21SEM - 35FLE - 50LUX | Top choice?

[Dennis]

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I got this in my mind for the last few weeks, and I would appreciate it if you can share your thoughts. 
Let me start this way. I suppose that my sweet spot in Leica M is with 21 + 35 + 50. If tomorrow, someone (or the genie lamp), asks me about my wish to use (and own, if possible) only three Leica lenses, any brand new model, which ones would I choose? It will be an E46 trio: 21 SEM, 35 FLE, 50 Lux Asph ... without a doubt. It makes absolute sense in my mind and way to shoot. The 35 as my normal and workhorse + 21 for landscapes, PJ level III, much more context (as Adan said beautifully here somewhere, for serious storytelling ), And a fast, incredible telephoto 50mm lens (at least "tele" for me) for more shallow DoF, for details, abstract concepts, environmental portraits, nightlife, etc. Wow, they would undoubtedly be my top choices right now.

21 SEM $3.3k
35 FLE $5.9k
50 LUX $4.4

Now, here where I ask for your opinion. It's like a poll if you want to participate. Let's say you have to choose only one of the three lenses (because we pretend you don't have any of them). Which one would be your TOP choice and why? "There is a before and after purchasing this lens," ... This kind of feeling, it's precisely what I would love to hear from you about one of the three lenses. All you can talk well about all of them, but please pick one 🙏

Thank you,
D.
 

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[strohscw]

I was also looking for the optimal solution. Only that my main optics was the 50 Apo and the SEM21 for landscape photography. And I wanted another focal length in between. Now the "Leica series" 21-24-28-35-50- ... brought me to the 28er, because the 35er was too far from 21 and too close to the 50er for me. So I tried the 28 Summicron which I liked from its focal length at once and soon became my favorite focal length. Besides, I always had my eye on the 28 Summilux, which was too expensive and too heavy for me in the beginning. After I made the "mistake" of borrowing one for a day, I was hooked and since then the 28 Summilux has been my favorite lens for my M10 M.
To your question: My 3 lenses since then are:
21 SEM
28 SLX
50 APO

I think that the right way is to find "your" favorite lens and choose the others around it.

Greetings and have fun
Wolfram
 

Edited March 2, 2021 by strohscw

[Al Brown]

1 hour ago, Dennis said:

21 SEM $3.3k
35 FLE $5.9k
50 LUX $4.4

Great Choice.

My personal choice is 24 lux, 35 FLE, 75 lux.

I am always wonderig whether at the 24mm side the Elmar 3.8 would still be OK. It is almost 3 stops darker than the 24 lux, but I know people who shoot reportage with it  artistically and professionally and never even think twice about the f-stop.

Edited March 2, 2021 by Al Brown

[Dennis]

1 hour ago, strohscw said:

To your question: My 3 lenses since then are:
21 SEM
28 SLX
50 APO

That's a killer trio. It totally makes sense the skipping between the FL, every two. So, as your kit, 21,24,28,35,50

But being the 35 my normal, it makes sense for me 21-35-50. The difference between the 35 and the 50 is not huge, but it really makes the difference 🙂 

One vote for the SEM

1 hour ago, Al Brown said:

My personal choice is 24 lux, 35 FLE, 75 lux.

Another interesting combination. And another "every two FL" style 24-28-35-50-75

1 hour ago, Al Brown said:

I am always wonderig whether at the 24mm side the Elmar 3.8 would still be OK. It is almost 3 stops darker than the 24 lux, but I know people who shoot reportage with it  artistically and professionally and never even think twice about the f-stop.

Yes, it's very possible. You forget about bokeh and you embrace more context. Deeper DoF, and a maybe a slightly small 3d pop too (I Guess) wide open at short distances. 

 

One vote for the FLE

Edited March 2, 2021 by Dennis

[Cobram]

I own 28 Cron and 50 LUX ASPH. Both keepers. 

SEM is on the list for purchase 😅

 

[adan]

"I pay for viewfinders 21-135mm - I use lenses 21-135mm!"

