Leica What's your favorite lens?

VINCETAN

Top Veteran
I have tried different lenses over the years from the obscure Petzval to the extreme Leica Noctilux f0.95. One lens I kept going back to is the Leica 50mm Summilux Asph. For me, this is as close to perfect as can be. I have the most numbers of keepers with this lens. I also find it quite easy to focus and the pictures are just nice.

In terms of the different brands, many have that unique look like the Zeiss Sonnar or even the Canon f0.95 dream lens. For me however, if I want to make sure of the result, my preferred choice is Leica.


Leica Tri-Elmar WATE

16639378065_d7f529784f_b.jpg


Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH

16638369302_f7a7d50510_b.jpg


Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH

16451810568_2cbe6db775_b.jpg


Leica 75mm Summilux

16017082974_96a67cfd84_b.jpg


How about you?
 
I'd have to go with the current 50mm summilux as well, there's something about that lens that causes me to go back to it over and over again (even though I prefer a wider FL). My runner up would be the 18mm SEM, if it were faster it might have been my favorite (which is why I'm seriously considering the 21mm summilux as a replacement).
 
My favorite would have to be the (non-APO) 50 Summicron. It is sharp from corner to corner without being clinical, but has a nice classical rendering. Most importantly, while it does have focus shift, it is entirely covered by the available depth of field. I can just mount it to my camera and so long as I do my part, the lens will not disappoint.

A very close runner up is the 35mm f/2.5 Summarit. Again sharp from corner-to-corner from f/4, sharp enough in the corners wide open, but with delightful rendering that isn't clinical. I love it.

And then there are the Sonnars. I don't own the modern ZM (I'll get another someday), but just love my two vintage f/1.5s. The CZJ from 1937 is perhaps a bit sharper than my 1963 J3 stopped down, and both are equally magical wide-open with the Ukrainian lens a bit higher contrast. Either one just makes anyone I point it at better looking than they are in real life.

Strangely my Nikon 58mm f/1.4G is perhaps even higher on my list than my Leica lenses. There is just something about the bokeh that I can't get enough of. If it would work on my Monochrom it would be my favorite for sure.
 
DSC08627-Edit-Edit.jpg
Although I love the smooth perfection of the 50mm Summilux ASPH. I've got to say that I also love the 35mm Voigtlander 1.2 II. Just love it's smooth rendering and I find that it's perfectly capable of producing pretty highlights when the light is right too. The Summilux is very heavy (I have the silver version) and so I don't use it much but when I go back to it, I realise just how beautiful it renders. This is the Voigtlander on the A7R (my Leica M is at the doctor's).
 
View attachment 3105 Although I love the smooth perfection of the 50mm Summilux ASPH. I've got to say that I also love the 35mm Voigtlander 1.2 II. Just love it's smooth rendering and I find that it's perfectly capable of producing pretty highlights when the light is right too. The Summilux is very heavy (I have the silver version) and so I don't use it much but when I go back to it, I realise just how beautiful it renders. This is the Voigtlander on the A7R (my Leica M is at the doctor's).

With the A7R, I really enjoyed using it with the Minolta Rokkor 58mm f1.2. Relatively inexpensive for a fast lens.
 
For the lovely blend of compactness and speed I find I'm grabbing the 35mm Summicron v4 most often. It's tiny and still useably sharp wide open.

This is a hand held shot at f4, taken while walking to a local coffee shop. BTW, here in New Orleans there are almost no straight lines and nothing much is square. If you look closely you can probably see signs of where I removed some ugly power lines.


View attachment 9948_DSC0284-538-1 by brusbybrusby, on Flickr
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have tried different lenses over the years from the obscure Petzval to the extreme Leica Noctilux f0.95. One lens I kept going back to is the Leica 50mm Summilux Asph. For me, this is as close to perfect as can be. I have the most numbers of keepers with this lens. I also find it quite easy to focus and the pictures are just nice.

