Lens Combo - Leica vs Voigtlander or a single lens

[goks]

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Hi everyone,

I recently purchased an M10-P, and I'm excited to get my first set of lenses soon. I'm debating whether to invest in one high-quality lens or get two lenses for different use cases.

I enjoy street photography and landscapes, so I feel that a 28mm would suit me well. However, I’m also interested in portrait photography, and a 28mm isn’t ideal for that. So I’m considering getting a 50mm for portraits.

But some of my friends also told me to just get a a good 35mm and use it for both use cases.

Either way, I’ll need to decide which of these should be a Leica lens and which could be a Voigtländer, since budget is a concern. I'm a bit torn, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

Option 1: Get a 28mm and a 50mm

Would you recommend this setup? And if so, which one should I invest more money in?

For example:

• Leica Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH + Voigtländer 50mm

• OR Voigtländer 28mm + Leica 50mm

Which combo makes more sense in terms of value and real-world performance?

Option 2: Get a 35mm only

Would you recommend going with just a 35mm for my use cases (street photography, landscapes, and occasional portraits)?
If yes, which 35mm lens would you suggest?

Thank you so much!

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[Eoin]

If I were to limit myself to one lens, it would have to be a Leica, fast, close focus & somewhat affordable. So I would choose either the 35 Summilux or 50 Summilux with close focus.

A 2 lens setup, 24 & 50 I find to be a better spread than 28 & 50 and crop in post if necessary. YMMV

[Chris W]

Some of the Voigtlander lenses are equal to Leica.

When I got my M6 in 1990 I only had a 35mm Summicron for a couple of years and took some great photos.

I think a 50mm is great all rounder and the Voigtlander APO is superb.

Two lenses is not excessive. I would do your research, watch lots of Youtube videos etc.

[FrozenInTime]

Rather looking for catch all coverage, I’ve gravitated to 35mm and 50mm. The number of postings in the M lens forum area would seem to show a similar bias, with Summilux f/1.4 lenses getting the most attention. Youtube street/influencers/content creators would seem to show a stronger bias towards 28mm - here smaller f/2 and f/2.8 lenses are a good fit. 

A good small starter  kit in my eyes would be purchased in the order of 35/1.4 , 50/2 , 28/2.8 

[senalobo]

I shoot also mainly landscapes and street. I would recommend the combo based on your two use cases: 50 Apo from Voigländer (super super sharp) and the Elmarit 21mm. You simply get more with the 21 mm and can also crop a little. 

[Dazzajl]

What have you been shooting with up to now? Are you looking to keep in line with what works for you or take a side step and go with something outside the comfort zone?

[espelt]

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A 35mm Summicron. It's always a good choice and THE classic on the M.

For me, it doesn't have to be the latest version. Quite the opposite. The older ones aren't as ultra-sharp, but they have more character. My companion to that is a 75mm. Compactness is very important to me. Which is why it's a Summarit. It's smaller and lighter than many 50mm lenses. And that's important to me when traveling. Otherwise, it's a very good lens. At a very good price.

[TomB_tx]

While I've used Leica M lenses since 1968, mainly the 35 & 50 Summicrons from 1969 (which I still use some), these days I would not buy the current Leica lenses. Not that there is anything wrong with them, but the Voigtlander lenses are now so good and the range of offerings so complete I can meet my preferences with them for a fraction of Leica prices.

The last Leica lenses I bought were the Summarit 2.5 range of 35, 50, 75, & 90, which are all excellent, and were the most reasonably priced for Leica. On my M10 the 35 Summarit 2,5 is what I use most of the time. The images hold up so well when cropped to a 50 field of view that I've stopped carrying a "kit" of lenses and usually just take the M10 with the 35 on it. I think that's the most useful overall focal length for M10.

In the Voigtlander line for film bodies I've added the Nokton f1.5 50 & 35 version II lenses which are a bargain, very well made and comfortable to use. They are also great on the M10, but with its high ISO fast lenses aren't needed.

All that said, every Leica M owner should have a Summicron (any version) in 50 or 35, as you'll always wonder about them until you get one.

[goks]

thank you all! when purchasing an older generation Summicron or Summiclux,  are there are compatibility issues with with m10p, if yes, which ones to avoid?

Thank you!

[pippy]

Just now, goks said:

thank you all! when purchasing an older generation Summicron or Summilux,  are there are compatibility issues with with m10p...

Not compatability but if 6-bit coding is something you require bear in mind that this system was only introduced in 2006.

Essentally (there are a very few exceptions) all interchangeable Leica lenses made since c. 1930 can be used perfectly well with any M camera made up until the present time. LTM / Screw-thread lenses will require an adapter to be fitted but otherwise anything goes.

As far as your original question is concerned?

Nowadays pretty much every lens manufacturer produces lenses whose optical performances are excellent. As such my suggestion would be that the criteria for which lens(es) to consider will be more down to your own personal requirements such as maximum aperture, minimum focus distance and the haptics of how a lens feels in the hand. Do you really need a fast lens when shooting landscapes? When taking portraits do you crave paper-thin depth of field? Is physical size / weight of import?

Once you have decided on these matters then the selection on the 'most likely to please' list will have reduced by a considerable extent and we will be able to make suggestions more tailored to your stated preferences.

Philip.

