Which 35mm

martinhenson · May 29, 2016

I am shooting with a Leica M3, I have a Summicron 50 f2 and want to go a little wider, what's your advice on the Leica 3,5cm f3.5 Summaron with goggles, is this a good lens choice or am I better trying the Summaron with goggles f2.8 version, how do these two lens compare in optical quality, thanks in advance

Sirius Glass · May 29, 2016

My experience with 35mm film is that the 35mm lens is too close to the 50mm field of view to make it worth it. I much prefer the 28mm lens. The 24mm lens is a little bit too wide from 50mm lens, so I like the 20mm or 21mm lens as the next wider from the 28mm lens. Note the the 20mm or 21mm lens tends to be generally less useful.

Especially when I traveled through Europe, I found that the 28mm and the 50mm lens covered most of my photographic needs.

cuthbert · May 29, 2016

martinhenson said:
I am shooting with a Leica M3, I have a Summicron 50 f2 and want to go a little wider, what's your advice on the Leica 3,5cm f3.5 Summaron with goggles, is this a good lens choice or am I better trying the Summaron with goggles f2.8 version, how do these two lens compare in optical quality, thanks in advance

I have the Summaron 2.8, never tried the 3.5 version...for what I have seen it's not a great lens, a Jupiter 12 is as good as it.

I think if you want to have better IQ you need the SUMMICRON 35mm f2, that is reported to be a much better (and much more expensive) lens than the Summaron:

martinhenson · May 29, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
My experience with 35mm film is that the 35mm lens is too close to the 50mm field of view to make it worth it. I much prefer the 28mm lens. The 24mm lens is a little bit too wide from 50mm lens, so I like the 20mm or 21mm lens as the next wider from the 28mm lens. Note the the 20mm or 21mm lens tends to be generally less useful.

Especially when I traveled through Europe, I found that the 28mm and the 50mm lens covered most of my photographic needs.

I take your point about the 35mm to close to 50mm however can I use a 28mm on the M3 ???

ColColt · May 29, 2016

You can use a 28mm lens but the camera will require a viewfinder something like this...

cuthbert · May 29, 2016

martinhenson said:
I take your point about the 35mm to close to 50mm however can I use a 28mm on the M3 ???

The 35 mm vs the 50mm is a long debate, some people consider the 35 mm the standard lens because while 50mm covers the field of view of a single human eye the stereoscopic vision gives us a wider view.

35mm is not really a wide lens like the 28 and 24mm and it can be used as 50mm replacement and a lot of Leica people are strong supporter of this lens.

ColColt said:
You can use a 28mm lens but the camera will require a viewfinder something like this...

Using an external finder on a M3 makes it become as functional as a L39 rangefinder were you have separate viewfinder and rangefinder windows, personally I would recommend to try to use as much DOF, go hyperfocal and shoot just composing with the external finder.

...or get a M4 for shooting 35mm.

ColColt · May 29, 2016

I can think of at least two noted photojournalist, namely Alfred Eisenstaedt and Henri Cartier-Bresson who didn't mind using the external finder if they wanted to use the 35mm lens on an M3. It's no big thing.

gone · May 29, 2016

Actually, the 35 3.5 IS a great lens, w/ classic Leica rendering.

ColColt · May 29, 2016

Are you talking about the Summarit?

Ko.Fe. · May 29, 2016

I used goggled 35 3.5 in 2015. It is good option for M3 to have 35mm. Lens is nicely build. Fine on bw. Is 2.8 better? Yes, it is the special lens for bw. Some regard Summaron 35 2.8 above Summicron 35 for bw.

These are some negative scans for shots taken with googled Summaron 35 3.5.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kf095/tags/summaron3535goggled/

martinhenson · May 30, 2016

Any advice to which Leica 28mm and type of external viewfinder to use with it

cuthbert · May 30, 2016

martinhenson said:
Any advice to which Leica 28mm and type of external viewfinder to use with it

For the viewfinder, the simplest and cheapest answer is the KMZ turret:

Dead Link Removed

For 28 mm I don't know, I use a Orion 15 and I'm happy with that, even if it's a little slow for a "modern" 28mm, but it's ok for architecture.

removed account4 · May 30, 2016

i don't have a turret or goggles or an aux finder for a 3,5 i use
i just use the whole rf window ( a trick jorge gasteazoro taught me )
it isn't perfect but it is close ... and it is a perfect fit for a m3.

good luck !
john

guangong · May 30, 2016

Depending on mood and how much weight i want to carry i do all of the above，summicron w googles，35 lens with 35 finder and voightlander pancake using whole m3 viewfinder. I dont know if there really is a logical choice. Its what feels right for you. Unfortunately，there are very few camera stores left that can provide a opportunity to try out the alternatives.

RalphLambrecht · May 30, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
My experience with 35mm film is that the 35mm lens is too close to the 50mm field of view to make it worth it. I much prefer the 28mm lens. The 24mm lens is a little bit too wide from 50mm lens, so I like the 20mm or 21mm lens as the next wider from the 28mm lens. Note the the 20mm or 21mm lens tends to be generally less useful.

Especially when I traveled through Europe, I found that the 28mm and the 50mm lens covered most of my photographic needs.

I somewhat agree but found that the 35mm alone will do the trick;no longer use the 50 as my normal

Ko.Fe. · May 31, 2016

Where are plenty of 35 to choose from and less of 28mm. I have tried 28mm on M4-2 with and without viewfinder, it works, but I can't get so close to people to use 28mm properly. 50 is great for standard portraits, I have FED-2 with two 50mm lenses, but I'm not into classic portraits with Leicas. Currently I have two film M cameras, but only one lens, which is 35mm. Trying to get second 35mm.

Gerry M · May 31, 2016

On my M3, I use 35/3.5 Summaron w/o goggles (great lens imo), 35 CV 35/2.5 and Rokkor M 40/2. I just cover the frame line window with a bit of gaffers tape. The Summaron is goggled, but I prefer using w/o.

Ronald Moravec · Jun 14, 2016

Any lens can be shot on an M3. Aux finder best used for other than 50/90/135.

My 3.5 summaron was a better lens than my 28 summaron. Don`t buy a fogged one or you will not like it.

Which 35mm

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