M9 lens combinations

[Rowse]

Hi All,

Just wondering what lenses you guys/gals are using on your M9? Mainly a 3 lens combo. I dont own an M9 but looking forward to getting one soon🙂

I.E., 21mm, 35mm, 50mm OR 35mm, 50mm, 90mm...... or maybe sell 21 and 35 and get 28? Damn, too many to choose, I own all focal lengths but have to sell two to buy an M9.:bang:

Would appreciate the feedback.......Thanks a lot!

 

[Bobble]

For me it's 21, 35 and 90. Makes a good general purpose kit

 

[Rob-F]

Do you already use a film M? It seems to me that Full-frame Leica users would prefer pretty much the same focal lengths on the M9 as they would on any other full-frame camera. The most popular focal lengths are 50mm and 35mm. For me personally, I am most likely to want my 35mm, 28mm, or 24mm lens. The next most likely choices are 50 or 75. 21mm and 90mm bring up the rear, so to speak.

Your question seems to anticipate that M9 users might prefer a different set of lenses than film M users. Do you think that might be the case?

Don't sell anything unless you never use it or don't like it.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

What focal lengths do you use most? Keep those.

It seems I go through focal length "moods."
Years ago I was using strictly 28mm, 50mm and 90mm but that was my first Leica kit. I was carrying 2 M bodies, an M2 with the 28mm Kobalux and an M4 usually with a 50 DR Summicron or a 90 Elmar. That was pretty much the perfect kit in my opinion.

Since then I've owned way too many cameras and lenses but always come back to a select few focal lengths. Now I'm shooting an M9 and have started to settle down to just a few lenses.

I've had a Super Angulon 21mm f/3.4 for over a year now and it is one of my favorite lenses. Definitely one of the sharpest and finest optics I've ever used. Yeah, it has colored vignetting on the M9 but that can be fixed in Cornerfix or converted to grayscale from raw.

I just fell back in love with the 28mm focal length using a 2.8cm f/3.5 Nikkor on an Amedeo adapter. It's fantastic but I'm still debating on whether or not to keep it.

I've gone through six 35mm lenses in the last eight years and can never seem to let go of the focal length no matter what i do. I could definitely live without it but life wouldn't be as fun. On the M9 a 35 is just about perfect for a one-lens walkabout.

At times many of us have had numerous 50mm lenses at hand. Only once in the last 9 years have I had just one 50mm lens and that is my DR Summicron, the lens I will forsake all others for. Can't be used on the M9 in anything other than close up mode though so I have a few Soviet 5cm lenses and a 5cm f/1.4 Nikkor which is my new go-to.

I tried to like 75mm and the lenses I've used have been stellar but it is too close to 50mm and 90mm to be useful (for me.) With a 50, it's one step closer and with the 90, it's one step back, that's how I see it.

I've also had a few 90mm lenses but after I got my 10.5cm Nikkor, none of them stacked up. I just love the long focus Sonnar look. I've used 90 Elmars, Elmarits, Tele-Elmarits and Summicrons but I just like the 10.5cm Nikkor better. Everyone has their own taste though.

As for 135mm I just can't get behind it. i love the compression of subject and the ability to reach out but the M9 rangefinder just doesn't have the magnification for critical focus of the 135mm focal length unless you use the 135 Elmarit with the goggles. But then the camera becomes a bit massive. If you need it, you need it. I might get a 13.5cm Nikkor just to have around but only once or twice in the last few years have I actually needed that much focal length on a scene where I couldn't get to the subject much closer.

So, in a nutshell, for me it's 21mm, 35mm, 50mm and 105mm. 28mm is definitely growing on me again since it's a focal length I gave up for a fast and sexy 35mm years ago. Give me non-distorting slower lenses any day though.
If I had to choose just two focal lengths though, it would be 28mm and 50mm.

Phil Forrest

 

[Rowse]

Yes, I have a .85 MP only. I mainly use the 35 and 50mm focal lengths. Just wondering how the 90mm will preform on an M9 with a .68 mag and a digital sensor which is thinner than film. 21mm and 90mm are less used but about equal in use.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

With good focusing technique, even the 90 Summicrons can be focused quite accurately on the M9. It's that dang 75 Summilux and the offerings in the 135mm range that are much more difficult to use. I found with my old 135/2.8 Komura that it could focus and make amazing photos but with my glasses and any slight error (even breathing) in eye placement on the exit pupil of the RF, the focus could be off by over an inch. Nothing wrong with the lens, it was all operator error 😀 and i have to use glasses, so anything longer than 90/105 is going to be done with an SLR or a shorter lens and my zooming legs.
Your 90 will focus just fine on the M9, don't worry. Compared to your .85 finder though, you might be a little disheartened. Until you see what the "old" M9 sensor can do with some good lenses. Files are still among the best in miniature format digital photography.

Phil Forrest

 

[jaapv]

As for 135mm I just can't get behind it. i love the compression of subject and the ability to reach out but the M9 rangefinder just doesn't have the magnification for critical focus of the 135mm focal length unless you use the 135 Elmarit with the goggles. But then the camera becomes a bit massive. If you need it, you need it. I might get a 13.5cm Nikkor just to have around but only once or twice in the last few years have I actually needed that much focal length on a scene where I couldn't get to the subject much closer.

Yes, that is the official Leica view. Which puzzles me no end, as I have no problems focussing the ApoTelyt wide open.

