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Best 3 lens film kit
- Thread starter hobbsr
- Start date
Per Ofverbeck
Member
My 3 lens kit:
35 and 75 Cron in my bag, every day, everywhere.
50 Cron in the cupboard, gathering dust....
35 and 75 Cron in my bag, every day, everywhere.
50 Cron in the cupboard, gathering dust....
fine choices. i have a elmarit 28, lux 50--and want to add a 90. those focal lengths would be my favored trinity of lenses.
I personally would prefer either 90/2.8 or 75/2.7 (thats what I use a lot) instead of the 90/2.0
eventually 50asph instead of the pre-asph (here I am not sure -I use the asph - rendering wise I woud like the pre-asph but I am afaraif of focus shift
eventually /personally I would rather have 12 or 24 instead of 28.
If I would take 28 I would prefer the 28/2.0cron - great lens
my 3 lens kit is 24/1.4, 50asph and 75/2.5
Woody Campbell
Workshop Member
Very much depends on what you shoot and what your style is. About half of my work is urban landscape. My preference for this situation is a 35mm pre-asp cron v.IV, 50mm lux asp., 90mm elmarit. This is a very compact and flexible kit and to my mind the classic Leica line up in terms of focal lengths. Sometimes I substitute a 28 cron for the 35, depending on my mood.
I often shoot wider - sometimes very wide - in which case I stitch frames taken with the 35 or 50..
Of course when I'm out at night or at a party I carry an entirely different kit - ditto if I'm doing real landscape where I typically carry more lenses.
I often shoot wider - sometimes very wide - in which case I stitch frames taken with the 35 or 50..
Of course when I'm out at night or at a party I carry an entirely different kit - ditto if I'm doing real landscape where I typically carry more lenses.
Jan Brittenson
Senior Subscriber Member
For me it depends on what I'm shooting. For 'scapes I like something sharp and crisp to bring out texture and detail, even in shots with people in it. I loved the Biogon 21 ZM on film and I love it on the M9. I plan to check out the 18's and the WATE though. For these types of shots I rarely want anything out of focus, so OOF rendering isn't critical. Nice, but not critical.
For people I like something a little gentler, in particular the 35/2 IV. I used to have the (previous) 35A lux, but sold it. These types of shots are generally not everything-in-focus and I like to play with focus for separation.
I like 50 for landscapes, these shots tend not to have anything OOF either. I don't currently have a lens for this for the M9, but the 35/2 IV stopped down will work fine.
For compression I love the APO 75. These types of photos tend to be more abstract, with simple light, dark, and opposing color areas, clear and crisp mixed with smooth OOF regions. I think Jono uses his very similarly - love some of his stuff! Also a competent natural landscape lens for compression - but so is the 90/2.8 when stopped down. I find the APO 75 more versatile, personally. Bigger, but not too big.
For reach I have a Tele-Elmar 135/4. But I got this for the M8 and am not entirely sure if it's long enough on the M9 (without cropping). It's very nice to have for the rare need though and wasn't that expensive.
I may keep the M8 for a second body. I'm thinking the 35/2 IV on the M9 and APO 75 on the M8 could make a nice event shooting kit. I haven't done this much the last few years, so I'm not sure it's worth holding onto an M8 for.
Anyway, that's my story for what it's worth... With the M9 it's the same as it was on the M6 shooting film, and on just about every camera I've had before then going back to Minolta X-700 in the mid 80s. (I couldn't afford Nikon then, but later upgraded to an FM2 and AI/AIS lenses. Obviously Leica wasn't even in the realm of possibility.) Everyone is going to have a different story, depending on what they shoot and how...
For people I like something a little gentler, in particular the 35/2 IV. I used to have the (previous) 35A lux, but sold it. These types of shots are generally not everything-in-focus and I like to play with focus for separation.
I like 50 for landscapes, these shots tend not to have anything OOF either. I don't currently have a lens for this for the M9, but the 35/2 IV stopped down will work fine.
For compression I love the APO 75. These types of photos tend to be more abstract, with simple light, dark, and opposing color areas, clear and crisp mixed with smooth OOF regions. I think Jono uses his very similarly - love some of his stuff! Also a competent natural landscape lens for compression - but so is the 90/2.8 when stopped down. I find the APO 75 more versatile, personally. Bigger, but not too big.
For reach I have a Tele-Elmar 135/4. But I got this for the M8 and am not entirely sure if it's long enough on the M9 (without cropping). It's very nice to have for the rare need though and wasn't that expensive.
I may keep the M8 for a second body. I'm thinking the 35/2 IV on the M9 and APO 75 on the M8 could make a nice event shooting kit. I haven't done this much the last few years, so I'm not sure it's worth holding onto an M8 for.
Anyway, that's my story for what it's worth... With the M9 it's the same as it was on the M6 shooting film, and on just about every camera I've had before then going back to Minolta X-700 in the mid 80s. (I couldn't afford Nikon then, but later upgraded to an FM2 and AI/AIS lenses. Obviously Leica wasn't even in the realm of possibility.) Everyone is going to have a different story, depending on what they shoot and how...
Jan Brittenson
Senior Subscriber Member
Of course, writing that I forgot how hard the APO 75 is to frame on the M8... meh.
