Lens selection on a photo-trip. What lenses to carry? When to change?

[ldhrads]

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I've travelled with one body one lens, usually 35/2.0 or 50/2.0 as well as two bodies many lenses and have found that the many lens solution is too much for me.  Last trip was M11-P with APO 35/2.0, travelled a week in Germany without really missing much.  I do have a 90/2.8 TEM thin that is great for travel, but even that rarely gets used.  I'm heading to the desert this long weekend and intend to take my MATE and WATE.  I could probably do without the WATE, but why not?  I've found the MATE to be a great travel lens if I want more than just the 35/2.0!

 

Too many lenses, too many choices, I'm getting to that point!

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[RexGig0]

On 10/21/2025 at 6:45 AM, Alexander108 said:

My Options are (the 90mm is too bulky for this trip):

• bring the 15mm, 24mm, and 50mm lenses.
• or bring the 15mm, 24mm, and 35mm lenses.
• or bring the 24mm only.

My question would be: what do others do when doing a walk through a city?

• Do you take a selection of lenses with you?
• If yes: what lenses?
• If you use one lenses only, which one? (That, of course is a matter of personal preference).
• How deliberately do you take pictures? Do you look at a composition and then select the lens that is appropriate?

I am aware that there is no right or wrong. But maybe I can learn from your experiences or get some inspiration from your approaches.

Thank you for contributing to this clear 1st world luxury problem 🤣

On the matter of “My Options,” well, you seem to really like the 24mm Elmarit, and, you want 15mm for specific situations. So, I would think that you might regret bringing “24mm only.” Perhaps, travel with two lenses, keeping the 24mm affixed to the camera, most of the time, while toting the 15mm in a minimal belt pouch?

Do I take a selection of lenses with me, while walking-about a city? Well, it depends. 😉

When “Yes,” well, again, it depends. I do not normally swap lenses, so, will tend to leave a 35mm or 50mm lens affixed. If I/we step inside a cafe or book store, or small museum, 50mm may be too constraining. For monochrome architecture, I like to bring my Zeiss Biogon C 21mm f/4,5 ZM. (This lens will cause color shift, if used on my M10, for color images.) I have liked using a 28mm Elmarit Version III, focused using the Distance and DOF scales, shot from my waist or hip, when mingling and interacting with my young grandsons. 50mm has been my usual choice for deliberate images of one or two people, with a specific 50mm lens being THE major reason I added the Leica M system. My 75mm and 90mm lenses are only rarely carried. Telephoto shooting, with the M system, has to be a very deliberate act, on my part; something I plan in advance. I never seem to accidentally or incidentally a situation in which I wish that I had brought a 75mm or 90mm M lens.

When I bring one lens, to use on an M camera, in a city, it can be 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, or 50mm. Any of these can be my “lens of the day.” Having only a 21mm lens will result in far fewer images, as it can be difficult to get close enough to create interesting images. Having only a 28mm lens may result in my shooting far more images, but, many of the images will be uninteresting. I am relatively introverted, so, 28mm can require me to get closer than is comfortable, for creating interesting images of people, but, then, I am not dedicated to the “art/genre of street photography,” anyway. 35mm is probably the closest to my most-favored focal length, for shooting just about everything, but, I definitely love some specific 50mm lenses, in order to create specific effects.

How deliberately do I take pictures? Well, I like to think that every images is deliberate. Even when I am simply practicing/training, to keep my skills refreshed, it seems wise to keep creativity refreshed, too.

Do I look at a composition, and then select the appropriate lens? Well, only rarely. As stated earlier, a number of lenses can play the role of my only lens for the day, with the result that I tend to keep one lens in place, especially if it is 35mm or 50mm. Is “Len Inertia” a term, in common use? 😉 Plus, I have a phobia about dropping lenses. especially M lenses, which are so compact, while my fingers are so clumsy. When I plan to use two different M lenses, I may well bring two M camera. This is especially true when monochrome architecture is on the agenda, when one camera will be an M Type 246 Monochrom.

I do have the wonderful Elmar-M 24mm ASPH, but seem to prefer it for woodland photography, and may try it for landscapes.

