If you were to have only one Leica lens

[triplefinger]

40-c summicron

one step back = 35mm
one step forward = 50mm

 

[retnull]

Summar 50/2 and Summarit 50/1.5 !! They look like nothing else in the world.

 

[le vrai rdu]

A 35 f 2, it is luminous and small, perfect for street photo
even a 35 2,5 would be fine

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Your 35 Nokton is superb. You can make it wide enough and normal too... With it, you're well covered in the normal-wide vision talking about speed and beautiful rendition...

Then, of course, what is lacking in your bag is a tele view, for isolating scenes and for portraits...

The right choice would be a 75 or a 90.

As I use a 40, I picked a cheap and wonderful Leica 90 f/2, but as you have a 35 and the money and desire of a brand more than a lens, you should get a wonderful Leica 75.

Cheers,

Juan

 

[excellent]

Summar 50/2 and Summarit 50/1.5 !! They look like nothing else in the world.

I second that. An unused Summar would be a dream lens.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Summicron 35mm f/2 (first version, 8 elements), Leica M2, Tmax400 printed on Ilford MGIV fb.

Erik.

 

[b.espahbod]

I'm dying of GAS attack PLEASE!!! let me have atleast TWO!!!
Definitely 50 1.4 ASPH BUT 35 1.4 ASPH if it was distortion free.

 

[ian_w]

Already there...

Already there...

It's the 50/2.8 Elmar-M. Have owned a bunch of different lenses and sold them all to be left with the Elmar-M and the Voigtlander 35/2.5 PII and 21/4. The 21mm may be going for sale soon as I'm not using that much. It's the look that has meant I've kept the Elmar-M.

Ian

 

[spikey]

me too

me too

28/2.0 Asph.

+1

H....

 

[gustav[] pEña]

not 28 option? yous be crazy.....and there is a 21 option, jesus.

 

[loneranger]

I second that...the 50/2.8 elmar M

It's the 50/2.8 Elmar-M. Have owned a bunch of different lenses and sold them all to be left with the Elmar-M and the Voigtlander 35/2.5 PII and 21/4. The 21mm may be going for sale soon as I'm not using that much. It's the look that has meant I've kept the Elmar-M.

Ian

 

[Rogrund]

not 28 option? yous be crazy.....and there is a 21 option, jesus.

Option: Other (precise below).

 

[thomasw_]

the
50mm 2.0
50mm 1.4
75mm 1.4
are finalists for me.....which leica lens does leica make a rectangular hood for ?

Leica makes rectangular shades for its wide angle lenses to 35 cron asph and lux asph. the WATE 16-18-21, 24s, 28s, etc.. The 50s and longer are round or built in and round, with the exception of the noctilux, as it is built in and slightly rectangular/roundish.

None of your 'finalist lenses' come native with rectangular hoods.

 

[martin s]

So I got this thread kind of wrong, I assumed it'd be what lens to get if I'd have a 35mm f1.2 already.

Since everybody posts their one and only lens, for me it'd be the 28mm f2 as mentioned by a few others already.

martin

 

[Erik van Straten]

In the old days, many people just did it with their Elmar 50mm f/3.5.

Elmar 50mm f/3.5 M-mount, Leica M2, TriX printed on Ilford MGIV fb.

Erik.

 

[Livesteamer]

90% of my work is with the 50mm Summilux asph. Joe

 

[edodo]

It is about the only one ever necessary go for the summilux 50mm 1.4!

 

[mojobebop]

35

35

has to be a 35.

 

[b.espahbod]

I wonder why would someone only keep 21lux??? whats the advantage of a 90ºdiag lens with 3% barrel distortion and odd filter size and terrible handling?

 

[jmi]

I dearly love my 50mm cron v3. Yes, the "odd man out", "least popular" version.

Fast enough, sharp enough, bokeh to die for, and I love the tones I get with Tri-X. User interface is just right (although some would complain about the long focus throw), good solid non-sliding hood that stays put and buttery smooth focus (at least on my copy).

Not that I don't lust after other lenses, of course, I just keep coming back to this one.