Living as a Leica minimalist

<p>Leica lens prices seem to be going up and up. Despite some very fine high speed lenses now available, some of us cannot really afford to have a full kit of lenses for all possibilities of application and have to make do with less. Which lenses best suffice when one has to simplify one's desires in regard to purchases?</p>

<p>Sometimes less is even more, as it incites us to make more use of what we have and to concentrate on their mastery.</p>

<p>Which are the most useful Leica lenses you have and that you also frequently use, and which can you do without in your type of photography? Also the same question, but considering other M mount or M mount adaptable third part lenses (VC, Zeiss, other)? If you want to, tell us briefly why.</p>

<p>In my own case:</p>

<p>Most useful Leica lenses: 35mm Summicron asph. f2 (both for its universality, small size and its very high quality, even on the Leica scale); 135mm Tele-Elmar f4 (for its long reach, smoothness of operation, high image quality and adaptability to the reflex housing for macro); 21mm Elmarit f2.8 (for its small weight and size, wide field and small VF).</p>

<p>Least useful Leica lenses: 90mm Elmarit f2.8 (I know I should use it more, but don't; it would be an excellent complement to the 35); 280mm f4.8 Telyt reflex housing lens (I don't take it out often and am not a sports or wildlife photographer, although I like the compressed perspective effect of the long lens); 50mm Elmar-M f2.8 (not used enough, although I appreciate its compactness and high quality).</p>

<p>Most useful third party lenses: VC 12mm f5.6 Ultra-wide Heliar (I love this lens; while it is difficult to use effectively and from a compositional viewpoint, it opens up a new perspective; I recently used it for the bulk of 2400 photos during a month and a half of shooting with an M8 (16mm effective focal length) and a VC waste level VF); 35mm classic VC f2.5 lens - for its good tonality in B&W, for its compactness, and in rough situations where a $200 lens is a better choice than one costing tens times that); VC 28mm f1.9 Ultron (high speed wide angle at a low cost - not as good as the Leica 28 asph wide open, but good enough in most cases).</p>

<p>In a really minimalist but still useful system (for me at present), I would sacrifice the rest and go for the 12mm VC, the 35mm Summicron, and either the 90mm Elmarit-M or the 135mm Tele-Elmar. I would still feel that 95% or more of the type of photos I make would still be within reach.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If you want to be a minimalist go with either just a 35mm or 50mm Summicron.</p>

<p>I once decided to get rid of my collection of lenses and bodies and for over a year went with only my M6 and a 50mm Summicron...it made me a better photographer. In fact, that's all the Leica gear I have left. If I added another lens it would be a VC 21 mm.</p>

<p>My M2 with 35mm Summaron, 50mm Elmar and 90mm Tele-Elmarit would be the minimalist outfit that would satisfy most of my needs. That said, I do get a lot of use out of my 65mm Elmar with Visoflex and Bellows for wildflower photography. </p>

<p>The current cost of Leica lenses is of no concern to me since I can do what I want with what I have, which also includes the 135mm Tele-Elmar and 280mm Telyt. My Leica collection was built over a period of ten years or so starting in 1967 with my M4 and 50mm Elmar. The lenses were added as needs and finances permitted. The Leicaflex SL and four R lenses that I picked up over the past ten years are not used at all now and should probably be sold. </p>

<p>ah, i did the M3+DR/1yr exercise once, bailed out before the year was over, life's too short, the world too beautiful, in all distances and all angles of view :)<br /><br /></p>

<p>I guess a corollary to the question might have been, "is your minimalist leica system complemented by other cameras" (as MF equipment, other 35mm systems, lenses, etc.)"? Having a single lens on a Leica body might mean that there are other cameras that are also serving the photographer's needs.</p>

<p>I like the answers to date, particularly Dennis's, and maybe it is time to sell my less used lenses. However, I will be interested in other views on the subject. </p>

<p>Arthur, after Hurricane Katrina I lost darkroom access and have had to transition more to digital...to which I was very resistant. I now have a digital SLR which serves the purpose, but for street shooting you can't beat a Leica rangefinder. So, I use the digital SLR for general shooting..and it is more diverse. But I still love my Leica the best... ;>) </p>

<p>Yeah, I use mostly M7 and a 35 pre Asph Summicron. My first lens, and I still have it, is a 500 Summicron. Also have the VC 21, and very seldom ever use. Though I must confess, I've been using a Contax G2/35mm and quite do like it so far.</p>

<p>How about a just 35mm...<br>

<img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/10114452_c0b4cc1768_o.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="462" /></p>

<p>For many years from the middle 1960s my ideal pair was a 35mm and a 90mm. That was more theory than practice; because as time passed I found that I used the 50mm the most and could not do with the others what I did with it. If I had to use a two-lens kit now, it would be a 35mm and a 75mm. I have those two lengths, but despite having them I cannot part with the 50mm.</p>

<p>Latest version of the 50 Summicron, and the last pre-asph version of the 28mm Elmarit - either on one M-6 ttl if I have time to switch lenses, or on two ttl's when things are fast - a truly great and versatile (and compact) combo!</p>

