Multiple lenses of the same focal length

[Tom A]

Roger, what a question! For some unknown reason I have mutiples of just about every focal length that will fit an M (Ok, only one 18mm). Going anywhere involves paring it down to 3-4 lenses and 3 bodies (2 main and a back-up). The selection is scientific - whatever is on a specific body at the moment is usually picked. One ultra-wide (12 or 15), one medium wide (21-25), one 35 or 40 and a 50. I usually take one longer lens (75-90) but rarely use it
I would love to get down to that classic kit, one M2 and a 35, but find myself unable to do it. Even at home, two bodies are along when I go out. One in the bag and one on the shoulder. the excuse is usually something like "Oh, I should try these two 35's and see if there is a difference" or, the even lamer excuse" Damn, I got 3 rolls shot and it takes just as long to process 5 as 3 - so I might shoot two more"!
I am also notoriously bad at getting rid of lenses - camera bodies yes, lenses no.

 

[FrankS]

in my nikon and om slr gear, i have duplicates of 28 and 50mm focal lengths. they came along as i bought up kits.

in my rangefinder ltm and m mount gear i have some duplicates:

85mm f2 canon - fast but heavy
90mm f4 elmar - slow but light

35f3.5 summaron - slow but light, fits my screwmount cameras, great vintage look
35f2.8 summarom - part of my classic M2 kit
40f1.4 cv - fast

50f2 col. summicron - the other lens in my classic m2 kit
50f2 1969-79 summicron - came along as a great deal with a cl body, it's my most modern leica lens
50f3.5 elmar - slow but compact, uncoated
50f3.5 fed - came with a fed 2 body, slow, compact, inexpensive, coated
50f2 summar - acquired for its dreamy character
50f2 summitar - may as well collect them all, read good things about its performance, fits between the col. summicron and the summar
50f2.5 cv - modern screw mount lens for my llf
50f2 czj uncoated, adapted into a ltm j8 barrel by brian s., everyone should have one of these

i carried duplicate 35f3.5/40f1.4 and 50f3.5/50f2 lens on my overseas holiday for fast/slow lenses and because i carried both a ltm and an m mount body.

on last summer's road trip around the gaspe' of quebec, i took 2 nikon f3's, one for colour and one for b+w, with a 28 and a 50mm lens for each, to cut down the switching of lenses between bodies. a long zoom lens was shared by both bodies. travelling by car, weight was not an issue.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Incorrigibility

Incorrigibility

@ Ben: No, I don't think you are the odd man out. I select lenses for particular jobs. It's just that when you're traveling, and don't know what's coming up, how much weight do you want to carry (or worry about in the car or the hotel room)?

I hear you Roger. These things tend to refine themselves over time (or not, for the thick-headed among us).

I am thinking of a trip I took with my wife to Italy about 10 years ago. Small Lowe backpack with a Pentax 67, 45/90/165 lenses & F4 w/20/50/85 primes. Too much stuff.

Next trip, Japan: M6/M3 35/50/90 and a Fuji RF645. Also too much stuff and packed in a Domke, which I found spine-compressing when carried all day.

Next trip, Taiwan: M8/M6 15/24/2x35/50 and D3 w/28/50/85. Was able to park one system or the other and carry just Leica or just Nikon depending on where we were going. Back to a backpack to save my spine.

Note that I have not only doubled on focal lengths within a system, but doubled on fields of view between systems.

I find that I tend to set the limit by what I perceive as the maximum I can carry. Duh. I should be packing a bag, weighing it, and then unpacking until the weight is exactly half of my first packing impulse.

I recently saw some breathtaking pictures from a fellow in China using just an M2 and a 35/2. Next time, I tell myself (right).

Ben Marks

 

[FrankS]

next time only one medium format camera

 

[Tom A]

My other problem (among others) is that I am also fascinated with the Nikon Rf system and have multiples of bodies and lenses for those. Also there are some Canon Rf's around which of course forced me to find several 35's and 50's for those. My latest foray into incompatible lens systems is Robot's. At the moment only 2 (a Royal 36 and a Royal 24) and some lenses for those. At least the Royals have a very limited lens selection and that might save me. The weight of the individual bodies is also a deterrent!
For my next trip, I will take the Bessa III for medium format and, maybe, cut out on Rf body in the 35 system - though which one?

 

[Ronald M]

I have dups of most all lenses except 21 pre asph 28 2.8 and 75 1.4. Most I have 3 or 4 copies. Probably have 10+ Leica 50`s from a red scale to 1969, 3.5 to 1.5.

I can`t pick them all up let alone carry them all. At most I bring two, a slow and a fast. More and more I carry a 24 CV, 35 pre asph, new 50 2.8, new 90 4.0. Thats it. More slows me down and gets uncomfortable. The older lenses get used in fixed locations. Lately I have become more of a one lens man.

 

[Nokton48]

35mm F2 Canon, 35mm F2.8 V1 Summaron.
50mm F1.2 Canon, 50mm F2 V1 Summicron, 50mm F2.8 V1 Elmar.

I like having a choice, and I really do use them all, at certain times.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

All hail the Domke J-8

All hail the Domke J-8

next time only one medium format camera

Frank: That photo is just awesome. And funny too. And true.

Ben Marks

 

[giellaleafapmu]

The only lenses of (almost) the same length I carry together are 55mm f3.5 macro and a fastish 50mm but the reason in this case is clear.

GLF

 

[tbarker13]

I can certainly understand the above comment (I'm lying).

So if anyone feels the need to sell a 1953 J-3 because it is a duplicate focal length and goes unused, be sure to let me know first....

Hah. That lens isn't going anywhere.🙂 It's one of the reasons I sold another 50 recently, however.
Actually planning to take it out this weekend for its first extensive use in a portrait session. Instead of my 50 pre-asph lux.
Interested to see how it goes.

 

[bindie]

Ridiculous! Or so I thuoght until in one weekend I bought a 50mm pre-aspherical Summilux AND a Nokton all to go with my 50mm aspherical. And I almost bought a 50 Sonnar too but chickened out of that one in view of the others.

Deciding what lenses to take is determined by which camera to take:
M6 always with the 50mm pre-asph (both are black paint)
M8 with 35 Summicron and 50 aspherical Summilux
G1 - that is always a tough choice of what to take with the standard kit lens. Usually the 35 R Summilux wins (despite its size).

So, No. I dont have a problem to decide which lens to take but have to decide which camera to take on a trip is always tough.

 

[oscroft]

How have others acquired duplicates?

A couple of ways for me.

A lot of my RF gear was acquired second hand, so bodies have arrived with lenses already attached - that's how I got all my FSU 50s (most of which I've now sold on, together with most of the bodies).

But the main way I've acquired multiples is by buying stuff cheap from forums, the Famous Auction Site, etc, whenever I've seen stuff I want to compare. With so many bargains around, if I see a lens I fancy trying, I'm pretty confident that if I decide I don't want to keep it I can get my money back by reselling it (or, at worst, take a small loss). I don't have any great problem letting go of things I'm not using, so it works for me and I don't end up accumulating too much stuff.

That way I bought and tried a late-model Elmar 50/2.8 (sold because its contrast is too much for me), an uncoated Summitar 50/2 (sold because, while I liked it, it wasn't getting used), Skopar 50/2.5 (kept - it's my favourite RF 50), Summaron 35/2.8 (loved the results, but it was the goggled version and the goggles were a pain on my M2/M6, so sold).

I expect I'll buy more duplicates to try...

I should really try one of the Summicron 35s some day, just because they're there, and an ungoggled Summaron if I see one at a decent price (though I really don't need any more 35s). And I'd quite like to try a Rokkor 28 if I should ever see one without the white bits at a reasonable price, to see how it compares with my two CV 28s. A fast 50 would come in handy too - my fastest is a J-8 50/2.

 

[Doug]

I do have some multiples of the same focal lengths, mostly chosen to see how I like the different "looks" and ergonomics. On the current vacation trip I brought both M8s, one with 2/50 Heliar Classic and the other with 2.8/25mm Biogon ZM. (unfortunately I mistook a UV filter for a UV/IR on the 25) Did a lot of thinking beforehand to bring this Heliar rather than the Sonnar ZM or Planar ZM. I do have a 2.5/50 Skopar also but not a coded adapter, and left the M-mount 4/25 Skopar behind for lack of coding as well.

Had a bit of fun last night where the proprietor of a shop I'd entered exclaimed about what he saw as a classic film camera and was extra impressed with the old-time collapsible lens! 😀

Focal length choice was tough too as I likely would have found 21 + 35mm as useful (C-Biogon or Elmarit, and Biogon or Nokton or Summilux to choose among), but figured the slightly longer-than-normal FoV of the 50 might be fun to work with.

 

[Rob-F]

I have five 50's and that is my least favorite focal length on the Leica. It doesn't make sense! OK I have five 35's as well, but that is a favorite focal length--although I can only shoot with one at a time anyhow.

I think I should reduce the number of 50's to 4, or even 3. No, better make it 4. I can do without the Elmar, but not sure I should part with any others.

Lately I've actually been using all five 50's in order to learn their characteristics better. Something I'm noticing is that the Summarit f/1.5 is actually a good lens, despite its age. I'll do some comparisons with the Summilux. I think it will hold up well!

The Elmar is good too, but it's a pain when the lens rotates while trying to change the aperture setting.

 

[raid]

I cannot get enough 50mm lenses. They seem to have different points of strengths and weaknesses, or they are so exquisite that one is not sufficient. I don't think that I have any duplicates, while I may own over 20 50mm RF lenses for LTM/M/Contax.

Leica Elmar 5cm 3.5, Elmar 50 2.8, Summar, Summarit, Summitar, Summicron rigid, Summicon Collapsible, Summicron-C.

Canon 50 1.2, 50 1.5, 50 1.8

Zeiss Jena 50 1.5 50 2.0. Zeiss Opton 50 1.5

Many FSU 50mm lenses (J-3, J-8, I50, ... etc.)

Luxon 50 2.0 LTM (for Braun Paxette)

 

[pvdhaar]

For my Bessa, I've got two 50mm lenses. One is a 50/2 M-Hexanon. It's plenty sharp for all practical purposes, even wide open. It's very very well built, it's got a built-in hood, and focusses down to 0.7 meter. The other one is a 3.5 collapsible FED. Flares and ghosts when there's any highlight anywhere, everything under 1.0m is out of the question, and its construction is.. well, let's say it's not refined. Still, it's so light and small, that it is sometimes more practical to take along than the Konica.

Short story; two fifties and I decide based on how compact/light I need to go..