If you’re passionate about photography, remember that your gear shouldn’t be your passion. Even if you’re a gear junkie, the goal is to take pictures, whether it’s of family, friends, or street scenes. Using the Leica R35 f/2.8 lens will help you to stop focusing on your equipment and really focus on the joy of photography.
I chose this lens because it has a close focusing distance of 0.3 meters. It’s pretty amazing, because it’s even closer than the Super Angulon 21mm f/3.4, which has a close focusing distance of 0.4 meters. As Capa said, if your photos aren’t up to scratch, it’s probably because you’re not close enough.
In 1964, the Leica R35 f/2.8 was designed for the Leicaflex. This was Leica’s first foray into the single-lens reflex market. The 35 mm focal length is the one Leica really excels at, but they didn’t release the f/2 Summaron or Summilux. Instead, they went with the f/2.8 Elmarit, which shows that Leica was initially a bit wary of the R system.
There are a few different versions of the R35 f/2.8. The first one has a S6 mount, the second one has a S7 mount, and the third one has an E55 mount. Each version has seen a few minor design changes. I’ve got the first generation R35 f/2.8, which is considered the best-made version and produces a rich image quality.
Leica M-mount 28mm lenses aren’t cheap, as they’re standard wide-angle lenses. However, the Voigtlander VM 28mm f/2 lens is really impressive in terms of quality, with rich colors and high resolution. The Leica M8 produced images that were pretty mild, but with this lens, the colors are much richer and the bokeh at f/2 is also very nice.
In general, this lens is pretty similar to a Leica lens, but in complex lighting situations with high contrast, it might produce some strange colors in the highlights or shadows. The price is pretty good for the quality of the lens. For the price, the VM 28mm f/2 is a great lens.
There are so many wonderful Leica 28mm lenses to choose from! You’ve got the 28mm f/6.3 Hekor, the 28mm f/5.6, and the Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 (v1, v2, v3, v4). There are so many different versions and lots of stories to tell! The current 28mm f/2 ASPH is the upgrade of the Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 v4, and it uses ASPH glass. It has great 3D vision, a sharp f/2 aperture, and perfect bokeh!
f/2 Bokeh
I just love the bokeh from the Summicron! It’s so easy on the eye and not at all messy. This lens is based on the design concept of modern lenses, which is really great! ASPH lenses are great for improving clarity and making bokeh nice and soft. It’s not technically part of the Leica classic lens series, but it has a really impressive optical performance! The f/2 aperture is great for shooting in low light, and the lens is really fast, so it’s super versatile!
Shortcoming
Just a quick note to let you know that the aperture ring on this lens is a little loose, so it’s easy to accidentally touch it and change the aperture without realizing it. No big deal, just thought I’d give you a heads-up! Also, the hood is a bit big, so I usually leave it off.
ZM. VM.
This is the best Leica lens on the market right now, and it’s better than all 28mm lenses from Zeiss ZM and Voigtlander VM. If you think the Summicron 28 is too expensive, a used Elmarit 28 F2.8 is a great deal.
info
Leica 28mm f/2.0 SUMMICRON-M Aspherical Lens
Focal length: 28.5mm
Aperture: f/2 to f/16
Camera Mount Type: Leica M
Angle of View: 75-degrees
The 21mm lens is the widest angle lens I’ve ever used. Wide-angle lenses can make people look a bit out of proportion. Instead of distortion, the excellent design of this lens has a perspective impact. I use it with film cameras.
Changing distance and changing style
Wide-angle lenses can create different visual and psychological effects depending on how they’re used. With a wide-angle lens, the subject appears to be farther away. A wide lens is great for creating a bit of distance between the subject and the photographer. However, a 21mm lens can also be great for close-up photos. By changing your distance, you can change your photography style.
Schneider Super Angulon
The Leica 21mm f/4 Super Angulon was designed and manufactured by Schneider. It’s got the classic Super Angulon symmetrical design you’d expect to see in a 4×5 format. This lens has great contrast and really vibrant colours. Vignetting is the biggest issue with this lens, but some people like this style.
leica 21mm f/4 super angulon
Leica 21mm f/4 Super-Angulon M – Technical Information
Brand: Leica
Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany
Focal Length Type: Fixed/Prime
Focal Length: 21mm
Type: High Quality, Prime, Ultra Wide Angle
Model: Angulon
Series: Leica Super-Angulon-M
Camera Type: Rangefinder
Focus Type: Manual
Maximum Aperture: f/4.0
Mount: Leica M
To be honest, the Leica M4 is the top-of-the-line camera in the entire Leica M series. It’s got the most advanced film loading and rewinding systems, the most ergonomic film advance lever, and the most advanced black chrome plating technology. A brand new black chrome M4 is considered to be first-class in terms of both technology and workmanship. Plus, you can still find a top-of-the-line black chrome M4 at a reasonable price. Black chrome is more durable than black paint, but collectors prefer the latter because brass shows through where the paint has worn off.
