One M lens: Which one??

[Mute-on]

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Ha, ha, ha, ha ,ha, ha ... cough...

good one

[a.noctilux]

Same lens for me,

as I do have three units of "same lens"

 

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😍

 

one E43 and two E46 silver and titanium to choose from

 

[Nick_S]

My favourite single lens for general wandering around is the 35 mm Summicron ASPH. It is great for capturing people in their environment, yet it can still show perspective like true wide-angle lens. The sharpness and lack of optical distortion are something I also value.

[adan]

For me, the "which one lens" question is like asking "If you could only have one string on your guitar....?" (Yeah, yeah, I know - the G-string.)

But in the interests of science, I'll answer "21mm Elmarit-M non-ASPH."

It is the lens that brought me to the Leica Dance - and you dance with the one what brung ya. It is my money lens since 2001 - and has been my money focal length (20/21) since 1977. It pays for everything else. It is also the quintessence of lovely Mandler color and contrast.

21 Elmarit, Libertarian Candidate for Governor

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[microview]

17 hours ago, Michael Hiles said:

At the risk of sounding boring, I would use a 50mm lens as my "only lens" choice. Likely a non-apo Summicron. The 50mm “sees” things much like the human eye. In fact, while I have a variety of lenses, I use my 50 close to exclusively. 

Remember what Ansel Adams said - You are probably standing in the wrong place. He didn't say you are using the wrong lens.

Choosing one lens is an exercise in photographic discipline, and not limiting at all. I recommend it.

+1. A recent conclusion as I have just purchased a new Summicron and propose to sell my one year old Summilux and almost new VC 50 1.2. The resolution of the Summicron is close to a (now unaffordable) 50 APO I owned and I don't need a wider aperture than f2  – or if I do for closeups I'll go to my QP.

Some boring(!) brick wall shots at 700mm and 1500mm all at f2.0 showed the Summicron's corner resolution was better than the VC's – apparently  this lens is better for longer distances, others have reported.

 

Edit: I meant to add – the Summicron is smaller and lighter and that's also why I am happiest with it.

 

Interesting choice by Adan [above]. 21mm – who would  have thought it?

Edited July 29, 2019 by microview

[willeica]

My go everywhere lens is a 35mm Summicron Asph. My best lens as regards IQ is a 50 Summilux Asph, but my favourite lens is the 5cm Summar which has magical qualities no other Leica lens can deliver. That is the problem with Leica; we will all have favourite, best and go to lenses and very often they will not all be the same lens. For what it is worth, I much prefer character to perfection. While I'm at it, I will never sell my WATE which really shows its worth as regards distortion by comparison with ultra wide angle zooms from other manufacturers. I also have a 24mm Elmar which will also stay with me forever. 

This is not easy, but if I had to chose one it would be the 35mm Summicron Asph, which was the first Leica lens that I ever bought. I got it right the first time, but then I continued on acquiring Leica lenses and, in some cases, multiple examples of the same lens eg 12 Summars.

William

[jplomley]

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28 mm Cron Asph v2. 

[6bit]

20 hours ago, Herr Barnack said:

Here's a question for M camera photographers (film or digital):  If you were to choose to work with just one M lens, which would you choose and why?

Which focal length?

Which maximum aperture? 

Is the one camera, one lens approach a valid approach or is it an unnecessary limitation?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!  😉

 

35 Summilux, latest version.

[Maxx71]

22 hours ago, jdlaing said:

35 Summicron.

My favorite focal length and very smooth.

+ 1 More!

[RexGig0]

On 7/28/2019 at 4:28 PM, Herr Barnack said:

Here's a question for M camera photographers (film or digital):  If you were to choose to work with just one M lens, which would you choose and why?

Which focal length?

Which maximum aperture? 

