One camera/One lens

[Le Chef]

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If you’ve amortized the cost it doesn’t matter u til you need to liberate cash for some other purpose. I happen to like watches, but had at one point too many to choose from. I parked them all bar one and wore that for a month Did I miss other watches? Then one of the ones missed would be brought out and used. The ones I didn’t miss were sold and paid for my Q2 and a deposit on a new car. Thus the world of magpie behavior continues…

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[T25UFO]

On 11/29/2023 at 7:22 PM, evikne said:

I might go for an M11 (or maybe even better: a future M11-D!) and a 35mm APO-Summicron.

Agree [nearly] 100%, just substitute M10R for M11.  

Lots of versatility, easy to crop to at least 75mm with the APO and when you want to go wider just stitch a pano together.

M11D remains wishful thinking 😢

[Marc B-C]

I used to have an M6 and 35mm Summicron in the 1990s and loved it - until I struggled to focus. Moved to Nikon and ended up with two big D2 / D2X bodies and a bag of lenses, incl the 300mm f2.8. Other than the 300mm, I would carry both bodies and all lenses whenever I went out to photograph, even on holiday. Stupid. Once that got too heavy, I moved to Fuji and ended up with an X100f, Xt-3 and 6 lenses. Once I realised my most oft used lens was the 16mm (23mm FF equiv)I saw the light again and am back with a Leica; the Q2. Very happy indeed. I would love an M11p and 28mm of some kind, but with the same eyesight, it is just GAS. The Q2 is all I need.

[Michael Patrick Ryan]

54 minutes ago, la1402 said:

M11 plus Summilux 35mm FLE v2 works quite well for a large variety of subjects. It’s my choice for going one camera one lens. I Tried Summicron v4 instead to make the kit much smaller, but was not overwhelmed by the results.

 Nor was I!

[BillCB]

M11 and the 35 APO Summicron works for me if I don't have a particular destination in mind. (If I cheat, I'll have the 50 Lux on the camera, the 35 in my left pocket and the 90 Apo in my right pocket....

That covers nearly everything I'd ordinarily come across.

[venom]

On 11/30/2023 at 1:52 AM, Michael Patrick Ryan said:

I have really been contemplating downsizing to one camera and one lens. Has anybody ever considered that here? I have a Leica M11 as my main camera and a plethora of various Leica lenses. I’m 66 years old and my back and shoulder is not what it used to be and when I go out my bag is so full of lenses that it gets very uncomfortable after a very short time. Aside from the physical discomfort, I almost go into mental anguish, trying to decide what lens to use! When I pack for a photo outing, I spend more time trying to figure out what lenses to bring that I do packing! It’s almost unsettling at times. I have looked through decades of photos And my most predominantly used lens is the 28 mm 2.8 Elmarit. It is the sweet spot for me. I am purely a hobbyist and don’t do this for money. I am just really looking to simplify my life and was very seriously considering doing this. I am going to Egypt spring of 2024 and I can’t imagine the conundrum that awaits, trying to figure out what lenses to bring, and what lenses to use when I am there. If I had one camera one lens, it would be very freeing I think. With the very generous resolution given with the M 11, I found cropping to give you many lenses in one. Also, with topaz upscaling it seems to be a home run. I am anxious to hear anybody’s thoughts or comments on this. Thank you all very much for any attention given this. 

I’ve never owned more than 1 camera and 2 lenses. For an M this is my ideal setup. 

it depends what is your primary lens. Mine is 50mm, so I have a 50 and a 35mm. I use the 35 as a 50 when I don’t have enough room. Otherwise I’m on 50mm (or if I shoot tall things like buildings then I put the 35mm). The amount of cropping I can do with that 50mm on the M10R is insane. I can manipulate those files however I want to.

it all depends where I’m going then I choose which one to use. You honestly don’t need more than 2 small primes. 

This is my entire camera gear. 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

I have an M10R. I stay away from APO lenses. They’re too corrected and the prices are crazy. I choose lenses that have character and charm to them. I tried 4 50mm lenses (including the APO-Lanthar which is almost the same IQ as the Leica APO) before settling on my perfect lens the Mandler 50 Summicron. Once you settle on your perfect primary lens then you look for a companion lens that shares the same characteristics as your primary. Something that makes a good companion to it. For now it is the Nokton, but probably in the future I’ll go for a 35 Summicron (again, non-APO). 