There’s nothing quite as alluring as a black paint Leica camera. Once you get your hands on a black paint Leica, you can’t let it go. The worn-off black paint on the brass gives it a kind of glow that reminds us of the history of our rise and fall. It’s inspiring, really.
Black paint is becoming more and more popular, and the price keeps going up. Another option is to buy a current version of the black paint MP, since it hasn’t been discontinued yet, and even used ones often look like new.
In the past, black Leicas were a great help to war photographers, and now those same photographers have contributed to black paint Leicas. When you wear a black paint Leica M4 on your chest, you’re reminded of the masters, which gives you even more courage and strength. If this is true, then such a camera is truly priceless. Leica has become a cultural symbol, at least that’s how they promote themselves.
The Leica M4 stands out for its speed. It loads, advances, and rewinds film quickly, which is really useful. The M4 also has a combination of the M3 and M2 structures, with the counter from the M3 and the viewfinder from the M2. It was sold at a higher price than the M2 and M3 at the time. So, no matter what color it is, the Leica M4 is a really user-friendly camera.
The M4 was the first model to have a bent corner and a plastic washer on the film advance lever. This design increased the contact area of the thumb during film advance, so the thumb could slide along the edge of the body to the end. The classic film advance lever on the M3 looks good, but when the film is fully advanced, the finger has to leave the body, which reduces grip stability. The M4’s film advance lever design makes it easier for your thumb to move, which actually speeds up film advance and increases grip stability. The Leica M4’s film advance lever is designed with ergonomics in mind.
The Leica M4 also loads film pretty quickly. This fast film loading feature was inherited from the military versions of the Leica M2 and M2-R.
It’s hard to believe that the Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 Ver. 1 Steel Rim was made in 1960. It’s a gorgeous little lens, with its 35mm focal length and f/1.4 aperture, and it’s so compact. The brass chrome plating is really lovely, and the focusing lever is super smooth with an infinity lock. It’s a great-looking lens, and it’s more attractive than all the current versions of the Summilux 35 1.4 Asph. This lens is a favorite among collectors and photographers alike. I spent a pretty penny to get it.
lux
What I like about the steel ring lens is not just its looks, but also how it performs optically. At f/1.4, it’s very sensitive to highlights, which makes it great for taking sharp photos in low light and for creating soft light effects in bright light. If you really need something particularly sharp, any version of the Summicron 35mm f/2 lens will do the trick.
info
Lens mount - Leica M-bayonet
Number of lenses /groups - 7 /5
F stop range - f/1.4-f/16
Angle of view diagonal - 64 degrees
Filter type - E41 - A46.5
Accessories - Hood: OLLUX 12522
Dimensions length x diameter - 38 x 53 mm / 1.50 x 2.07 in
Weight - 245 g /8.64 oz M3 - 195 g / 6.88 oz
Walter Mandler was pretty bummed when the first generation Summicron 90mm lens didn’t take off because of its size. He came up with the second-generation Summicron 90mm f/2, which was a huge hit. The optical design stayed the same from 1980 to 1998, which is pretty cool because it shows how important the E55 version lens was in history. Despite all the advances in technology, the later 90mm lenses with ASPH and APO technology just couldn’t get any smaller or lighter, so the E55 version was a popular choice.
Given how it’s used, I think the second-generation Summicron 90mm f/2 E55 or E49 version is the best fit. These lenses aren’t too old and can be found in good condition, which makes them both economical and affordable. The E55 version has a great design and is almost the same size as the 90AA, but it’s lighter. It produces sharp portraits when it’s wide open and sharp landscapes when it’s stopped down one stop. In short, the E55 version offers the same quality as the pricier 90AA, making it a great choice.
