What Lens Would you Choose …

[giganova]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

… if you’d go to NYC for a five-days photo trip with your SL2-S?

1. 21/1.4 Sigma DG DN: fast & wide, perfect for cityscapes?
2. 28/1.4 Sigma DG HSM: fast & moderately wide, but quite big?
3. 35/2 Leica Summicron ASPH: smallest L-mount lens, perfect to carry all day?
4. 24-70/2.8 Leica Vario-Elmarit or Sigma DG DN: most versatile but big & heavy?
5. [your other options]

This is not hypothetical, I have two weeks to get the right lens before my trip starts. I want to restrict myself to one lens only because I’ll be walking dozens of miles from dusk to dawn each day. Let’s ignore costs for a moment, ok?

Thanks for your help!

[mokona]

For general purpose and daytime photography, it's hard to beat the Panasonic 20-60: light, versatile, decent performance. I know you want to restrict yourself to one lens only, but given the weight of the 20-60, carrying a second lens with a longer focal length and/or wider aperture is a great option.

[glini]

If you want to limit yourself to only one lens, my pick in your list would be the 24-70 for its versatility. My ideal candidate would be the 24-90; although expensive, dreaming is free.

[LocalHero1953]

2 hours ago, giganova said:

I’ll be walking dozens of miles from dusk to dawn each day. Let’s ignore costs for a moment, ok?

The first sentence tells me: forget about the SL system, even with a small lens.
The second sentence tells me: Q3 or M11 (or, more reliably at the moment, M10-R).

[jaapv]

A span from 21 to 70 mm? That is quite a bit! I think that you need to consider your style of photography to come to a sensible choice. Are you somebody who moves close in or do you like to keep a bit of distance? People, situations or architecture? Day or night? Indoors? Etc. 
Be aware that for extreme wideangle one needs experience and an “eye” to get good results. 

[LanceR]

I too am a one camera, one lens traveller, now with an SL3.  Having come from the M family, I gravitate to primes.

35mm is my focal length of choice for travel photography, which I have taken on a number of trips to NYC over the years.

I am sensitive to the size and weight of my travel carry.  I loved my M camera for its relative size and performance.

For me, with the SL3 it is about lens size and weight.  Early on, I rented a Leica 24-70 and took it to D.C., but I ended up leaving the camera and lens in the hotel room after the first day.  I found the overall size and weight prohibitive.  I was concerned that I made a mistake buying the SL3.

Since then, I choose to travel with a smaller and lighter lens with the SL3.  I have been to NYC twice, DC again, the Bahamas, and Italy with many days of walking and various activities.  I did not find the SL3, with a lighter and smaller lens, burdensome at all on those trips.

The SL 35/2 ASPH has become my goto travel lens because of the convenience of AF, although I still really like the results I get with the Voigtlander M 35mm APO.

I hope you found the right answer for you.

[AdjusterBrett]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Nah - I will vouch for the utilitarian title to the panasonic 20-60 - it will fit in a cargo pocket - it's 20mm and sharp enough - and ridiculously light - that makes it fun.  Choose your fixed prime and simply buy one of those 20-60 pana - it will end up going with you EVERYWHERE - WHY - it weighs NOTHING.  As the primary lens - depends completely on you...   NYC opens itself to everything from 15mm to well over 100mm - whatever you choose, make sure you like it wide open (portraits) and in the sweet spot (5.6ish) - and you can live with the perspective (assuming you want to keep to just two lenses).  Can't vouch for the 20-60 enough.  If it were me (poor or cheap) I'm taking 20-60 (mainly for 20mm) and one of my favored 100mm class vintage lenses or a slow Pancolar (sharp wide open - really sharp, and colors - oh the colors)...  But I would have my wife and child screaming at me to hurry up as I'm fiddling away with focusing and playing...  The Pana lens rides in my side Cargo pocket ALL THE TIME (think cedar point, kings island, waterparks - have 9 y/o) - lots of walking - never ever an issue.  However, I travel with a TL2, not the boat-anchor like SL.  One last one - if you get the Pana - buy a K&F nanoX filter kit for it (67mm) - its lens cap sucks - and the magnetic one in the K&F has proven great.  If your pants don't have cargo pockets - simply buy a padded small case with a carabiner and TIGHTLY attach - do it all the time.

