All,

I have been an slr user for the longest time and just dumped it all for an M6.

I have a new M6 with the .58 finder, a 35mm summcron and a 75mm summilux. My dilema is as follows:

The 35 is great for everyday shots. The 75 is still in its box and never been used yet. I am considering a 50 summicron after reading reviews on it. However, I am tired of spending the $'s without thinking ahead of time. Should I get rid of the 75 and buy the 50 ? Or will the 75 be a quasi good standard lens ? I am one who likes the way things are put together and am amazed with the build of the 75. However since I havn't even shot a single fram on it yet I am wondering if the 50 will be more practical ?

Thanks,

JT

-- Jorge Torralba (jorge.torralba@intel.com), January 28, 2002

Answers

The 50 is probably more practical as an everyday lens, and the 75 is more specialized. But since you already have a 35 it is questionable... That said, as with everything, it all depends on your shooting style and subjects. In the end, if you are like most people that use M's you are going to probably want at least 3 lenses, so i wouldn't ask if the 75lux is normal enough but if it is telephoto enough.

if you want to, i would gladly trade my 50 cron for your 75 lux =)

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), January 28, 2002.

For most Leica users, the 35mm is considered more of a "normal" lens than the fifty, although, personally, I use the Elmar-M. I think you have a terrific two lens system, that will just take a little getting use to. There should be all sorts of applications where the 75mm will come in handy. It's a great portrait lens for one. I'd spend some time shooting with the 75mm before I gave up on it. Try some head shots of your friends before making a decision.

-- Glenn Travis (leicaddict@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.

I would sell/trade the 75 for a 50, although maybe you should consider the 50 Summilux so at least you keep a 1.4lens. Besides, the 50 is more suitable for your .58 viewfinder than the 75mm.

-- T. Fugits (tempusfugits@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.

Jorge,

in theory there are lots of questions on lens outfits for 2-lens-kits or 3-lens-kits. For the 2-lens-kits the 35-75 or a 50-90 are recommended quite often, as well as a 35-50. But the latter is just a step away from a 35-50-90 3-lens-kit which is pretty much standard. If you want to stick to the 2 lenses, I don't see the point of selling the 75, but since the 75 is not the focal range everybody uses it may take some time to get used to. But if you're using a 35 as a standard, the 75 esp. with the .58 finder is the tele-lens of choice.
If you want to upgrade to a 3-lens-kit later or if you don't see the point (even after trying) where you can use this lens, then trade it in for whatever you think is more reasonable. If I were you, I'd stick to the 35-75 combination.

-- Kai Blanke (kai.blanke@iname.com), January 28, 2002.

Why don't you spend some time shooting with the 75 before you potentially make another decision that you'll regret?

Moving over from an SLR to a rangefinder system forces you to see the world differently so I suspect that if you just "dumped" your SLR and bought the M you still haven't found that magic combination that will snag you the most keepers.

That, and there's not much difference between a MINT and LN lens. Unless you really scratch up the 75 in use

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 28, 2002.

You already have the 75, and while it is not ideally suited to use on the .58 body, why not give it try and see how you like it? A 35/75 combo sounds like a very usefull two-lens set-up. If after using it carefully, you decide you don't like it, then you can consider selling it, and will probably suffer no additional economic setback. Somebody on this forum regularly recommends that you should use a new lens for at least 6 months before getting rid of it. Based on my personal experience, I think that is pretty good advice, unless you know after the first few rolls you hate it. And when you decide to sell the 75, email me first!

;-) Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), January 28, 2002.

Jorge,

If you haven't tried the 75 yet because it's just so big, then you might look at the Voigtlander 75mm f/2.5. It's small enough that it's easy to carry along when you've decided that the 35 is your normal lens.

-- John Morris (jtmorris@slb.com), January 28, 2002.

If you already have the 75 and have never used it, then use it! Then try out a 50 (best of all a 2/50). If I never had a 50 or the 75, I would always get a 50 first. Then, the 75 or a 90. Preferably a 2.8/90.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), January 28, 2002.

Hello Jorge,

hope you enjoy the new world of LEICA-photography. Take into account, that it takes quite a few rolls of film to get used to the LEICA M, some say at least 100.

The .58 v/f magnification isnīt perfectly suited to the 75 mm lens. Your dealer should have given you perhaps a better advice. Try the 1.25 magnifier when you use the 75 mm SUMMILUX. Or put it away for a while and get hold of it again, when you are used to the camera. And: do not invest into so much gear so quick. It might be better to add something only when you are familiar with the things you already have.