[Flou]

I can highly recommend voigtlander lenses. I have 4 Voigtlander lenses (35mm APO-Lanthar, 35mm 1.2 Nokton, 40mm 1.2 Nokton and 50mm APO-Lanthar) and 2 Leica lenses (24mm Summilux and 75mm Summilux). The Summiluxes are Special lenses that I love. But the Voigtlander-lenses are great too  

I only buy Leica lenses, if there is no alternative available. I would not buy a Summilux 50mm for example, because the Nokton 50mm 1.2 or the Thypoch Simera 50mm are also great lenses. But the Leica 24 Summilux and 75 Summilux are really Special and there is no alternative in my opinion. 

Edited June 25 by Flou

[Flou]

So my choice would be: 

Voigtlander 50mm Nokton 1.2

+ Thypoch 28mm 1.4

Keep the Money you saved by don‘t buying a Leica lens and invest it in a Leica M12 when it’s available. 

[Don Flynn]

I would look at Zeiss as as option also. I have their 50mm f2 Planar and don't feel any need to upgrade.

https://www.kenrockwell.com/zeiss/zm/50mm-f2.htm

I am shooting film only for Leica though, with no plans on getting a digital M.

  

[pedaes]

25 minutes ago, Don Flynn said:

I have their 50mm f2 Planar

So do I and it is a fabulously sharp little lens, but IHMO a little too contrasty for digital sensors.

Are they still being made?

[Cattoo]

It depends on what you like to shoot, whether you prioritize small size or prefer sharpness or "character".  As for me, I tend to like smallish, sharp lenses that travel well. 

so with that said, I'd suggest buying a 50 and 28mm now, then investing in 35  over time if you find that you want to do.  That way you can experiment with different focal lengths now and really maximize your camera's practicality.  As for which ones, I'll suggest going with something sharp for the wide angle, the 28mm summicron for example.  It's sharp, good for travel and landscape, and relatively small.  Then you can go with a Voigtlander for the 50, maybe the color skopar, or the APO lanthar if you can tolerate the large size.  You might also consider the Leica non APO 50mm summicron.  It's sharp and smallish too, and you can find them relatively cheap used. One thing's for sure, you won't suffer for choice.  There's a gazillion lens to choose from  these days.  I suggest googling lots of lens reviews.  

[Don Flynn]

20 hours ago, pedaes said:

So do I and it is a fabulously sharp little lens, but IHMO a little too contrasty for digital sensors.

Are they still being made?

Looks like it, B&H Photo lists it in stock

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/361551-REG/Zeiss_1365_661_50mm_f_2_ZM_Lens.html

I don't see myself ever worrying about digital sensors with Leica's. I've got my Nikon DSLR's still and the biggest reason I got a Leica was I decided I wanted to get back into shooting film again and I dusted off my old Nikon SLR's. I figured I always wanted a Leica back when I was trying to earn a living with a camera in the 1980's but could never afford 1. Now I can if I buy used quality gear.  

 

Edited June 26 by Don Flynn
Spelling Correction

[sometimesmaybe]

On 6/25/2025 at 4:54 PM, goks said:

Option 1: Get a 28mm and a 50mm

Would you recommend this setup? And if so, which one should I invest more money in?

For example:

• Leica Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH + Voigtländer 50mm

• OR Voigtländer 28mm + Leica 50mm

one more vote for option 1

spend most of your lens budget on the 28mm since you're likely to use that the most. there are no shortage of excellent cheap 50mm lenses for M mount

[hansvons]

On 6/25/2025 at 7:54 AM, goks said:

Option 2: Get a 35mm only

Would you recommend going with just a 35mm for my use cases (street photography, landscapes, and occasional portraits)?
If yes, which 35mm lens would you suggest?

The 35mm focal length field of view is the most versatile field of view. That’s why the 35mm equivalent is what film directors use most. It represents how we humans perceive the world in terms of field of view (not in distance and proportion, that would be 50mm).

35mm images look natural and show hardly any perspective issues like falling lines but don’t have that zoomed-in feeling of 50mm. It‘s a perfect fit for landscapes, anything what people call street, and look nicely on environmental portraits where you want to balance the subject‘s face with the background‘s context. Close-up portraits look more natural when shot with a longer lens. But I find Leica 35mm lenses in general render arguably flat enough to get away with 35mm close-ups (or just shoot a bit less close and push in a bit in in post, basically creating a 50mm field of view).

Leica‘s 35mm Summicron ASPH is a character lens that is sharp but shows lots of soul when shot wide open, including nice flares and interesting curvature.

Lastly, there are many arguments why using only one lens is beneficial for one’s photography.
 

Edited June 27 by hansvons

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[chris7273]

I wear glasses all the time. 28mm framelines are not easily visible. 35mm just so so. 
So I stick to 35 🙂

 

[Chris W]

9 hours ago, sometimesmaybe said:

spend most of your lens budget on the 28mm since you're likely to use that the most. 

Why?

Until the internet and influencers the most used lenses were 35mm and 50mm.

I get that there is a history of 28mm in street photography, but 28mm is sometimes too wide for landscape. I've even used a 90mm on a landscape shot.

The wider the field of view, the harder it is to get subject interest throughout the frame. Not saying 28mm is a bad choice, just that everyone seems to follow the herd and choose 28mm without really thinking about it.