5DII to M9 In need of urgent help with lenses

Hi Pierre, congratulations on your new gear!

The 21/3.4 and 35/1.4 will serve you very well, and may even satisfy the majority of your shooting needs. I traveled through Japan for three weeks and found that I used 21mm, 35mm, and 50mm in that order. I had a 75mm with me but I hardly ever used it. Scenery, cityscapes and architecture with 21mm is very satisfying, and you can use it to encompass rooms if necessary. 35mm provides a very good jump from 21, and can be cropped if you need.

I have the 50mm Summicron and I think it is a super lens, but I often feel too restricted by its relatively narrow FoV. While it is great for many things, I find that I need something much wider, at least a 28, to capture what I want. I own far more wide angle lenses than teles, that is for sure!

If you really want a tele, you might be surprised at how good the Voigtlander 75/2.5 Heliar is. It is smaller and lighter than the Leica Summarit 75, but I believe that the image quality is darn close. You can pick up a Heliar and M-adapter for only a few hundred dollars used, and you may like it so much that you feel that your setup is complete. Or you could try the Voigtlander 75/1.8, which is about the same size and weight as the Summarit but much cheaper and faster, too boot.
--
Archiver - Loving Every Image Captured Always
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archiver/

Pierre from Sweden said:

50/2.0 Summicron vs 50/1.4 Summilux

Thanks vk2109 and zigorus,

I really like 50 and 35. I have used both as my only lens for long 4-6 weeks family vacations.

Having only the 50 at times I wished for a 35 for some shots especially when taking a few steps back simply was not possible, this made me miss some shots in old cities like Paris, at Eurodisney and at Efteling (theme park).

Having only the 35 I sometimes wished for my 50 but I never missed out on a shot as I could always take a few steps forward to get a better tighter framing.

50 vs 35 is an endless discussion. Both are near the real normal and I will eventually own both FLs as I like them both.

My wife now asks what is wrong with the little 50/2.0 Summicron?

Some say Half the price, smaller sharper and lighter than the 50/1.4 Summilux.

The two advantages of the Summilux that I find is: One stop faster at 1.4 and smooth boke.

Are there more advantages to the Summilux or the Summicron? Any disadvantages to either lens other than cost, size or weight?

Click to expand...

Looks like you're getting a very nice kit together.

Regards the Summilux vs Summicron, to me it's a toss up. I've had several 50mm Summicrons and one Summilux, same for the 35mm. All are great lenses.

As I've said in other threads, at the quality level of the Voigtländer, Zeiss ZM and Leica M lenses, there are really no bad choices. More important is what lens delivers what you like. There's no way to know that, really, until you work with a lens for a while.

Returning to Leica M after a decade away, I find that new Leica lens prices are above my pay grade for the most part and decided to buy a set of Voigtländers first to see what I wanted to work with. Frankly, the modern CV lenses are technically on par with the Leica lenses I had 25 years ago ... which means that for the most part they're good enough for me and I can save a lot of money.

My 35 is the Color Skopar 35/2.5. It's a delight: tiny, beautiful imaging, fast enough. I've got the Nokton 40/1.4, an M-Rokkor 40/2—those two are hard to tell apart at f/2-2.8. I've got a Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5 and recently acquired the Nokton 50mm f/1.5 ASPH (LTM). Both are great, the Nokton 50 is outstanding. If the 50 Summilux is substantively better, my eyeballs would hurt ... the Nokton 50 cost me $800 new and I'm just delighted with it. I could superglue it to the M9 and never feel I was losing out on anything.

So ... "ya pays your money and takes your chances."
--
Godfrey
http://godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com

"Concentrate on making photographs, not acquiring equipment."

Like Archiver, I mainly use the 21/35/50 set with rare 90 use.

When traveling, I was leaving the 90 summicron at home to save weight and bulk, so I added the Zeiss 85mm tele-tessar f/4;

It's small and uniformly very sharp with great contrast. However it's a very unsexy lens, so is readily available almost everywhere. whereas the 90mm summicron is currently seemingly unobtainable.

It's very common in the Leica world to have multiple variants of the same focal length. e.g. I have, and use at different times, four 50mm lenses ranging from the Leica f/0.95 to the Voigtlander f/2.5.