My only rule is I keep the lenses small. The 50 cron is the biggest I would ever go for an M lens. to me Summicrons are the very best every day no BS lenses. 

If you only want one lens then in my experience the 35mm is the best for this, but after 2 years of having only 1 camera 1 lens (A Fuji with a 23f2) I didn’t find it to be a great idea. I always longed for that 35f2 again. So after what I learned in those 2 years I moved to Leica and the first lens I bought was a 50mm. But I knew I needed something wider on occasion. So I went with a 28mm. I didn’t use it much. 28mm I learned is too different from 50. The frame lines are very hard to see, and the 28mm look is just not something I find pleasing. So I went for a 35mm and it just so happens that it is the perfect combo for a 50mm shooter. 

Edited December 2, 2023 by venom

[ianforber]

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On 12/1/2023 at 8:19 AM, MauroRau said:

Hi Michael, when I faced the same dilemma I purchased a Q2 and enjoyed it for a good 3 years as my main everyday and travel camera. When using it I rarely felt the need for another lens, in fact I found it very liberating not to think about and carry other lenses and used the abundant resolution to crop instead if needed. 

I just moved to the M11 and while I will continue with the one camera/one lens approach I decided to try first a 35mm from Voigtlander and see how it goes before deciding which Leica lens to get, a 28mm again or 35mm. 

 

Regards,

Mauro

+1. I deliberately bought my Q2 to remove the temptation of buying additional lenses that I rarely used, figuring that the 47 MP resolution was more than enough when teamed with Topaz software. So it was for 18 months. Then I got frustrated with the size of the camera and lens - it’s just too big to pack easily in a non-camera bag when going away for a few days. So I bought an M11 and a 50mm Summicron. Then I bought a 35mm Voigtlander. 
 

Given that the Q2 offers a close focus/macro function and I rarely need to pack the camera in a travel bag, the most sensible thing for me to do is sell the M11 and lenses (well, maybe keep the 35mm just in case ). I am sometimes tempted to do that, or rather to trade it all in for a Q3. In fact, I might just do that. 

[_Alex_]

One body and a 35mm lens does the trick for me. It used to be a 50mm lens, but in recent years I've come to favor a 35. I am considering spending more time with a 28 and that might win me over. Here are my recent one body and lens kits I've used for extended periods: M10P & 35 Lux, Nikon F6 and 35 F2.0AF-D or F2.8 28mm AF-D, Leica MP with the same 35 lux, Sony A7RII and later A7RIV with the Zeiss 35mm f2.8. If I like the 28 enough, I'll sell the Sony kit and replace it with a Q3. The camera I use most of the time is my M10P with the 35 lux. I shoot with it every day. The other cameras and lenses collect dust most of the time. 

[SiggiGun]

Most of the time, I take the M11-P + 35mm (Lux or APO)

[Michael Patrick Ryan]

I'd really like to take a moment to thank each and every one that has replied to my question. Very good and thought provoking answers to be sure. I'm going to end up with two lenses. Problem is that I still have my little 50mm Summitar I bought in the 7th grade in 1970 used from Central Camera in Chicago and have owned it my whole photographic life. I even photographed Muhammad Ali with it! How could I let it go? 53 years. At any rate I think a 35 is the correct choice for me and I’ll keep the Summitar for nostalgia sake. Thank you again for all your thoughtful input!

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Michael Patrick Ryan

[st4u]

Hello Michael,

 

you must not sell the 50 summitar, it‘s a part of your photographic life.

buy an elmarit 24mm (you don‘t need an external viewfinder)
use both lenses and you will be happy. 

Alternative: instead of elmarit 24mm take the Konica Hexanon Dual 21/ 35, then you have two lenses in one. But always keep your Summitar…
in the morning before you start the trip choose only one lens for a day and never think about afterwards. You will be happy….