Is the one camera, one lens approach a valid approach or is it an unnecessary limitation?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!  😉

 

1. Just one M lens? Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, because that is the lens that lured me into the Leica-M system, in the first place. I decided upon a particular pre-owned ‘Lux 50mm ASPH at Houston Camera Exchange, in Texas, in April 2018. I tried it on several pre-owned cameras, and made the decision to buy the lens, regardless. Then, I crunched the numbers, and decided to buy a new M10. Money had been budgeted for a Nikon super-telephoto, perhaps a 500mm f/4E, but I had injured my left shoulder, so it would be quite a while before I would be hand-holding a super-tele to photograph birds in flight, anyway, so, the M10 made more sense, at that time. Fifteen months later, I have no regrets. I plan to keep my first M lens, this ‘Lux 50mm ASPH, forever.

2. I like 50mm, as it seems to be “my” focal length for rangefinder shooting. So, if there must be only one, well, 50mm it is.

3. If I can only use one lens, well, f/1.4 seems to be a reasonable choice. Sometimes, I shoot in really low light.

4. Ah, now I am being asked about “one camera, one lens,” whereas the first question only limited me to one M lens, and left the door open for other cameras systems, and, therefore, other lenses, for those other cameras. My interests range from night images with star-scape backgrounds, which requires an ultra-wide lens if one wishes to avoid star trails, to macro images of wee beasties, to very active birds. A 50mm lens would be a serious limitation, and a Leica M camera would be a serious limitation. “One camera, one lens” would require me to curtail my range of photographic interests, and I would have to consider a fast-aperture 28mm or 35mm lens. The one-lens approach is certainly valid, for a while, but, sooner or later, my active toddler grandsons are going to seriously challenge that approach, or, the birds will call to me, loudly enough.

My present reality is 35mm, 50mm, and 90mm Leica M lenses, plus, 21mm, 35mm, and 85mm ZM lenses, and a 25mm Voigtlander. (All were bought pre-owned.)

 

Edited July 29, 2019 by RexGig0

[Narsuitus]

On 7/28/2019 at 4:28 PM, Herr Barnack said:

... If you were to choose to work with just one M lens, which would you choose and why?

For years, the 35mm lens has been my favorite one-lens solution for 35mm film cameras.

I use the 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss on my Leica M6.

For the Nikon SLR, I use the 35mm f/1.4 Nikkor.

For the Fuji X-pro APS-C mirrorless digital, I use the 23mm f/1.4 Fujinon.

[Sam]

I normally carry a 35 and 50. On a trip last year I really had to travel light so I left with only my 35 Summilux FLE. It was actually liberating have the one lens, and it served me very well. So I would have to say that if I could only keep one, the 35 lux would be it. Unless I change my mind and keep the 50 lux ASPH. Tough choice!

[earleygallery]

I would choose a 35, probably a Summicron as a good compromise between speed and size/weight. 

[Sam]

5 hours ago, earleygallery said:

I would choose a 35, probably a Summicron as a good compromise between speed and size/weight. 

I would too if I didn’t find myself in so many low light situations. My 35 cron is a brilliant little lens. 

[Gregm61]

I would never carry just one lens........never.....ever.

Edited July 30, 2019 by Gregm61

[earleygallery]

5 minutes ago, Gregm61 said:

I would never carry just one lens........never.....ever.

Add a 90 to the 35 and you can cover pretty much everything for general travel photography (obviously not if going on a safari or underwater adventures!).

[indergaard]

A modern fifty.

[Gregm61]

14 hours ago, earleygallery said:

Add a 90 to the 35 and you can cover pretty much everything for general travel photography (obviously not if going on a safari or underwater adventures!).

For me, it’d be in the opposite direction...the 21mm SEM and 35mm f2 ASPH would be the absolute bare minimum, adding the 75mm f2 and 135mm APO’s for the complete travel set.

It would need to be a pretty extreme case for me to go with less than those four.

Edited July 31, 2019 by Gregm61

[Stein K S]

If I had to make this ¨impossible¨ choice, I firmly believe that I could stay content for the rest of my life with my silver 35 cron v4, the first ever Leica lens I acquired... and still a very much used lens. I can not see myself without it really.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Boojay]

Difficult... I never leave the house with just one camera, never mind one lens.  But, if all else went and if absolutely had to choose, like many others I guess, would be 50 Summilux Asph.