If you were to have only one Leica lens

If you were to have only one Leica lens

  • 50mm 1.4

    Votes: 246 21.1%

  • 50mm 2.0

    Votes: 158 13.6%

  • 35mm 1.4

    Votes: 350 30.0%

  • 35mm 2.0

    Votes: 240 20.6%

  • 90mm 2.0

    Votes: 5 0.4%

  • 90mm 2.8

    Votes: 3 0.3%

  • 21mm 2.8

    Votes: 3 0.3%

  • 21mm 1.4

    Votes: 18 1.5%

  • 50mm noctilux (any one)

    Votes: 78 6.7%

  • Other (precise below)

    Votes: 64 5.5%
  • Total voters
    1,165
I am torn between two lenses. The 50mm f1.4 pre-asph Summilux, or the 35mm f2 asph Summicron. Those are my two favorite Leica lenses, in the end I dont know what I would choose.
 
Geez any leica lens please. The 35/2 is such a versatile lens. Depends on your style of photography of course. The 50/1 is a genius and can see in the dark. I have 2 old summarons, 35/2.8 & 35/3.5. They are great for portraits and flare a bit for fun. Think I'd still prefer the 35/2 for versatility tough. Portraits, streets, landscapes and indoors and night time work. I regularly shoot 100asa f2 on 15 sec at night with the 35/2 and cause it's such a small lightweight lens it's so easy to hold still. Horses for courses 🙄
 
I think I'd have to go with Noctilux. I've never shot with one, but the prospect of shooting at night at ISO 200 or lower at F1/F.97 would be great. Yeah it's a big lens blah blah blah but seriously, I used to shoot at 1600/3200 at f2.8 (the speed of my old 35mm)... to be able to shoot those same scenes with Acros would be amazing.

Edit: and from what I've read, stopped down the Noctilux performs just as well as other 50's.

Edit #2: A friend of mine had some F .7 or so primes... I'd be able to shoot like ISO 50 or slower at night. If only they would mount onto any camera of mine
 
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28 f2.8 ASPH. shoot 100 Acos more or less full time and I like this f-length. The results of the 50 f1.4 ASPH are excellent, but the size and feel of the 28 just work in my case...

Casey
 
I enjoy using my 35mm VC Ultron lens most on my 72vf.......
that 35mm frame is so wide in the VF.
You just feel so relaxed and can snap away with ease.

I also love those 35mm lens small crowd shots where someone in the foreground is out of focus and so is stuff in the background but the main group is sharp. 3D look or what!

If I sold all the other stuff I could finally afford a leica 35mm lens too 🙂

Having said that, most shots, that I and the people being shot really like, come from my 90mm Elmar-C, in the form of portraits. That is one underated lens and perfect for travel. So light and cheap too.

If it was really just one lens though, then I might have to go for my Leica 50mm rigid.
It is heavy but "paints" a picture like no other.

...but wait a minute, that 50 really got on my nerves on my last trip to France where almost nothing fitted inside the 50mm frames when I was walking about and I had just taken the one lens.

No its no good .....I NEED the Leica holy trinity 35-50-90 combo or at worst 35 and 90.

So please ignore my signature on this reply 🙂
 
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Interesting question.
Well, if I rule out the really special glass in the Leica portfolio (50 asph, 75, noct, 21 lux etc..) that I simply can't afford, It appears that NO lens from leica would be that special that I wouldn't replace it with other brands without feeling the smallest itch:
25: zeiss
28: Hex
35: Hex/ Biogon
50: Planar/Hex
85/90: Hex/ (Canon for f/2)

The only "special" lens in some respects would be the DR for its characteristics and the close up capabilities, but my milage is so small with it that I'll need to give it some time to grow on me...
 
anorphirith said:
Hello, I bought an M6 recently with a CV 35 1.2
now I'd like to try out a leica lens but they are so expensive that I can only afford one

If you were to have only one Leica lens which one would you choose/keep?
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What is meant by IF? The unemployed have little choice except to try to hang onto their one and only lens period!

At least, I am learning it very well....😱
 
If I didn't already have a super compact 8 bit coded Leica Octo-Nocti 15-18-21-24-28-35-50-75 f0.95 ASPH, I'd probably get a fast 50. The pre-asph lux is pretty fantastic.
 
I do have only one Lecia lens. Im very happy with the 35 1.4 summilux with hood on my M3. It has "the look" I was looking for, and so far Iv taken some very nice images with the combo. My only regret was waiting 25 years to get a lecia and a fast wide angle.


gregory
 
Summicron rigid (first version), Leica M3, TriX printed on Ilford MGIV fb.

Erik.

4009877000_be02a6da54_o.jpg
 
venchka said:
Only one lens:

1961 51.9mm f/2.0 Dual Range Summicron.

Wait, that's my lens. If all the others had to go, I would keep the D.R. Summicron.
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I will agree with Wayne here - for the most part. The DR Summicron is versatile, sharp when it needs to be, unique rendering, and spectacular construction. While I might keep my ZM Sonnar over my early pre-asph Summilux, I can't think of a lens comparable to the DR.

This might be good advice for the OP, but IF IT WERE ME and I could only have one Leica lens (and if I hit SuperLotto) I would have to flip a coin between the 21/1.4 Summilux and the 50/0.95 Noctilux. Someone DID say price is no object, right?
 
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