proenca Posted January 29, 2009 Share #1 Posted January 29, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi there folks, Question : if you had to have ONE lens on your M8, which one and why ? I'm about to take the plug and order a 28mm F2 with the rebate and that will leave me broke for the near future, I already have a 15mm Heliar ( which I use loads and makes me wonder if I shouldnt buy a 21mm 2,8 ASPH instead, but Im a sucker for shallow DOF/Bokeh and I can't have that with the 21mm but I can with the 28mm ) and the 50mm 1,4 PreASPH for portraits. So for the next year or so I will be in a no lens territory. If you guys were in the same situation, what lens would you pick ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 Hi proenca, Take a look here ONE lens : which ?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
johnastovall Posted January 29, 2009 Share #2 Posted January 29, 2009 35mm IV 'Cron. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. white Posted January 29, 2009 Share #3 Posted January 29, 2009 I think you'll get a lot of mileage out of the 28mm Summicron. It's an excellent choice for a one-lens kit - given the range of focal lengths you mention. It will be a good compromise of wide and long enough, and will work well as an in-betweener for the 15mm and 50mm lenses. To top the suggestion off, it's a great lens - it renders and handles beautifully. -J. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hx911 Posted January 29, 2009 Share #4 Posted January 29, 2009 28mm f2 .... Bought a used one when I bought the M8, but 'had' to buy more, like 50mm Elmar, 35/f1.4 Nokton, 21/F4 Color Skopar, 35/3.5 Summaron. I thought I would use the 35/1.4 most, and I felt I needed the 21mm 'Wide' - but the 28 is wide enough, and fast enough, to be my favourite pretty much all the time. I still look for excuses to use the other lenses, as not to have to admit I wasted the money Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeadams Posted January 29, 2009 Share #5 Posted January 29, 2009 ditto. The 35mm summicron f2 ASPH, becomes "normal" and great depth of field control for portraits, fast, nice bokeh. And the only one I own!! Mike Adams at San Jose State University Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
firststream Posted January 29, 2009 Share #6 Posted January 29, 2009 I'll 'third' the 35mm Summicron ASPH - great prices in the used market. After that, the 50 'lux pre-ASPH for low light - also relatively cheap in the aftermarket. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipkeston Posted January 29, 2009 Share #7 Posted January 29, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) a 28 or 35. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted January 29, 2009 Share #8 Posted January 29, 2009 If I were only to have a single lens then the 28 'cron or 35 'cron depending upon on how wide/normal you like to shoot. Since you already have the 50 'lux, I'd think that the 28 'cron might be the better focal length. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted January 29, 2009 Share #9 Posted January 29, 2009 35mm...! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimmel Posted January 29, 2009 Share #10 Posted January 29, 2009 I would go with the 28 Cron as well. That and my 50/1.4 are my most used lenses and the 28 cron is used probably 5:1. It's just a very practical, natural focal length for me (on my M7 my 35mm was my favorite for the same reasons). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxer 53 Posted January 29, 2009 Share #11 Posted January 29, 2009 I own a 35mm Summilux F/1.4 ASPH, 50mm Summilux F/1.4 ASPH and a 75mm Summicron F/2.0 ASPH. By far, the 35mm 'lux is my favorite all purpose lens. It is razor sharp, great in low light, pulls in a large focal area when I need it and works superbly for close up shots. The bokeh -- when I want it, is superb. Really spectacular for low light street shooting as well. If I could only own one lens it would be my 35MM 'lux. Max Bowers Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobe Posted January 29, 2009 Share #12 Posted January 29, 2009 Another vote for the 28/2. Great lens. After trying out the 35/2 and the 24/2.8 both of which I liked the 28 became my first lens on M8. It was my only lens for about 6 months. Good luck Joe Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsonkirk Posted January 29, 2009 Share #13 Posted January 29, 2009 Instead of having other folks 'vote' on this, consult your own style. If your 'normal' lens on a 35mm film camera was 35mm, go for the 28; if it was 50, go for 35. Or if you used a zoom, look at your work & see if wider or narrower FOV tended to work best for you? Kirk Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpattinson Posted January 29, 2009 Share #14 Posted January 29, 2009 Well, I used to love the 35 cron on film. However I find I use the 35 lux asph on my M8 more than any other lens. I also have the 28 cron and 50 lux, but the 35 lux is well ahead in usage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotomiguel Posted January 29, 2009 Share #15 Posted January 29, 2009 50mm cron Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andit Posted January 29, 2009 Share #16 Posted January 29, 2009 From what I have read here on the forum, you're probably best off with a 35mm Cron or 28mm Cron. These seem to make up the bulk of images posted and the results are excellent. Andreas Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kameraguy Posted January 29, 2009 Share #17 Posted January 29, 2009 After using the M8 for a while, i have finally decided on the 28mm Cron ASPH as my "one" lens (although I do enjoy the others). I really miss the field of view of a 35mm. So i will be picking one up tomorrow...I can't wait Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kameraguy Posted January 29, 2009 Share #18 Posted January 29, 2009 ditto. The 35mm summicron f2 ASPH, becomes "normal" and great depth of field control for portraits, fast, nice bokeh. And the only one I own!! Mike Adams at San Jose State University Hi Mike, Nice to see an SJSU faculty member here. I graduated from SJSU PJ, 1997 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yanidel Posted January 29, 2009 Share #19 Posted January 29, 2009 Good question but so much related to what you shoot... For me (mainly street photography) the one and only would be a 35mm Cron, maybe a 28mm Cron. IMO, on the M8, the avantages of 35mm Cron over 28mm Cron - can be used as portrait lens with less distortion. - good balance of getting close but not invading your subject private zone. - much easier to throw background out of focus. - smaller and lighter. - cheaper - proportion and distortion are the ones of a 35mm but in a 50mm frame. Unless you like the 28mm look, it is more balanced. On the 28mm side : - more versatility when composing (subject + background). - good focal to do both landscape + street photography. Great for travel. - framelines are the easiest to use on M8, no confusion with other frames. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
netdog Posted January 29, 2009 Share #20 Posted January 29, 2009 You could get a new Elmarit 28mm and not empty the bank account altogether. It depends if you really need the speed or not. The current 28mm is a great lens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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