What is your favourite focal length ?

[colonel]

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What is your favourite focal length ? - and VF magnification if relevant to you

SurveyMonkey Analyze - VF magnification for Leica M

[Al Brown]

Yes.

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[TomB_tx]

50 on film, 35 on digital

[Robert Blanko]

As always: it depends…

[michael_b]

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!

[Eoin]

1 minute ago, michael_b said:

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!

That's a solid endorsement for 50mm 🙂

[lct]

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Is it me or did you ask the same question in different threads?

[colonel]

4 minutes ago, lct said:

Is it me or did you ask the same question in different threads?

I asked VF in one thread, and FL in two (customer and M lenses) !!

If you dont like the FL duplication, happy for someone to delete the customer forum thread

Edited May 23 by colonel

[JoshuaRothman]

It used to be 35mm. But now it's 28mm, with a 50mm in my pocket.

[lct]

15 minutes ago, colonel said:

I asked VF in one thread, and FL in two (customer and M lenses) !!

If you dont like the FL duplication, happy for someone to delete the customer forum thread

Don't worry it was just me hesitating to reply 😎

Edited May 23 by lct

[Danner]

If I could have just a single lens; 35mm is my favorite.

If I get a kit; 50mm is my favorite, followed by 35mm, then 28mm, then 90mm.

[IkarusJohn]

With an M camera, 50mm provided I can have a 28mm in my pocket; or if I can have only one, 35mm?  Nah, 50!

[spydrxx]

Whatever I have with me....seriously. The lens which suits the subject.

[luetz]

28mm....the one on my Q2/Q3

[alan c. davis]

Definitely 50mm. Which is why I have 6 M and LTM versions.

[yanidel]

35mm is my favorite though I think I took my best pictures with 60mm. 

[downstairs]

Summicron 40mm.  Gives 'attitude' without excess. 50mm is flat. 35 is a show-off.  I'm talking here about perspective.

[hansvons]

10 hours ago, downstairs said:

Summicron 40mm.  Gives 'attitude' without excess. 50mm is flat. 35 is a show-off.  I'm talking here about perspective.

Like that. However, 35mm isn't really the "show off”. That's 28mm. 

50mm shows the same distance of objects as our eyes. 35mm stretches that a bit but fits better our field of view. Which of the two provides the "right" perspective is purely subjective.

For me, that's 35mm. But I can understand why others gravitate towards 50mm. Its subtle focal length matches our vision and works nicely with people. 

I’d love to try the 40mm Summicron. How do you frame it with the 35mm frame lines? Is there a rule of thumb? 

[adan]

On 5/23/2024 at 8:26 AM, colonel said:

What is your favourite focal length ?

About like asking Eric Clapton "What is your favorite guitar string?" (OK, OK, his favorite chord is E-major + G#, apparently 🤪 ).

I have 21/28/35/50/75/90/135 - and use all of them in various combinations (i.e. "chords"). I usually carry no more than 4 four at once, though.

My most "must have" lens is the 21. First focal length I have acquired in every new camera system since 1977. Just upgraded to an Elmarit ASPH, since I "wore out" my 1983 pre-ASPH after 23 years of use.

My most-used lens (at least recently) is probably the 75 (very versatile focal length - studio closeups, stage performances, copying other artists' works for them, etc.)

My most-recently added focal length is a 50mm (I did not use 50s at all between about 1980-2021 - too boring). It serves mostly as a "relaxed 75mm" - lighter, smaller, and a tad easier to focus when I'm feeling tired.

My favorite and most-often-carried tele is the 135 f/3.4. But I will pair it with the 75 f/1.5 or 50 if the light is extra dim. Or drop down to just the 90 (f/4.0 Elmar-C) - when compactness/weight is King.

The 35 and/or 28 switch hit, depending on the other lenses. Or whether I have a greater need for "compact Mandler f/2" or "sharp corner to corner f/2.8."

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Mute-on]

28mm

See, easy.