Leica M for Trekking and Hiking

[JeTexas]

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I've carried my M all over Yosemite and Yellowstone. I also carried an 8-pound 280mm Elmarit R APO the last couple trips along with my normal 28-50-90 lenses.

https://fredfacker.com/yellowstone2019

 

 

[a.noctilux]

👍 APO-TELYT-R 2.8/280mm ? then 👌

Excellent lens but a bit heavy for M use.

I had one for years but used it less and less, now replaced by the lesser weight Apo-Telyt-R 4/280.

Edited February 19, 2020 by a.noctilux

[ravinj]

On 2/15/2020 at 11:01 PM, Schittra said:

I like trekking and hiking. Normally, I took my GoPro and Sony RX100 foe light weight and no need to worry about gear damage. 
I am thinking about taking M10 with 1-2 lenses for next trekking. Any one is doing this or any suggestions please? Thank you.

I have done this many times and highly recommend one camera/one lens approach for hiking. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah - several 6+ hour hikes with M240 + 35 'Lux FLE. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming - several day-long hikes with M240 + Zeiss Distagon ZM 35mm F1.4 and Leica Elmar 24MM.

I would stick to one lens only - less temptation to change lenses in the field and you can focus on making images with what you have. 

Now that I have the Q2, I feel it makes anything from 28mm-50mm irrelevant for my hiking use cases. I am still keeping my M though for use with ZM 85 and Elmar 90MM.

[otto.f]

8 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

Any lens can do what you want.

Haha, only you can’t always do what a lens asks from you. Especially in the mountains with cliffs, canyons and streams on your track

[Ouroboros]

Since the OP is specifically asking about trekking with a Leica M camera with a couple of lenses, I assume photography is not the primary purpose for the trek so it’s a good enough option.  
My MP is always with me on my travels, even on a local walk. My 28mm summaron-m and 50mm elmar-m are good for me. 
Trekking is mainly about the enjoyment of moving efficiently through the landscape in comfort.  Photography is something else.

[a.noctilux]

3 hours ago, otto.f said:

Haha, only you can’t always do what a lens asks from you. Especially in the mountains with cliffs, canyons and streams on your track

Otto,

Partial quote is not fair ...😉

 

12 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

Any lens can do what you want.

Most lens can't do everything you want to take photographs of.

 

My conclusion is as most of the time, Schittra, that you may go trekking/hiking with the lens (or lenses) that you feel comfortable with.

Planning with the lighting conditions, as I can choose between one of my 28mm in f/2, f/2.8, ...why not f/5.6 (the unequalled and excellent "mountain Summaron-M" 😉)

Edited February 20, 2020 by a.noctilux
I'm sure that Schittra wil find one lens of his taste

[JeTexas]

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15 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

👍 APO-TELYT-R 2.8/280mm ? then 👌

Excellent lens but a bit heavy for M use.

I had one for years but used it less and less, now replaced by the lesser weight Apo-Telyt-R 4/280.

That's the one, but yes, the f4 version would be easier to carry.

[LMBSGV]

I have hiked and backpacked for years in the Sierra wilderness, northern  California, and numerous national parks, carrying an M7, and now, an M262 along with a 35mm Summicron aspherical and 90mm Elmarit M. I'm adding a 50mm f2.4 Summarit to complement the other two lenses. I have no complaints with the ease of carrying and the photographic results.  

[jmahto]

On 2/15/2020 at 8:01 PM, Schittra said:

I like trekking and hiking. Normally, I took my GoPro and Sony RX100 foe light weight and no need to worry about gear damage. 
I am thinking about taking M10 with 1-2 lenses for next trekking. Any one is doing this or any suggestions please? Thank you.

Few years ago there was a thread (maybe in M240 section) about using M for hiking. Search it up. 
 

I love my M240 (and M2, either one) for hiking with 40summicron-c and 90 macro Elmar (collapsible). The entire package is around 3lb. If you own M already then carrying a lesser camera in the woods doesn’t make sense to me. 

[mjhoy]

I've done a few hikes in Utah with my M240, and now M10. I just take a 35 summicron and strap it across my chest. I'm also hauling a 65L pack. This works great except when I need to scramble up or down rocks, when the camera can bang into things. It's sandy as hell; sometimes I hear a little crunch when I'm focussing. But so far so good, I wouldn't take anything else!

[Herr Barnack]

On 2/20/2020 at 2:35 AM, otto.f said:

Haha, only you can’t always do what a lens asks from you. Especially in the mountains with cliffs, canyons and streams on your track

Now there's a truth for the ages. 

Leica's boutique stores should stock tee shirts and hoodies with a drawing of an M camera and the caption, "Still trying to keep up with my lenses."

Edited February 27, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[Archiver]

I don't do much trekking/climbing at all, but I often go on long photo walks through cities, spending about six or seven hours walking. This is my usual schedule on a holiday. Over the past ten years since getting my M9, I have developed a travel kit of 21/2.8, 35/1.4 and 50/2. The 21 captures lots of context, and for me, capturing scenes and context on a trip is everything, so it's on the camera most of the time. The 50 Summicron or 50 Zeiss Sonnar is my portrait/short tele/details lens, and the 35 Nokton goes on at night. I also carry a pocket camera like a Ricoh GR, or more recently, the Sony RX0 and/or Panasonic LX10. Those cameras can get a quick wide angle shot when I'm using a shorter lens, and are great for snapshots. The M9 is for studied and more deliberate work. In

Although I often carry the M9 with me on everyday trips like shopping, I have gone in the other direction lately and begun taking just the Panasonic LX10 and Contax T3 film compact, and leaving the M9 at home. Less weight, less worry about lens choices, and the ability to get a high quality 35mm image if I want. These go in a smallish bag like the Bellroy Sling or Crumpler LLA Waist Bag.