I am not any kind of expert. I was officially trained in evidentiary/forensic/crime scene photography, in 2010 and 2014. I retired from the police department in early 2018, and added the Leica M system as part of an effort to re-learn to love photography.

Edited October 22 by RexGig0

[Alexander108]

vor 3 Minuten schrieb RexGig0:

When I bring one lens, to use on an M camera, in a city, it can be 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, or 50mm. Any of these can be my “lens of the day.”

Love the "lens of the day” approach.

Edited October 22 by Alexander108

[cfritze]

On 10/22/2025 at 10:13 AM, RexGig0 said:

On the matter of “My Options,” well, you seem to really like the 24mm Elmarit, and, you want 15mm for specific situations. So, I would think that you might regret bringing “24mm only.” Perhaps, travel with two lenses, keeping the 24mm affixed to the camera, most of the time, while toting the 15mm in a minimal belt pouch?

Do I take a selection of lenses with me, while walking-about a city? Well, it depends. 😉

When “Yes,” well, again, it depends. I do not normally swap lenses, so, will tend to leave a 35mm or 50mm lens affixed. If I/we step inside a cafe or book store, or small museum, 50mm may be too constraining. For monochrome architecture, I like to bring my Zeiss Biogon C 21mm f/4,5 ZM. (This lens will cause color shift, if used on my M10, for color images.) I have liked using a 28mm Elmarit Version III, focused using the Distance and DOF scales, shot from my waist or hip, when mingling and interacting with my young grandsons. 50mm has been my usual choice for deliberate images of one or two people, with a specific 50mm lens being THE major reason I added the Leica M system. My 75mm and 90mm lenses are only rarely carried. Telephoto shooting, with the M system, has to be a very deliberate act, on my part; something I plan in advance. I never seem to accidentally or incidentally a situation in which I wish that I had brought a 75mm or 90mm M lens.

When I bring one lens, to use on an M camera, in a city, it can be 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, or 50mm. Any of these can be my “lens of the day.” Having only a 21mm lens will result in far fewer images, as it can be difficult to get close enough to create interesting images. Having only a 28mm lens may result in my shooting far more images, but, many of the images will be uninteresting. I am relatively introverted, so, 28mm can require me to get closer than is comfortable, for creating interesting images of people, but, then, I am not dedicated to the “art/genre of street photography,” anyway. 35mm is probably the closest to my most-favored focal length, for shooting just about everything, but, I definitely love some specific 50mm lenses, in order to create specific effects.

How deliberately do I take pictures? Well, I like to think that every images is deliberate. Even when I am simply practicing/training, to keep my skills refreshed, it seems wise to keep creativity refreshed, too.

Do I look at a composition, and then select the appropriate lens? Well, only rarely. As stated earlier, a number of lenses can play the role of my only lens for the day, with the result that I tend to keep one lens in place, especially if it is 35mm or 50mm. Is “Len Inertia” a term, in common use? 😉 Plus, I have a phobia about dropping lenses. especially M lenses, which are so compact, while my fingers are so clumsy. When I plan to use two different M lenses, I may well bring two M camera. This is especially true when monochrome architecture is on the agenda, when one camera will be an M Type 246 Monochrom.

I do have the wonderful Elmar-M 24mm ASPH, but seem to prefer it for woodland photography, and may try it for landscapes.

I am not any kind of expert. I was officially trained in evidentiary/forensic/crime scene photography, in 2010 and 2014. I retired from the police department in early 2018, and added the Leica M system as part of an effort to re-learn to love photography.

Amazing. were we separated at birth? we’re a match by approach and lens selection. 

[Jul]

On 10/22/2025 at 10:10 AM, Alexander108 said:

I will bring the 15mm Voigtländer which is reasonably light (270g) and will have it in the bag.

If I had a 24mm on a digital camera, I would not bother bringing a 15mm for architecture, I would just stack three or four (depending on how much overlap you consider safe for stitching) horizontal shots upon one another to make more or less a 15mm equivalent vertical shot and let a computer sort that out afterwards.

