Do you mix and match your brands of lenses?

C

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I just thought I would start a discussion as to whether you prefer to mix and match different brands of lenses or do you prefer to get all one brand to get a continuity of character between the various focal lengths? It can be further complicated in that lenses of different vintage can have a different character yet again.

I do prefer to stick to same brands to get that continuity. I have mainly Leica lenses as my main user kit except one, I use a Voigtlander 21mm because I prefer its small size but also it doesn't seem to stand out with a much different character to the Leica lenses. However when I have tried a Voigtlander 40mm, a great lens on its own, its character stands out from the Leica ones. Do the wider focal lengths like 21mm have such great depth of field that brand character differences diminish?

I have seen one chap with a Zeiss 21, a Leica 35, a Konica 50 and a Voigtlander 90. Do you find some different lenses of different brands work well together?

Happy discussion.
 
I have Zeiss, Leica, Nikon and future thoughts on voigtlander 35 f/1.4 :)
ofcourse I like to mix, simply to forget tones, textures and visual qualitys of lesnes, there is big difference in ergonomics, so yeah, definetly! but zeiss is the best so far :p
 
Well, I can't afford a Zeiss 15mm, so a CV 15mm will do.
I won a Zeiss 50mm but I also have a J-8.
I have a CV 25mm but also a Minolta 40mm, and a Leica 28 Elmarit on the way.
Add a Jupiter 90mm, and I think I mixed and matched quite well.

For me, criterium 1 is my budget. Secondly, I want a lens that matches what I plan to shoot. If there is a lens that fits both criteria, it's mine. :)
 
Like stereo equipment, aren't you supposed to mix & match to get the best of all possibilities? Besides, who would want to always pay Leitz prices for Canon, Nippon Kogaku, Konica or Voigtlander quality, hey?
 
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The flexibility of the M/LTM mount is it's most important strength to me. Except for M42,
no other mount allows you to mix and match similarly. I wouldn't even use
Rangefinders without it .... Check my kits in the signature, you can see which lenses
I pair up.

Roland
 
As for RML, for me the first criterion is my budget. I buy what I can afford in the focal length I need.
 
I have only CV lenses for my R3A. This isn't motivated by brand loyalty but rather by the fact that CV is the only one currently making quality lenses I can afford.
I have a few FSU lenses for my FSU cameras.
 
I have to admit, All of my M-mount lenses are (old) Leica. Not because I'm one of those red-dot fanatics (you know who you are), but when I was buying my kit That's all there was. I didn't know about the Hexar, Cosina had only made SM lenses, and there was no ZM.

My very first RF was a zorki, with four lenses. Three of which were great, and one that wasn't. I've still got all of them. I've got a VC 15mm, and keep looking at their offerings with interest. I've also been perusing the ZM catalog of late, they look like great lenses. (Do I really need another 50? Yes. Can I afford one? Sadly, no.)

I'd happily mix and match, and someday I really will!
 
My lens choice is a palette, in terms of focal length and signature. The "brushes" I use each deliver a different "look", based on a number of criteria. I am no more a slavish follower of a particular brand of lens than I am cars, suits, shoes, watches or anything else.

Regards,

Bill
 
What continuity? I use Leica, Zeiss, Voigtländer and Canon, and I half-regret selling my 85/2 Jupiter (though only half, because I really didn't use it much). I see more continuity between a 50/2 Planar and a 50/2 Summicron than I do between a 50/2 Planar and a 50/1.5 Sonnar.

Cheers,

R.
 
[sarcasm] Heavens no! I would never mount an inferior Oriental lens on my paragon of German engineering. I assure you I could discern the difference immediately, at any resolution. Leica optics are simply superior to anything else and I only shoot my pets and children with the best! I do as Mr. Putts advises and I NEVER put an "off-brand" lens on my Leica. As he said, it's like putting a BMW engine into one's Mercedes! [/sarcasm]



:D :D :D
 
I'm happy to mix and match in any way. Right now my main lens is a Konica UC-Hexanon 35/2. I've never bought a Leica lens because they are simply too expensive for me to justify the cost.
 
Go for it I say. I've had Leica, Zeiss, CV, Rollei, Pentax and Konica lenses on my M's. Currently only shooting Leica & Zeiss.
 
Mix? never! My Kiev mustz have all Jupiter lenses... !!

just kidding, mix and match lenses are one of the joy of Photogearphy.
M42 is the most fun and hurts just a bit on the wallet :)
 
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