Ideal Leica M kit

[OM4]

Just wondering in your opinion what would be the ideal Leica M user (as opposed to collector) kit bearing in mind the strengths and weaknesses of the system, price, state of technology, etc. My conclusion was something like this:-
M7 0.72 body, SUMMICRON-M f/2/28mm ASPH., SUMMILUX-M f/1.4/50mm ASPH. and APO-SUMMICRON-M f/2/90mm ASPH

Apologies if this has been covered before but I thought this discussion would be useful and interesting.

Does anybody know how much an outfit like that would cost new or secondhand?

Thanks

 

[kex]

at least $10k :sweat:

 

[kg_yew]

hop over to photo.net Leica forum. This is probably a subject discussed to death.

To me an ideal kit is one that you would use. Each person has his/her own preference

 

[szekiat]

my ideal kit?
21mm, 35mm, 75mm of whichever series you want.
Eg:
21 SA, 35cron/lux, 75lux
or
21CV, 35CV, 75CV
depends on budget right?
For a body, i'm also inclined for a M7 since i use Ap a lot.

 

[XXX Boy]

For me, I am using the following :-

Contax T3 (new) = $950
Leica M6 (new) = $3300 (bought 4 years back)
Leitz 50mm Summicron (2nd hand) = $750
Leitz 90mm Elmarit (2nd hand) = $1150
Leica SF20 flash (2nd hand) = $150

This is my perfect kit!!! :lovegrin:

 

[leef]

Does anybody know how much an outfit like that would cost new or secondhand?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

Went to CP yesterday,M7=4K,
Summilux-M 50mm/1.4 Asp=3.1K,lens no stock for last few months,and no stock for next 3 month at least cos Germany side still slowly hand grind the glass.
So did not get the set,instead I got canon ef 135mm/2L quite cheap at 1.3K nett,OT a bit.

 

[OM4]

Thanks everyone for your inputs.

 

[Red Dawn]

Just wondering in your opinion what would be the ideal Leica M user (as opposed to collector) kit bearing in mind the strengths and weaknesses of the system, price, state of technology, etc. My conclusion was something like this:-
M7 0.72 body, SUMMICRON-M f/2/28mm ASPH., SUMMILUX-M f/1.4/50mm ASPH. and APO-SUMMICRON-M f/2/90mm ASPH

Apologies if this has been covered before but I thought this discussion would be useful and interesting.

Does anybody know how much an outfit like that would cost new or secondhand?

Thanks

Hi

the ideal lens kit should be based on your shooting style, kind of shooting you do and of course, your budget.

u listed 3 lenses + 1 body, which is a good combination, with evenly spaced out focal length. but the problem is the lenses you listed are all the best in their class, the fastest and more importantly, very expensive!

but think about it, wat is the kind of subject you normally shoot? is it people photography? Is it landscape? or travel photography? Do you really need to lug around 3 lenses? in my opinion, the more you lug around, the more time you spend choosing the right lens to use and the more you tend to miss the shot, which would have occured while you're trying to change lens. the more gear you lug around, the more tired you become, and consequently, you might miss shots due to fatigue or lack of concentration.

Why not keep it simpler? 1 camera, 1 lens. and possibly, 1 type of film. Maybe a M6 and a 35mm lens. Or a M6 with a 50mm lens. Ok, if you really want the M7, a M7 with either the 35 or the 50. with practice, you will get so used to the focal length and field of view of these lenses that you can automatically move into the correct position for framing before you even lift the camera to your eye. Learn the limitations and strengths of your chosen 1 camera + 1 lens combination, and i guarantee you will learn so much more about photography than lugging around all the lenses.

a Leica M + 35mm or 50mm is a very potent combination. More famous pictures are probably taken with either the 35 or 50mm lenses over history than with any other focal lengths. I have the Leica M 40 years anniversary book (that was published in 1994!) and inside is a selection of famous photographers by many of the greats, including HCB, Sebastio Salgado, Bill Allard, David Alan Harvey etc etc. A shockingly number of those photos were made with the simple 35mm lens. Second highest is 50mm followed by 28mm, and after that, 21mm, 90mm etc.