I dont feel its a good strategy holding out waiting for the one perfect lens to become available. There are so many great lenses that you could use for short term or niche use such as just travel - and selling off the ones you don't get along with is all part of the game ( as is buying back the same lens you sold years ago when you realize in retrospect it fitted a certain role rather well )

I am reading Thorsten Overgaard excellent blog and it says:

"90mm APO-Summicron-M f/2.0 is currently not being produced, aparantly because Leica Camera AG is working on focus precision issues on this great lens which focus mechanism was not made for the demanding Leica M9." http://www.overgaard.dk/leica-90mm-Summarit-M-f-25.html

I will have to rethink what to take for our vacation. 90/2.5 Summarit seems more than OK,

I am on a waiting list for the 50 Summilux and I have a chance to get it just in time for the vacation.

For my photography at his moment in time the most important pics are of my family and the best chances for this is always when traveling to many different distant places by plane, by train and in our car for 6-8 weeks every year.

There are many reasons for going from DSLR gear to Leica M.
Having access to the M lenses.
Getting down i size and weight. (Never again lugging 5-10kg camera bags!)

I am in full control of my photography helped by the simplicity and directness of the M9 tool I can simply set the white balance, Iso, time, aperture and distance.
Thats all I need in a camera.

Just bought *

M9-P *
21 Super Elmar * My WA lens for architectur and general WA use.
35 Summilux * Main "family life documentation" lens.

50 Summilux? Main "one subject" lens.
90 Summarit? My short tele lens. Anyone here using this lens?

Best Regards
Pierre

xtoph said:

The 90 is Spectacular, but you may find yourself using it less than you think. Contrary to another commenter, rf shooting isnt the same as slr shooting, and dont be surprised if your favored focal lengths change. Slrs encourage you to see like the lens does; rfs encourage you to see what your eyes see, and capture that. Extreme angles of view become less seductive; and, the smaller camera makes it easier to work closer to your subjects. When i was shooting cnon my principle lens was 50mm, but when i switched to the m9, i moved towards the 35, framing similarly but working closer.

Hope you enjoy your camera whatever you decide--

Click to expand...

totally true and agree ! I used to have 35L and 85L on 5D2 and now my main one is the 50Lux . I have added the 35cron for wider but 90 elmarit stayed in my drawer for the last 10months.. no appealing via the viewfinder and my 50lux is just as great for portrait.

I kept my 70-200L f2.8 for sport and tele and if longer range or AF would use.

Something you may consider is to skip both the 50 and 90 and go instead for the 75/2 Apo, great complement to the 21-35, easier to frame and focus than a 90.

Thanks vk2109!

It seems that very few here really use the 90mm FL.

I will add the 50/1.4 Summilux and skip the 90mm FL for now.
My old DSLR will take care of short to medium tele.

My 2 systems setup is going to be like this:

Leica M9-P - (585g)
21/3.4 Super Elmar, (279g)
35/1.4 Summilux, (320g)
50/1.4 Summilux.(335g) (On waiting list)
Total weight =1,519kg

Canon EOS 20D - (685g)
EF 70-200/4.0L IS. (750g).
Total weight =1,435kg

Best Regards
Pierre

much of the fun is in the anticipation

Pierre from Sweden said:

90 Summarit? My short tele lens. Anyone here using this lens?

Click to expand...

a fine lens
Leica hasn't a dog in their stable
much of the fun of the M system is the huge number of lenses available

there are so many options are available at 90 mm that I would include at least one non-current Leica model & your short tele (which is really near the longest tele for an M) has many other great options

you can save a great deal of money buying from the used market and/or going with CZ or CV, both of whom make great offerings at this FL
a great advantage of the M system is how well these lenses hold their value
sometimes bargains can be found in odd places

I picked up a 90 Summicron ver II (late) being sold on consignment in a small local camera store a few years ago for about 1/3 what I have seen presently at KEH, albeit after the beating I have given it, it no longer is in EX condition
still takes lovely photographs



wide open while waiting in line for a table with a much larger version & shooting info available here -------> http://www.pbase.com/artichoke/m8&page=67 in my Leica M gallery along with many other samples from this favorite lens
best advice

get to know your kit before your trip & post some for us to enjoy when you get a chance
--
--
pbase & dpreview supporter
DPR forum member since 5/2001
http://www.pbase.com/artichoke

"Avoid making a commotion, just as you wouldn’t stir up the water before fishing. Don’t use a flash out of respect for the natural lighting, even when there isn’t any. If these rules aren’t followed, the photographer becomes unbearably obtrusive" -- attributed to HCB

Pierre,

Congratulations on your decision. I sold my D700 and D3s (regret the last one a little, not wholly convinved the D800/D4 will be better) because I just dind't find their images on average in same ball park as those from my M9. I'm keeping my Nikon lenses, however, waiting for critical reviews of new Nikon cameras to emerge. M cameras not great for macro, movement, zoom, tele, as many have pointed out.

