One body per lens challenge (my current kit)

[bdolzani]

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*admins: not sure where exactly this post should live. A general kit topic*

As I'm GASing for a couple new lenses, I thought I'd organize my kit and dedicate one body per lens. Could I choose one exact fit and when wanting to use that lens, be forced to use that body? It's had an interesting result on my psyche by slowing me down and making me appreciate what I already have in a new way. Meaning, instead of swapping a handful of lenses onto one body and amassing a bunch of random lenses, what if I had to have a new body to go along with it? Sort of makes you slow down your lens buying...?

OTOH, it's making me think Well I should get an M3 for that 50 collapsible...or a second MP240 for, well, something...

Most of these matches I think are pretty good. Not sure where I'd put the 24 Elmarit or the 90 tele. 

The others are:

35 cron v2 on M246

35 Summaron 3.5 on the M2 (with 50 Elmar in waiting)

50 cron v5 on the M240

90 cron on the M6 with handgrip, which is quite helpful for that lens

What is your take on this idea? Feel free to share your kit photos too.

Oh PS what I'm GASing for is a possible modern 35 (my favorite FL) such as the FLE, or upgrade the 90 cron to a 90 summicron-M (Mandler version still). OR possibly a 50 lux, most likely pre-asph.

brian 

 

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Edited September 7, 2022 by bdolzani

[grahamc]

26 minutes ago, bdolzani said:

Sort of makes you slow down your lens buying...?

 

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Or speed up on the body-buying  be careful ! 
Interesting topic btw, I never really related to the concept that some people mention on here of having a lens completely live on a body, but lately I’ve found myself swapping out lenses too often so can start to understand. 

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[bdolzani]

15 minutes ago, grahamc said:

Or speed up on the body-buying  be careful ! 
Interesting topic btw, I never really related to the concept that some people mention on here of having a lens completely live on a body, but lately I’ve found myself swapping out lenses too often so can start to understand. 

Exactly! Appreciate your thoughts Graham. 7 bodies for 7 lenses might be pretty extreme - perhaps reserve one body per 2 lenses. Might be a good way to organize your choices when you have a lot of choices ;-).

It can also force you to let go of what you are only keeping to collect (I do consider myself a bit of a collector as well..). Makes you think 'would I keep this lens on a body full time to use?' 

[NZDavid]

Why? Being able to swap lenses is the virtue of the M system. Otherwise, why not get a Q?

[bdolzani]

17 minutes ago, NZDavid said:

Why? Being able to swap lenses is the virtue of the M system. Otherwise, why not get a Q?

Well of course it is however with many different body types now (film, digital, mono, color), I thought it was interesting to look at it as a soulmate match. Who would you choose as your permanent partner? (until the bad breakup of course..)

But yea I suppose you'd have a Q in 24, 35, 50, 90 too :-). 

Edited September 7, 2022 by bdolzani

[NZDavid]

And another body! It’s a slippery slope. 😉

Definitely, the earlier chrome lenses go aesthetically with the M2 (or M3) but it can also be fun to mix them up, too. The 24 is superb and goes with everything.

[Thury]

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I don't like changing lenses in the field so my kit (mostly for wandering in the city) is built around 2 lenses and 2 bodies: one M240 with a 35/2 (Ultron asph), one M240 with a 90/2.8 (Apo-Skopar). A 21/3.5 (Color-Skopar asph) stays in the bottom of the bag 95% of the time as insurance against an unforeseen situation. The other lenses stay at home unless there is a special project for which they are needed.

No lens information in the metadata but camera A has only the 35 and camera B may have a 90 or 21 so it is not too difficult to know what lens was used... The weight stays acceptable and changing focal length is fast.

[Al Brown]

I am totally for the permanent one lens-one body concept but see absolutely no sense in carrying more than 2 bodies wherever I go (and I photograph for a living).

[shirubadanieru]

I also used to do that until I set just for one body (MP). I still consider sometimes getting the second body, and if I did it would definitely be the M3 & a 50mm lens. The only issue I have with the M3 rangefinder is that it is only coupled to 1m, and I prefer to have lenses that go down to 0.7m…that’s the only reason why I have moved away from the M3, but besides that it is still my favorite Leica of all time, and coupled with a Summicron rigid or Summilux chrome 50mm is the most beautiful Leica set I can think of. 

For the MP (or any other 0.72x magnification camera), 35mm frame lines feel the most comfortable, so I tend to have a 35mm lens attached to it. Other things I take in consideration when having more than one body are:

• Which is the main use case of the camera? For example, if it’s a color film camera, I’ll probably want a lens that renders high resolution and not too soft from f2. If it’s mostly used with B&W film, then I actually prefer lenses that have a bit more glow wide open and that have lower contrast. Other aspect is, will I use this camera / lens for Portraits? For traveling? For street? That will also impact the focal length and the age of the lens I pick. 
• Film VS digital; If digital, I always go for older / softer lenses as it provides a perfect mix between the digital sensor harshness and the soft rendering of old lenses (1950s/60s Leica lenses are the best for me, but even lenses from the 30s and 40s look great, especially mounted on a Monochrom camera). If digital it’s also easier to crop due to higher mp files, so if I ever shoot 21mm or 28mm (I don’t anymore), I tend to prefer using them on digital VS film.
• Which lens do I love the most? Obviously, I want to have my most loved lens attached to the body I use the most.

 

I think that’s pretty much it. Even now with only one body I still keep a similar philosophy:

• For traveling / street / color film: Summicron 35mm V4 (this is what I do most frequently, so I’d say this set is in use 80% of the time)
• For portraits / BW: Summicron 50mm rigid
• For modern, high contrast results / Times in which I want to travel lighter without carrying about if any damage happens to the lens: Voigtlander Heliar 40mm f2.8

Edited September 7, 2022 by shirubadanieru

[rramesh]

Is this a new murder mystery series? 