David Alan Harvey has published 2 books made mostly with his "old" 35 f1.4. this is not even the ASPH version, but the older variant!

the Leica M is meant to be a lightweight, versatile system, stealthly, unobstrusive, quiet. Exploit these advantages by keeping your load light and your choices simple - you will spend more time shooting and making pictures than trying to decide a focal length

And if you really find a need for more than a lens, do consider the Voigtlander alternatives. They might be cheaper, but that doesn't make them any inferior. And they offer focal lengths and lens apertures that the Leica lens line lack. You can still have a main lens that is Leica, but you could substitute Voigtlander lenses for focal lengths than you may not use as much.

try it. u might like it!

 

[SzennyBoy]

the ideal lens kit should be based on your shooting style, kind of shooting you do and of course, your budget.
...

Why not keep it simpler? 1 camera, 1 lens. and possibly, 1 type of film.

...

the Leica M is meant to be a lightweight, versatile system, stealthly, unobstrusive, quiet. Exploit these advantages by keeping your load light and your choices simple - you will spend more time shooting and making pictures than trying to decide a focal length

I totally agree with Red Dawn here. In fact, a group of us from the Leica Forum actually put this to the test last December here in London in the forum's first ever "The One Challenge"... one camera, one lens, one roll of film (and two hours). An interesting and useful exercise which made you think more before pressing that trigger.

Personally, my current three lenses are all I'll ever need or want... 35/1.4 Summilux-ASPH, 50/2.8 Elmar and APO 90/2.8 Summicron-ASPH. So those are my ideal lenses.

 

[kingpin]

15 mm (voigt), 35 cron, 50 noct, 90 f2.8. Most used are 35 cron and 50 noct.

 

[chgoh]

Just wondering in your opinion what would be the ideal Leica M user (as opposed to collector) kit bearing in mind the strengths and weaknesses of the system, price, state of technology, etc. My conclusion was something like this:-
M7 0.72 body, SUMMICRON-M f/2/28mm ASPH., SUMMILUX-M f/1.4/50mm ASPH. and APO-SUMMICRON-M f/2/90mm ASPH

Apologies if this has been covered before but I thought this discussion would be useful and interesting.

Does anybody know how much an outfit like that would cost new or secondhand?

Thanks

Looks like this is also an expensive kit. Anyway, for me an M6 classic + a non-ASPH 35'cron would be the ideal shooting combination - nice and small shooting package!

chgoh

 

[chgoh]

...

Personally, my current three lenses are all I'll ever need or want... 35/1.4 Summilux-ASPH, 50/2.8 Elmar and APO 90/2.8 Summicron-ASPH. So those are my ideal lenses.

Should be the APO 90/2 Summicron-ASPH. Sorry for nitpicking. :bsmilie:

chgoh

 

[Patryk]

Taking advantage of the high speed Leica optics that allows for unobtrusive flashless photography for reportage and photojournalism, this would be my choice:

M6 TTL body
50mm Noctilux f/1 (this plus tri-x pushed to 1600, you can probably shoot in the dark!)
90mm Summicron-M ASPH f/2
Summilux 35mm f1.4

Probably would cost a bomb, but if win 4D, these babehs would be MINE!

 

[XXX Boy]

Taking advantage of the high speed Leica optics that allows for unobtrusive flashless photography for reportage and photojournalism, this would be my choice:

M6 TTL body
50mm Noctilux f/1 (this plus tri-x pushed to 1600, you can probably shoot in the dark!)
90mm Summicron-M ASPH f/2
Summilux 35mm f1.4

Probably would cost a bomb, but if win 4D, these babehs would be MINE!

Very very expensive combo! :sweat:

 

[SzennyBoy]

Should be the APO 90/2 Summicron-ASPH. Sorry for nitpicking. :bsmilie:

chgoh

See... that's the trouble with trying to type with a baby on your lap... hard to concentrate!!!

 

[OM4]

Can someone with the experience advise on the practicality or difficulty of using a 0.58 with 90mm in available light? Thank you.

 

[XXX Boy]

Can someone with the experience advise on the practicality or difficulty of using a 0.58 with 90mm in available light? Thank you.

I am not a expert of this. But using a 0.58 to shoot with a Tele lenses wide-open is not accurate (I am saying blowing up the photos to at least 8 X 12 ). The reason is because the image size is smaller in the viewfinder so it is more difficult to focus and not accurate.

 

[Red Dawn]

See... that's the trouble with trying to type with a baby on your lap... hard to concentrate!!!

