to use the 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss lens (on right in photo) when I need to carry only one lens for family, indoor, or vacation travel.

 

36275915712_5b3c6eefc0_c.jpg

Three-Lens Rangefinder Kit by Narsuitus, on Flickr

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Lens correction was important for the M8 with wide angles and UV/IR-Filters and to avoid magenta or cyan casts for some wide angles lenses with the M9.

With the M10 correction of lenses has the least importance. Whoever needs the lens data in the Exif can manually select any profile from the menu; there won‘t be much difference for the results.

it is not very difficult to code Zeiss lenses.
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My advice FWIW, go directly to a 2nd hand Summilux 34 FLE if budget allows, failing that the previous Leica Summilux 35 Asph or failing both those then the Summicron 35 Asph.

 

Personally I prefer the ergonomics, design, finish and feel of Leica lenses. Optically both are superb, but render differently in contrast.

My biggest dislike in Zeiss glass is the out of focus rendering, which I find busy and disturbing.

 

Buying Leica first time round, removes any doubt.  :ph34r:

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wosamko, I assume you are beginning with the M10's class of rangefinder technology; forgive if I am wrong.

 

You might read a lot about how certain lenses render and how unique any of them might be, including of course Leica lenses. Forget about all that at the beginning. Too much subjectivity until you have the opportunity to decide for yourself.

 

You have an M10, a capable camera with decent high ISO performance so you don't need the extraordinarily fast and expensive lenses. Leica's current Summarit ƒ2.4 line will not disappoint. Once grounded with the Summarits you can decide if the so-called 'bokeh', OOF, all that stuff is worth the extra big bucks. So after some time when you have lots of technically excellent images you can adventure into the dauntingly expensive fast lenses and highly subjective aesthetics, regardless of brand if so compelled.

 

Welcome!

Edited by pico
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The first prime lens for a FF camera should be a 35mm. I have the Summicron 35mm f2 and it's awesome. Second lens for me was the Summilux 50mm f1.4.

 

Regards,

Bud James
 
Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.
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By using non-Leica lenses, you eschew the capability of the Leica lens profiles to optimize the lens's rendering. Personally, I buy Leica cameras to use Leica lenses. 

 

Whether the Zeiss lenses are as good or not is mostly a matter of subjective evaluation. Plenty of people use them and like their imaging results. 

 

But Zeiss lenses could provide capability of the Leica lens profiles to optimize the lens's rendering

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But Zeiss lenses could provide capability of the Leica lens profiles to optimize the lens's rendering

Especially as the "lens profiles" are mainly for a bit of vignetting correction, nothing else. They change nothing in the rendering.

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Zeiss lenses are awesome. The first lens I ever got for my first Leica was a C-Biogon 35mm f2.8, and it's an incredible lens. Simply fantastic in every way, draws wonderfully, very sharp, beautiful rendering. Loved it.

 

Leica lenses are fantastic as well. The only downside with Zeiss is that several of their fast lenses backfocus annoyingly. Leica lenses pretty much do not.

 

At some point, you should get yourself a Leica lens or two (start with good used lenses instead of bank-busting new lenses), but Zeiss (and Voigtlander) make some real gems, and can really be worth it. Lately I've been shooting the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2, and it's really lovely.

 

Thanks for your advice. What Leica lens should I buy it used? Also, I have heard I should not at all buy used lenses! Is it true?

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Congratulations on your new M10 ! Beautiful camera inside and out.

 

For my eye, I will always recommend the 35mm FL for a "one prime lens only" Full Frame kit. I fell in LOVE with the Leica 35 Summilix 1.4 ASPH FLE rendering, sharpness and handling on the M10 to inlcude the little focusing tabs. But I know this is an expensive lens particularly after having just aquired the M10. A good used copy my help put that gem within your reach.

 

If not, the more affordable Zeiss 35 1.4 ZM is IMO well known to also be a stunning piece of glass on M cameras. ( I've never owned or used the Zeiss 35 F1.4 personally) 

 

I do however use the very well priced and smallish Voigtlander 35 F1.2 ver II on my M10 too and feel it's a solid ( but not Summulix extraordinary) 35mm recommedation for M cameras with a bonus 1.2 to work with.

 

Thank you so much for your kindness. Well, I have to wait 3-4 weeks to get M10. What is the difference between Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 and Leica 35 Summilix 1.4 ASPH FLE? So I can decide to save money and buy Leica and keep M10 in the closet :(

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By using non-Leica lenses, you eschew the capability of the Leica lens profiles to optimize the lens's rendering. Personally, I buy Leica cameras to use Leica lenses. 

 

 

Zeiss M mount lenses have a rebate machined into the flange which is designed for adding coding. All the owner needs is to make a coding template and chose the nearest code to Leica's lenses, or indeed any other lens code they like the results of, then add the spots of matt black paint. Zeiss lenses have a different look compared with Leica lenses, the colour rendering and the micro contrast for example, otherwise they are as sharp and perform equally well.

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