New to Leica - Is building lens with same filter size reasonable?

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lencap

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Greetings,

I'm slowly becoming acquainted with my newly purchased M9/50mm 'Cron setup. Frankly I have a bit of buyer's remorse wondering if given my lack of skill and knowledge I'd be better off with the Fuji X-E1. On the other hand, other than the dollars invested in the Leica setup, I have no regrets at all. (I feel guilty for spending so much money on a hobby, especially since I don't shoot every day/weekend).

As I look ahead I realize I'm a long way from adding lenses to my startup kit, but I noticed that the 28mm/f2.8 Elmarit ASPH, 35mm 'Cron, 50mm 'Cron and 90mm/f2.8 Tele-Elmarit all use 39mm lens filters. The combination of these lenses seems to provide quite a bit of flexibility and allow minimal interference when viewing through the rangefinder. By choosing among these lenses for future purchase it seems that I may be able to minimize the need to add different size filters and simplify my camera bag. Is this a reasonable way to consider future lens additions? I realize the benefit of faster lenses, but I also remember shooting 64 ASA film and with the ISO range of digital cameras I believe I'll have enough flexibility to explore slower aperture choices, at least relative to my film years many years ago.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome, as is any attempt to cure my Leica purchase guilt!
 
I think your lens choices are very reasonable, and your logic is sound. Minimizing the number of extra filters that you purchase and carry around is a wise move.
 
Your reasoning is sound. I strive for something similar.

I have the 35mm f2.8 Summaron and 90mm f2.8 Elmarit and on my wish list is the 21mm super angulon and 50mm summicron.
 
Thank you both for the replies - it helps to have feedback from experienced owners. Now if you can help with the purchase price guilt.....🙂
 
Yes, it always helps to have matched filter sizes…when shooting film. Not sure this applies to digital however…unless you are using neutral density in order to shoot wide open…otherwise I almost never swap filters from one lens to another. Actually, never...
 
Some notes that might at least help on the pricing side:

1) there are several other good non-Leica lenses that use 39mm filters, for instance the CV 28/3.5 and 35/2.5 Color Skopars, and the 90/3.5 Apo Lanthar. You will be hard pressed to find differences in the output to the lenses you listed. Also, the 35/2.5 Summarit is half the price of a Summicron and uses E39 filters.

2) In one bag, I like to use at least two filter sizes if possible. Then I don't have to change filters when changing lenses, under the same light. I've scratched front elements when changing filters in the dark, but that might be just me ....

3) With a faster 28, you could skip the 35. For example: 28/2 Ultron (E46), 50 'cron, 90/2.8 Elmarit (E46). That being said, the pre-asph Summicron (E55) is a jewel of a lens. Cheaper, not much bigger, and a great performer.

Welcome to Leica-land, the land of too many choices 🙂

Roland.
 
Again, thanks for the comments/suggestions - all are welcome. I do expect to use ND filters, which is one reason for asking about the filter size, as well as trying to minimize intrusion on my view when framing my shots. I also still have a soft spot for film, and if I can get comfortable with the idea I may look to add a M7 body at some point, at which time if I shoot black/white I'd like to expand my filter choices.

By the way Roland, your images left me speechless. You are truly a gifted photographer. Thank you for sharing.
 
I believe you might benefit from my opinion, although it could sound a bit direct:
1- you do not need filters with a colour digital camera, so your problem does not exist
2- before you want to spend more money on gear, take a year off and go through this:http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/05/a-leica-year.html
3- there are scores of great lenses for your Leica M, and they come at all kinds of prices, anywhere between 100 and 10.000 USD each, but beware, that you may spend a lot if you bite the bug. Concentrate initially on the photographs, and then make up your mind after some time.
Here's a photo made with a Minolta CLE and C Summicron 40/2 - total gear cost: 700 USD

2008070520 by mfogiel, on Flickr
 
I have selected 52mm filter size as my "norm" It is the size of most Nikon glass, Voigtländer 15mm 4,5 and 35mm 1,2 I have a step up ring on Voigt 21mm:4 and canon LTM 50mm1,4 I even have a crazy russki 35mm LTM lens for those offbeat images, with 52mm step down ring.