Hi

next time, let ur baby do the typing! :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[Red Dawn]

I am not a expert of this. But using a 0.58 to shoot with a Tele lenses wide-open is not accurate (I am saying blowing up the photos to at least 8 X 12 ). The reason is because the image size is smaller in the viewfinder so it is more difficult to focus and not accurate.

Hi

nope i think it will be ok, with careful focusing, even if u blow up the print big. Especially with 90 f2.8 or f4. there are even people who claim they have no problems with their 90 crons. but you have got to be very careful and critical about focusing.

remember, lots of pple have no trouble with their Bessa R or R2s focusing their 75mm or 90mm lenses and blowing up their prints and achieving good results. And remember, those Bessa Rs and R2s have a smaller Effective baselength (RF baselength x magnification) than the 0.58x leica M. Effective baseline is the true measurement of rangefinder accuracy. the 0.58x finder has a smaller viewfinder magnification (to cater for wide angle use) but it still retains the same RF baselength as that of the other Leica Ms, so the effective baselength is still higher and thus more accurate in focusing than a Bessa R or R2.

come to think of it, the Leica M CLE or Minolta CLE also has a smaller EBL than the 0.58x Leica. And it has framelines for 90mm. So obviously it is meant to take 90mm lenses.

the only problem with the 0.58x viewfinder is that the size of the 90mm frameline is very small. it is very hard to do accurate FRAMING, and very hard to see small subject details. yes, you can use a 90mm with it, but it will not be so pleasurable, unless one buys the 1.25x magnifier.

for longer focal lengths and critically focusing very FAST lenses, like the 50 f1.0 Noctilux, 75 f1.4 cron or the 90 f2 cron, nothing beats the 0.85x finder. Or alternatively, get an M3. Now that's a REAL viewfinder!

those new Bessa R3a may have a 1.0x viewfinder, but their RF baselength remians short, so the Effective BL is still not as high as a 0.72x or a 0.85x Leica M. this is one thing to take note. So far, the only alternative rangefinder that has a high Effective BL enough to match a 0.72x leica M, is the yet to the released Zeiss Ikon Rangefinder. i'm eagerly waiting for that one. it can rangefinder couple down to 0.5m! and those new Zeiss M mount lenses...... ;p

 

[XXX Boy]

Hi

nope i think it will be ok, with careful focusing, even if u blow up the print big. Especially with 90 f2.8 or f4. there are even people who claim they have no problems with their 90 crons. but you have got to be very careful and critical about focusing.

remember, lots of pple have no trouble with their Bessa R or R2s focusing their 75mm or 90mm lenses and blowing up their prints and achieving good results. And remember, those Bessa Rs and R2s have a smaller Effective baselength (RF baselength x magnification) than the 0.58x leica M. Effective baseline is the true measurement of rangefinder accuracy. the 0.58x finder has a smaller viewfinder magnification (to cater for wide angle use) but it still retains the same RF baselength as that of the other Leica Ms, so the effective baselength is still higher and thus more accurate in focusing than a Bessa R or R2.

come to think of it, the Leica M CLE or Minolta CLE also has a smaller EBL than the 0.58x Leica. And it has framelines for 90mm. So obviously it is meant to take 90mm lenses.

the only problem with the 0.58x viewfinder is that the size of the 90mm frameline is very small. it is very hard to do accurate FRAMING, and very hard to see small subject details. yes, you can use a 90mm with it, but it will not be so pleasurable, unless one buys the 1.25x magnifier.

for longer focal lengths and critically focusing very FAST lenses, like the 50 f1.0 Noctilux, 75 f1.4 cron or the 90 f2 cron, nothing beats the 0.85x finder. Or alternatively, get an M3. Now that's a REAL viewfinder!

those new Bessa R3a may have a 1.0x viewfinder, but their RF baselength remians short, so the Effective BL is still not as high as a 0.72x or a 0.85x Leica M. this is one thing to take note. So far, the only alternative rangefinder that has a high Effective BL enough to match a 0.72x leica M, is the yet to the released Zeiss Ikon Rangefinder. i'm eagerly waiting for that one. it can rangefinder couple down to 0.5m! and those new Zeiss M mount lenses...... ;p

Any idea what is the price like for the new Zeiss Ikon camera?