For training purposes the 35 mm SUMMICRON lens is ideal and perfect for your w/a body. In case of more questions: just turn up here. Most LEICA bugs around this site are friendly to newcomers.

Best regards and good shooting

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), January 28, 2002.

Jorge,

The 35/75 combination would be my personal preference as a two lens minimal outfit for travelling, but as others have suggested if you then want a third lens your choices become more limited, if it were me I would add a 24mm later on and another body - then I'd shoot lot's.

-- gary yeowell (gary@yeowell.fsnet.co.uk), January 28, 2002.

I share with the last comments.Use the lens,at least 6 months.If you are new to photography,or gone from slr to this viewfinder system, congrats on your choice.The easy part was spending money.The hard part is coming to terms with the Leica.Try for a few weeks at atime to use only,not with the 35,the 75mm.See how the background appears in out of focus areas.Get to feel the framing,simply by looking with one eye and comparing.Try the results of different apertures.It should be a great portrait lens.Try wide open and some with slight flash.I prefer photos no added light,but realize,that the results should in a way be as good as everyone elses.Look how often NGS photogs use fill flash.After at least some time,if you are not happy,sell or trade for the 50mm?? I swapped a 50mm dual range many years ago for a 50mm bayonet mount collapsible Summicron.I have never regretted the swap.Later You may add a 15mm/28mm and possibly a regular M6,not the 0.85. I use 50mm and 135mm.Good shooting!

-- jason gold (leeu72@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.

35/75 is my everyday carry-all life-saver combo. I shoot 95% of all pix with it. Go for it - you won't regret it.

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), January 28, 2002.

I owned a 75/1.4 for I believe 3 years...I say "believe" because it spent most of the time in the cupboard. The performance was fine, the ergonomics were not. Luckily for me, it was a used lens to begin with and I lost nothing when I sold it. If I'd bought it new I think economics would have forced me to keep using it, hate it or not. Then again, having a brand-new Leica lens in the box that you never touch, don't feel foolish at all: you're in good company with a lot of Leica collectors ;>) Bottom-line, I think you owe it to yourself to shoot with it before parting company.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), January 28, 2002.

35/75....the best!

-- Emile de Leon (knightpeople@msn.com), January 28, 2002.

35 'lux + 75 'lux, and nothing more. Took me a very long time to figure that one out.

Leica M is all about hand holdability, flexibility and quality. The faster the lens, the more you can shoot the M way, and with these two, the quality and flexibility are unbeatable.

Have not been able to afford the switch from 35'cron to 35'lux yet, unfortunately, and since I've met the 75 'lux, I've grown to really hate the f2 limitation....

The bravest might even consider M+nocti, with nothing else but film in the cupboards or pockets or bag (OK, a tabletop Leica minitripod is tolerable for cloudy moonless night shots)....

The 50 'cron is OK for lazy Sunday snappers; the safes full of M lenses are OK for rich Sunday snappers... ;-)

-- Jacques (jacquesbalthazar@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.

I use the 35/1.4 and the 75 regularly. Both are incredibly good lenses, creating wonderful low light images. The out ot focus (bokeh) is simply perfect with either one. I would keep and use both, and only later consider adding a used, later model 50/2. (The other lens I like is the 15 Heliar.) I've got a few shots with the 15, 35 and 75 in the 35mm section on my web site (http://www.e-photoart.com/); unfortunately this section is rather meager at the moment.

The only possble problem I see with your set-up is using the 75 with a 0.58 finder. I found the 0.72 challenging enough, so that I switched to the 0.85.

-- Robert Jones (mail@visionsurgery.net), January 29, 2002.

Jorge, this has been said many times before (and months ago, too): if I could have only two lenses, they would very likely be a 35 and a 75. First -- and in any case -- a 35 (likely the cron I already have). Secondly, a 75 -- but here a cron too. So just keep waiting another five or ten years.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), January 29, 2002.

I have the same outfit for i year.I added a 50 lux and a 90 a year later with also a second body. You need time to get used to M system. Once you do you will want more and more of Leica. Suggest you keep current setup and consider addition later. Good shooting!

-- Tim Tan (kctan18@yahoo.com), January 30, 2002.

Well,

When I originally posted this thread I had not used my 75 yet and was a bit worried that I should have bought the 50 instead.

All doubt have been removed. I used the 75 today for the first time and was very impressed. Its a keeper. Here is a photo of my daughter which I took today. Granted, its a scanned negative. But, the negative itself is very sharp.

http://home.europa.com/~torralba/images/Feb02_Leica/Liz1.jpg

Thanks for all the feedback

-- Jorge Torralba (Jorge.torralba@attbi.com), February 02, 2002.