[BernardC]

Same here. I've used the 20-60 on trips and it's great. The macro function is outstanding, but note that ultra-close focus only works up-to 24mm focal length. I also pack a reasonably fast M 50mm lens for evenings and low-light.

[Dr. G]

I'm in the city all the time and what I always carry is my SL3 with the APO 21, 35 and 75.  I could probably get away with just the 35 most of the time, and that's coming from someone who favors 50mm over everything else (but the APO 35 cropped to 50 on the SL3 is very good).  

That being said, if I were looking for a one camera/lens solution for traveling here I would use the Q3.  I had it and for travel it's a great camera.  35 and 50 crop modes work well and it gives you the option of getting wider at times.  

Edited July 18, 2024 by Dr. G

[JTLeica]

On 7/15/2024 at 5:06 AM, giganova said:

… if you’d go to NYC for a five-days photo trip with your SL2-S?

1. 21/1.4 Sigma DG DN: fast & wide, perfect for cityscapes?
2. 28/1.4 Sigma DG HSM: fast & moderately wide, but quite big?
3. 35/2 Leica Summicron ASPH: smallest L-mount lens, perfect to carry all day?
4. 24-70/2.8 Leica Vario-Elmarit or Sigma DG DN: most versatile but big & heavy?
5. [your other options]

This is not hypothetical, I have two weeks to get the right lens before my trip starts. I want to restrict myself to one lens only because I’ll be walking dozens of miles from dusk to dawn each day. Let’s ignore costs for a moment, ok?

Thanks for your help!

One lens, the 35mm APO Summicron.

[jplomley]

On 7/18/2024 at 12:46 PM, Dr. G said:

I'm in the city all the time and what I always carry is my SL3 with the APO 21, 35 and 75.  I could probably get away with just the 35 most of the time, and that's coming from someone who favors 50mm over everything else (but the APO 35 cropped to 50 on the SL3 is very good).  

That being said, if I were looking for a one camera/lens solution for traveling here I would use the Q3.  I had it and for travel it's a great camera.  35 and 50 crop modes work well and it gives you the option of getting wider at times.  

Curios what bag you use to carry your trio of lenses?

[Dr. G]

29 minutes ago, jplomley said:

Curios what bag you use to carry your trio of lenses?

I use the Obertwerth SL Small.  I can get two APO Summicron-SL lenses in the bottom of the bag and the SL3 with the other APO Summicron-SL mounted to the camera.  It's a tight fit but it all works and it's relatively compact.  

[robb]

I’d go SL 50 apo

Robb

[trickness]

What is your photographic vision? What tools do you find essential to convey that vision, which is the one that enables you to do so reliably?

This isn't a question for others. NYC or really anywhere doesn't require a specific lens - vision comes from the photographer, not from the focal length.

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

Personally, I like keeping things simple with one lens.  35 APO is wonderful.  I wish there was a 28 as good.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

9 hours ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

Personally, I like keeping things simple with one lens.  35 APO is wonderful.  I wish there was a 28 as good.

The 28 APO isn’t good enough for you?

Gordon

[scott kirkpatrick]

On 7/24/2024 at 7:06 AM, FlashGordonPhotography said:

The 28 APO isn’t good enough for you?

Gordon

Not when I have the 35 APO and can use my feet to zoom out a bit.  Just now trying the 21 APO and it is awesome.  I do wish there were still 24's in Leica's lens line.

[ImmerDraussen]

Recently, I could listen to a presentation of Peter Karbe talking about SL lenses.

• he made little hope that there will be a 24mm Apo (not enough pull from the market)
• the 21mm Apo is corrected at four wavelength instead of three 

So I guess his advice would be to take the 21mm and crop as this is the main benefit of a 60 MPx sensor (at least one could interpret his talk in this direction)

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I was lucky then. The 21 is the lens I wanted even though I’ve been a 24mm shooter forever.

I do think Leica should make a few more APO’s though, including the 24. A 43mm, for me please plus a 135 and 180mm APO Summarit at the bare minimum.

Gordon

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear