One of the overwhelming advantages of the Leica M system is the vast range of lenses of all ages and price entry points. Even in the Leica range there is a perplexing variety of offerings, with previous generations having their own characteristics and faithful followers. Add in M-mount lenses from other manufacturers, including Voigtländer and Zeiss — not to mention the various small-production Japanese specialists, and the choice is almost limitless.
Even if you don’t own a Leica camera, most of these manual M-mount lenses can be used on modern mirrorless cameras such as the Sony A7 line and crop-sensor models from Fuji, Olympus and Panasonic. Newcomers can be forgiven for being confused and not knowing where to start.
Leica enthusiast Ashwin Rao has put together advice on building a lens family to go with the new M10. Writing on Steve Huff’s site, Ashwin provides a good overview of which lenses — and, perhaps more to the point — which focal lengths to choose. Pairings are important when considering prime lenses, perhaps 35/50, 35/75 or 28/50. Within each focal length he gives his recommendations. I agree with all his points and the article provides a good primer for anyone new to the M system.
Above: Three views using three different prime lenses — 50mm, 35mm and 28mm. The wider angles are ideal for cityscapes and architectural themes while 50mm and longer is challenging unless you can get far enough away. There is always a debate on which is the best “standard” lens to carry (Photos Mike Evans)
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My Travel Kit consists of a M9 + 35 Summicron, M7 + 50 Summicron plus Elmarit 21 and Elmarit 90. Strolling always with one camera plus one lens – mostly M9 + cron 35. But I recognize that I start to like the cron 50 more often again.
I usually just stay with the lens I put on before I left home, even if I have other lenses in the bag. The same applies to all camera makes that I use. I suppose the lenses in the bag are there largely for re-assurance. I generally use primes. Zooms only go on where there is likely to be a lot of activity with people, animals or sport etc.
There is nothing as liberating as using one camera and one lens all day, though.
William
When I used film Leicas, I carried two bodies with a 50mm on one and a 35mm on the other. Always. In the bag was a 21mm and a 90mm. The 21mm was used on occasions. The 90mm was used hardly ever.
I went for the classic line-up of 35-50-90: a Summaron 35mm f/3.5, Summitar 50mm f/2 and Tele-Elmarit 90 /f/2.8. Cheap, but combined with an M240 (or M8) the results are excellent!
I agree. I think 90 is more versatile than 75. But I’m now now so sure I don’t prefer 28-50-90 having got used to 28 with the Q and Ricoh GR.
Ah yes, the Q… sold it in order to buy a M240. Lovely camera, but 28 was/is not for me. All I did was crop in PP.
So we come back to the three most popular focal lengths, all neatly packaged into one body – the Tri-Elmar 28-35-50, a lens I return to and rediscover once again. There was a time when I had a love-hate relationship with this lens; not anymore. Twinning it with my MP240 seems to have given it even better performance than before. But I concede that occasionally other primes are more suited for specific tasks. But for travel, the versatile TEAM 28-35-50 is unique on the M.
Indeed, David. And although I didn’t mention it in the caption, the three shots of the Black Lion pub were taken with my Tri-Elmar. Apart from it’s other virtues, the Tri-Elmar is a good learning to judge composure.
Autocorrelation has been playing tricks with my comment. TEAM should read TE, my shorthand for the MATE. I could not find the EDIT button.
Yes, don’t worry. I understood. Even I as lord high master of the blog cannot edit comments. My earlier reply contained an errant it’s instead of its (which auto correct gets wrong 50% of the time) and I am unable to edit. Actually this is probably a precaution to stop me editing other comments. All that can be done, as you have done, is add a correction. If you wish, though, post the comment again and I will delete the old comment — that is my sole option.