What’s your experience with the Leica 18-56?

[TL3]

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Agree with most of the comments, great lens for sunny summer hikes and vacations, but as soon as I walk indoors I’m swapping to something with faster aperture.  It was my only lens on the TL for a few years and did a fine job.

[LocalHero1953]

I started with the 18-56 when the TL2 was launched, and only sold it a couple of years ago when I sold the CL that followed my TL2. It was utterly reliable and did what it says on the tin i.e. it's limited if you want a wide aperture on APSC for subject isolation, e.g. for portraits. As time went on, though, I used the 18-56 less and less in favour of the 11-23TL zoom for wide angle, plus the 35TL and 60TL. The 18-56 sort of got squeezed out - good though it is, it couldn't compete with the primes (both IQ and aperture) and the wider end of the wide zoom. Most of the time I carried either the 11-23 + 35, or the 35 + 60 (rarely all three). Because the whole system is so small, I rarely found myself wanting just one lens.

[maidenfan84]

Thank you all for the suggestions and your feedback on the 18-56 lens! At the last moment, I decided to go for the lens that I always wanted...the Leica TL 35mm Summilux 1.4. I'm usually a fast and fixed lens type of person, so I jumped at the opportunity to grab one that came up for sale. I'll still add the 18-56 lens to the collection eventually. I'd love to collect them all over time.

Edited September 15, 2023 by maidenfan84

[LocalHero1953]

2 minutes ago, maidenfan84 said:

Thank you all for the suggestions and your feedback on the 18-56 lens! At the last moment, I decided to go for the lens that I always wanted...the Leica TL 35mm Summilux 1.4. I'm usually a fast and fixed lens type of person, so I jumped at the opportunity to grab one that came up for sale. I'll still add the 18-56 lens to the collection eventually. I'd love to collect them all over time.

The best choice!