What is your SL(2) kit, and what else do you use?

[DrM]

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Dear all,

Currently, I have the SL2+35SL+75SL, M240+28/2+35/1.4FLE+50/1.4ASPH+90AA, and the good old M6. The SL2 is wonderful, but I want to keep a small M kit (street, travel).
Today(...), I want to move to the SL2 with the SL 21,35,75. but what to keep from the M line...? What do you use and how did you go about reducing your gear. 

BR,

Marc

p.s.: “Never sell XYZ does not work for me, I’m more a pragmatic user, than a collector”

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[Jeff S]

I use M bodies (now M10 and MM1), RF only, with 28, 35 and 50 focal lengths.  I added the SL2 to complement M use, not replace it, in a weather sealed package.  So, my first lenses were the 2 longer SL zooms and the SL75.  I like the 75mm view, but never liked the M’s 75 frame lines.  Down the road, I might add the SL21, but super wide is not my niche or priority, so I ruled out the SL16-35.  Different tools for different tasks... and different experiences.

Jeff

[Leicaiste]

4 hours ago, DrM said:

what to keep from the M line...? 

The 50/1,4. 

[Jim B]

Sl2 + Sl90apo

m 50apo

m75 noctilux
Voigtländer m50 f1.2 

panny 70-200 f2.8, 2x converter 

sigma 35 f1.2

[DrM]

5 hours ago, Leicaiste said:

The 50/1,4. 

From you profile photo, you kept the Noctilux?

 

[chasdfg]

I have owned, used and then sold a number of camera kits in the past few years (Fuji GFX, Fuji APS-C, Sony, Canon EOS R, some owned very briefly) and decided I wanted to focus on Leica gear to streamline everything (processing, servicing etc). But within Leica gear, I still had my own filtering to do. I somehow ended up with an M240 (main camera for 5 years), SL, Q2 and M10 Monochrom. I only wanted to own two, so I sold the Q2 and M240.

I wanted to provide enough product differentiation between the two cameras I kept so it would be easy to decide what to pick when I wanted to shoot. It was the SL for colour, EVF shooting, a slightly better sensor than M240, electronic shutter (very useful feature) and the alleged "base ISO" of the SL at ISO 50...and the M10 Mono for black and white, rangefinder shooting, high resolving sensor and low light performance. The Q2 was sold because I couldn't use my M lenses on it, and I also listed all my L-mount glass because I couldn't use them on both cameras. In your case I would sell the M240. The SL2 does everything better except it isn't a rangefinder and is bulkier (but the bulk has it's benefits, eg EVF, IBIS, one of those "have your cake and eat it" scenarios). For that, you have the M6, and on top of that there's the differentiating factor in that it shoots film.

I listed my M glass in order of how much I used them. If a lens is barely used, it doesn't matter if you keep it for rendering style/aesthetics/sentimental reasons - it simply isn't used and doesn't value-add to your kit in a day-to-day shooting sense. It exists in your kit to distract and you may force yourself to use it merely because you have it. I found that to be the case for a number of lenses I had (90APO, 28lux, a number of 50mms). I now have 5 lenses, all Leica M, and sold the rest. Basically halved my lens "collection". In this process, I kept my most used lenses (28Cron, 35FLE and 50APO are my go-to lenses, whether due to image quality or size or both), decided to keep 2 gratuitous lenses which really stand out for me (Noctilux f1 and 75lux) and made sure I had a workable kit (35/75, 28/50) before I sold the others off.

In your situation, starting with SL2, 35/75 SL + M6, I would keep the 28cron and 50lux for sure. If you're a 35mm guy, I'd keep the 35FLE too. It's 400g with adapter and a fair bit smaller than the 35APO SL, plus a faster lens too...meaning the only lens which should go is the 90APO.

The 75SL has got you covered the for tele end, so I doubt you'd be missing the 90APO that much. I understand you intend to add a 21SL at some point, so that's the wide end covered too.

Edited May 4, 2020 by chasdfg

[Jon Warwick]

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I had an M240; M7 for film; 35mm Summicron, M 50 APO, 75mm Summarit

i sold it all except the M7 and 75mm Summarit. The frame lines were far from ideal for me, but I liked the performance of the M7 + 75mm Summarit for analogue portraits.

Then I bought the SL2, and prefer it in nearly all ways over the M240, especially in terms of image quality. In that regard it gives me what I always sought in the m240 but never found even with the M 50 APO.

i intend to get an SL Summicron prime at some stage, likely the 50mm.

for travel, I intend to also use the SL2 with an M lens, the body is not much larger than the M240 but the difference comes more from the lens sizes IMHO.

only thing I regret selling is the M 50 APO, that is a great lens in terms of image quality and also beautifully built and probably would have been a good solution on the SL2 especially for a compact travel system and useable on the M7 to boot.

 

[ru2far2c]

Last year I bought a SL with M-Adaptor when the prices started to fall. I have a M240 and just purchase a M246 at a great price from Camera West. I am happy at 24mb FF. That is the real reason I staying with SL and M240/246. Plus I am not printing anything bigger than A2 more than likely.