I can offer a little advice on M lenses. I have a bunch, they all sit in a kitchen drawer, I change them frequently to take pictures of my kids (mostly). Presently have:

135/4 Elmar
135/4.5 Hektor
90/2 APO
75/2
50/0.95
50/1.4 APO
50/2
35/1.4 APO FE
28/2
25/2.8 Zeiss
21/2.8 Zeiss
15/4.5 Voigtlander

Had and sold:

35/2 APO
35/2 Zeiss
28/2.8 Elmar

My observations:

50 APO is as close to perfect as I can imagine. Images can be magical. Better than Nikon 200/2 VR (Nikon's best, IMHO).

35 FE is a more recent aquisition, already love it, bokeh not as dramatically perfect as 50, but probably will end up being my choice for "one best lens"' with M9. Plenty of magic.

75/2 in same category as 50 Lux, just longer focal length, absolutely stunning.

90/2 deserves all its accolades. This is the one lens I have had Leica adjust for focus acuracy. Flawless.

Zeiss 21/2.8 is spectacular. I may get a Leica 21/3.4, but the Zeiss is so good, I'm in no hurry.

135 Hektor is a dirt-cheap gem. Ken Rockwell calls it a "dog" because it's not sharp at the edges, but this can't have been accidental, it must have been designed that way to be an ultimate portrait lens. Available on ebay for

I would wait for next Leica announcement, but I think there is something special about the Kodak sensor in the M9, the next sensor will certainly have better high-ISO performance, but may be less desirable in other areas.

Leica ROCKS. I could be happy with my M9 for the rest of my life.













Richard

Only the 75 and 90 Summicrons plus the 135 telyt are corrected apocromatically and bear the APO label. I think you meant ASPH for aspherical for the others.

SphericalAberration said:

Only the 75 and 90 Summicrons plus the 135 telyt are corrected apocromatically and bear the APO label. I think you meant ASPH for aspherical for the others.

Click to expand...

the non-APO lenses are the ones that glow , a desired quality of many older lenses
to get an M & outfit it with all APOs is to miss a lot of what Ms are about

--
--
pbase & dpreview supporter
DPR forum member since 5/2001
http://www.pbase.com/artichoke

"Avoid making a commotion, just as you wouldn’t stir up the water before fishing. Don’t use a flash out of respect for the natural lighting, even when there isn’t any. If these rules aren’t followed, the photographer becomes unbearably obtrusive" -- attributed to HCB

Maybe I'm too late...

But If I were you I would go for:

• 21mm F3.4 ASPH
• 35mm F1.4 ASPH
• 50mm F1.4 ASPH
• any 90 if you need it

21 for architecture...which is just outstanding lens

35 for family pictures and group of people is great under any light...or for who love the 35mm focal lens for general photography
50mm as normal...which btw is an amazing lens

I would personnaly avoid any long lens on M9...or just get a cheap one as a just in case one as the cheap, discontinued and easily found 90mm F2.8

right...I'm late but seems you made good purchases^^

Thanks to you all for good advice, wonderful pics and helpful links.

This forum is full of very helpful, friendly, knowledgeable and polite people. I also appreciate all the pics by members like l_objectif and many more that gives me great inspiration and is proof that a photographer can truly create art.

I have already bought a Leica M9-P and 2 lenses:
21/3.4 Super Elmar
35/1.4 Summilux

I hope to get my third and last lens soon:
50/1.4 Summilux

I will keep and bring my old 20D (2004) 8,2MP DSLR and my 70-200/4.0L IS to Hawaii. It is relatively light weight and the canon lens is the "state of the art" in it's class. This will supplement my new Leica perfectly.

I plan to upgrade to a better (in high ISOs) Nikon DSLR and a faster 70-200 f/2,8 zoom for indoor sports use this fall.

Best Regards
Pierre

SphericalAberration - 20 hours ago

absolutely correct, blame it on single-malt