The filters: UV on all lenses (Plenty of them) Nikon soft focus #1 and #2, Light balancing filters for the rare occasion i am shooting color film in Nikons. I really like the Cokin shaded gray filters even in Digital ( a good darkening sky is hard to do digitally with my abilities in Photoshop) and last but not least: to have vaseline on a spare UV filter, just to make those "look alike Holga images" I even use a black marker pen on the UV filter to get the result I am after...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40146285@N08/6347634054/in/photostream
 
jaapv said:
Well, I choose my lenses according to their specifications, quality and rendering. Considering the filter size which has no impact on the image seems to me to be rather limiting.
Click to expand...
True, but if it's a choice of two lenses, one with your 'standard' size and one with another, filter size can tip the balance. Frances prefers E39 lenses and it does make life a great deal easier with her filters.

Cheers,

R.
 
When looking for a lens, my main factors are focal length, speed, size and optical quality, build quality in that order. Filter size plays a part as well but probably much lower down in the list. Also 39mm filter size lenses tend to be very small, a quality which I specifically look for.

Choosing a lens based purely on filter size is silly, but the selection that you've mentioned is very good.
 
lencap said:
Greetings,

I'm slowly becoming acquainted with my newly purchased M9/50mm 'Cron setup. Frankly I have a bit of buyer's remorse wondering if given my lack of skill and knowledge I'd be better off with the Fuji X-E1. ...
Click to expand...

The M9/50mm outfit will teach you a lot more about photography, and making good photos, than the Fuji kit would.

I'd suggest putting the plans for other lenses on hold for about 12 months, and concentrate on shooting with the 50. If you are carrying the camera every day, in a very short time you'll know the framing and the field of view, and be able to visualise the photo without raising the camera to your eye. Once you've mastered that you will start to see compositions almost everywhere.
 
I've got Leica lenses in several filter sizes, because as Jaap said it's a matter of specifications. For example I have 50 Summilux (43mm), 90 Summicron (55mm) and 21 Elmarit (60mm). But none of those lenses make it into my travel bag, which are all 39mm lenses (including a 21mm, which is a Voitlander). It isn't so much a matter of standardization as it is that the 39mm filter lenses are among the smallest/lightest. I can better stand the 1-stop speed sacrifice than carry all that added weight and volume.
 
Digital don't do filters.
However, I belong to the "UV filter on every lens at all times" club. There is another club-"UV filters degrade your images." I pay that Club no mind. I prefer pristine front elements and doubt very seriously if a quality UV filter will degrade my images.
A rangefinder polarizer in the largest size to fit the largest rangefinder filter diameter lenses and step up rings would be most beneficial on a digital camera.
Should you ever wish to visit The Film Side, step up rings are a great way to match a few filters to a wide variety of lenses. My filter/ring system is based on 46mm filters and rings that go from 39mm & 43mm to 46mm. One more: 46mm to 55mm to allow me to use a polarizer on my 125mm/5.6 Fujinon lens for 4x5. The combination of either yellow-green for yellow-orange in 46mm and a 55mm polarizer is magical. When & If I get everything else right.

Wayne
 
use snap-in filter instead of screw mount, except uv. i have lee filters, i simply hold the square piece in front of the lens when i need it.
 
I got a E46 summilux 50 asph and E39 elmarit 28 asph with my M6ttl and use a 39->46 step up ring for my ND, yellow and red-ish filters. instead of carrying and buying 3 more filters than 5€ step up ring does the job quite well

I'd rather choose lenses over other factors... primarily a combination of size/optical quality (price too but I think I'm not sounding cheap given my lenses...)

if you use a 28/50/90 kit (I'd skip the 35 here...) I'd go after the filter size of the main lens. the 90 tele-elmarit is a very good and compact lens which I'd love to have so going for all E39 sounds quite good here.

you got a great combo there and I wish I had a digital leica too for the sake of my nagging girlfriend "now you cant even see the picture on a screen... I hate film, go get a digital" and probably because I just want to have it 😉 I still got the same problem... thinking about the cost but I wanted to have it, saved long for it and finally got it. so be happy about it and dont regret it 🙂

one last thought on the end of my post:

you only need a ND filter (i dont use polarizers...) for digital. so if you're not thinking about going analog just get a 39 ND filter
 
As has been suggested above, I don't think filter size is as big a deal if you are using a digital camera, as compared with shooting film. In fact, if I were in that situation I would be tempted to buy a UV filter for each lens and just leave them on. That way you don't have to mess around with filters every time you change lenses. Thinking about it, I tend to do that using colour filters with black and white film. Yellow filters and go.

That being said, I do have a preference for lenses with a 39mm thread. Small lenses on a Leica are great and I would urge you to have a look at the leightweight and compact Summarit line. I am always left scratching my head when I read how people ditched their DSLR because they were "too heavy", and then go and stick the heaviest lenses Leica make on them!!?
 
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