What lenses to keep...

[padraigm]

A number of months ago I sold my M8 in anticipation of the M9. I am now at the stage of trimming my lens kit down to bring me closer to my goal. I recently purchased a used 35 Summilux and I expect to keep that and it to be my main lens. Part of the justification for getting that lens was I would be letting go of some other less used lenses. So here it is what should I keep.

50mm f/1.5 Sonnar(keeping)
50mm Summicron(?)
50mm Nokton f1.1(?)
35mm Biogon(selling)
28mm Ultron f/2(selling)
90mm Elmarit (selling)

I plan on keeping the sonnar as I love that lens especially with film. So the real question for me is sell both the Nokton and Summicron or try and keep one. It pain me to let go of the summicron but honestly it does not get used much. The Nokton is a really nice lens to and having a f1.1 in the arsenal is certainly nice. But I can't keep them all.

So peeps what would you do?

 

[kermaier]

If it's a vintage Summicron (collapsible or rigid) in excellent condition, then you should keep it. You'll eventually want it again, and they never get easier to find, only harder.

Sell the Nokton. You don't want three 50mm lenses, and the Nokton is only 1 stop faster than the Sonnar, and less than 1 stop faster than the Summilux, for low light.

::Ari

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Boy - Hobson's choice. You'll have one of the best cameras ever made, but nothing to slap on it.

My view: You keep the lenses that match your shooting style and which maximize the stuff you can do with the camera. Also, you want the M9 over the M8 so I am going to assume that wides are important to you.

Your pivot foot is the 35/1.4 so that gets you speed -- and you've said you are a Sonnar man. So that's a 35 and a 50, both fast lenses. The only other question is whether you feel you need to go wider or longer. I would choose either the 28 or the 90 to keep and jettison the rest. If it were me, I'd go with the 90 as it does things very differently to perspective and space than the normal/wide lenses. Also, I take a lot of portraits.

The other way to view this is purely economical: line up the lenses from most to least expensive and sell the three or four most expensive under the theory that it isn't "worth it" to sell the cheap stuff. If you wound up with a 35/1.4 and a 90/2.8 it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world from a small-kit perspective.

Good luck with your choices. BTW I agree with what Carlos said about the 50 'cron. It really does so much well. There are no dogs on your list though.

Ben

 

[peter_n]

If the Summicron is a rigid or DR I would keep that, the Sonnar and your 35 Summilux and sell everything else. I'm trying to reduce lenses too and it isn't easy...

 

[ferider]

BI would choose either the 28 or the 90 to keep and jettison the rest.

Like Ben said. Preference for the 28, if you got a good one.

 

[padraigm]

Thanks all the Summicron is a mid 80's Version. I pretty much agree with you all. Keep the Summilux and sonnar and get rid of the rest. For the 90, I have actually only ever needed it once. Perhaps I should look out for a 75 summarit at some point. But man that Summicron is hard to let go of. But it has to be done 🙂

 

[peter_n]

Good decision. I've seen some great shots from the Summarit. The 35 and a 75 make a great pair BTW. My personal favorite combo right now. 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

I got rid of my last 50 Summicron about 15 years ago (it was the current model at the time) and have never missed it in the slightest, so don't necessarily believe 'You'll want it again'. I didn't and don't. Same for my 35 Summicron.

YMMV.

Cheers,

R.

 

[yanidel]

I have decided to go mainly with 35mm Lux Asph + 75mm Cron on M9 (when it arrives).
Both have a lot of punch and great wide open looks. I am already amazed by the 75mm Cron on the M8, should do wonder on the M9.
But given you are keeping a 50mm, maybe 90mm is a better focal for you so keep your Elmarit in a first phase.

 

[Kozhe]

If you have that 28mm ultron for sale drop me a pm because I´m looking for one 🙂

 

[Photon42]

Keep one of the 50ies and the 90 and sell the rest.