wattsy Posted October 12, 2009 Share #21 Posted October 12, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Do not waste your money and time on the Summicron 50/2.0 as a one and only lens when you can instead get a masterpiece like the 50/1.4 asph. I had the Summicron but sold it because I found its pictures rather dull. Don't fall into the trap of believing that buying a more expensive lens will make your photographs less dull. In my opinion, photographs are usually dull because of what the photographer chose to point the lens at, not because of the lens. The Summicron is a great lens (and arguably a teeny bit sharper than the ASPH F1.4 in the close range). I have the Summilux ASPH (and have owned the Summicron) so I have no axe to grind either way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 Hi wattsy, Take a look here One Lens With M9?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
chaikit thanakamanusorn Posted October 12, 2009 Share #22 Posted October 12, 2009 one len for leica is too limited... leica lens are reason we buy the camera... i see no point of limiting to owning one len... i have 18 28 35 50 and 75 they 're all wonderful to use for different occasion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschone Posted October 12, 2009 Share #23 Posted October 12, 2009 one len for leica is too limited... leica lens are reason we buy the camera... i see no point of limiting to owning one len... i have 18 28 35 50 and 75 they 're all wonderful to use for different occasion. I actually would feel more limited if I had to choose from a large lineup of lenses. Just 1 or maybe 2 lenses is a great way of photographing. Of course this is just an opinion and a matter of taste. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
@bumac Posted October 12, 2009 Share #24 Posted October 12, 2009 A 50. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaikit thanakamanusorn Posted October 12, 2009 Share #25 Posted October 12, 2009 i;m cofused.. how can it can be more limited if i have more lens to use..?? of course i don't carry them all when i 'm out shooting. i only bring 1-2 lens out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted October 12, 2009 Share #26 Posted October 12, 2009 35 and 50mm are both 'standard lenses' -- a short and a long one, both poised about equally around the nominal 'standard lens focal length' which would be the diagonal of the format = 43mm. (Nearly all Leica '50mm' lenses have actually ben around 52mm.) The 50 is fine if you are shooting isolated things (including single people). The 35 is best if what you are after is human interaction -- or human-environment interaction. And this kind of subject matter is what the Leica M has traditionally been really good at. The old man from the Age of the 5cm Lens Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted October 12, 2009 Share #27 Posted October 12, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) If you go for 50mm, IMHO there are three great lenses available and then three good ones. The three greats are the ASPH Summilux, the 11826 Summicron and the Zeiss ZM Planar. The three good lenses are the Collapsible Elmar f2.8, the 2.5 Summarit and the Zeiss f1.5 Sonnar. Between the three great lenses I think it comes down to personal preference coupled to budget. I have changed my ASPH Summilux for a Summicron because I personally prefer the way the Summicron draws. Others would feel differently. I think the Zeiss Planar draws similarly to the ASPH (high contrast and ultra sharp) rather than its direct competitor, the slightly gentler Summicron. In other words you pays your money and makes your choice. Amongst those 6 lenses, there is nothing approaching a bad lens. If you wanted, you could also look at the various Voigtlander 50's but that would not be my route after previous poor experience. You cannot however, argue with the bang for your buck that you get with them. Once my M9 arrives, I would like to borrow one of the new Nokton f1.1 lenses to see if that will prove the exception to my rule. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonka Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share #28 Posted October 13, 2009 Thank you to everyone for your insightful replies. After much deliberation and reviewing all of my images from the past, I have decided upon ............... THE LEICA 35mm SUMMICRON f/2. I think it will best fit my goal of one lens and one lens only! ...Famous last words! Thanks again. This is one of the most knowledgeable photography forums I have ever visited. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted October 13, 2009 Share #29 Posted October 13, 2009 Thank you to everyone for your insightful replies. After much deliberation and reviewing all of my images from the past, I have decided upon ...............THE LEICA 35mm SUMMICRON f/2. I think it will best fit my goal of one lens and one lens only! ...Famous last words! Thanks again. This is one of the most knowledgeable photography forums I have ever visited. I would give it about six weeks before you will be looking at adverts for extra lenses ;-}} Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted October 13, 2009 Share #30 Posted October 13, 2009 You simply cannot go wrong with starting with the 35 'cron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem7 Posted October 13, 2009 Share #31 Posted October 13, 2009 Just shot this today with the M9 and 35 Cron ASPH at F2 Great lens and I could see it becoming my favorite lens, taking over that spot from the 35 Lux. No shift, sharp at all apertures, great color and contrast. You made a great choice. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted October 13, 2009 Share #32 Posted October 13, 2009 Thank you to everyone for your insightful replies. After much deliberation and reviewing all of my images from the past, I have decided upon ...............THE LEICA 35mm SUMMICRON f/2. I think it will best fit my goal of one lens and one lens only! ...Famous last words! Thanks again. This is one of the most knowledgeable photography forums I have ever visited. This is one of my personal favorite lenses on the M9, as I mentioned back when the camera was introduced. Enjoy. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler Posted October 13, 2009 Share #33 Posted October 13, 2009 I have been around the world for documentary and publication work with my Leica M6, and ONE LENS, the 35mm Summilux ASPH 1.4 Also, attended workshops with David Allen Harvey from Nat Geo--he uses an older Summilux 35 1.4 for all his work. Don't know if he has gone digital with the new M9. I have tried the Summicron 35mm f2.0--it also is a great lens. Costa Manos with Magnum uses this lens. Good luck and mostly--have fun with the Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted October 13, 2009 Share #34 Posted October 13, 2009 Thank you to everyone for your insightful replies. After much deliberation and reviewing all of my images from the past, I have decided upon ...............THE LEICA 35mm SUMMICRON f/2. I think it will best fit my goal of one lens and one lens only! ...Famous last words! Thanks again. This is one of the most knowledgeable photography forums I have ever visited. I used to shoot a Summicron-M 2/35 (v04) and then got the Summilux 1.4/35 ASPH a few years ago. 35 is a great focal length and I think you will be very satisfied with your choice. The Cron 2/35 ASPH is a phenomenally good lens. Have fun. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted October 13, 2009 Share #35 Posted October 13, 2009 The 35/1.4 asph would also be a possibility, but this lens is said by some to suffer from socalled focus shift problems and a revised model might be presented buy Leica within a foreseeable period of time. Nope. Mine has been bolted to an M body for about 8 years and it's tack sharp at any stop. So, I would certainly and without hesitation of any kind advice you to get the 50/1.4 asph - Leicas best lens which will continue to give you the most wonderful pictures. Do not waste your money and time on the Summicron 50/2.0 as a one and only lens when you can instead get a masterpiece like the 50/1.4 asph. I had the Summicron but sold it because I found its pictures rather dull. First of all people make dull pictures, not lenses. Second, the current 2/50 Summicron-M is universally acknowledged to be among the best 50's on the market. It's been the benchmark 50 against all others have been measured since it's introduction. The 50 Lux ASPH really only outperforms the Summicron close up due to it's floating element. It is also more flare resistant, but apparently in that category the Lux even outperforms the old Noctilux, which is almost hard to believe. This is mainly due to some very, very expensive glass being used. The big deal about the Lux ASPH is that it is a 1.4 design that performs as good as the best 2.0 lens. That's a huge achievement on Leica's part, since you are dealing with twice the amount of energy passing through the lens. But to dismiss the 2/50 Summicron-M as second rate is just plain wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom0511 Posted October 13, 2009 Share #36 Posted October 13, 2009 Nope. Mine has been bolted to an M body for about 8 years and it's tack sharp at any stop. First of all people make dull pictures, not lenses. Second, the current 2/50 Summicron-M is universally acknowledged to be among the best 50's on the market. It's been the benchmark 50 against all others have been measured since it's introduction. The 50 Lux ASPH really only outperforms the Summicron close up due to it's floating element. It is also more flare resistant, but apparently in that category the Lux even outperforms the old Noctilux, which is almost hard to believe. This is mainly due to some very, very expensive glass being used. The big deal about the Lux ASPH is that it is a 1.4 design that performs as good as the best 2.0 lens. That's a huge achievement on Leica's part, since you are dealing with twice the amount of energy passing through the lens. But to dismiss the 2/50 Summicron-M as second rate is just plain wrong. the 50lux asph aslo has a slightly smoother bokeh IMO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointcolville Posted October 13, 2009 Share #37 Posted October 13, 2009 Of course it is a personal choice - but I used a 35 F1.4 as my primary lens for 20 years on a Nikon F3, the 28 Cron was my favorite in the M8, and now that I'm shooting an MP while Leica sorts out their production supply chain on the M9, I'm back to the 35 (Lux in this case, but you can't go wrong with the Cron). 50 is a handy focal length but personally I find myself backing up to frame the shot I'm after, whereas my photos generally improve when I move forward. There are subtle differences between the different lenses at each focal length but the unsubtle difference is depth of field wide open, and 35 still gives you an option to isolate your subject if there is adquate distance between it and the background, making it slightly more versatile in my experience than the Summicron. The penalty is veiling flare which may be especially pronounced on my copy, and is sometimes an issue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokkacream Posted October 15, 2009 Share #38 Posted October 15, 2009 You have to find the answer yourself, because only you know, what you prefer to photograph. The most versatile would probably be a 35mm on the M9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnoble Posted October 15, 2009 Share #39 Posted October 15, 2009 I certainly concur re the 35mm, but Wonka, once you have the M9 in your hand and look through the finder I think you will find your choice absolutely confirmed. The 28mm frame line is well nye impossible to see fully without shifting your eye about. The 50mm frame line just seems a bit lost in the finder, not to mention the 75, 90 and 135. The 35mm frame line just seems perfectly suited to the finder. Just another reason, I think, why the 35mm has been adopted by so many as their 'one' lens, especially the 'Cron which is so compact and even with its lens hood barely intrudes into the frame line. Of course it ultimately depends on your photographic interests and sensibilities. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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