Do you have duplicate lenses in same focal lenght? Why? Why not?

[cz23]

I'm pretty content with one Zeiss 50, one Zeiss 35, and one Voigtlander 25.

I'm considering a less modern look, but if I find something I like, I'll probably let the Zeiss lenses go. In the interest of simplicity and consistency.

John

 

[panerai]

I have 2 Minolta M-Rokkor 40mm f/2 lenses. Bought one for my Leica CL, but then saw an Ebay auction for a Leitz Minolta camera with lens in nicer condition for a good BIN price.

Sold the second camera which resulted in the lens costing me $200, so hung onto it.

DON

 

[presspass]

Too many. After selling my rangefinder stuff in the early 70s to pay for an SLR kit I needed for work, I promised to never sell the rf equipment again. I haven't bought an M mount lens in five years but have acquired some LTM lenses to go with a pair of IIIa's. The only focal lengths I don't have duplicates of are 15, 18, and 40 mm. Sad, I know, but they don't take up a lot of space.

 

[oftheherd]

I have 3 100mm lenses for my Super Press 23. One I bought original to my first body. The other two came with other stuff, and need work. Same with a duplicate 65mm for the Press. I have two 50mm lenses for my Contac II, one I think came with some other purchase. Perhaps with the 35mm or the 85mm. I don't recall.

I really don't buy duplicates on purpose. I see no reason too. That's for myself. I totally understand others who want more. Raid's thread on different 50s was interesting even though I don't nor ever expect to own Leica gear. It was just interesting and I still marvel at the time and patience required for that testing.

 

[FrankS]

Canon 50f1.8
Cron rigid 50f2
Cron collapsible 50f2
Summar collapsible 50f2
Elmer collapsible uncoated 50f3.5
FED collapsible coated 50f3.5

used to have in addition:
Cron (1969-79, first black) 50f2
Summitar collapsible 50f2
Summarit 50f1.5
CV 50f2.5
Zeiss 50f2 (in Jupiter 8 barrel)
Nikon 50f2 with close focus

 

[Bill Clark]

I own a few fifties. But I'm not in my fifties anymore!

Leica, Nikkor, Canon even a Zeiss 50 f4.0 for my Hasselblad, to mention some of them.

Why? Well, you never know, I mean I use them.

Today, I'm making photos of grandchildren. The oldest is two. Using three cameras all with fifties on them and no other lenses in the camera bag. Then, in a few days I get to photograph my sons wife who will be a participant in a ceremony to become a United States citizen.

Fun and lots of smiles.

 

[giganova]

You guys are funny, you should listen to yourself.

"Weight" (?), "different personalities", "different rendering", "different aperture ring", "size", "compactness", "different look", "for different use", "allure", "looks better on my camera" -- seriously?

Why don't you just say "because I like it" or "because I can" and stop convincing yourself why you need different lenses of the same focal length. 🙄

Even my wife accepts my non-argument "because I like it". Gives her an excuse to buy more shoes. 😀

 

[Brian Legge]

I think those phrases are people explaining the 'why' to 'because I like it'. 😉

 

[RichC]

I guess I'm in the minority here: I'm interested in cameras (and lenses) only as tools, and couldn't care less about engineering (providing they're sufficiently sturdy) or optical differences (providing they sufficiently sharp).

It's all about the image for me, and efficiency - which as far as equipment goes means as few lenses etc. as possible.

So, for me, it's one lens per focal length unless there's a good reason otherwise. Like lenses, I don't duplicate cameras - each is a tool for a specific job. Let's take my Nikon D800E as an example - ignoring a point-and-shoot I use for "visual notes", my only digital camera:

- 35mm Nikon shift
- 55mm Nikon macro
- 55mm Mamiya (with shift adapter)
- 80mm Mamiya (with shift adapter)
- 135mm Mamiya (with shift adapter)

I've two 55mm lenses as one's a macro, and, on the rare ocassions I need it, I don't have to change to my everyday lens - the 55mm Mamiya. (As an aside, I prefer shift lenses - sharp, low distortion and much more versatile than a normal lens.)

The Mamiya lenses are a very deliberate choice. Besides my Nikon, my other primary camera is a Mamiya 645 film camera, so this set of lenses allows me to REDUCE the number of lenses I own since it's shared by two camera systems!

