What is your single-lens dream setup for a new Leica M11 user?

[S Maclean]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have too many lenses on my end.  My must have:

21 SE. Unbetable (MUST HAVE) I thouhgt this one would be my least favorite but I have taken my best images with it. It is just perfect.

35 Lux (2022) (Cron is also outstanding) cv 35 1.2 is highly recommended as an alternative.

50 Lux (I have also the APO but thats a crazy price) I am still decideing whichnone to let go of.

75 CV 1.5 (the leica 75 is also amazing but I like this one better

90- I have it and love it, but I would keep the 75 over it.

Edited February 6, 2023 by S Maclean

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[newtoleica]

Some food for thought…

you’ve just been suggested in excess of £15,000 of gear here. Really? 
by all means spend your money but it’s hardly cost effective for what you want to use it for. 
you can get a nice Leica look with a Q2 and you’ll get many more keepers of the family and it’s waterproof for landscapes/hikes…

if you want one lens - do you ‘see’ mostly as 35mm (or wider) or 50mm? For me 50 is a specialist portrait lens and much too narrow for general purpose. Costly to get the wrong one…

[horosu]

35 minutes ago, trickness said:

Perfect answer to the question: what lens should I get for my M11 that is nearly impossible to find and costs more than the body itself? 🤣

Don't forget the 50 APO for that matter- except, it's easier to find 😀

[rcusick]

I’ve owned most Leica lenses - including classics like the summicron 8e…. Here’s what I’ve whittled my collection to (all current iterations unless noted)

 

21 sem

28 summaron and cron

35 steel rim reissue and cron

50 cron

75 summarit

90 elmar

135 elmarit

180 r apo

I favor a balance of cost image quality and weight.  I own an m11 and m6. 

[hillavoider]

On 2/6/2023 at 3:58 AM, Al Brown said:

Welcome to the 100th "what single lens for my M camera" thread. Enjoy the ride.

LOL and i can't believe the "the lens thats on your camera" answer hasn't come up yet 

 

but in all seriousness get the 35 lux, the crop to 50 isn't that much and 60mp sensor requires faster shutter which the 1.4 gives you

Edited February 7, 2023 by hillavoider

[tom0511]

1 lens would be 35 apo. ( which is my most used M lens right now)

with 60 mp you can always crop if needed. 
and the 35 apo also allows you to get close.

personally I would prefer a 2 lens 28 and 50 combo. 
or 21-35-50 !)

[Harout62]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The one lens set up, I would pick the 35FLE. II.   Close focus to get in on the portrait, 35 mm works great for most travel and landscape work 

60 mpx crop factor covers quite a bit. And F1.4 gives you nice show DOF.  And great when the sun goes down and night magic unfolds. 
 

I have 16 M lenses but when I am taking just one with me it’s always the 35FLE. 

[Hausen17]

It was the WATE for me.

[Bokeh1]

I would be happy with either 50mm APO, 50mm Summicron V5 or 50mm Summilux if I only could have one.

[rustyrus]

I honestly think I just picked it up yesterday

 

The re-issue of the 35mm Steel rim. Very unique shot wide open and as sharp as needed stoped down. Also extremely small and easy to carry.Really surprised by sharp this thing is by f2.8

 

The perfect setup is the one I will take with me. The M11 with the 35 steel rim checks those boxes for me. 

 

[lct]

Quit tempting me please.

[augustwest100]

To quote the guys at Leica Store Miami: "It depends" (c) 2023 David and Josh, lol.

I guess without getting you more confused, I would say:

If you are going the 1 and done route (we all think that's what we are going to do and then we don't): the 35 LUX FLE is excellent for landscape, street, even environmental portrait in a pinch. It can also be the start of a 21 SEM, 35 LUX FLE, 75 (Leica or Voigtlander) kit.

If you are going to end up being a 28/50 shooter, you might consider a 28 elmarit and then a 50 lux.

Once you get the Leica bug, forget it, your done. In about 17 months, you will be back with the following question:

"Hey guys, I have a 21 SEM, 24 LUX, 28 Elmarit, 35 LUX FLE, 50 Cron versions 4 & 5, 75 APO Summicron, 90 Cron and 90 Macro Elmar -- which ones should I sell?"

Final words of advice: buy used until you know what you want

 

[Qlan]

2 hours ago, rustyrus said:

I honestly think I just picked it up yesterday

 

The re-issue of the 35mm Steel rim. Very unique shot wide open and as sharp as needed stoped down. Also extremely small and easy to carry.Really surprised by sharp this thing is by f2.8

 

The perfect setup is the one I will take with me. The M11 with the 35 steel rim checks those boxes for me. 

