Small lenses, big lenses

[JoshuaR]

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How many of us own small lenses to go with our big lenses?

I used to own sets of big and small lenses. For example, the 50 Lux ASPH and the 50 Summarit. The 35 FLE and 35 Cron v3. I’d decide to take either a big kit or a small kit, depending.

Then I started to see this as a waste of money, and streamlined my kit to have just one lens in each focal length. In my case, the 28 Cron v1 and 50 Noctilux 1.2 reissue.  I figured that these lenses were pretty small, ultimately. And they were my favorite lenses, in terms of rendering. So why not use them all the time?

But now I’m starting to miss my tiny lenses. I think summertime has me wanting a lighter kit. I’m thinking of picking up a small 28 / 50 again. Maybe super-small ones from Voigtlander. Or the 28 Summaron and 50 Cron v5. What seemed excessive now seems sensible again. 

Who has a small set and a big set?

Edited June 21 by JoshuaR

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[tappan]

I love my bigger  Summiluxes AND my tiny 28mm Summaron.
I don't really match the bigs with the bigs and then for another day the smalls with small, if that's what you're asking. 
I do have a neck and a lower back issue so it is a pleasure grabbing my Leicas instead of my heavy Canons. I have a Canon system, as well, mostly for work as a news photographer.
Enjoy your shooting!
Mark from Boston  

[didier]

I own different lenses (different designs) in several focal lengths. I like the difference in rendering and choose my kit depending on my mood, the environment and subject, not so much because of weight or size.

I used to consider all the Lenses small compared to SL or other models. But more recently I tend to prefer using not too big lenses (for example I tend to use the 2/75 AA much more than my 1.4/75 lux mainly because of the size and weight).

[Sweetwater]

To me, the M system - and rangefinders in general - work best with small, light lenses. The 28 Elmarit. The 35 and 50 Cron. The 50 Elmar. It’s a camera system perfectly designed for portable fidelity. Big lenses bring out the flaws in the rangefinder design and minimise its strengths.
So for me, the big lenses are the occasional ones, and I keep the small ones. The heaviest lens I now own is the 50 Cron DR. Just my two cents!

[wdshuck]

I have a 40 Rokkor I use when I want something small. Without the hood it is tiny.

Otherwise I typically use either my 50 or 35 Summilux depending on what I’m shooting.

[bourne]

35/50 summicrons...love everything about them!

[hansvons]

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Small and 35mm is my way to go with the M system because it’s the essence of the classic Leica: handy and versatile and mighty.

[KarimelKrunch]

I do have a set of small lenses, although I suppose they also serve as being more "vintage" in their rendering because they are pre-aspherical. These tend to be the kind of lenses I prefer because they are light and compact enough for me to take anywhere. My biggest lenses are similar to what you have: a 28 Summicron and a 50 Nokton 1.2,  but I don't consider them big at all. I found that it's nice to be able to mix and match with other lenses as needed. I agree with your sentiment and I think having additional lenses in each focal length should have a clear purpose for its use, otherwise it will eventually feel like you have too many things, which can feel like a burden (i.e., monetarily, space, time thinking about lenses!) if they aren't being enjoyed. The compromise for smaller and more compact lenses is speed and sometimes resolution. You have experience with different lenses and should be better positioned to consider what exactly you want from a compact set, what compromises that would entail, and how the rendering might fit with what you already have. This may help and prevent you from collecting too much while getting you what you want to enjoy taking pictures. 

Wouldn't it be nice if Leica made a set of pancake-like asph elmars or elmarits?  

[TomB_tx]

1 hour ago, bourne said:

35/50 summicrons...love everything about them!

Also my main lenses from 1969 up to 2011 and the M9. On M10 with its ISO performance changed to 2.5 Summarits for their smaller size and great handling. When I added an M5 i used a Nokton 50 1.5 ltm version that looks like a bigger early Summilux - the size feels right on the bigger M5.

Edited June 21 by TomB_tx
oops

[DadDadDaddyo]

Gotta mention the unique 90mm Macro-Elmar-M. 

It's just a great lens with a wide variety of uses. 