[Alexander108]

vor 6 Stunden schrieb Jul:

If I had a 24mm on a digital camera, I would not bother bringing a 15mm for architecture, I would just stack three or four (depending on how much overlap you consider safe for stitching) horizontal shots upon one another to make more or less a 15mm equivalent vertical shot and let a computer sort that out afterwards.

Agree to disagree. The experience with the Voigtländer 15mm is just great with the Visoflex. Stitching this shot (taken with the 15mm lens) would not have been a great experience. Not sure if it would have worked out in the first place.

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[Kiwimac]

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For me? I could do it all with a good 35. 
 

If I’m taking 2 only? 28/50 makes sense although my heart would ask for 35/50. 
 

90 I’ve never got on with using a rangefinder. If I had the new EVF version of  the M possibly. Otherwise no. 

[patrickcolpron]

 

One and done, I use one 35 mil lens or another for pretty much everything in the city. Even for work, one camera and one lens, a 35.

No camera bag just one camera and one lens over my shoulder. 

When I travel with my family, I much prefer a 50 for family photos because I tend to mostly make close up portraits of my kids and my wife, not the surrounding area. 

I do not travel light, usually with 3 camera bodies and 4 lenses, three 35 and one 50 but when out and about it is with only one camera, one lens. 

Visiting museums, a zoo or city with my family, an M or another with a 50/1.2 Noctilux, mostly on an M10M

Everything else, just one of three 35, APO 35 on a M10R, Summilux FLE on an M10M or a Steel Rim on an MP for film photography. Depends what I feel like shooting that day.

The Summilux 35 FLE is great on a Monochrom digital M camera, just thought I'd point that out. 

My recommendation, use only one lens, say your 24, for one year to realize you don't really need anything else. 

For Barcelona, keep your 15 mil lens in your pocket for the Sagrada Familia. This said, you can easily stitch a panorama made with a 24 mil lens which will provide you with a far better resulting wide angle image than your 15 mil lens will. I have done it a few times for large panorama prints using a 24 Lux to know a super wide is not always the only or the better solution.

Drop the 90 for the handful of time you'll be using it, not really worth it or useful on an M. Get a 75 mil instead but again not that useful unless you make a lot of portraits. For longer lenses I don't find the M very useful because I shoot everything using the optical viewfinder or from the hip. 

All of this said, if I had a time machine, I'd go back in time and buy only two lenses, a 50 APO and a Summilux 28 for both work and personal photography and be done with the lens thing. 

No need for spreadsheet, just applied practice. I think your 24 is all you need combined with a 50 for the occasional portraits.

But what do I know? 

[Ralf]

28 Summicron + 50 Lux, for me the ultimate combo.

[roydonian]

In Venice last year I carried a 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm. I'll use the same combo this year, but plan to spend at least one day with only a 135mm.

[Mark Fisher]

I can't recommend a lens set without seeing your work and getting to know Barcelona better.  I find that I shoot the most images with whatever I have on the camera.  I rarely switch lenses.  That means I have a 35 or 50 on the camera and a 21 in my pocket.  I decided on my lenses by looking at my favorite images from the past few years, both on film (primes) and digital (zoom lens).  When I shot lenses wider than 35mm equivalent, I cropped more in the darkroom or in post.   I shot a lot at 24 with the zoom, but the good ones tended to cropped.  Anyway, my point is don't look at a shot count.  Look at your best images.

[Alexander108]

I wanted to take the time to share my experiences from my trip to Barcelona. 

I took my M11 and my M10-M bodies but used the M11 only one half day out of three. 90% of the pictures of the M11 were converted to B&W. It was not necessary to bring the M11. 

Then I took my 24mm Elmarit, 35mm Summicron, 50mm Summicron and the 15mm Voigtländer. I did not use the 15mm at all.
Out of the 201 pictures I kept, only 16 pictures were taken with the 50mm lens. But some of them were cropped quite a bit. So I was happy to have it.
89 pictures were taken with the 24mm Elmarit and 96 were taken with my 50y old 35mm Summicron. So these are certainly my go to lenses.