B
bruin
Guest
My favorite two lens kit is:
Ultron 28/2
M-Hex 50/2
If I were to carry a third lens, it would probably be the LTM 15/4.5 (I'd prefer an 18mm, but I can't afford it!). If CV ever releases a 50/1.4 with 0.7m min focus, I'd replace my M-Hex with it.
I like using the Tenba padded insert with my messenger bags.
Ultron 28/2
M-Hex 50/2
If I were to carry a third lens, it would probably be the LTM 15/4.5 (I'd prefer an 18mm, but I can't afford it!). If CV ever releases a 50/1.4 with 0.7m min focus, I'd replace my M-Hex with it.
I like using the Tenba padded insert with my messenger bags.
L
LJ2004
Guest
I choose M50/1.0
Last edited:
On my M8, here’s my trinity:
1) Elmarit 28 2.8 ASPH
2) Lux 50 1.4 ASPH
3) Elmarit 90mm 2.8 (which I am looking to buy now)
When someday I get an M9, it would be the same—or I may replace the Elmarit 28 with a Cron 35.
I have pondered the Cron 90mm 2.0 instead of the Elmarit 90 2.8, but size plays a big factor in my choice of 28 and 90.
1) Elmarit 28 2.8 ASPH
2) Lux 50 1.4 ASPH
3) Elmarit 90mm 2.8 (which I am looking to buy now)
When someday I get an M9, it would be the same—or I may replace the Elmarit 28 with a Cron 35.
I have pondered the Cron 90mm 2.0 instead of the Elmarit 90 2.8, but size plays a big factor in my choice of 28 and 90.
On film/M9 camera:
1) Leica 28mm Summicron, 50mm Summilux ASPH or pre ASPH, (Leica 18mm Super Elmar or Zeiss 18mm Distagon if you want ultrawide, 90mm Elmarit if you want moderate telephoto) as your third lens)
2) Leica 24mm Summilux, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH (the new one), Leica 75mm Summilux or 75mm Summicron APO/ASPH if you want a smaller lens
On M8 camera:
1) Leica 28mm Summicron, 50mm pre ASPH, 75mm Summicron APO/ASPH
2) Leica 28mm Summicron, 50mm ASPH, 75mm Summilux
3) Leica or Zeiss 18mm, Leica 24mm Summilux, 50mm Summilux ASPH or pre ASPH
1) Leica 28mm Summicron, 50mm Summilux ASPH or pre ASPH, (Leica 18mm Super Elmar or Zeiss 18mm Distagon if you want ultrawide, 90mm Elmarit if you want moderate telephoto) as your third lens)
2) Leica 24mm Summilux, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH (the new one), Leica 75mm Summilux or 75mm Summicron APO/ASPH if you want a smaller lens
On M8 camera:
1) Leica 28mm Summicron, 50mm pre ASPH, 75mm Summicron APO/ASPH
2) Leica 28mm Summicron, 50mm ASPH, 75mm Summilux
3) Leica or Zeiss 18mm, Leica 24mm Summilux, 50mm Summilux ASPH or pre ASPH
Great choices, Rodney. My three-lens kit for my M8 is an Elmarit 28 2.8 ASPH, Lux 50 1.4 ASPH, and Rollei Planar 80mm 2.8. (Of course, those translate to 37, 67, and 106 per the M8 crop factor.) On an M9 (or film M body), I would probably keep the same set up, though I would want to see if I wanted the 80 to be longer (e.g., a 90).
Ashwin: the 35/50/90 was also Cartier-Bresson's fave three-lens kit.
Godfrey
Well-known member
My favorite Leica M kit became an M4-P or M6 TTL body with
Elmarit-M 24mm f/2.8 ASPH
Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH
Summicron-M 50mm f/2
Summilux-M 75mm f/1.4
lenses after about thirty years of using Leica Ms. I'd have preferred the newer 75mm f/2 or f/2.5 as the Summilux was a bit bulky/heavy and took a lot of care to focus accurately wide open.
Most of the time I'd carry only two or three of the four lenses, which ones depending on my mood, but I don't think I ever left the 35mm behind.
Elmarit-M 24mm f/2.8 ASPH
Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH
Summicron-M 50mm f/2
Summilux-M 75mm f/1.4
lenses after about thirty years of using Leica Ms. I'd have preferred the newer 75mm f/2 or f/2.5 as the Summilux was a bit bulky/heavy and took a lot of care to focus accurately wide open.
Most of the time I'd carry only two or three of the four lenses, which ones depending on my mood, but I don't think I ever left the 35mm behind.
ashwinrao1
Active member
Awesome. I had heard that as well, and I am in hallowed company for sure.....
I am struggling the the following options for a coming trip
24/35/75/135
OR
24/35/50/90/135 (flanking my fav kit with a wide and tele option)
The 1st option is certainly more "efficient", but the does not include my fav focal lenths of 90 and 50....which could make me a bit sad....
Ashwin: Your fine collection of lenses makes for difficult travel decisions. (That's the only benefit--I guess--to my having far fewer lenses. Ha.) I'd think if 50 and 90 are your favorite focal lengths, you should fit them in. Could you "survive" on the 24/50/90/135 (thus, dropping the 35)?