[kyotalk]

I had a very similar thinking. Changing lenses on the job just seems wrong. Be there with F/8 pan-focus, right? 28Q, 35R, 50S combo should do it.

But then, as I got older I concluded that one body-one lens system is what I should honestly settle with sooner or later. Anything more is greed restrospectively.

 

This leads us to a almighty never-ending thread, “what is your fav focal length.”

Edited September 7, 2022 by kyotalk

[wizard]

vor 5 Stunden schrieb shirubadanieru:

The only issue I have with the M3 rangefinder is that it is only coupled to 1m, and I prefer to have lenses that go down to 0.7m…

To the best of my knowledge, M3 bodies may easily be modified to couple to 0.7m. My own M3 goes down to 0.8m, without being modified. Ask a competent Leica mechanic about this, I am sure he/she will know.

[Mr.Prime]

I do a bit of this too, having set up my Summilux 50mm with an M3 and my Summilux 35mm with an M4 because the finders suit.

[shirubadanieru]

12 minutes ago, wizard said:

To the best of my knowledge, M3 bodies may easily be modified to couple to 0.7m. My own M3 goes down to 0.8m, without being modified. Ask a competent Leica mechanic about this, I am sure he/she will know.

I think some serials (later ones) can, but without parallax correction, which at closer distances w/ a 50mm is where it's needed the most. I've tried to ask about adjustment for a double stroke M3 (my favorite) but it wasn't possible. 

[charlesphoto99]

Makes absolutely no sense unless the bodies are all of the same make. That said, for casual shooting I generally go out with one lens - and that can be anything from a 28 to a 135. 

[Mr.Prime]

I often go out with two lenses, on separate bodies i.e. one lens per body, one loaded with colour film and the other with b&w film

[spydrxx]

I can't take this seriously, BUT, I would start the process by taking carefully crafted "portrait" shots of each combination I was considering. Then sit back and admire each photo for its aesthetic value. It might help convince me how to best proceed. (Yes I sometimes shoot these combos just to admire their beauty). Good luck in resolving your dilemma.😊

[bdolzani]

17 minutes ago, spydrxx said:

I can't take this seriously, BUT, I would start the process by taking carefully crafted "portrait" shots of each combination I was considering. Then sit back and admire each photo for its aesthetic value. It might help convince me how to best proceed. (Yes I sometimes shoot these combos just to admire their beauty). Good luck in resolving your dilemma.😊

Oh indeed, I've received multiple minutes, or maybe even hours of pleasure so far just looking at my kit portrait :-). Once you reach the 'beauty' part of life through pain and heartbreak and longing, the rest is a gift. 

[bdolzani]

8 hours ago, Al Brown said:

I am totally for the permanent one lens-one body concept but see absolutely no sense in carrying more than 2 bodies wherever I go (and I photograph for a living).

Great. Yes I am not suggesting you go out with 4, 5, 6 bodies and lenses (though the excess of Jim Marshall thrillingly comes to mind). I'm a very unorganized thinker and inconsistent actor so this to me seems a good way to have my kit on a desk ready to go, suggesting possibilities and consistencies while they wait as they are. 

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[bdolzani]

7 hours ago, shirubadanieru said:

I also used to do that until I set just for one body (MP). I still consider sometimes getting the second body, and if I did it would definitely be the M3 & a 50mm lens. The only issue I have with the M3 rangefinder is that it is only coupled to 1m, and I prefer to have lenses that go down to 0.7m…that’s the only reason why I have moved away from the M3, but besides that it is still my favorite Leica of all time, and coupled with a Summicron rigid or Summilux chrome 50mm is the most beautiful Leica set I can think of. 

I would wholeheartedly agree!

What keeps me from the M3 is the old spool loading. My M2 came with the rapid load and I'm a little fearful of a fiddly spool loading. It's also what keeps me from getting a Barnack for my LTM lenses.

7 hours ago, shirubadanieru said:

For the MP (or any other 0.72x magnification camera), 35mm frame lines feel the most comfortable, so I tend to have a 35mm lens attached to it. Other things I take in consideration when having more than one body are:

• Which is the main use case of the camera? For example, if it’s a color film camera, I’ll probably want a lens that renders high resolution and not too soft from f2. If it’s mostly used with B&W film, then I actually prefer lenses that have a bit more glow wide open and that have lower contrast. Other aspect is, will I use this camera / lens for Portraits? For traveling? For street? That will also impact the focal length and the age of the lens I pick. 
• Film VS digital; If digital, I always go for older / softer lenses as it provides a perfect mix between the digital sensor harshness and the soft rendering of old lenses (1950s/60s Leica lenses are the best for me, but even lenses from the 30s and 40s look great, especially mounted on a Monochrom camera). If digital it’s also easier to crop due to higher mp files, so if I ever shoot 21mm or 28mm (I don’t anymore), I tend to prefer using them on digital VS film.
• Which lens do I love the most? Obviously, I want to have my most loved lens attached to the body I use the most.

 

I think that’s pretty much it. Even now with only one body I still keep a similar philosophy:

• For traveling / street / color film: Summicron 35mm V4 (this is what I do most frequently, so I’d say this set is in use 80% of the time)
• For portraits / BW: Summicron 50mm rigid
• For modern, high contrast results / Times in which I want to travel lighter without carrying about if any damage happens to the lens: Voigtlander Heliar 40mm f2.8

Great philosophy and I'm with you 100% on these choices. I was shooting the Mono with the 35 summaron the other day.