Preferred Focal Length on an M8?

Preferred Focal Length on an M8?

  • 50mm

    Votes: 55 12.4%

  • 35mm

    Votes: 190 42.8%

  • 28mm

    Votes: 153 34.5%

  • Other

    Votes: 46 10.4%
  • Total voters
    444
Rob, it's a bit of a mystery to me why there isn't a 21mm frame for the reason you mention; it's the same field of view on the M8 as 28mm is on other M bodies.

Also, the M8's VF has slightly less magnification (.68x vs .72x) which should make that even easier.

But indeed the 24mm framelines (giving an angle of view about like a 32mm on film) is way out at the edge of the window, especially so on the M8.2 with its "more accurate" frameline mask. I have about equal difficulty seeing the M2's 35mm frame.

I use the very nice metal CV 28mm finder along with a 21mm lens on the M8, and while this is satisfactory, I'd accept less VF magnification in the camera body to get in-built frames for the 21mm.
 
Let's try a little detective work. If my 21mm ASPH lens is fitted to my M6, for instance, it will bring up the 28mm frameline. And the 28mm displays along with the 90mm frame, so a 90 has to have the same bayonet lug. My 24mm Elmarit brings up the 35/135mm framelines (on my M6). And a 135mm lens brings up the same pair. A 50 or 75 will bring up the 50/75 pair.

That's all carved in stone (well, stainless). The 28 and 90 bring up the same frame pair. So does the 21mm. So on an M8, a 21 would bring up 28 and 90mm frames. (Is there a 90mm frame on the M8?) But a 28mm already brings up the 28mm frame on an M8 or any other M. So a 21 on an M8 would apparently bring up the wrong frame.

But would there not also be a similar problem with the 24mm? A 24 brings up the 35/135 pair. And so does a 35 (or 135, but that one is not an issue for the M8). So why wouldn't my 24mm Elmarit bring up the 35mm frame on the M8, just like it does on my M6? After all, it shares the same bayonet lug as the 35 has.

Maybe they put the 24mm and 35mm framelines in the same view?

Whew.
 
Hi Rob -- It does get a bit tangled. The M8 24mm lens brings up the 24/35 frame pair; there's no 135 frame. The 28mm lens as usual brings up the 28/90 pair, which if given our way might be a triplet 21/28/90! Actually, I'd be willing to give up the 90 frame, as that's a pretty long lens on the M8; 75mm is plenty long enough for me. Alternatively, putting 21 with 50/75 might make sense.
 
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Putting 21 with 50/75 might make sense from the photographer's POV, since it would not likely lead to confusion. But the 21 lenses have been made to bring up the 28mm framelines, so I guess if the 21mm were to be accomodated, it would have to go with the 28/90. So triplett it would have to be!

You know, the die was cast with the 50/90/135 setup of the M3. Every Leica since then has had to be compatible with those frameline sets. That's why the the 35, when added, had to use the same bayonet lug as the already existing 135mm; and, later, the reason the 28 had to share space with the 90.

Thanks, Doug, I've got it now.
 
40mm Summicron-C. Cos it's the only lens i've got (weeping into his M8 viewfinder. Poor man, ho ho).:rolleyes:

Mind you, with the crop, works out at just over 50mm. And costs half the price of a 50mm Summicron, which would actually be a 65mm. Too narrow for my style.:angel:
 
bob,

i think a 28mm will serve you well. my first lens on the m8 was an elmarit 28mm. it's a good all-around focal length on the m8. i added a 50mm summicron and am about to add the new leica 18mm, but, of course, what lenses you want depends a lot on what and how you shoot. i don't wear glasses when shooting, but have you pondered the viewfinder optical adaptor (diopter)?

R
 
To bad there isn't a 40mm choice in this poll because the lens that is most often mounted on my M8 is the 40/2 Summicron-C. For sharpness the CV 40/1.4 is virtually indistinguishable, it's faster and has a very nice warmth, but the 40/2 C is small, fast enough and very "clear". The lineup therefore becomes CV 12/5.6, ZM 21/2.8, 40/2 C and CV 75/2.5. More often than not it's just the 21 in a pocket (or 15 and 21 in a belt pouch) with a spare battery and the 40 on the camera. That way there might be room for an MF rangefinder too, without backs being broken. Strolling in the streets of Naples for hours with the M8 slung over a shoulder under a light jacket thus becomes a hassle-free pleasure: http://abdallah.hiof.no/2009_paestum/index.html#napoli.

- Børre
 
Returned from two weeks vacation during which I had two lenses and the M8; 25mm Biogon and 50mm Heliar Classic... The 25 was very useful, but I was surprised that the 50mm seemed to fit the need more often.

Børre, I like your comment about shoulder-carry under a light jacket. With the jacket open, the camera is easily brought into action, and out of sight otherwise.
 
35 f2 Zeiss

35 f2 Zeiss

I only have 3 lenses for my M8.2 (all Zeiss) but the 35 f2 is the only one I ever use, it's perfect lens for the type of photography I do
 
Now that I have my M9 my M8 only sees the 15mm and 90mm lenses on assignment. And for walking around I'll throw a 40 on it occasionally.
 
A 28mm lens has always been my normal lens on all full frame film cameras. It’s just how I see things. If I walk around with a 35MM lens mounted, I always have to back up a few steps to get everything in the viewfinder frame that I want to include. Backing up changes the perspective and everything looks different than my first vision of the image that I wanted. I guess I see in 28mm and now on my M8, it’s a 21mm Zeiss Biogon f2.8. I use a 28mm Voigtlander brightline finder and it seems to work great. I occasionally use a 28mm lens and a 15mm lens on my M8.
 
Rob-F said:
I don't see any discussion of the 21mm lens. I had imagined that the M8 would provide a frameline for it, since its equivalent would be 28mm; and 28mm is not a too-difficult frameline to provide on the M6/M7/MP. Evidently there is no frameline for the 21mm. Or is there? Maybe not, as I see people complaining that the 24mm frame is already too hard to see with glasses on.
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The problem is (as is the inclusion of a 24 mm frameline on the M9) that the viewfinder is basically a quite simple telescope. Which means that if you wish to enlarge the angle of view on the viewfinder beyond 24 mm (28 on the M9) you would have to make either the body thinner (like the film Ms) or the window larger.
 
Since this thread is resurrected, I might as well reply.

Having fiddled with (too) many lenses on my M8, I find 35mm my preferred focal length on the M8. I often go with just the 35mm. When I want more options, I prefer to compliment it with a 21 and a 75mm than switching between a 25 and 50mm as I did before.

My dream kit would probably be the rumored Leica 21 3.8 ASPH, a 35 1.4 or 2 ASPH and the 75 2 APO ASPH.

Trouble is:
  1. Selling all my CV/ZM lenses would not finance half of that dream kit.
  2. If money was no object, I'd probably go for an M9 anyway, in which case the dream lens kit would be different and a bit cheaper as well.
Luckily, I'm very pleased with my CV 21/4P and 75/2.5, so I don't feel pressed to replace those lenses. The 35mm 1.7 Ultron is nice but not Summicron ASPH-nice, and I'd love something focusing closer than 0.9m...
 
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