Favourite lens for a new M11.

[idusidusi]

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For street, travel and general photography what lens between 35mm and 50mm would people here advice for someone coming back to Leica M?

I thinl of a Summarit 35 or 50 OR a Summicron with later on a 90, bit to begin with I need to choose 35 or  50mm.

On current system I use 24/50 and a 70-200 zoom, which I will keep.

I miss the simplicity of the M, the ability to be totally manual, plus I love the updates to the M in the 11.

[shirubadanieru]

I disagree with Artin, and I’m happy to report the imperfections of older glass are visible on the M11 as with any other leica camera (if they weren’t I would actually be sad because that’s the reason why I shoot with those lenses ahah). I am mostly using the Summilux 35mm pre-asph and the Summicron 35mm V2. For street and general photography the 35mm focal length is unbeatable. For street only the 28mm fits best, but cant do anything else well (portraits, bokeh). 

Here’s old glass on the M11 wide open, with the lenses signature very visible

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[BarberShop]

35 minutes ago, shirubadanieru said:

I disagree with Artin, and I’m happy to report the imperfections of older glass are visible on the M11 as with any other leica camera (if they weren’t I would actually be sad because that’s the reason why I shoot with those lenses ahah). I am mostly using the Summilux 35mm pre-asph and the Summicron 35mm V2. For street and general photography the 35mm focal length is unbeatable. For street only the 28mm fits best, but cant do anything else well (portraits, bokeh). 

Here’s old glass on the M11 wide open, with the lenses signature very visible

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Ooooh what lens was used for the first shot?

[shirubadanieru]

22 minutes ago, BarberShop said:

Ooooh what lens was used for the first shot?

Summilux 35mm pre-asph

[ScreaminBejesus]

I currently shoot primarily a Summicron 35mm ASPH and sometimes a Elmar 35mm (adapted screw mount circa 1946) on my M-A and Summicron 50mm on my M3.  I expect to continue to use both of the 35mm on my M11 when it eventually arrives and hope the character of those lenses shines through.

[Lelmer]

12 hours ago, idusidusi said:

For street, travel and general photography what lens between 35mm and 50mm would people here advice for someone coming back to Leica M?

I thinl of a Summarit 35 or 50 OR a Summicron with later on a 90, bit to begin with I need to choose 35 or  50mm.

On current system I use 24/50 and a 70-200 zoom, which I will keep.

I miss the simplicity of the M, the ability to be totally manual, plus I love the updates to the M in the 11.

I'd say it depends what you are after with your M11, and Artin's lenses make perfect sense.

[idusidusi]

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Perhaps I should have said street and travel. I intend to keep my a Sony with 70-200 for birds and sports.

Edited February 7, 2022 by idusidusi
More thoughts on the subject for clarification.

[idusidusi]

10 hours ago, BarberShop said:

Ooooh what lens was used for the first shot?

This was the one I was looking at: Summicron 35mm V2 so thanks for the reply. I also was looking at a Summarit 35mm.

[a.noctilux]

1 hour ago, idusidusi said:

This was the one I was looking at: Summicron 35mm V2 so thanks for the reply. I also was looking at a Summarit 35mm.

Summarit-M 2.5/35mm is wonderful lens,

as the other of this "cheap lenses" line I use 50/75 hidden gems "not loved" by most (including me some time ago).

I use for longer time "happily" Summaron/Summicron/etc. 35mm so I can say that the 2.5/35 can do most of those older "loved-by-most" lenses can deliver.

With benefit of newer lens, avoiding the well know "not in so nice shape" units of older ones: haze on glass, mechanical abuse, badly repaired, etc.

 

...

have a look in this thread Summaron/Summicron 35

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by a.noctilux

[Herr Barnack]

I have a copy of the 50mm f/2.4 Summarit and it is a fantastic little lens.  I don't think you could go wrong with a 35mm and a 50mm f/2.4 Summarit.

If you want new lenses, the same could be said about a pair of non-APO Summicrons, the 35mm and 50mm.  The Summicrons offer a great balance of price, weight, image quality and reasonable low light performance.

 

Edited March 11, 2022 by Herr Barnack