M8 what do you use

[harmsr]

I completely understand where you guys are coming from. Being a bit of a gear head, it was difficult to pair down equipment. However once I did, everything became easier and much more enjoyable.

Over the last couple of years, I have come to the conclusion that I really see things as a 50mm lens does. If I want to go wider, my mind views as a 35 but never wider. For longer shots, my vision basically is in the 90-105 range.

I have consolidated my Leica gear to the 28, 35, 50, & 90. As I've previously posted, the M8 + 1 lens is the 35, the M8 plus two lenses is the 28 & 50, a full kit is the M8 + 28 / 50 / 90. On my M7, it is M7 + 1 lens is the 50, or the full kit being 35 / 50 / 90 (even had the frame lines changed to only show the 35/50/90).

My MF kit has followed suite also. I have a 50 / 80 / 150 plus extension tubes for the Hassy and I have the 45 / 80 for the Phase / P30+. I'm considering the add of the new 150 for the Phase system.

Being self restricted to basically three lenses for each system has really improved things for me, as I had less choices which helped me spend time to learn the lens and work it for effect.

Sometimes less is more.

Ray

 

[jonoslack]

Re: M8 and lenses for sale

Bottom line, you want to be a great photographer, you just have no shortcut to using the gear so often, you build enough experience with it that you shoot your images without even thinking about your camera. You are too busy making artistic decisions for those petty details to creep into your consciousness. <Grin>.

Great post Chuck.
My problem is that, I get to know a lens / camera combination really well, then, if I use something else for a week or so, when I get back to it all that instinctive stuff is simply gone pfffft!

 

[Jack]

I loved my 35 v4 cron, but in the end, found it a bit close to the 50 or the 28. Then add I decided I wanted EITHER the 28 Cron or the 35 v4, and the 28 won that battle. BUT I certainly understand Ray's logic above -- for a one-lens kit, the 35 on the M8 would be hard to beat...

 

[woodyspedden]

I completely understand where you guys are coming from. Being a bit of a gear head, it was difficult to pair down equipment. However once I did, everything became easier and much more enjoyable.

Over the last couple of years, I have come to the conclusion that I really see things as a 50mm lens does. If I want to go wider, my mind views as a 35 but never wider. For longer shots, my vision basically is in the 90-105 range.

I have consolidated my Leica gear to the 28, 35, 50, & 90. As I've previously posted, the M8 + 1 lens is the 35, the M8 plus two lenses is the 28 & 50, a full kit is the M8 + 28 / 50 / 90. On my M7, it is M7 + 1 lens is the 50, or the full kit being 35 / 50 / 90 (even had the frame lines changed to only show the 35/50/90).

My MF kit has followed suite also. I have a 50 / 80 / 150 plus extension tubes for the Hassy and I have the 45 / 80 for the Phase / P30+. I'm considering the add of the new 150 for the Phase system.

Being self restricted to basically three lenses for each system has really improved things for me, as I had less choices which helped me spend time to learn the lens and work it for effect.

Sometimes less is more.

Ray

Ray

I am getting exactly to the same point for a three lens system except I now have a mint 85 1.5 summarex which takes the place of the 90 APO. Of course it doesn't have the razor sharpness or the apo corrections of the 90 APO but it is one of the most wonderful drawing lenses (IMHO) in the Leica stable. My copy is from 1954 and it just has that terrific Leica glow. It is now in the capable hands of John Van Stelten (www.focalpointlens.com) who is lapping in the focus helicoid and polishing a couple of the lens surfaces. John is pretty much acknowledged as a genius in this area and in the same competency camp as Don Goldberg and Sherry Krauter. If you have lens issues, he is a great resource. At least you don't have to worry about polishing off the lens coatings because there are none on the Summarex. <grin>

Woody

 

[woodyspedden]

Hey everyone

I understand why Guy wanted to move this thread from buy and sell to here so that the discussion about shooting styles and needs can continue in the proper place.

However it has messed up my buy and sell thread a bit because now everyone seems to be coming here instead but not with the intent of buying lenses. So if you have any interest in these pristine M lenses I encourage you to go to the B&S thread.

I have not gotten any recent offers so make me an offer I can't refuse on the remaining lenses. Otherwise I will be posting these on EBay. I would much rather see these wonderful lenses in the hands of the appreciative shooters on this forum.

Woody

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Yes PLEASE folks if interesting in any great Leica M lenses see Woody's post in the buy and sell. I certainly did not want to take away from the buy and sell but this discussion was very good and after things sell in the B&S the info just wanders off. Here things are more fresh and follow the natural course of time.

Woody sorry if this hurt any sales. Drinks on me in Florida

 

[woodyspedden]

Yes PLEASE folks if interesting in any great Leica M lenses see Woody's post in the buy and sell. I certainly did not want to take away from the buy and sell but this discussion was very good and after things sell in the B&S the info just wanders off. Here things are more fresh and follow the natural course of time.

Woody sorry if this hurt any sales. Drinks on me in Florida

Absolutely no problem Guy. I am glad you moved this to keep the central theme and discussion which started to happen moving along because it is very relavent to the issues of making images. Like so many other threads, the B&S is focused on gear which is fine but limiting.

Glad my B&S and some of the issues started by Jack turned into a thread of potential for all of us.