Here's my Flickr collection of 70 pictures that I like most:

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[Leslie22]

I usually take quiet a few lens and a back up body on my travels , BUT leave the hotel each morning with on body and THREE lens , 24, 50 , 90 macro.

I sometimes switch the 24 for the 28 , and if I’m lucky my wife will carry the 90 for me. 

On many occasions it’s been the 50 on the camera all day … for me the 50 is an all purpose lens (I know some won’t agree)

 

I like the idea of thinking about where we are going each day , perhaps inside a cathedral , historic buildings etc then make the lens  selection for the day.

 

[Leslie22]

I forgot to mention that the Q3 43 has turned everything on its head ….. my last trip (East Antarctica) it was mostly Q343 & 90 to 280 zoom

the pore old M11 and all it’s lens had a very quiet trip.

Edited yesterday at 06:18 AM by Leslie22

[steinknies]

Am 21.10.2025 um 13:45 schrieb Alexander108:

(…)

I am going to visit Barcelona again this year to attend a conference and I will stay a few more days after the conference. Did the same last year and was able to capture some nice pictures with the Q3. I am not going to bring my M11 but just the M10-M (my wife will bring the D-Lux 8 which is nice for some color pictures).

(…)

Thank you for contributing to this clear 1st world luxury problem 🤣

My -probably no so helpful- two cents: as many here wrote before, ‘one body, one lens’ is a must when doing street photography the way I like to do it. Looking at your nice pictures from your last trip, that might in your case (imho) be the new Q3M. Don’t look at the pice tag and just go for it 🙂

[otto.f]

On 10/21/2025 at 1:45 PM, Alexander108 said:

what do others do when doing a walk through a city?

My first thought was: of course the Summicron 35 iv or APO and my Summilux 75. But on second thought I realized that it really depends on the type of city and what I want from it and what it has to offer. I would not go without my Elmarit 24 to Valencia and the works of Calatrava, which is something else as Turin or Venice.

I do like your series though made with very small amounts of equipment, it seems it doesn't matter what you bring, you'll come back with a nice series anyway. One of my first photo trips was New York, with a Praktica with only a 50mm borrowed from a friend. I worried about how I would get a good impression of NYC without any wide angle. When I came home I was very happy with the results. Your eyes and brain will also see scenes you wouldn't have seen when you had brought the lens that you left at home this time.

[Bikie John]

My favourite focal length for general travel-type stuff is 40mm and I like taking photos in the dark, so I got a used Voigtlander 40mm f/1.2 and I love it. But if circumstances permit I will also carry a couple of extra lenses. I have a small non-camera-looking shoulder bag and can fit a 24mm Elmar ASPH and 75mm f/2.5 Summarit in there easily along with all the other gubbins like spare batteries, cloth, notebook etc.

The 40mm lives on the camera. But if I see something which need wider or longer (and there is time and it's not raining of course) I will switch lenses. Once I've got the shot(s) I'm after, the 40 will go back on. This works reasonably well for me. I don't fret about which lens to use because it is usually the 40 and it's already on the body, and the other choices are there if needed.

John

[derleicaman]

Just stumbled onto this post, and it is the classic dilemma most of us have. What to take, how big a bag, etc. 

I think you have to look at what type of subjects you will be shooting. For a sightseeing trip, like my Med Cruise, where Barcelona was one of the stops, I have to think I will be taking a lot of images of churches, city scapes, street and pictures of my wife with other people with us on the trip. I always have the WATE with me and it is amazing for interiors. The 24 would work well for this too in a pinch, but the WATE just works better. I always have the 35/2 v4 and then a 50 with me as well. The 50/2.8 gets great results and is small and light. For some reason, I seem to bring the 75/2 along, but rarely use it.

In my kit, I have the M10P and the M10M. I have the 28 Summaron reissue lens always on the M10M camera. The results with it are just mesmerizing. I took this one in Dallas a few years ago.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[otto.f]

14 hours ago, derleicaman said:

I always have the 35/2 v4 and then a 50 with me as well.

This set I always have with me when I want to go light and small, with the Elmar-M 50mm. Very good for street because more inconspicuous 

Edited 16 hours ago by otto.f