<p>...but if it were one camera - one lens...it would need to be a 35mm. Right now I have a 35 1.4 VC single coated lens - not bad - but would prefer a 35 Summicron. Someday...but will prices ever stop escalating?</p>

<p>35 and 90 summicrons are all I own.<br>

Years ago I had an R kit with 28/35/50/90/135/200...found that literally (I actually counted them) 95% of my photos where taken with the 35/90.<br>

When I switched to the M all I purchased were the 35/90...don't regret it at all.</p>

M2 w/35mm 1:2.8 Summaron<div></div>

"grandson"

<p>I'm down to a pre-ASPH 35/2 and a 50/2 Summicron for my M4-P and M6.</p>

<p>Great shot Paul, I understand it as not just about a view through an aircraft window. Luis, a fine combination that I also once had and regrettably sold. I think I will seek to become an equipment minimalist again, somewhat analogous to simplifying film, photographic paper and developer choices.</p>

<p>Minimalist can be using just a one or two lens combo at a time. For quite a while, I carried just a 28 or 50, otherwise it's the usual 35/90. Film, too- used to be Kodachrome of some sort or Pan-F, now Fuji color or Tri-X.</p>

<p>I could get by easily and do with just a 35mm for street and other photography. For events and the like, I use a DSLR.</p>

<p>While not a Leica M as has been the subject of discussion (but not excluded by the topic), if you want to really go for the Leica minimalist experience, find a user-grade Leica A(1). The 50/3.5 Elmar is a very nice lens, the handling is great, and using a camera with no focusing instrument or light meter can be very instructive. Of course you can get one of the accessory rangefinders that looks like a periscope, but then that kind of defeats the purpose, I think.</p>

<p>If restricted to M, then I agree with others, M6 + 50 cron or 35 cron pre.</p>

<p>Good luck and have fun!</p>

For the first 20 or so years that I had a Leica, all I had was a beat up M2 and an f/3.5 Summaron. In

many ways that simple of a set-up is a freeing experience, because while shooting you never need to be

weighted down with a pack, never have to decide if you want to change lenses, and never need to take up

time fumbling around with that stuff while you miss shots. All you need is a couple of rolls of film in your

pocket and some good walking shoes.

 

I have 3 Leicas and 4 lenses now, plus some medium format stuff, but if I had to go back to one camera

and one lens I'd still be able to hold onto 95% of what I enjoy about doing photography. Shooting is the

important thing, after all, and if you've got a Leica and a lens you've got magical

capabilities right there... equipment wise, anyway.

<blockquote>

<p>Vilk Inc:<br>

... life's too short, the world too beautiful, in all distances and all angles of view :)</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Same goes for me. In addition, my photographic work covers such a range of tasks, that the inventory includes a bunch of 35mm SLRs, a comprehensive Hasselblad outfit, 4x5 Linhof, and soon a 5x7.<br>

But in the spirit of the thread, I recently considered that if resale prices were worth the trouble, I'd ditch Hasselblad, keep the Linhof Technika, overhaul the DS M3, buy a new MP when no one's looking, ... with <a href="http://uk.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/lenses/7263.html"><strong>this lens</strong></a>.<br>

But of course I'll do nothing of the sort. However, if I grab anything to walkabout town with, it's the M3 with either 3.5 cm Summaron or the 5 cm Summicron.</p>

My minimalist kit (for many years) shot thousands of frames with just a 40mm Summicron on a CL. I had a 90mm for a

while but decided that anything longer than 50mm worked better with an SLR so I got a Leicaflex and a 90mm

Summicron. So then my minimalist kit was CL + 40mm and SL + 90mm.

<p>Thanks, Arthur. I knew you'd get it. Paul</p>

That is a nice shot Paul..

<p>My usual kit contains my M8.2 with 35mm Summicron Asph and 50mm Summilux pre-Asph. The 35mm lives on the camera 90% of the time. </p>

<p>When I want to live really light, I just carry my Leica iiif with 5 cm Summicron collapsible. </p>

<p>For "work", I still need my Nikon DSLR with zooms.</p>

<p>Best,<br>

-Tim</p>

<p>My 'minimalist' kit is driven by happenstance and finances. Always wanted a Leica M but it seemed out of the question. Sure, I could swing a battered M4-2 body (just) but for lenses would then have to be content with a pinhole glued to a body cap. Then a neighbor in our apartment building wanted to sell some like new VC lenses. The 21 f4 in LTM and a 35 f2.5 PII, an M mount lens. He gave me a very good price so I bought them even though I didn't have a body yet. The same good neighbor loaned me a body to try out the lenses. A couple of months later I bought a pristine M4-2 at a camera show and have since added a LTM 90 f4 Elmar. The whole kit ran less than $1500 and that was 18 months ago. The M4-2 has acquired some signs of wear and after a year a thumb sized patch of vulcanite on the back just disintegrated into little chips. This leads me to believe the camera sat idle for a long time and the covering material had deteriorated from age and was ready to fall off with normal handling. For SLR needs I've had the same OM kit for 30+ years. Olympus OM and Leica just seem to go together.</p>