Lens of choice

[loon]

Hey everyone. I am just wondering which lens is mounted to your M the most and for the sake of a good argument, which lens of yours almost never sees the light of day. I am in the process of receiving an M4-P and want to know which lenses are recommended and the reasons why. i know that Leica makes many different types of the same focal lengths and just want to know which one is the most popular.

 

[telenous]

Good question.

I split my shooting between my 50mm and my 35mm. I use the 50mm for daylight and the 35mm for available light. It could easily work the other way round but the 35mm affords me nearly one extra stop at night, while the 50mm gets me closer to the action during the day.

If pressed to choose one, I 'd say that I use the 35mm lens (Summilux 35 Asph.) a little bit more than the 50. But if pressed to part with one of the two, it would be the 35 that 'd go to the chopboard.

Out of my three lenses I guess I use the 75mm one the least.

BTW The presumed optical performance has nothing to do with which lens I use (they are very similar anyway), its the focal length that matters.

 

[back alley]

25
35
50
90

in that order, lately...

 

[shenkerian]

I now shoot exclusively with a 50mm Summilux Asph, and I'm in the process of selling my other lenses. I plan to learn with this lens for a long time.

 

[markinlondon]

50 Elmar outdoors, 50 Summicron indoors. 90 Tele-Elmarit or Elmar sometimes, 35 'cron rarely.

 

[35mmdelux]

I used the 50mm exclusively for 20 years. Then the 35mm Cron for 15 years.

Mounted right now on my M7 is the 50mm Summilux late pre-asph version - outstanding lens BTW. I alternate w/ the 35mm Lux Asph depending on the situation.

My 90mm Cron is used least, followed by my 28mm V4. On a recent trip to a Central American rainforest I left the 35mm Asph at home and took only the 28mm/2.8 and 50mm/1.4.

 

[LazyHammock]

I use three focal lengths; 28, 50 and 90mm. The 50mm ZM Planar is on my 0.72 M6 95% of the time. After that I use the ZM 28mm Biogon and least frequently the 90mm Summicron. The 90mm will be seeing more use now I have a 1.25X magnifier.
Nick

 

[Monika Haller]

I personally like the second version of the summicron. Unlike the latest versions which I have too, it has a wonderfull rendition for both color and black and white. Newest leica lense are to contrasty for B&W work.

I ahve not tried the Zeiss lenses yet but apparantly the are very good as well.

If just shooting color slides or fim the choice will be a late model cron.

(I am not talking about C41 B&W film here, which is incomparable to genuine B&W film format)

 

[Robert]

I use my 50mm Summicron most of the time and my CV 25mm very seldom. My CV 90 never.

 

[amateriat]

Between my two Hexar RF bodies are three M-Hex lenses: the 28 and 50 are always mounted, and the 90 comes along for the ride for the relatively rare occasion that I need it (and I'm glad to have it). The 28 gets the most use of them all, by a decent margin.


- Barrett

 

[Honus]

I now shoot exclusively with a 50mm Summilux Asph, and I'm in the process of selling my other lenses. I plan to learn with this lens for a long time.

ditto (except I am not selling my 35mm Summicron, which I still use about 5% of the time).

 

[jja]

Until just a few days ago I owned only two lenses: 35/2 Cron Asph, and 50/2 Summicron (latest).

50mm has been my standard for many years. When my kids came along and got really active (i.o.w., when they started walking and rambling), I chose the 35mm so I could shoot at close quarters and still keep up with them. I find that I now shoot my 35mm lens about 60% of the time, for the reason stated, but also because I am always humbled by its image quality. That lens inspires me to want to make my images match its performance.

I have recently acquired a 135/4 Tele-Elmar, and I know I will only take it out during soccer season or trips to the zoo, but who knows, it may surprise me. Another lens I lucked into is the 35/2.8 Summaron--a compact and gorgeous lens. I may put away the 35/2 just to shoot w/ a classic 35 for a while. And there are more lenses, but these are all I'm willing to admit to!

 

[Artorius]

40 Nokton

40 Nokton

Since selling my 50 DR, I am trying out the 40mm Nokton f/1.4 SC. I will know in a couple of hours how it is going to work for me. I use the 90mm Elmar f/4 when not using the 40. The least used is my Elmar 135mm, and my 'eyed' 35mm 3.5 Summaron.

 

[edodo]

A relatively fast f2 50mm is the THING. But for indoor when you want more air around your subjects, and when you want to take a shot of a building and can't fly an helicopter then a fast 35/28mm will do it! I'd like to have a 28mm summicron or a 35mm summilux. But if only one lens then a 50mm summicron!

 

[FrankS]

50mm 95%
35/40mm 3%
25mm 1%
85/90/100mm 1%
135mm 0%

But which 50mm?
'69-'79 Cron, col. Cron, Summarit, Summitar, Elmar 3.5, Elmar 2.8 classic, J3, J8, I-22, Canon f1.8 (chrome version and black version)

 

[jja]

Speaking of 50's, Frank, have you done any direct comparisons between the 50/2 Collapsible Summicron and the 50/2.8 Elmar (first version)?

 

[FrankS]

I'm going to have to make some time in order to get to know my 50mm lenses better.

 

[edodo]

The 50mm f2.8 elmar seems to have a lot of iris blades thus theorically have a nice bokey even stopped down I guess, anyway would love to see some samples by the king of 50's aka Frank!

 

[FrankS]

Charles, I just can't bring myself to send them to Raid, the King of testing!

 

[VictorM.]

40 Summicron mostly, followed by 28 and 90.