 

I'm so tempted by this lens. Will try it as soon as it's available in my Leica local shop.

What do you think of the 1m MFD? And how is the build quality? There've been some reports of low quality, like moving aperture ring.

[rustyrus]

2 hours ago, Qlan said:

I'm so tempted by this lens. Will try it as soon as it's available in my Leica local shop.

What do you think of the 1m MFD? And how is the build quality? There've been some reports of low quality, like moving aperture ring.

It feels like a piece of solid brass. I am very happy with the build quality and the images it is producing. The aperture ring moves fine as well as the focus ring. You really have to use the focus tab on this lens due to its size. I haven't noticed any flaws or anything that would concern me as far as build quality goes. 

 

for 1m MFD,  I would prefer to be able to focus closer but that isn't really what is fun about this lens. Going to 1.4 is crazy unique without any changes in PP. Its truly the first lens I have noticed a very real and distinct difference to that I really enjoy. Then stopping it down, it feels like a high end Leica 35mm. I don't enjoy computer time so I really like the feeling of getting the image as close to perfect with a unique look right when I press the shutter. I can post some examples later today when I land from my flight. 

 

 

[Kiwimac]

I don't have any but my experience of children is that they rarely sit still.

Given that you will only have MF, I would consider something that can give you wide depth of field with zone focus so that you can use it like a point and shoot. So given that I would suggest a 28 Summicron.

I think what I would really suggest in fact is a Q2 for that use. I suspect you would get a whole lot more keepers.

[Storm Chaser]

On 2/5/2023 at 2:24 PM, LeicaNewbieMA said:

Hello! New to Leica and new to the forum. After several test runs at my local Leica gallery, I’m smitten with the M11 and wondering which lens is the ideal everyday lens to complete my dream setup. I am an enthusiast who shoots mostly family (toddler and new baby coming in a few months), family events (birthdays, vacations), and some travel/landscape which I hope to pick back up again once the kids are older. I’ve read a lot about the 35mm vs 50mm debate and was leaning toward 50 since I shoot my children and love the shallow DOF, though I do appreciate having a wider field of view particularly at family gatherings. Assuming budget was no limitation, which would you choose? I’ve tried several and one produced exceptionally beautiful images IMO, but don’t want to lead the witnesses  Thanks in advance!

Based on your requirements, despite the M11 being a fantastic camera, it is a camera that requires you to slow down, and with your family, baby etc, you may wish to have a camera that has a little more flexibility and useability to capture those special, but unexpected moments that a manual based rangefinder camera would take some skill level to get the best out of in those circumstances. In your place, I would choose the Q2 for that requirement. 

[Bokeh1]

vor 40 Minuten schrieb Kiwimac:

Given that you will only have MF, I would consider something that can give you wide depth of field with zone focus so that you can use it like a point and shoot. So given that I would suggest a 28 Summicron.

I think what I would really suggest in fact is a Q2 for that use. I suspect you would get a whole lot more keepers.

It is interesting - I think there are many shooters using a 50mm and 28mm lens combo. I basically take an M with a 50mm and the Q2 along as well to not have to change lenses. Works very well for me but of course very expensive and a bit of additional weight.

[chris7273]

Only one lens ? 35mm summilux FLE V2 

But for kids and "action" shots : I will join the other members who say that the M is not the best camera. I am back in the M world, but it's for the "slow down" and "think twice, shot once" approach 🙂

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[ianforber]

2 hours ago, Bokeh1 said:

It is interesting - I think there are many shooters using a 50mm and 28mm lens combo. I basically take an M with a 50mm and the Q2 along as well to not have to change lenses. Works very well for me but of course very expensive and a bit of additional weight.

That’s my combo too, but I never take both cameras out at the same time. Choose whichever you think I best suited to the day and leave the other behind. I do want that steel rim though…

[01af]

Am 5.2.2023 um 15:24 schrieb LeicaNewbieMA:

Assuming budget was no limitation, which would you choose?

I'd choose two single-lens set-ups: One with Apo-Summicron-M 50 mm Asph and another with the Apo-Summicron-M 35 mm Asph.

Sorry.

Honest – if I cannot have both then I'd have a real hard time to decide. I guess I'd lean slightly towards the 50 mm ... but with a lot of tummy ache. In any case, you cannot go wrong with either focal length.

And please make no mistake – the appreciation for the Apo-Summicrons isn't triggered by the M11's sixty megapixels. It would be the very same with an M9 ... or M6. In fact, I found the Apo-Summicron-M 50 mm Asph a must-have, disregarding the cost, when the M9 still was current.