And One lens to rule them all

[naruto]

Hi folks

I know it's been asked to death, but if you had one lens to choose for the Leica M system, which would it be?

I am debating between

1. 35mm Summicron ASPH or pre-ASPH
2. 50mm Summilux ASPH or pre-ASPH

I know the differences in focal length, performance, etc. But, I just cannot make up my mind. The 35mm helps me in that environment style, but I love the 50 to keep my focus. I know I am messed up. Maybe it's my head that needs a changing.

 

[danielsterno]

I am a 9o% of the time 35 person and my one & only is cron asph.....

 

[rscheffler]

50AA. 🙂

I have and love the rendering of the 50 Lux ASPH when in the sweet spot of camera to subject to background distances... But it's also a somewhat quirky lens with respect to off-center subject placement and nailing focus at wide apertures. Part of this seems to be complicated by somewhat wavy field curvature that makes focus placement with any non-EVF camera to be somewhat tricky.

The 50AA seems to have some of the Lux ASPH rendering in a more predictable, better behaved optical design.

 

[Chromacomaphoto]

That's a tough call but if I absolutely had to, I guess I would get the very best and fastest 35mm I could. Pre-asph for me as I like the classic look (film shooter) . Most versatile length I would say.

You didn't say whether for film or digital, not sure if it matters.

 

[narsuitus]

I have never been a big fan of the 50mm focal length. The 35mm is my preferred focal length. However, I also prefer the f/1.4 Summilux to the f/2 Summicron.

 

[barnwulf]

Questions about which lens to buy have been asked numerous times before. Are you asking which lens is best or something else? My first thought is which focal length best suites the way you work. - jim

 

[Ko.Fe.]

If I'm not mistaken, for the price of 50 ASPH you could get Summicron 35 v3 and Summilux 50 v1. I don't think what both will be well behind of the Pre-ASPH.

 

[kshapero]

On one hand you ask which lens you should get among 4 lenses but your poll has only 2 choices. Me thinks the wine was too strong tonight?

 

[zuiko85]

I have a Leica, M4-2, but am not normally a RF sort of person. I prefer SLR's. That said, a RF with a fast fifty would be a great stealth camera, even if you cannot zone focus as easy as with a 35.

 

[naruto]

That's a tough call but if I absolutely had to, I guess I would get the very best and fastest 35mm I could. Pre-asph for me as I like the classic look (film shooter) . Most versatile length I would say.

You didn't say whether for film or digital, not sure if it matters.

film film film.. only film 🙂

 

[naruto]

On one hand you ask which lens you should get among 4 lenses but your poll has only 2 choices. Me thinks the wine was too strong tonight?

I bunched all versions of the lenses under one heading. sacrilege. 😎
I know 🙂

 

[naruto]

50AA. 🙂



The 50AA seems to have some of the Lux ASPH rendering in a more predictable, better behaved optical design.

What's 50AA? I am lost when it comes to acronyms, not under AAAAA (American Association Against Acronym Abuse)

 

[jonmanjiro]

If the lens is going on a Titanium M6 with 0.72 finder, a 35mm is the logical choice 🙂

P.S. Why not keep the Canon 35/2?

 

[naruto]

Questions about which lens to buy have been asked numerous times before. Are you asking which lens is best or something else? My first thought is which focal length best suites the way you work. - jim

I don't shoot it for work, i.e. I don't make money out of it. 🙂

I shoot for the love of shooting and developing film. I realise that the ASPH coatings bring in more contrast? But, having said that, I liked the results from a recent roll of double XX I shot with a 35 ASPH Summicron (on loan). 😕 hence the poll.

 

[naruto]

If the lens is going on a Titanium M6 with 0.72 finder, a 35mm is the logical choice 🙂

P.S. Why not keep the Canon 35/2?

It is going on the Titanium with the 0.72 🙂 The camera turns heads. :angel:

The Canon is giving me super inconsistent results. The focus keeps shifting, but the results look OK on digital.

 

[ZivcoPhoto]

+1 for 35mm Summilux (but an ASPH version)

 

[BernardL]

But, I just cannot make up my mind.

Can't understand this kind of thread. How can the opinion of others be possibly relevant for a lens that YOU will use?

 

[telenous]

I had all four lenses in your poll. Also the 35/1.4 Asph (not in the poll). Each one had its own advantages, that's what made choosing hard. In the end, for me, the best combo was 50/1.4 Asph. and 35/1.4 Asph. and I haven't changed anything the last 5-6 years. (Nor do I plan to.) Between the two, the 50mm is better in technical terms (distortion,veiling flare etc.) But don't let this decide the matter for you. The focal lengths are close but sufficiently different to impact the style of photography you do. See what you want to do, and what photographs of others you like best and which focal length better serves this. Let that decide which lens you go for.

.

 

[michaelwj]

It is going on the Titanium with the 0.72 🙂 The camera turns heads. :angel:

The Canon is giving me super inconsistent results. The focus keeps shifting, but the results look OK on digital.

A titanium M6! This changes everything!

The question is actually wrong, it should read: "Should I get the matching titanium 35 pre-asph summilux or sell the titanium M6 and get a black one instead?"

The titanium M6 deserves the titanium 35 pre-asph summilux, it's the ONLY choice 😀

 

[giulio stucchi]

one lens = 35 cron asph