Which type of lens would be best for Leica M4-P?

[dealrocker]

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One of my good friends has a Leica M4-P with 50mm f/2 Sumicron M lens. He's just looking a new lens for general shooting and artsy photography. Confused between wide angle and telephoto. Please suggest, which lens would be best for a good quality and cost.

[antistatic]

Welcome to the forum but this is like asking "My friend is interested in eating something that tastes good. What do you recommend?"

 

When he shoots with his 50 does he think "I wish I could get closer" (telephoto) or "I wish I could fit more in my photos" (wide angle)?

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[lars_bergquist]

On the front of the camera there is a funny little lever which is called the frame preview lever. If he has a 50mm lens on the camera, it is showing him 50mm and 75mm frames. Pushing it inwards (toward the lens) will show him the 90 and 28mm frames. Pulling it outwards gives the 35 and 135 frames.

 

I propose that he should take a walk with the camera, in an environment where he is likely to use ut, and try out the different fields of view to see which one he finds most intriguing. I would suggest however that he should at present forget about the 135 and the 28mm options. There are of course wider lenses too, but these require an accessory finder, so let's limit ourselves to 35 to 90mm.

 

I suspect however that he will find 90mm intriguing. Point out to him that a 135mm lens, however wonderful, will be larger and heavier and more difficult to use than a 90. Leica make very nice 90, 75, 50 and 35mm lenses in the Summarit line. They are also reasonably priced, for Leica, meaning that they cost less than a semi-professional SLR with a zoom ...

 

P.S. Does the subject have a light meter?

 

The old man with a M4-P

[Guest maddoc2003jp]

a new lens for general shooting and artsy photography.

 

For artsy photography and interesting street-shots the Super-Angulon-M 21mm is a nice addition to the 50mm Summicron-M. Your friend will need an external 21mm VF, though...

[Carl E]

One of my good friends has a Leica M4-P with 50mm f/2 Sumicron M lens. He's just looking a new lens for general shooting and artsy photography. Confused between wide angle and telephoto. Please suggest, which lens would be best for a good quality and cost.

 

The perfect partner for the M4-P is a Summicron 35-M/2.0 (IV version).

 

Carl E

[SJP]

If your friend already has a 50 mm then personally I would go for 28 mm. For instance a 28/2 summicron ASPH (or 2nd hand non-ASPH version = less expensive). Also the 28/2.8 elmarit is nice and compact.

 

Why? 35 mm is too close to 50 mm, certainly as a second lens, similarly 75 is too close to 50, again a as a second lens. So that means 28 or 90, in practice you will use the 28 more often than a 90 mm lens.

 

If you have a hard time finding a 28mm then 24mm is another option.

 

Edit: Finally if you find a nice clean 35/2.8 summaron at you local second hand store for $300-500 go for it & forget what I wrote above.

Edited June 1, 2009 by SJP

[lars_bergquist]

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You will find that all contributors plug their own personal favourite lenses. But the point is that the user HIMSELF must find HIS OWN favourite focal length. And the first step should be the procedure I suggested above.

 

And remember that 'art' does not come out of a box, even if there's a red dot on it. It is the result of the artist's eye and technical competence together. "Monsieur Van Gogh, I love those sunflowers of yours. Pray tell me, which brushes did you use?" Don't you think that the brushes were only a close-to-negligible part of the final result?

 

The old man