[Elliot Harper]

as a true man, you should know "size doesn't matter"

[costa43]

Like a lot of people on here, I’ve gone through a journey of trying many lenses. At the beginning, my curiosity to see what the differences were got the better of me and I went a little over the top; but how can I know what I like without trying it all. I’ve come full circle now and have sold off most of my gear, keeping what I have enjoyed the most. I recently picked up the 28mm Color Skopar ii from Voigtlander to see whether 28mm is a focal length for me long term and I have to say, whilst I enjoy shooting at 28mm, the lens just doesn’t do it for me and will be sold off soon and replaced. I was initially attracted to it’s size and weight but it is actually too light and the camera is top heavy, not a problem when in the hand but across my body it’s annoying as it does not sit well whilst walking. With this particular lens I also do not like the rendering, although very sharp, It’s a bit boring to me. Very subjective of course. It’s a fine line as my 35mm Summilux pre-ASPH is also a very light lens but the balance is ok.

I do love a small setup and my most used lenses are two of the lightest Summiluxes made in their respective focal lengths but it’s nice to own a lens that can do things the small ones maybe cannot, even if you do not reach for it often. That psychology of having something you do not use a lot at high cost is one I’ve come to terms with now, I was always selling these lenses off once they were on the shelf for some time. Maybe I am just talking myself into buying the Mandler 75mm🤣

Edited June 22 by costa43

[justj]

My setup -

50 big - Noctilux f0.95, small - elmar f2.8 collapsible 

35 big - Summilux 35 fle v2, small - summicron 40

Ultrawide big - WATE, small - VM 12mm v2

No longer have in my bag-

90 big - Summicron APO , small - 90 macro.

[adan]

10 hours ago, JoshuaR said:

Who has a small set and a big set?

I do - sort of.

Although "low-weight" is more important to me than "small" - and they do not always track together.

Fortunately, the compact and lightweight options are generally also relatively inexpensive, making it easy to keep a handful in the  "caemera store in the closet" for when needed.

My small/lightweight set is:

90 Tele-Elmarit v.2 f/2.8 - 210g
35mm Summicron v.4 f/2 - 133g
Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 VM - 134g

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[pgk]

14 hours ago, JoshuaR said:

Who has a small set and a big set?

No longer. I've compromised:

21SEM (small)

35/1.4 pre-FLE (mediumish)

75/2.5 (smallish/mediumish)

Works for me. Had faster, larger lenses. Very nice but ultimately I decided that they didn't get used as much as they should. My current system works very well indeed. Not the smallest but very usable. Nor are these the 'ultimate' optically, but they are more than adequate.

Photography inevitably involves the art of compromise. Being content with the final compromise is probably the key.

[lct]

20 hours ago, JoshuaR said:

How many of us own small lenses to go with our big lenses? [...]

Rather the opposite here. I own a couple bigger lenses to go with a vast majority of smaller lenses actually.
My bigger or less compact ones are for indoors mainly, e.g. Elmarit 21/2.8 asph, Summicron 28/2, Summilux 35/1.4 FLE, Summilux 50/1.4 asph, Summilux 75/1.4 or Nokton 75/1.5, Summicron 90/2.
For outdoors, i prefer more compact lenses like Skopar 21/4, Elmarit 28/2.8 asph or Rokkor 28/2.8, Summicron 35/2 or Summaron 35/2.8, Summicron 50/2 or Elmar 50/2.8, Ultron 75/1.9, Macro-Elmar 90/4. FWIW.

[Kiwimac]

Maybe I would have I won Lotto. Although to be fair, I’d own all the lenses Leica makes in that scenario, so I could choose whatever I fancied. 
 

As a former Nikon shooter who did numerous work and pleasure photo trips in SE Asia carrying two D3/D4 bodies, one with a 70-200 f2.8 and the other with a 17-35 f2.8, hanging off a Spider Holster all day in whatever weather etc I can honestly say that there are no big M lenses!

[FrozenInTime]

47 minutes ago, Kiwimac said:

... carrying two D3/D4 bodies, one with a 70-200 f2.8 and the other with a 17-35 f2.8, ...

I see tourists walking around Edinburgh, or getting off one of the frequent cruise ship, with similar kit, photo backpacks and tripods - it just seems a bit over equipped for the occasion.

 

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[Ko.Fe.]

I don't have any interest in lenses blocking framelines.

But I have three 35 and two 50 mm lenses. Not big ones.

[pippy]

I don't have (nor do I like) large lenses.

The 'length-when-mounted' of my six most used lenses (f/l of 28mm; 35mm; 40mm) varies between approximately 28mm and 30mm / 1.1" - 1.2"

Once in a blue moon I might grab a 90mm Summicron v3 but even that is a mere 77mm / 3" long.

Philip.