Sunday musings: if you only had two lenses, what would they be?

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>Yes, it's time for some armchair photography again. Sure, it's soft subject matter but at least we aren't wondering why the Leica forum is dying or empty or whatever.</p>

<p>My answer: CV 35/1.4 and Leica 75/2.5.</p>

<p>The 35mm is quite flexible, but for portraits I would need the 75mm.</p>

[didier]

<p>Summicron 28 for my mountains.<br>

And a 50, Elmar ou 'lux asph.<br>

I would however lack, for maybe 3% of my shots the 'lux 75</p>

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

<p>I'm with Didier. Bill Garrett, former editor of National Geographic magazine and former Magazine Photographer of the Year once quipped that all any photojournalist 'really' needs is a Leica with a 28mm and 50mm. I wouldn't disagree. </p>

[frederick_muller]

<p>If I had only two lenses, they would be the 50mm lux asph and the 28mm f1.9 VC Ultron. That's precisely the combination I usually carry for travel and general photography. Unlike Didier, however, I would feel short a super-wide ... a 15mm VC Heliar. I lean towards wide angle.</p>

<p> </p>

[Aoresteen]

<p>For me it's the 50mm and the 90mm - it's why I stll use a M3.<br>

But I still love my 21mm...</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>Easy answer for me as I only have two: 35/2 ASPH and 90/2.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Since this is not only the Leica forum but also the RF forum, I would want a Biotar 75mm f/1.5 and an "Olympic" Sonnar 180mm f/2.8 for my Contax II. The range might be a little odd for a RF, but what lenses!</p>

 

[SCL]

<p>A 35 (any) and an old 90 Elmarit.</p>

[stuart_richardson]

<p>35/1.4 ASPH and 75/1.4 for me. The 35 is the best general purpose lens in the Leica lineup -- it is wide enough to serve as a wide angle lens in most situations, but it also can be used as a normal lens (even with some cropping if necessary), it is nice and sharp wide open and not as critical with focus as the 50/1.4's, so it is better for low light. The 75/1.4 is an amazing portrait lens and is more flexible than the more recent 75/2 in that it has two different "looks" built in. Wide open it is slightly soft and dreamy from residual aberrations. But stop it down to 2.5 or 2.8 and it is already very very sharp. At 5.6 and above it is just as sharp as the new 75/2 (which is to say, extremely sharp). So it serves as a softer portrait lens, a low light lens, and a nice sharp short telephoto, all in one lens. Between the two, there are few things you can't photograph (at least that you could photograph with a Leica otherwise). </p>

[guido_h]

<p>Why armchair photography? Is the weather so boringly sunny again? :-)<br>

That said, I most often use my ZM 35/2 and ZM 50/2 lenses. </p>

[brucecahn]

<p>I do only have two for my Leica. 75 f1.4 & 50 f2.</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Contax Carl Zeiss 45mm f/2 G Planar, CZ 90mm f/2.8 G Sonnar.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>at least we aren't wondering why the Leica forum is dying or empty</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Empty? The equipment chat seems slower but the picture threads seem well attended with terrific photography being shown. Very inspirational. </p>

[jean_yves_mead]

<p>My two would probably be chosen from the lenses I already own:<br>

 

<ul>

<li>Early M-mount 50mm f/2 rigid Summicron. It's fast enough, sharp enough, handles nicely, and draws

pleasingly. Maybe it's not going to set many pulses racing but it's a fine all-rounder.</li>

<li>Screw-mount Voigtlander 12mm f/5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar. Often I like to shoot *wide* and then nothing

else will do. Rangefinder coupling is for wusses (as are 52mm filters).</li>

</ul>

</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>Summicron 35 and Elmarit 90. With my Ultron 35/1.7 and Serenar 82/2 I'm close enough, but I also have an M-Hexanon 50/2.</p>

[DavidRabinowitz]

<p>my Canon 85mm 1.2 and Mamiya 80mm 4.5 for the Mamiya 7II rangefinder...the optics for the Mamiya 7II are incredible..</p>

[kens]

<p>If restricted to only two then another vote for 35 Summilux and 75 Summilux.<br>

I also favor 28 Summicron and 90 Summicron, but usually I also carry a fast 50 with those.</p>

[kens]

<p>(duplicate post)</p>

[steve_hoffman]

<p>For me it would be the 50 f1.4 Summilux pre-ASPH and the 24 f 2.8 Elmarit. That would do it! One can never have enough lenses though...</p>

[brucecahn]

<p>I have only two Leica lenses. The75mm f1.4, and 50mm f 2.</p>

[dave_s]

<p>The only rangefinder lens I have which has any special character is a Canon 50/1.5, the Sonnar copy. It makes people look good.</p>

[john_kwok]

<p>Louis,<br>

If I am using my Contax G2 then my two essential lenses would be my 28mm f2.8 Biogon and 45mm Planar. For my Leica M rangefinder kit, the lenses would be the 28mm Summicron ASPH and the 50mm Planar.<br>

John</p>

<p> </p>

[john_kwok]

<p>Louis,<br>

If I am using my Contax G2 then my two essential lenses would be my 28mm f2.8 Biogon and 45mm Planar. For my Leica M rangefinder kit, the lenses would be the 28mm Summicron ASPH and the 50mm Planar.<br>

John</p>

<p> </p>

[JDMvW]

<blockquote>

<p>Why armchair photography? Is the weather so boringly sunny again?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Where I am it's over 38º C (100º F) and about 100% relative humidity. You need a weather-sealed camera and lenses just to keep the sweat out.</p>

 

[john_tran14]

<blockquote>

<p>if you only had two lenses, what would they be?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>My progressive lenses that I'm wearing</p>

[steve_wagner1]

<p>Fujinon 21mm and 100mm for the g690bl</p>

<p>http://www.lallement.com/pictures/GL690-50.jpg</p>

<p>out of this world image quality</p>