 

[YYV_146]

50mm.... too many to list (in the range of 8-10). Most are older and acquired for rendering characteristics, but they're often also relatively inexpensive and make easy impulse purchases. Of these, the favorite is a Zeiss Opton f/1.5 Sonnar, particularly for people photos (a close second would be the CV40/1.4, though maybe it should be in the 35mm category). I've always liked the look of the 50 Cron Rigid and finally recently found one at a reasonable price, but haven't shot much with it. My main go-to 50 is the Lux ASPH for the combination of speed, performance, rendering. It has some quirks that annoy me, but from my research only the 50 Cron APO would address these. Unfortunately its cost is a high obstacle for reasons practical and psychological.

The APO cron has been a revelation to me: performance is simply a notch above everything else in the focal length. The other sharper 50mm M's (planar, lux ASPH) don't draw in quite the same way.

If you find the Lux ASPH unsatisfying...go for the APO cron. The cost is high but I think not excessive for the experience.

 

[kossi008]

I used to have several lenses of my central 3 focal lengths (28, 35, 50), but I forced myself to pare down to one of each.

Feel way better now... until the next GAS attack..

 

[seakayaker1]

Multiple lens with the same focal lengths. Reasons vary, wanted to see how they were to handle and images produced, chrome vs black, small vs large, and because I had the cash on hand at the time. I have bought used vs new and have sold some along the way and reacquired a couple again after I sold them since I missed them after they were gone for a year or so. The intent is that I will sell them all off some day except a couple .....

...... that day may yet still come.

35's include: Silver Leitz Summaron 3.5cm f3.5; Silver Cron 35mm f2 ASOH; and Black Lux 35mm f1.4 ASPH

50's include: Black VC Nokton 50mm f1.5 ASPH; Silver Leitz Summitar 5 cm f/2; Black Lux 50mm f1.4 ASPH; and Black Zeiss 50mm f1.5

75's include: VC Silver Color-Heliar 75mm f/2.5 MC; and Black Cron 75mm f2 ASPH

90's include: Silver Leitz Elmar 9cm f4; Black Elmarit 90mm f2.8

 

[Fjäll]

I've got a Leica 35mm 2.0, Nikon 35mm 2.8, Tessar 35mm 3,5 (x2) and a Fujinon 35mm 2.0 but they are all permanently attached to their camera bodies respectively.

I don't think I'd ever buy the same focal length for the same brand though.

 

[bhop73]

I have two 50s.. A Summitar and a Canon 1.4. Although, I only really have the Summitar because I wanted a small lens for my Barnack after I purchased that. I generally use the Canon on the M6 because it's sharper and I use the 1.4 sometimes, but occasionally I'll use the Summitar on it because it collapses and is easier to carry around.

 

[Jockos]

You guys are funny, you should listen to yourself.

"Weight" (?), "different personalities", "different rendering", "different aperture ring", "size", "compactness", "different look", "for different use", "allure", "looks better on my camera" -- seriously?

Why don't you just say "because I like it" or "because I can" and stop convincing yourself why you need different lenses of the same focal length. 🙄

Even my wife accepts my non-argument "because I like it". Gives her an excuse to buy more shoes. 😀

Well, put a 21 skopar and a 21 ultron next to each other and say there's no practical size or weight difference.
:bang:

 

[raid]

I have a 35/1.4 pre-asph Lux, and I cannot bring myself to also get a CV 35/1.4, even though it may actually provide me with a more modern rendering alternative. My "other 35/1,4" is an SLR lens that has a 50% crop on my Olympus M4/3 camera, so the view is that of a 70mm lens.

 

[Kent]

Of course I do! 😉

Several 50ish mm lenses for Nikon.
Several 85/90mm for Nikon.
More 50 and 85 with other mounts.

Even two 90mm lenses by Leica.

Why? Because it's fun. And I like the different characters of the lenses.

 

[raid]

Me too. I am curious, so I buy lenses. I then use them all. A lot of using.
I have no collector's lens, I think. I have user's lenses.

 

[Daryl J.]

Sometimes I'm in the mood for dress slacks, sometimes jeans, sometimes scrub pants, all for the same job.

It's the same with my lenses and adds a bit of spontaneity to image creation. Sometimes I want a Sonnar bokeh, sometimes I want a 'Cron's predictability. Sometimes I need a pocket camera so my collapsible Elmar gets used. Sometimes I want a bit of an ethereal touch so the old Summarit goes on. Etc.

I like the various renderings.