Digital M and Permanently Mounted Lenses

[ktmrider]

My M9 arrived from Leica, NJ, a few days ago. I paid for a CLA and they replaced the sensor so I basically have a new camera. I cannot complain about Leica's policy on the sensor and really don't have any plans to upgrade anytime soon. My favorite M is a 1958 M2.

Anyway, I was going through my arsenal of lenses and replacing batteries and camera stapes and lenses getting the M9 ready for my next trip and I realized that one of my 35 mm lenses is almost permanently mounted on the camera. Now I have a lot of M mount lenses but the one that lives on the M9 is the 35 f1.2 Nokton. It gives the M9 great low light capabilities. And I was wondering what other lenses may be almost permanently mounted. I would guess a bunch of Summiluxes, fast 35's or 50's etc.

The M9 with case and 35f1.2 is a handful, especially compared to my M2 with 35f2.8 C Biogon or even X100 but it feels and balances great. Anyone else with a favorite lens mounted almost permanently to an M body-film or digital?

 

[andriirad]

For me it's a small gem - Voigtlander Skopar 35mm PII. It's sooo tiny and so well made, that it makes it one of my favorite 35mm lens ever!
I love the rendering and shallow bokeh of Nokton 1.2 and was few times very close to it's purchasing but only one thing makes me always make a step back - its WEIGHT!
For me one of the biggest advantage of the rangefinder system - is a COMPACTNESS, so using a huge and heavy gear on it (big lenses, external flash) losing all its sense. i used to have a Canon 50mm 1.2LTM (which is almost the same weight as a Nokton) and it was a nightmare in the meaning of handling! I'm using a wrist strap to carry my M9, so after a few hours of shooting with a Canon 1.2, my hand had a feeling like after intensive gym set)
So my point is that the permanent lens for M9 should be a small lens)

p.s: for the large stuff on M9 I can find only one excuse....Noctilux 50mm 1.1)

 

[Keith]

I find the lens that sits by default on my 240 is a 35mm Zeiss Biogon. 35mm is a great focal length on a full frame digital. 🙂

 

[semordnilap]

I can't say permanently attached, but my 40 cron is basically the lens cap on my m240. I have nicer and more expensive lenses in other focal lengths, but they're larger, for one.

 

[airfrogusmc]

My 35 Lux FLE is always on my MM.

 

[Richard G]

Historically, only since having more than one lens:
M6 and version 4 35 Summicron, so compact.
Then M5 and ZM 50 C Sonnar, just right on the larger camera.
Then the same lens on the M9-P, until the tiny collapsible 50 Elmar M which is rarely removed.
And finally the version 4 tabbed 50 Summicron, almost glued to the Monochrom. Although my new 1951 very clean and tiny 35 f3.5 Summaron might take over.

 

[Tom Niblick]

M9 and a 35 Summicron M (type 4) for 99% of the time.
S2 and 70 Summarit for 100% of the time.

The M9 required a sensor replacement in 2014 and the S2 is in for the same. I think it might have something to do with living and shooting so close to the beach.

 

[filmtwit]

I'm with Keith here, especially as a daily carry around lens. Otherwise I have the 50mm f1.4 lux e46 mounted.

I find the lens that sits by default on my 240 is a 35mm Zeiss Biogon. 35mm is a great focal length on a full frame digital. 🙂

 

[Ben Z]

My usual travel kit is 15 and 21 Voitlanders, 35 IV, and 90 "thin" TE. Of those the 35 definitely sees more use, but I wouldn't call it permanently mounted. If it was I probably would've sold the whole Leica shebang and got a Fuji X100S.

 

[ktmrider]

I use the 35mm so much on the M9, I often think I should just carry my X100. This was especially true hiking 100 miles through the Highlands and 80 miles on the Camino de Santiago last August and September.

As much as I like the Leica with manual controls and focusing, the X100 is so easy to use. And it took beautiful photos when I purchased it and still does. Do not plan on upgrading either camera.

 

[neonart]

For whatever reason the 35mm FOV is not my thing. 50mm is how I roll. So recently i finally bit the bullet and got a 50 Lux ASPH. It's glued to my M240. It does everything right. It's also the lighter black version, so it feels well balanced. BTW, the Thumbs Up helps a ton for those with larger/heavier lenses.
The Elmarit 28 is my wide backup, wich I find way more pleasant than 35mm. But it's definitely a sometimes lens compared to the 50.

I think the 28/50 lenses play so well together because when I'm using the 50 (most of the time) the "framelines" for 28mm are always there... Basically the rest of the viewfinder. So I know exactly what a wide would look like without doing a single thing. But I digress...

 

[kbg32]

M9 and 28/2.8 Asph.

 

[dreamsandart]

My M-cameras have a ‘permanently’ mounted lens most of the time - but it usually lasts about 2 weeks 😉, then I cycle to something else. Work with that lens on, and then change again for fun and a different ‘look’. I admit some lenses are more permanent than others, but its nice to have that M-mount sometimes. I'm currently committed to a v2 28mm Elmarit on my M9, and v3 50mm on the M4.

 

[mdg137]

M240 and 50mm Summilux ASPH.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Monochrom and 0.95 Noctilux. Second lens would be my 35/1.7 Voigtlander Ultron.

 

[Jaymz007]

M-P Type 240 with 50 APO
M-A with 35 cron IV
MP with 35 cron I
glued on but sometimes use other lens as well.
I found that I prefer smaller lighter lens because I used to lug the 50 Noc 0.95 and its makes the camera feel like a dslr.
Even the 50 lux asph and the 35 FLE is still to big.
Just like smaller lens.
I am looking for a 35 summilux pre-asph if anyone is selling one.

 

[Jim-st]

50 Summicron v. III - best lens I've ever shot with, and hard to detach from the M9 as nothing else draws quite like it
Runners up are 28 Color-Skopar and 90 APO Lanthar
Then there's the CV 15, so difficult on digital M's but so beautiful when it works (where is the v. III of that one???)

 

[Godfrey]

My M9 went for most of 2014 with nothing but the Nokton 50/1.5 ASPH (LTM) on it. Then I experimented for a bit wth the Color Skopar 28/3.5, which I enjoyed, and then Summilux 35 v2, which works very nicely on it.

It's off for service at Leica now, and I'm not sure which lens will go back on when it returns... Likely 50 or 35, my two favorites.

G

 

[Doug]

My black M8 is stuck with a 2.8/21 Elmarit ASPH, with a Zeiss 25/28mm finder on top. This camera has the original viewfinder framelines and fast/loud shutter, so is less-used than the chrome M8u, which mostly has the 35 C-Biogon afixed.

And I find that 21 is wider than I usually want on full-frame, thus the M8 is a good home for it.

 

[TRIago]

M3 + Canon 50mm 1.4 LTM
M6 + 35mm Summicron-M Asph
M9 + 50mm Summicron Rigid

Sometimes I do change the combination, but this is pretty much how I keep them. If I will travel and take only one camera, then it doesn't matter which camera I will bring but the 35mm is the only lens.