Which is just to say that I don't buy into the idea that Leica Ms are only for 50mm and wider. Or else Leica wouldn't have provided the capability for 75s, 90s and 135s.

Now, within that range, 21 (Elmarit-M Canadian) and 35 (Voigtlander Nokton v.II) are definitely a good core, to which I add a 75 (Voigtlander Nokton f/1.5), 90 (Elmarit-M) or 135 (Tele-Elmar) to make a threesome.

Or add both a 75 and 135 - that's my most-used kit. My compact bag will hold three lenses in addition to the one on the camera.

Or drop back and punt (American football reference) with a 28 (Elmarit-M v.3 Canadian) and 75mm. That 2-lens combo is the one thing the Lenny Kravitz "Drifter" edition got right.

https://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M-Special-Editions/Drifter

For 40 years or so I have not generally used a 50mm at all. But I ran across a nice deal on a used 50mm Summicron v.5 6-bit recently (and had an extra lens to trade), so I am giving it a whirl. Usually in a combo 21/28/50/90 or 21/28/50/135 (which last gives a nice 1/3/5/7 field-of-view sequence, more or less - a set-up I used on a Canon F-1 'way back when).

That 50 Summicron is my most expensive M lens, at $1.85K. The others (counting the two C/Vs) average out to less than $1.0K each.

As to the poll - always and forever a 20/21mm. It is my money lens, and the first focal length I have bought in every system I've used since 1977.

Why? Two secrets to success.

1) "Figure out what the herd does - and do the opposite."

2) "Budget the luxuries first - the necessities will take care of themselves."

[strohscw]

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vor 1 Minute schrieb Cobram:

I own 28 Cron and 50 LUX ASPH. Both keepers. 

SEM is on the list for purchase 😅

 

Yes, the SEM is such a great little lens I will never sell.

[evikne]

I have always been a 50mm guy, so if you asked me a year ago, the answer would definitely have been the 50mm Summilux ASPH. That was the first Leica lens I purchased. But my taste has changed and evolved a bit, and now I lean more towards 35 mm. I love the slightly more dramatic perspective, and I am not so addicted to super shallow DOF all the time (I still appreciate good bokeh of course 😉).

So if someone asked me today (like you are), my answer would be the 35mm Summilux FLE! That's the most versatile Leica lens I can imagine. It can do almost everything that the 50mm can, and more. Personally I've never felt the need for anything wider, but we are all different of course. And you only asked for one lens. So my vote goes to the 35 FLE.

[Cobram]

6 minutes ago, adan said:

"I pay for viewfinders 21-135mm - I use lenses 21-135mm!"

Which is just to say that I don't buy into the idea that Leica Ms are only for 50mm and wider. Or else Leica wouldn't have provided the capability for 75s, 90s and 135s.

Now, within that range, 21 (Elmarit-M Canadian) and 35 (Voigtlander Nokton v.II) are definitely a good core, to which I add a 75 (Voigtlander Nokton f/1.5), 90 (Elmarit-M) or 135 (Tele-Elmar) to make a threesome.

Or add both a 75 and 135 - that's my most-used kit. My compact bag will hold three lenses in addition to the one on the camera.

Or drop back and punt (American football reference) with a 28 (Elmarit-M v.3 Canadian) and 75mm. That 2-lens combo is the one thing the Lenny Kravitz "Drifter" edition got right.

https://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M-Special-Editions/Drifter

For 40 years or so I have not generally used a 50mm at all. But I ran across a nice deal on a used 50mm Summicron v.5 6-bit recently (and had an extra lens to trade), so I am giving it a whirl. Usually in a combo 21/28/50/90 or 21/28/50/135 (which last gives a nice 1/3/5/7 field-of-view sequence, more or less - a set-up I used on a Canon F-1 'way back when).

That 50 Summicron is my most expensive M lens, at $1.85K. The others (counting the two C/Vs) average out to less than $1.0K each.

As to the poll - always and forever a 20/21mm. It is my money lens, and the first focal length I have bought in every system I've used since 1977.

