Re: [Leica] 90 vs. 35

["A.H.SCHMIDT" <horsts@actek.com.au>]

Carlos Blanco wrote:

> Dear luggers,
>     I know that this question may sound stupid for most of you, but I think
> that it is the best place to ask.
>     I own an M2 with a summicron 50mm. Now, I'm planning to buy my second
> lens and I cannot decide whether an Elmar 90mm f4 or a 35mm. In fact, I
> don't have money enough to aford an Elmarit 90mm so please don't suggest my
> buying an expensive 35mm. To make matters worse I don't know much about
> leica M 35mm lenses.
>     On one side, I would like the 90mm to take portraits, on the other I
> think that 35mm is what M2 was made for and I consider that lens usefull for
> snapshots. I usually have to take photos with the camera placed on my waist
> and I think a 35mm would be ideal.
>     Well, I accept whatever suggest you want!
>     Leically
>
> carlos



  Carlos,

There is really no way of telling anybody, what is the better of the 2 lenses,
35mm or 90mm.
It sometimes doesn't even depend on what type of pictures you like to take. For
example: landscapes can be taken with a tele- or a wide angle lens. It varies
with what's important at the moment, when you see it. If you are the heroic type
(Wagner) , then a 21mm lens may be better  If your are the quiter type, a tele
may be more for you. However. neither views is not what the eye really sees.
What your eye sees, is closer to what a 50mm lens produces. To see, what the
wide angle shows,  your eye scans across. To see what a tele shows, you need
binoculars.

Why not just keep your 50mm lens and by an enlarger. Start of with B&W. This
gives you, besides a lot of fun, a 90mm lens for nothing.

Last year I went to Europe for my holidays. I decided to take my M3 and only the
50mm dual range Summicron. I have to tell you, I had the most fun ever. I didn't
have to think, what lens to use at the time. I just went a bit forwards or
backwards if necessary. The  few times I could not do it, (danger of falling
down a cliff, or being run over by a train), did not matter. I  lost less shots,
because I didn't just at the wrong moment have one lens off  the camera and
wondering where to put it, while trying to fit the other lens on to the body,
when in the meantime the first lens was rolling down the road. Taking only one
lens was most relaxing. I managed to get more pictures  I liked , from each
film, then ever before. (as much as 2 per 36 exposure film)
You also don't have that horrible bulge in your trouser pocket!!!!
I took the dual range Summicron, because,  besides the normal shots, I also like
to take shots of wild flowers. They are abundant in Europe during summer.

If you by only one extra lens, either wide or tele, you'll find, that 80% of the
time you think you have the wrong one with you.

Don't forget, us amateurs can have fun with the camera. We don't need to make a
living from it, but we can make our live more pleasant and more interesting
because of it.

Horst Schmidt