See you soon and I would have the drink on you but I stopped drinking a while ago. Feel much better without the booze and certainly will stop being a danger to myself on the roads.

Woody

 

[Chuck Jones]

Re: M8 and lenses for sale

Great post Chuck.
My problem is that, I get to know a lens / camera combination really well, then, if I use something else for a week or so, when I get back to it all that instinctive stuff is simply gone pfffft!

Jono, you just didn't REALLY master that particular lens combo. It takes a LOT of time to actually accomplish that, in my own opinion. I'm sure others may disagree with me here, but honestly it probably took me shooting almost a whole year, with likely 75,000 captures to get to a point where I feel I have mastered my 21mm SA. Not joking here either. It could have been 100k frames even. The point is, I can shoot that lens on my M8 body in total darkness, including setting up focus. Focus on it I simply do by feel now, without the need to even use the viewfinder. I walk towards a subject, already turning the focus ring to the right spot, and when I stop I raise the camera and shoot. Quick. Very quick. Before anyone can even recognize that I am actually shooting a photo. Once accomplished, I can now put that lens on and it is like an old friend, always right there set just as I want it without even looking at it. Granted, the hyperfocal distance setting on any 21mm makes this much easier than using as example a 90mm, but I'm almost there with my 24 ASPH, and over 90% of the time with my 35 'Cron. Not having to use the viewfinder saves more than enough time also to bracket focus, which raises the average to almost always get at least one frame right on. There is not a trick to this either, nor am I any kind of superman. Anyone can do it, it just takes a whole lot of time and paying attention to each result. I did it, and continue to do it, since I am usually interacting with my subjects, and do not want to disturb that flow.

I tried very hard to do that with my Canons before, and with my DMR, but while the DMR was better for me at it, neither really freed me from the "automatics" to get myself to the automatic level of skill. Since I got my first M8, that is the only 35mm system I have really shot. Just too dang confusing trying to switch systems. One of the reasons I still shoot my Contax 645 system for MF also, I've owned it so long that it also is for all intents and purposes instinctive. I want my camera to get out of my way, and let me make all the decisions, without having to put much thought into "running" my camera. I fancy myself an artist, a photographer, not a technical camera jockey.

 

[Mark Gowin]

This is a great discussion. I find that I am challenged by whatever lenses I carry with me at the time. Sometimes I carry every focal length from 16mm to 90mm (except 24mm) and change lenses frequently for whatever look I am after. Other times I want to challenge myself and go out with only one lens. If had to choose only one lens for my M8, then it would be the 28mm Cron or 35mm Cron. Although, sometimes I feel the urge to go out with only a long lens such as 75mm or 90mm. I guess what I am trying to say is that there is no right or wrong answer. Have fun with what you have.

Mark

 

[ecliffordsmith]

Hi All,

Wow, this is an excellent thread so thanks for moving this over here.

I have had my M8 for 14 months now and prior to that I had never used prime lenses. I bought the ASPH 35 & 75 summicrons and a CV15. If it were not for the remarkable performance of the 75 I would happily live with the 35 alone. I use it 95 percent of the time I think. Using a rangefinder and getting to see with the 50ish field of view has really allowed me to know what I will I get before I lift the camera to take a photograph.

I have found using the M8 such a rewarding way of taking photographs that a lot of younger photographers (in age and experience) like myself do not get to experience. It has forced me to really understand what works and how it works. It would be great for a cheaper system to become available to open this up to others.

 

[Nitnaros]

If I go out during the day without exactly knowing what comes up for photographing, I grab the M8, the 24/2.8 and the 50-lux asph.
That is a very versatile combo.

In the evening and night, its a harder decision, since there is no 24/1.4.
So I add the 35-lux; but then its quite often not wide enough, so I add the 28-cron, ending up with 28/2.0-35/1.4-50/1.4.

Having a 28/1.4 or 24/1.4 would make life easier.

Generally I find the wider lenses require more skills, since you have to manage much more visual information in the image. If you get it right, it can be very rewarding, particularly with people, since it puts the person(s) in a visual context and tells "more".

Add a spare battery, a second 2GB card, expodisk; and it all fits into a really small Tenba shoulder bag, a bit tight, but nevertheless.

This is THE advantage of the M8 system for me, compared to my 5D or the D3's etc.

Peter

 

[dfarkas]

Having a 28/1.4 or 24/1.4 would make life easier.

Let's see what Photokina brings....

David

 

[cam]

Let's see what Photokina brings....

you are cruel :banghead:

 

[dfarkas]

you are cruel :banghead:

Hey, even if I did know what was coming I couldn't say. Leica just had me sign a brand new NDA two weeks ago. Let's just say that Photokina will be very interesting for Leica and I'm glad I'll be there first hand.

David

 

[jonoslack]

Re: M8 and lenses for sale

Jono, you just didn't REALLY master that particular lens combo. It takes a LOT of time to actually accomplish that, in my own opinion.

snip

I want my camera to get out of my way, and let me make all the decisions, without having to put much thought into "running" my camera. I fancy myself an artist, a photographer, not a technical camera jockey.

Hi Chuck
Well, first of all, I was really joking - a nod to impending imbecility!

As to your second point - I couldn't agree more - I'm a bit of a gearhead when I get back home, but when I'm out taking pictures it's my eyes that count, anything which gets in the way spoils it, and you're right.