 

good luck

 

Chris

[Tom R]

For nearly 24 years I used only an M2 and a 35mm Summicron lens. I later acquired two M4-P's, a 28mm Elmarit, and a 50mm Summicron. I kept this configuration for another 10 years or so, until recently: at least one of the M4-Ps is pretty worn and so I replaced it with an M4. Now I am retired and really don't need these extra camera bodies and lenses. I am thinking of just going back to one M4 equipped with a 35mm Summicron lens, especially as well over 80% of the images I've ever made, kept, and used (or sold) were made with that combination. In addition, I spend too much time deciding between lenses when I really need to spend more time working on making pictures. The only possible reason I see for keeping at least one M4-P would be to facilitate changing film stocks and, possibly, easier, more modern synchronization options for external lighting (although I don't see doing too much with external lighting at this time).

[jakontil]

I cant say which lens in particular, when im out and about only one camera and one lens hanging over my neck as i rotationally use my lenses, but if i have to choose, a 35 apo summicron, before this i might opt for 35 summilux fle II or a noctilux 1.2  

[LanceR]

My primary camera bag can only fit one camera and one lens, in fact it cannot accommodate anything bigger than an M with a lens.  I do not like to carry a lot of camera gear.

My current one camera one lens travel kit is the M11 with a Voitlander 35mm APO Lanther.  Before that, it was the 35mm Summicron ASPH II.  The Lanther is larger than the Leica lenses, but the image quality is stellar for the price.  I really dislike the absence of a focus tab.

I have always tended to photographthe "places" when I travel, so I lean towards sharper more clinical renderings.

If I am going out for the purpose of portraits or more artistic shots, that is I want more character or subject isolation, I will take the 50mm Summilux.

[JoshuaR]

This is a perennially interesting subject.

To me, the first step is to recognize that it's all a mental game. There's no objective sense in which owning only one camera and one lens is better (or worse) than having a larger kit. It all depends on how you think about it. In fact, the urge to minimize, curating the "perfect" setup with just one or two "final" lenses, is also part of the mental game. It can become its own kind of fetishistic distraction.

In the past, I've owned very small kits (just 28 and 50, or just 35). The problem, for me, is that these minimal kits have always ended up feeling limiting over the long term. I thought I'd be happy with just one or two lenses, but inevitably I wanted to change them. Later, I'd look back fondly on my minimalist period—but the reality was that it was time-limited. I'm a hobbyist; I want photography to stay interesting. That could involve finding new subjects, but it could also mean trying new renderings, haptics, or fields of view.

I've decided to just stop worrying about it. I now own eight lenses for my M cameras—a 21, a 75, and two each of 28, 35, and 50. I love all the lenses for various reasons. I happily switch between them. When I feel like I want to enter a minimalist phase, I put all the lenses but one in a drawer. I do the same thing with my camera bodies. When life gets hectic and I want to keep it simple, I put everything but one camera and one lens away; when I want to travel light, I pack light. But at other times, I enjoy having a wide range of options. It's a bit like how, in school, you might have played different sports in different seasons. This winter, I'll be trying to make varsity with a 21mm on an M10M. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[Tailwagger]

On 11/29/2023 at 1:52 PM, Michael Patrick Ryan said:

I have really been contemplating downsizing to one camera and one lens.

Roughly my first year with the M was spent with just the 50mm Summicron, so sure.  There were certainly times when I wanted alternate focal lengths, but OTOH, I had other cameras to satisfy the urge when needed, which, to be honest, were largely gathering dust due to my growing M infatuation.  So sure, pick your favorite focal length, sounds like 28mm, and live a less complicated existence if this is what you seek. There's certainly no better platform than an M for such pursuits. 

That said, if the issue really comes down more to size and weight than a desire to simplify, I personally find that it really is no great burden to carry a three lens kit around for hours and hours and hours... and I'm a few years older than you.  I find that for what I shoot while out and about, I need an ultrawide, wide and normal to reliably get whatever I run across in the way I want to get it. To that end, I typically cart around the M, 11 or 10-R, with the WATE, 28 and 50mm 'luxes (with the Viso and spare battery). This kit weighs no more, in many cases less... I'm looking at you SL2 24-90mm, than an typical MILC with a standard 2.8 zoom.  Perhaps an 18 or 21mm SEM, your Elmarit 28mm and a 50mm something for example would cut things a bit in weight, quite a bit in volume and cover pretty much most anything you might encounter that would typically be fodder for an M.  Of course much depends on how you see the world and prefer to image it.