In terms of the different brands, many have that unique look like the Zeiss Sonnar or even the Canon f0.95 dream lens. For me however, if I want to make sure of the result, my preferred choice is Leica.


Leica Tri-Elmar WATE

16639378065_d7f529784f_b.jpg


Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH

16638369302_f7a7d50510_b.jpg


Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH

16451810568_2cbe6db775_b.jpg


Leica 75mm Summilux

16017082974_96a67cfd84_b.jpg


How about you?
I started out with the Summicron 50mm, but decided on the Summilux 50mm ASPH because of the higher quality images wide open. I would love to purchase the Summilux 35mm f1.4 FLE in the future.
 
My current favorite lens is the Rigid Summicron or is it the vintage Zeiss Sonnar 5cm 1.5 or is it the Nikon Millenium 50 1.4 or is it the pre- asph 35mm Summilux or is the Zeiss 85/1.4 or 50/1.4 in QBM ... .?

There are many favorite lenses.
 
I completely understand what Raid meant. Another issue I guess is that it can also depend on the camera you are using. A while back, when I was using the Sony A7 exclusively, I thought the Minolta Rokkor-PG 58mm f1.2 was a perfect match for it. In fact, I liked it better than the 50mm lux ASPH on the A7. So recently, I tried the Rokkor on the M 240 recently. Not the same experience I have with the A7.


Here is another one with the 50mm Summilux ASPH. It is just too easy to like this lens. I have the most number of keepers with this lens. It is also the lens that I kept going back to. I sold it twice and bought it three times.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/rgjtUS]
16582272550_0a1b33c8e1_b.jpg
[/URL]
 
I completely understand what Raid meant. Another issue I guess is that it can also depend on the camera you are using. A while back, when I was using the Sony A7 exclusively, I thought the Minolta Rokkor-PG 58mm f1.2 was a perfect match for it. In fact, I liked it better than the 50mm lux ASPH on the A7. So recently, I tried the Rokkor on the M 240 recently. Not the same experience I have with the A7.


Here is another one with the 50mm Summilux ASPH. It is just too easy to like this lens. I have the most number of keepers with this lens. It is also the lens that I kept going back to. I sold it twice and bought it three times.

16582272550_0a1b33c8e1_b.jpg
Beautiful image.
 
I think most of us have a lens or lenses that we keep coming back to. I have quite a few.

For the Leica M I've sold the 35 Summarit and bought another. I've also bought and sold the 24 Elmar ASPH twice, and will probably buy it again someday (fantastic lens). The Sonnars I will keep, but the one lens that I lusted after for years and finally bought is the 50mm f/2 Summicron (v5 non-APO). I doubt I'll ever sell it, and while I may use other 50s, this lens is my standard. There is just something special about the way it draws.

10750746374_a70cf72268_b.jpg
L1000206-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

14404949086_ec10afe15f_b.jpg
L1004101.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

14089115327_bb73d100b4_b.jpg
L1003789-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

11068392215_838185d927_b.jpg
L1000906-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

11013783506_f88424ce25_b.jpg
L1000847-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

10781788705_f1ae637614_b.jpg
L1000384-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

10782005873_4d259731b9_b.jpg
L1000342-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

10160073535_b32560ed56_b.jpg
L9999803-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

9928038375_e22d8bc35b_b.jpg
L9999528-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr

10040827683_5059683ac1_b.jpg
L9999724-Edit.jpg
by Lawman1967, on Flickr
 
Those images tell the story - I've had one 35 and two 50's - love 'em all. Just goes to show what you can't get with a lens that's made entirely by a machine.
 
The 50 Lux asph is the one lens I really still crave, but have never owned. I need to sell some stuff and get one :)

Meanwhile, while I shoot many different lenses, the last I would sell is the 28 cron :)

19474873686_31570d095f_b.jpg

L1034999-2
by unoh7, on Flickr
 
Back
Top