 

[Richard G]

The 90 Elmarit and even the Tele Elmar 135 wide open at f4 on the M9 work fine. I usually have in the bag three lenses including one on the camera, the 90, a 50 and a 21. But lately I am just carrying three Zeiss lenses, 21 f4.5, which is fine on the M9 even with colour for most shots, the 35 C Biogon and the C Sonnar 50. My Summicrons, 50 and 35 are having a rest for the moment. I have two 25s, including the Zeiss, but it's big and I have been enjoying the 21 too much.

Wide open 135 Tele Elmar f4:


L1002052.jpg by Richard GM2, on Flickr

 

[Rowse]

However, lately I've been using the 21, 50 and occasional 90 combo. But to sell my 35mm Summilux Asph (older) would be crazy since I bought it a few years ago when it was much cheaper. No way would I be able to afford the new version if I decided to get another 35mm Summilux.😕

 

[fotomeow]

My travel kit consists of two bodies and 3 lenses: one FF and one 1.5 crop factor with a 15mm CV, a 35mm Lux/Cron, and a 50 mm Lux/Cron or Sonnar.

Two bodies with 3 lenses allows me to have 5 focal lengths from 15m to 75mm (15, 23,35,50,75).
I usually keep the 35mm on the FF, dont change the lens much, and use this as my primary weapon,
while I reserve the 1.5 crop factor camera (RD1s, Nex7) to change lenses on for flexibility in focal lengths.

 

[3rdtrick]

Well for me the three lens kit is:

35 lux Pre-A
50 lux ASPH
90 cron Pre-APO

They say the 35 and 50 are too close but they are totally two different characteristics so that works out for me. I also have a 75 cron and it is awesome but I have not warmed up to the focal length so I am looking to trade it for the 21 Super Elmar 3.4. For my longer lenses, I use my SLR.

Because you asked, here is the 90 cron on the M9:

I carried the M9 over my shoulder and the 90 in my pocket. I am sure they would have stopped me in the concert if I had brought an SLR.

Pete

 

[Rowse]

75mm Cron

75mm Cron

I owned the lens as well. Spectacular lens indeed, but I couldn't bond with the 75mm focal length.

 

[Tom Niblick]

My two lens M9 kit is a 35 Summicron type IV and a 90 Elmarit M. My 3 lens kit adds a 50 Summicron. A 135 Elmarit sits in a drawer beside an old 90 Tele Elmarit and only comes out to play when I know I'll need it.

I do miss my 21 Biogon and am sorry I sold it. I'll have to replace it one day soon, though I may go with the 25 or a 24.

The MM has me dreaming of another body and I've started saving. Of course I'd like a 28 Summicron to go with it and to exchange the 50 Summicron for a 50 Summilux ASPH but I may get impatient and just grab a good used M8.2 and a 21 before my GAS gets too expensive.

The problem is that there are so many good choices available and what I'm using now is perfect 99% of the time.

 

[gshybrid]

I travel with an M9+ cv 21, 35 cron and 90 macro elmar... incredibly lightweight and versatile kit.

 

[TheGodParticle]

one aspect that's somehow being overlooked is -> whats your style of shooting? based on this i'd talk about the lenses i'd use.

i'm most comfortable with street/abstract/foolingaroundaphy so i like it really wide like 15mm or i usually live between 35mm and 90mm

when it comes to picking a few to go shoot, depending on the light, its usually:

M9 classic

daytime/enough light -> Heliar 15/4.5 v1 + 35 lux asph v1 or elmar 50 2.8 E39 + heliar 75/2.5 (all of em are good for fast focusing)

low light ->Noctilux 50/f1 + Summilux 75 or summicron 90 (50&75 have a longer focus throw for more precise focusing in low light)

special events -> summarit 50/1.5 + summarex 85/1.5 (for that goddamn retro magic i still cant get over)

my beautiful older LTM lenses not in this picture

so, question is - what's your usual modus operandi?

 

[hausen]

I simplified my kit this year getting rid of 21mm, 35mm and 135mm options and went with 28/50/90 Summicrons. The 28 is plenty wide enough for me, 50mm is my natural FL and 90 is as long as I want. Went with the KISS theory.

 

[Vince Lupo]

For my 3 lens kit, it's either the 21/4 Voigtlander, 35/1.7 Voigtlander and 50/2 Summicron, or 35/1.7 Voigtlander, 50/2 Summicron and 75/2.5 Summarit. Usually I go for the 21-35-50 combo, because it's smaller/lighter, and I tend to use the 21 more than the 75.

If it were a 2 lens kit, it would be the 35 and the 50.

 

[myM8yogi]

Travel + landscape: 21/2.8 ZM, 40/2 CLE, 90/2.8 elmarit-M, gorrilapod + 1 polarizing & 1 860IR filters.

People, portraits, events: 35/1.2 Noct, 50/1.5 J3 sonnar, 90/2.8 elmarit-M + 24SFD

 

[Ben Z]

I've got one of every focal length available from 12mm to 135mm, including faster and slower versions in 21, 28, 35, 50, 90 and 135. Plus a 105mm Nikkor and a 400mm Visoflex Telyt. I rarely carry more than three lenses at any given time, and never more than four. I make the selections each time based on anticipated subjects. Sometimes I come home having not used one or more lenses I had along; sometimes, but rarely, I wish I'd brought one I left home.

Having a bunch of lenses can be a constant source of indecision and frustration. One way to deal with it is to own fewer lenses to choose among. The other is to gain experience by shooting. The former is quick and sure, but IMO defeats the purpose of owning a system camera.