Why? Two secrets to success.

1) "Figure out what the herd does - and do the opposite."

2) "Budget the luxuries first - the necessities will take care of themselves."

Agree with you Adan, great post.

My most used lens nowadays is 21mm Color Skopar F4. Before purchase I hesitated cause I was worried how to "fill" the scene, but to my surprise, It took me only one - two days to get used to such a wide lens. 21mm is now my "new normal" 🙂

 

[Lelmer]

3 hours ago, Dennis said:

....

21 SEM $3.3k
35 FLE $5.9k
50 LUX $4.4

Now, here where I ask for your opinion. It's like a poll if you want to participate. Let's say you have to choose only one of the three lenses (because we pretend you don't have any of them). Which one would be your TOP choice and why? "There is a before and after purchasing this lens," ... This kind of feeling, it's precisely what I would love to hear from you about one of the three lenses. All you can talk well about all of them, but please pick one 🙏

Thank you,
D.
 

Great selection...I am just missing the 21 😃

I already considered getting one, but as I almost never use my 28, I am wondering if I need/want it.

My preferred one is  the 50 LUX Asph that I use most of the time...although the 35 FLE is my go to lens for travelling light. If I had to keep only one, it would be a tough choice, but I guess I'd keep the 35 FLE.

 

[sergiomarried]

Interesting thread... I currently have:

- 35mm Nokton f1.4 vii

- 50mm LUX Asph 

- 28mm on my Q

Sometimes I fantasize with the idea of getting the 35mm FLE as a single unique lens and move on with life... But I need 2 bodies at least for those paid serious gigs when you don’t have time to change lenses and as backup in case anything goes wrong...

I’d love adding the 21mm or 24mm but feel that they’d be more challenging to use on my M and I’ve never been comfortable enough to justify them... I’ve been thinking about the Voigt 21mm f4 since it’s less of an economic compromise...😅. 

I’m at heart a 35mm focal length person so yeah, that’d be the only one for me all the way. 

[kaspart]

Your trio is exactly the same I'm using for my reportage work. The most used by far being the 35 FLE which would be my top choice.

For analog and/or travel I have the same set in small and lightweight:

4/21 VM

2/35 V4

2.5/50 

[pgk]

6 hours ago, Dennis said:

21 SEM - 35 FLE - 50 LUX

Now, here where I ask for your opinion. It's like a poll if you want to participate. Let's say you have to choose only one of the three lenses (because we pretend you don't have any of them). Which one would be your TOP choice and why?

I have these three lenses (except my 35 is the pre-FLE). My top used, by far, is the 35mm. Its the 'default' lens attached to my camera. The least used is the 50 (because I tend to use 21/35/90 most, although I also use a 135 too, occasionally). The 35/1.4 is, for me, the most versatile of the three lenses, the 21SEM is fabulous when a real wide is needed and the 50 aspheric Summilux is as capable a lens as I could wish for if I want to use a 50, which sometimes I do. Of the 3, the SEM is the only Leica lens I have ever bought new and was worth every penny. The others were bought before prices became 'excessive' too, fortunately.

[SiggiGun]

My approach is more driven by the f-stop. 

If I take the 21SEM, => MATE & 90Macro

If I take 28cron => Apo50, 75 or 90

If I take 35Lux => 75Lux

...

[RayD28]

Quote

7 hours ago, Dennis said:

Now, here where I ask for your opinion. It's like a poll if you want to participate. Let's say you have to choose only one of the three lenses (because we pretend you don't have any of them). Which one would be your TOP choice and why? "There is a before and after purchasing this lens," ... This kind of feeling, it's precisely what I would love to hear from you about one of the three lenses. All you can talk well about all of them, but please pick one 🙏

Thank you,
D.
 

Pretending I don't have one already, the 50 ASPH.   Good blur to make subjects pop and the focal length I generally use.  

At this point I have a 50 ASPH and the previous version of the 35mm 'cron.  The 35mm has sat on the shelf for the past couple of years.  I use a 28 often.  