I do not have any SL lens at this time doesn't mean I will not pick one or two in the future. Have been quite happy with M lenses on the SL. May pick up a Q2 or CL as a travel companion to SL later on. 

Edited May 4, 2020 by ru2far2c

[Leicaiste]

18 hours ago, DrM said:

From you profile photo, you kept the Noctilux?

 

Yes, because I never sell Leica lenses.

 

😉

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I struggle to sell any gear and as a result the amount of gear I currently have is obscene. The only Leica lens I've sold in years is my Noctilux. Having said that I have consolidated the gear I *use* on a regular basis. My kits are based around my favourite focal length. 50mm.

In M I carry an M10M and M10 (will upgrade to the R) with a 28mm Summicron ASPH, CV 50mm 1.2 and 90mm macro with macro adaptor. Occasionally I'll bring a WATE and/or MATE. I am completely happy with this and I don't use my other M gear so will probably move it on. Occasionally I don't want to have to think and I'll carry my CL instead of the M10.

For my SL2 I mostly take a Sigma 12-24, 50mm SL Summicron and 90mm SL Summicron as well as a Q2 (my version of a SL28mm). For travel I swap out to the 16-35 (for filters) and add the 24-90 and 90-280. I have the Panasonic 70-200 f4 but don't like it except for the weight. I'd like to see Leica make a 180mm 2.8 and maybe something longer (60-600??)from Sigma or Panasonic for the occasional wildlife trip. I could sell a lot of other gear if there was a long lens available in L mount. I also have an S1R as a second body plus my original 601's. The 601's don't get much use but occasionally they're good for when I need less resolution for a job.

My other main system is my X1DII. It's the best choice for landscapes and also a decent travel system.

I have lots of other gear. Some gets used occasionally and some not at all. I won't bore you with the details.

Gordon

 

[Fedro]

I sympathise with Gordon - I also struggle to sell gear and I am not even a pro (!) - will have to go through some restructuring soon though as we are moving house and will have less space (and two toddlers).

SL I use with the 3 zooms + Cron 50 and 90

I also have (and love) the X1D which I use for landscapes and the few times that friends and friends of friends ask for formal portraits and the M (10 and 10M) that I use with a variety of (i.e. too many) lenses that were accumulated over the past 20 years - some of which will have to go for sure

[CharlesL]

I find the SL with a 23/2-TL (thus 35mm equivalent on full frame) good for street walks. When in the mood, I wear a jacket with a big enough pocket to carry one or another M-mount lens on an adapter, like the Elmar 24/3.8 used for this shot.

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[Per P.]

The question should probably have said kit(s) rather than kit since it seems many of us have a minor issue with limiting ourselves. I do believe in a focused set in the bag, but not necessarily on the shelf, since variety is the spice of life. So I have 3 kits: M-lenses from 24 to 90mm for the M10 but obviously super handy on my SL, an SL-kit with two zooms and the 35/75 combo, and then a vintage kit with the 21-35 Vario-Elmar R, Olympus OM 50 and 100mm primes, and a Zeiss-Contax 80-200mm zoom. The latter set gets the most use right now and is just so much fun - but, of course, utterly redundant 🙂

[pmendelson]

My kit keeps changing - right now I have the following:

Q2

M10 (arriving today from a trade) and the following M mount lenses: 16-18-21 WATE, Voigtlander 21mm f/1.4, Zeiss 35mm f/1.4.  

SL2 and the 50mm and 75mm SL Summicrons and 90-280mm SL.  I'm not sure if I am going to keep the 75mm APO since I can generally cover that with either the 50mm or 90-280mm.  I had and sold the 16-35mm SL (too big for me) and the 35mm SL APO (I generally prefer shooting at 28mm).  I like using M lenses on the SL too - I like having an aperture ring on the lenses and the smaller sizes - the WATE in particular.  I also have the Canon 11-24mm and 17mm TS-E but they get less use than the others.

I am interested in re-acquiring the 28mm Summaron for the size of the lens and look of the files, and the 50mm ASPH Summilux for the M10 (I'll probably sell my 75mm SL to help pay for these).  And maybe the 28mm Cron for the M10/SL2  (in which case I would probably sell the Q2 although it's hard to sell the Q2 - it's so good).

I had the GFX-50S (the system was too big and bulky for me) and the X1D v1 (too slow), and have been tempted by the X1DII, but to me it's a bit too close to the SL2 in how I would use it.  

Edited May 6, 2020 by pmendelson
added

[Luca]

I have an SL2 with vario 24/90,  50 SL Summicron, Voitgtlander 15mm and my Q2.

Planning to buy 35mm f2 Summicron Apo M, to use on my SL2.

 

[Jeff S]

53 minutes ago, Luca said:

Planning to buy 35mm f2 Summicron Apo M, to use on my SL2.

 

Unless you mean the SL35, or 50 APO M, you might have quite a wait.

Jeff