Help me pare down my kit

[fenixv8]

My current lens kit currently consists of:

35 Summilux 1977
35 Summicron 1996
50 Summilux 1972
50 Summicron 1994
90 Summicron 1987

and a Canon Dream lens 50mm F0.95 1961

I was thinking of selling one of the 35s, one of the 50s and the Canon dream lens and possibly picking up a 50 Noctilux F1.

Which would you part with? or do you think the Noctilux is not worth it and I should just leave the kit as it is?

Always appreciate your input guys.

 

[benmacphoto]

I would keep the 35mm Summilux, 50mm Summicron, and 90mm Summicron.
Sell the other glass and pick up a 50mm f1.0 Noctilux.
I use a Noctilux as my main lens and think a 50mm Summicron would be good to keep with it over a Summilux.

Good luck with adjusting your kit.

 

[bayernfan]

my decision would be based upon my needs as they relate to making meaningful photographs. i'd advise looking through your own work, recognizing your best/favorite images, and selecting the lenses that were most often used.

i'd like to see more photographers post a link or share their best work when asking about lens selection. 🙂

 

[fenixv8]

thanks guys. Reading both your posts have just given me a moment of clarity.

 

[a.noctilux]

I can not help to shrink your kit if you plan one Noctilux :angel:.

Noctilux is a big step and when you use one, you'd love or hate it.

My advice is buy you a Noctilux then use it, after a while you would see clear what to do with your other lenses.

I keep mine but use it sometime to time, only when it's no choice.
Great part of my photos are from lighter 50mm as Summarit-M.
But if the subject needs Noctilux, there is no choice 😛.

 

[fenixv8]

both film and digital. Right now I dont really specialize in what I shoot. I do a bit of everything and am just taking whatever I can get to pay off gear and photography classes.

Which means a lot of weddings. But i also doing product stuff and portraiture and street for myself.

I think I am going to take Ben's advise. Sell the 35 cron and 50 summilux and 50 canon.

I will try out the noctilux again tomorrow.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

If you are getting fast lens it makes sense (for me) to sell fast lenses and keep slower and lighter.

 

[jaapv]

My current lens kit currently consists of:

35 Summilux 1977
35 Summicron 1996
50 Summilux 1972
50 Summicron 1994
90 Summicron 1987

and a Canon Dream lens 50mm F0.95 1961

I was thinking of selling one of the 35s, one of the 50s and the Canon dream lens and possibly picking up a 50 Noctilux F1.

Which would you part with? or do you think the Noctilux is not worth it and I should just leave the kit as it is?

Always appreciate your input guys.

Just send me the key to your house by post and I will pare it down for you whilst you are away. No charge, I won't even take travelling costs. 😛

 

[presspass]

Go back through your photos and see which ones you like best. Then try to remember which lens you used. Keep those lenses and get rid of the rest. I shoot black and white film, so if I had to choose what to keep and what to sell, the older ones would stay and the newer would go.

 

[Axel]

I´d keep the Summicrons and sell the Summiluxes and the Canon lens.

 

[analoged]

I think Ben nailed it! Keep the Crons, sell the rest for a Noct!!!

 

[maddoc]

I sold my 50 Summilux pre-ASPH (vs3 with integrated hood) to help financing a Noctilux. The Noctilux and a 50mm Summicron vs4 (with tab) a more useful to me than one 50mm Summilux. I also have the 35mm Summilux pre-ASPH and 35mm Summicron vs3 lenses. If using two different focal length for the same project then I would recommend to either use 50 and 35mm Summicron or 35 mm Summilux and 50mm Noctilux.

 

[David Hughes]

I´d keep the Summicrons and sell the Summiluxes and the Canon lens.

I'll second this but can I suggest a one body outfit of the 35 and 90 Summicrons? Trouble is, we don't know what sort of camera body is involved and are guessing at the type of photographer that we are trying to help...

Regards, David

 

[a.noctilux]

David,
Just a kind of Nocti-GAS, I know well the symtom and only one remedy, Noctilux.

As a side note, when one uses a Noctilux, two choices : selling it for same price or small loss , other may keep it for futur use.

 

[Rayt]

I would keep the Noctilux above all else. You can get rid of everything else and replace them with CV, ZM, KM, whatever but the Noctilux is unique. I had a mint Canon .95 once and had DAG convert it to M mount but it was no Noct not even close. I would keep the 35 and 50 Summicrons and sell the rest.

 

[fenixv8]

Last night I looked through some old photos taken with all the lens and it was a interesting exercise. I did not realize lightroom could sort by lens type.

I shoot all the lens on a Leica M10 and the 50s on my M3.

I've decided to sell the Canon lens and the 50 summilux for sure. Its just whether I sell the 35 cron or 35 lux?

I need to sell all 3 to be able to afford the noctilux.

I know the 35 cron is optically superior but I really love the rendering of the 35 lux. Ugh

 

[a.noctilux]

35mm Summilux or Summicron ?
Very simple with two questions:
- do you use often 70 cm to 1m ?
- do you use often f/1.4

Bonus,
Noctilux would take you sometime before you re-use Lux or Cron 35mm ...

 

[fenixv8]

I dont really shoot that close with the 35mm

and I do enjoy using 1.4 especially at weddings.

Yes i am excited about the Noctilux. I didnt realize there are so many version of the F1

 

[a.noctilux]

So keep 35mm Summilux that becomes Summicron from f/2 and you can use f/1.4 if need be.

Noctilux 1.0 all have same optical cell.
The first one use E58 filter, then second with E60 filter and the last have hood built-in.

Have a look here (sorry in french):
http://www.dg77.net/photo/leicaM/noctilux.htm

Extract from the page:

1. #11820 : f/1,2 – filtre 58mm – 1966-1975 – S/N 2176701 et suivants ;
2. #11821 : f/1,0 – filtre 58mm – pare-soleil amovible #12503 – 1976-1978 – S/N 2749631 ;
3. #11821 : f/1,0 – filtre 60mm – pare-soleil amovible #12539 (monté sur deux pattes de l’objectif) – 1978-1982;
4. #11821 : f/1,0 – filtre 60mm – pare-soleil amovible #12544 (enclipsage à ressorts) – 1982-1994
5. #11822 : f/1,0 – filtre 60mm – pare-soleil intégré – 1994-2007 ;
6. #11602 : f/0.95 – annoncé en sept. 2008, disponible fev/mars 2009

 

[fenixv8]

Thank you for all the help guys. I am in love with this new lens.