If I'm feeling really bold, I'll just take the Sony RX0, which is a surprisingly good still camera as long as you like 24mm. As someone who carries up to three cameras just for a walk around town, sticking with a tiny pocket camera is honestly a bit scary, but it can work.

[goldenbear]

All packed for my day trip to Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe tomorrow. Plan is to get there for first light, then hike up past Eagle Lake. Bringing the M-D with 50 Elmar-M mounted and M246 with the 21 SEM. Also throwing the 90 Elmarit-M in the bag should the need arise. Can’t wait. 

[kkumpu]

10 hours ago, goldenbear said:

All packed for my day trip to Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe tomorrow. Plan is to get there for first light, then hike up past Eagle Lake. Bringing the M-D with 50 Elmar-M mounted and M246 with the 21 SEM. Also throwing the 90 Elmarit-M in the bag should the need arise. Can’t wait. 

Sounds like a good choice.

I've used 28/50/90 for a year now and feel like that's quite a spot-on set of lenses. Wish that I could afford SEM, that's next on my purchase list.

[rcusick]

I hike almost every weekend with my M10r in california.  I've settled on a 28mm elmarit and 90mm macro elmar as my hiking kit.  

[quietglow]

Epic hiking of 30+ mile days with a camera is my thing, and I do so carrying an M and a single lens (usually the Summicron 40). Occasionally I also carry an ultralight large format rig. A particularly memorable outing last year was ~185mi on our North Country Trail in Michigan (from Mesick to Petosky) covered in 5.5 days. Leica Ms are great for this duty: very fast so I don't have to run much to catch up with my wife after stopping for a shot (she stops for nothing!)

Edited February 8, 2022 by quietglow

[mikemgb]

13 minutes ago, quietglow said:

Epic hiking of 30+ mile days with a camera is my thing, and I do so carrying an M and a single lens (usually the Summicron 40). Occasionally I also carry an ultralight large format rig. A particularly memorable outing last year was ~185mi on our North Country Trail in Michigan (from Mesick to Petosky) covered in 5.5 days. Leica Ms are great for this duty: very fast so I don't have to run much to catch up with my wife after stopping for a shot (she stops for nothing!)

I’m glad I’m not the only lunatic around here. 😁 I’m a 20+ mile hiker but I’ll usually do it with a Sony mirrorless and a film camera, that could be anything from a point and shoot to a Speed Graphic - that gets heavy after a while!

 I’m glad this thread was revived, I’ve been thinking about carrying my M2 but haven’t yet. I’m planning a quick 10 miles tomorrow morning, I may just throw a 28 or 35 on the M2 and take it. 

[TomB_tx]

16 minutes ago, quietglow said:

Epic hiking of 30+ mile days with a camera is my thing, and I do so carrying an M and a single lens (usually the Summicron 40). Occasionally I also carry an ultralight large format rig. A particularly memorable outing last year was ~185mi on our North Country Trail in Michigan (from Mesick to Petosky) covered in 5.5 days. Leica Ms are great for this duty: very fast so I don't have to run much to catch up with my wife after stopping for a shot (she stops for nothing!)

Thanks - that brings back memories. My dad had a qtr section of land very near Mesick that was our getaway spot. Did lots of hiking and shooting (both camera an rifle) in that area. Then drove past it often on the way to and from Michigan Tech. Haven't really been back since moving to Texas in '69.

[quietglow]

Just now, mikemgb said:

 I’m glad this thread was revived, I’ve been thinking about carrying my M2 but haven’t yet. I’m planning a quick 10 miles tomorrow morning, I may just throw a 28 or 35 on the M2 and take it.

Yes! Lunatic hiker/photogs unite! 

I carried my M2 on some pretty epic things as well, and not having to worry about batteries sure is nice. I did worry about mirror delamination in the seasons when there are hot/cold. My MP240 has been hard to beat. For long day hiking, a single battery lasts me at least 3 days.

1 minute ago, TomB_tx said:

Thanks - that brings back memories. My dad had a qtr section of land very near Mesick that was our getaway spot. Did lots of hiking and shooting (both camera an rifle) in that area. Then drove past it often on the way to and from Michigan Tech. Haven't really been back since moving to Texas in '69.

I can't imagine what it was like then, because even now it's incredibly remote for where it is relatively. Especially as we got closer to Petosky (i.e. after Kalkaska) we felt like we were in Alaska as far as contact with other humans went. Very memorable outing, and very glad I had my MP with me.

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Hallo,

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[Mikep996]

For eight years, living/working in Alaska I was an avid ice-climber.  We climbed frozen waterfalls in winter and glacier walls in the summer.  I carried my Leica M2 loaded with slide film on every outing.  It spent the night many times in "igloos" we made by cutting/stacking snow blocks.  Sadly all the slides from those 8 years were lost in a move to DC...

Edited February 8, 2022 by Mikep996