21SEM + 50 ‘lux + ?

[paulscr]

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Hello

(apologies for another lens combo thread) 

i restarted my Leica journey with an m11 last year. Decided to limit to the wonderful 21SEM for the year - and hone my skills with the wider focal length

I’ve since added the 50mm ‘lux (asph v2) for portraits and plan to spend a few months getting to know this length. 

I generally enjoy environmental portraits 

how would you complete the combo? 28? 35? My preference is leaning to the 35 ‘cron - a lens I’m familiar with from the past - the 21 covers most of my wide angle needs to perhaps rule out the 28?

I’ve read many many threads here on lens combinations - and seems the 28mm would fit my wide angle needs. Interested in your thoughts more than anything. 

[a.noctilux]

Sorry to say that you will have as many opinions as you want.

So I give mine, only by experience there is no kit-to-do-it-all (for everyone or situation).

My advice is to buy one lens, use it a bit, then decide.

If money is not a problem, buy the two then sell (or not) later.

Maybe, what you use now is enough.

We are lucky to have choices in 28mm or 35mm,

I even use MATE happily sometimes (but this is not "universal lens") with so many faults.

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by a.noctilux

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[Al Brown]

No need to complete anything. You are already complete.

(If you do not feel the rounded-up warm yule feeling of completion get the 35 FLE II).

[spydrxx]

What is it your current lenses don't accomplish? IMHO that should be your criteria!

[Pierre68]

I have many proposals

1) 21 SEM + 50 lux cover pretty much everything... so worship the lens you have!

2) 24mm elmar f/3.8 + 50mm Noctilux f/0.96. A killer combo that I use on two different bodies to face pretty much every situation

3) 21 SEM, 35 cron, 75 apo cron, a 3 lens combo that you could combine with the 50 lux for low light and you will never need any other lens.... or not

[Nymzo Indian]

Was here last year.. 

21 SEM, 28 Summaron, 50 Lux (-892)  

Now..

21 SEM, 28 Summaron, 35 FLE2, 50 F1 v3

The F1 is on its way, so I’m not sure if I messed this up (given all the praise for the Lux). I vastly preferred the 35, so thought the 50 should be APO or Noct. Shooting on M10-P (need another M 😭). 

[jaapv]

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Do you realize that a Noctilux and an Apo Summicron are two totally different lenses with a completely different use case? If I were you I would have a serious think about the use you want to put your gear to and buy your gear accordingly. Personally I would buy neither as the Noctilux would not get enough use, it does not fit my photography and the Apo-Summicron is too precise on rendering for my taste; I would always fall back on my more classical lenses. 
So my advice is to think about the photography you aspire to and only then about the gear that you need(not want) in order to attain it. 

[Nymzo Indian]

Roger that. I should’ve said “and” not “or” 😅. I do have different applications in mind (at 50mm). I shoot a lot of people with context (environmental), group activities where I can close/in the action - I use 21 + 35 combo for this. I need a tele FL to get portraits in and shoot from afar. But I hear you, clearly I need to get shit together! Thx ☺️ 

 

[RexGig0]

On 12/15/2023 at 1:25 PM, paulscr said:

Hello

(apologies for another lens combo thread) 

i restarted my Leica journey with an m11 last year. Decided to limit to the wonderful 21SEM for the year - and hone my skills with the wider focal length

I’ve since added the 50mm ‘lux (asph v2) for portraits and plan to spend a few months getting to know this length. 

I generally enjoy environmental portraits 

how would you complete the combo? 28? 35? My preference is leaning to the 35 ‘cron - a lens I’m familiar with from the past - the 21 covers most of my wide angle needs to perhaps rule out the 28?

I’ve read many many threads here on lens combinations - and seems the 28mm would fit my wide angle needs. Interested in your thoughts more than anything. 

Your proposed 21mm SEM + 35mm ‘Cron + 50mm Summilux ASPH = A quite sensible 3-lens kit, in my opinion. Some say that 35mm and 50mm are “too close” to be two of the lenses in a three-lens kit, but, I disagree. (My equivalent of your 21mm SEM is a Zeiss ZM, and my 35mm lenses are not ‘Crons, but, the principles are the same.)

Regarding 28mm, well, personally, I feel less inspired when using a 28mm lens, than when using a 35mm lens. Distance/scale focusing, a.k.a. “zone focusing,” is simplified, however, when using 28mm lens, compared to when using a 35mm lens, so, is an important consideration, for some shooters, especially “street photography” folks, who want to shoot without having to take the time to rangefinder-focus. As a shooter who likes 21mm, I can use a 21mm lens for situations that call for distance/scale focusing, when I am among family members and close friends, so, can shoot at VERY close range. If I walked-about in NYC’s Manhattan, or other densely-packed mega-city, and sought to “document the human condition,” at close range, I might find 28mm to be more important.

A 35mm lens can be distance/scale/zone focused. One simply has to pay more attention to accurately judge distance.

The Summilux-M 50mm ASPH was THE lens that lured me into adding the Leica M system, in 2018, so, I fully understand your choice to add the latest Summilux 50mm ASPH v. II. Enjoy learning to use it well, for the next several months! 🙂

[paulscr]

Thanks for the views. 

After a bit more reading, think I’ll add a bit of character to the mix and try the 35mm steel rim and/or 28 summaron. 

One for later in 2024. 

[tom0511]

21-28-50

however if I go out with one lens its 35

 

[tom0511]

only you know!!!

 

[Pierre68]

For me it is either

24mm f/3.8 + 50 Lux Asph

or

21 SEM + 35 Cron + 75 Apo Cron

Two different versatile combos

[miessli]

21mm and 50mm lens is always a good fit, i normally take 50mmlux and 21mm 2,8 zeiss zm on the road and i am always very happy