I plan to buy the 21 SEM.  Got a fair deal on a viewfinder a couple of months ago so it's just a matter of when I'll get the lens.  FWIW, used 21SEM lenses on major US dealer sites go fast, and I mean really fast.  B&H had one that stayed up for about 24 hours and Tamarkin had one that lasted about a week.  I saw KEH has one as of last night and I'm interested to see how soon it's sold.    

 

[Stephen.s1]

21mm...There's always cropping.

[Dennis]

7 hours ago, adan said:

As to the poll - always and forever a 20/21mm. It is my money lens, and the first focal length I have bought in every system I've used since 1977.

Why? Two secrets to success.

1) "Figure out what the herd does - and do the opposite."

2) "Budget the luxuries first - the necessities will take care of themselves."

21mm, excellent choice 🙂 Secret one, I'm IN. Secret two, I'm working on it.

7 hours ago, adan said:

That 50 Summicron is my most expensive M lens, at $1.85K. The others (counting the two C/Vs) average out to less than $1.0K each.

Very Interesting. 

7 hours ago, strohscw said:

Yes, the SEM is such a great little lens I will never sell.

One vote for SEM

7 hours ago, evikne said:

So if someone asked me today (like you are), my answer would be the 35mm Summilux FLE!

Interesting to see your evolution. A lot of 50, but still choosing eventually the FLE. Wow, this lens have to be something, can't explain 🙂  

One vote for FLE

7 hours ago, Cobram said:

Before purchase I hesitated cause I was worried how to "fill" the scene, but to my surprise, It took me only one - two days to get used to such a wide lens. 21mm is now my "new normal" 🙂

Oh yeah. 21 as your normal, way to go. It must to feel very good 🙂

7 hours ago, Lelmer said:

My preferred one is  the 50 LUX Asph that I use most of the time...although the 35 FLE is my go to lens for travelling light. If I had to keep only one, it would be a tough choice, but I guess I'd keep the 35 FLE.

Another one in love with the 50 Lux Asph, but choosing one, the choice gos for the FLE. Again, very interesting

 One vote for FLE

3 hours ago, kaspart said:

Your trio is exactly the same I'm using for my reportage work.

You used the right keyword: reportage. How well does it work this trio lenses for you? Please tell me more

4 hours ago, kaspart said:

The most used by far being the 35 FLE which would be my top choice.

One vote for FLE

3 hours ago, pgk said:

My top used, by far, is the 35mm. Its the 'default' lens attached to my camera.

So, one more vote for FLE?

3 hours ago, pgk said:

Of the 3, the SEM is the only Leica lens I have ever bought new and was worth every penny. The others were bought before prices became 'excessive' too, fortunately.

This is exactly my point. For the price and what the lens does, I don't say it's a bargain, but it's the one who probably worth more to buy brand new, because the price is not excessive.

2 hours ago, RayD28 said:

Pretending I don't have one already, the 50 ASPH.

One vote for LUX

 

[Dennis]

6 hours ago, sergiomarried said:

Interesting thread... I currently have:

- 35mm Nokton f1.4 vii

- 50mm LUX Asph 

- 28mm on my Q

Sometimes I fantasize with the idea of getting the 35mm FLE as a single unique lens and move on with life...

Thank you Sergio. Do you fantasize only about it? Do you think is worthing to spend a lot on a 35FLE? I think there are many differences between your nokton vII and the FLE.

 

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[Al Brown]

2 hours ago, Dennis said:

Thank you Sergio. Do you fantasize only about it? Do you think is worthing to spend a lot on a 35FLE? I think there are many differences between your nokton vII and the FLE.

You will only know when you get the FLE.
I would not part with it, not even for the new APO ASPH 35 Cron. Not interested RN. Was lucky to have paid 2900 euros for a mint, boxed copy.

Edited March 2, 2021 by Al Brown

[Dennis]

25 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

You will only know when you get the FLE.

😱 ... I guess so