Weight of the 90mm lens
While the Summicron 90mm fi-generation lens initially met my image quality standards, its size became an issue, so I ended up selling it. As someone who uses a Leica M, I understand the importance of lens size. However, after investing more money, I got the second generation E55, which has revolutionized my view of 90mm lenses. This version is much more portable, and the F2 aperture is impressive.
90mm is a peak
When it comes to photography, there’s often a difference between what we want to capture and what we can actually do. This gap is often represented by a mountain of cameras and lenses, which can be tough to overcome. Some photographers have managed to climb over this mountain, while others have gotten lost in the valleys below.
In the world of Leica photography, it is very common for users to have multiple 50 mm and 35 mm lenses and a 21 mm or 28 mm wide-angle lens. However, only a few opt for the 90 mm lens. This shows the special place of the 90 mm lens in the world of Leica lenses. So why make it?
With the rise of high-pixel-count cameras, the 90mm lens might seem less important. After all, you can get the same field of view by cropping an image taken with a 50mm lens. But by looking at things through a 90mm lens, you can see things in a whole new way. The 90mm lens has a more focused field of view than the 50mm lens, which makes it great for getting the subject in focus. This makes it a great lens for portraits and close-up shots. But as Saul Leiter shows us, a 90mm lens can also be used for street photography. It can capture the elegant interplay of light and shadow in a way that sparks the imagination.
Even though there are some challenges to climbing the peak of the 90mm lens, the rewards are worth it. This lens offers a unique perspective that can open up a whole new world of possibilities in photography.
90mm lens focusing
It can be tricky to get the hang of focusing with a 90 mm lens without the right technique. By the time you get the focus just right, the ideal moment to shoot may have passed. I’ve put together a few useful tips for focusing with a 90 mm lens.
To speed up your focusing time, set your focus to 5 meters and estimate the distance between your subject and yourself in advance. As a general rule of thumb, you should be able to get the distance between you and your subject right around 10 meters for distant subjects and 2 meters for close ones.
Using an M3 body can be a good idea because it has a magnification of 0.91 and a super-large focusing screen. You might also want to think about getting a viewfinder magnifier to help you focus more accurately.
leica summicron-m 90mm f2
Code: SOOZI(screw mount, removable le lens head) SEOOF 11123(screw mount, built-in lens hood), S0OZI-M(bayonet), SEOOF-M or SEOOM 11123 (bayonet), ZOOEP 11133: lens head onl Serial#:1,119,001-n/a ly Total production: n/a Maximum aperture: 1: 2 Focal length(nominal): gomm Angle: 270 Minimum distance: 100cm Weight: 685 grams Filter: E48
I just love the satisfying sound that comes from turning the aperture ring of the Leica Rigid lens! It’s a quiet, clean sound, similar to the ticking of a mechanical clock. It’s such a shame that newer Leica lenses don’t make that sound.
On CMOS and CCD:
The Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron Rigid is a great lens that works well on both film and digital cameras. On CMOS and CCD sensors, it produces a softer image with less contrast.
Condition:
It’s not easy to find a Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron Rigid in good optical condition. It’s not unusual for a lens of this age to be in perfect condition.
Rigid vs V4:
I’ve switched to the Summicron-M 50mm V4 as my 50mm lens. It has better coatings and may be sharper.
Rigid DR:
Rigid has a cousin who wears glasses and adds “DR” after the name. The Rigid DR lens is great but heavy. It’s best for black and white photography, while the V4 is amazing for color. The Rigid DR isn’t compatible with a digital Leica camera.
If you own a Leica M camera, you’ll feel right at home with this SOFORT. Pick it up, adjust the focal length, compose the view, and shoot. Hey! Déjà vu.
First, estimate the focus.
The LEICA SOFORT has two gears: The range is 0.6 to 3 meters, and 3 to infinity. This is the defining characteristic of Leica M lenses. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 is the definitive prototype of the Leica SOFORT. The Fujifilm version lacks this focal length ring.
Second, the rangefinder.
The Leica viewfinder is really bright and comfortable. The rangefinder viewfinder isn’t Leica’s patent, but it’s the heart and soul of Leica. The viewfinder on the Fuji mini90 isn’t as good as the Leica SOFORT.
Third, there are square and round shapes.
Leica cameras have a square and round design. They might not seem like they have a design, but they’re actually more classic. Sofort also has a classic combination of square and round shapes. Leica’s other SL digital camera also has this concept, with a simple design and no unnecessary lines. This SOFORT is a genuine Leica produced by Fujifilm.