[acalmplace]

13 hours ago, JoshuaRothman said:

This is a perennially interesting subject.

To me, the first step is to recognize that it's all a mental game. There's no objective sense in which owning only one camera and one lens is better (or worse) than having a larger kit. It all depends on how you think about it. In fact, the urge to minimize, curating the "perfect" setup with just one or two "final" lenses, is also part of the mental game. It can become its own kind of fetishistic distraction.

In the past, I've owned very small kits (just 28 and 50, or just 35). The problem, for me, is that these minimal kits have always ended up feeling limiting over the long term. I thought I'd be happy with just one or two lenses, but inevitably I wanted to change them. Later, I'd look back fondly on my minimalist period—but the reality was that it was time-limited. I'm a hobbyist; I want photography to stay interesting. That could involve finding new subjects, but it could also mean trying new renderings, haptics, or fields of view.

I've decided to just stop worrying about it. I now own eight lenses for my M cameras—a 21, a 75, and two each of 28, 35, and 50. I love all the lenses for various reasons. I happily switch between them. When I feel like I want to enter a minimalist phase, I put all the lenses but one in a drawer. I do the same thing with my camera bodies. When life gets hectic and I want to keep it simple, I put everything but one camera and one lens away; when I want to travel light, I pack light. But at other times, I enjoy having a wide range of options. It's a bit like how, in school, you might have played different sports in different seasons. This winter, I'll be trying to make varsity with a 21mm on an M10M. Variety is the spice of life.

 

Or as in American football, with specialized units who wait on the sidelines for ages if needed, but come out and shine when it's the right situation.

I have my staple lenses and I have my special cases. I'm trying to avoid duplicates and lenses with no real purpose (for me).

What gets to me more than the lenses is having several chargers/cables/batteries/accessories for different systems and eras!

This being said, if I had to trim it down to one, then I'd go for a 35mm and a 50mm as well, then ask for forgiveness...

[bags27]

Since going back to film full time, I suddenly have more cameras and more lenses for those cameras than I can count (almost literally true). For 2 or 3 years, I'd spend time trying to decide: 1. which camera; 2. which lenses for that camera. But now, I instinctively reach for a camera (35mm or MF with 6x6; 6x7 or 6x9 aspect ratio) and almost always just one lens for it.

I feel when I'm out with only one lens, my eyes adjust quickly to the vision of that lens. I see the world through it. 

So, almost always, one camera, one lens. But usually a different camera with a different lens. 🙂

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[IkarusJohn]

I like the idea.  The problem is choice.  Do you just make the choice day by day, or make a commitment?  If so, what is gained?  If it’s just weight, then only leave the house with one lens.  But, if it’s a commitment, that’s harder.

I struggle between a 28mm and 35mm for anything longer than a day out.  I’m also a 50mm shooter by preference, but that is very subject specific.  I don’t like cropping as that rather defeats the lens choice.  I have 6 lenses in 28mm, 35mm and 50mm, each with different characters and strengths.

Then, there’s the camera choice - film, monochrom or colour?  Colour makes more sense, but I’m a black and white shooter by preference.

So, recently, for a 6 week trip in Europe (potential for tight scenes, dim interiors etc), so I took my X2D and XCD 38/2.5 V as my sole camera and lens.  AF didn’t feature in my choice (don’t particularly like AF), nor did 100MP, but IBIS was a remarkable benefit.  The real kicker for me was 30mm equivalent field of view, fast lens and close focus option - ease of use and good form factor also helped.

If it was an M choice, I’d be hard put not to make it a two lens trip - 50mm (probably APO Summicron) and 28 Summilux (or maybe the 35 APO Summicron) - choices choices.  I would only be partially motivated by gear reduction (you can’t use it if you leave it at home) - it’s more about taking gear choice out of the photography process and concentrating on just taking photos.  That said, I really enjoyed having just the one body and one lens for the trip - it was liberating.

[Olaf_ZG]

I simply would not be able to do it. For one day yes, one camera/one lens. But for all I would like to photograph? No. 
 

For portraits, I want certain f/l plus rendering. For landscape, medium wide, but with ND filters attached. For sports, a tele. And then there is film. 
 

But, for the so-called EDC, I would like to have such combo. It will be a M, most probably with a 35mm, question is which one.