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Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.

  
 
mas_akala
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p.1 #1 · Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.


Hi all! Need to get my participation up so I can get involved in the buy/sell/trade community, but also have a new-m-user lens question.

I purchased a 35mm f/2 Ultron V2 as a first lens for the M10M. I think I want to concentrate on 35mm FOV for my Monochrom photography for awhile. As this is a quite modern lens, would a LLL 35 f/2 8-element be a good character-35 to pair with the Ultron? Should I just get the Mandler? Should I just use the Ultron for the next million years until I can buy the Leica APO and Summilux?

I use the Q3 in 35 crop mode quite often, and it's pretty great, but I'm not sure where the rendering would sit with the the previously mentioned lenses. Especially when comparing the two different sensors.

TL;DR, 35mm f/2 Ultron + 35mm f/2 8-element LLL good 35 combo? Yay or nay?



Jun 22, 2026 at 03:30 PM
freaklikeme
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p.1 #2 · Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.


Great choice on the Ultron. It's a lovely little lens.

I don't know much about the LLL lens, but, were I looking for a character lens to go with the Ultron, I think I'd look at the Canon 35/2. It's LTM, so you'll need an adapter, but it's got character to spare.



Jun 22, 2026 at 03:44 PM
1bwana1
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p.1 #3 · Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.


I say stick with what you have for a good while untill you fully understand it on an instinctual level. Then explore other FLs and options to expand your vision.

Edited on Jun 22, 2026 at 11:57 PM · View previous versions



Jun 22, 2026 at 06:22 PM
Surfnsun
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p.1 #4 · Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.


Take 10,000 pictures with a 35mm. That’s what I’m doing right now with my 50mm.


Jun 22, 2026 at 06:58 PM
 


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highdesertmesa
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p.1 #5 · Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.


Q3 with 35mm crop won’t look like either of those lenses. But why so many 35 options and not a 35 + 50 or 75?

Every lens I ever put on a Monochrom felt like magic, even if it was a little boring on a color sensor. Just buy what interests you and enjoy.



Jun 22, 2026 at 07:57 PM
rscheffler
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p.1 #6 · Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.


The 35/2 Ultron is a modern lens with somewhat busy background rendering. The LLL 8 element is a vintage lens that is less sharp in the plane of focus wide open than the Ultron, but is also somewhat busy with background rendering. The previously mentioned Canon 35/2 LTM is quite similar to the LLL but a lot less expensive. I have the LLL and the Canon. I got the LLL to scratch the Cron 8 Element itch without having to spend thousands of dollars. In terms of optical character, I'd be just as happy with the Canon. But the build quality of the LLL (and the original 8 Element) is more solid and with somewhat better ergonomics (due to the focusing tab) than the Canon.

If you're looking for modern/smooth rendering at 35mm, the field is somewhat less plentiful. Maybe the VM 35/1.2 v3 as it will give you that wide open 'glow' kind of look that the Ultron won't. Or the VM 35/1.5? The new Thypoch Ksana 35mm looks promising from the perspective of modern, smooth character. I'd suggest reading all the reviews by Fred here on this board and also whatever you can find at https://phillipreeve.net/blog/



Jun 22, 2026 at 08:28 PM
mas_akala
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p.1 #7 · Q3-28 owner just purchased an m10m... lens advice.




rscheffler wrote:
The 35/2 Ultron is a modern lens with somewhat busy background rendering. The LLL 8 element is a vintage lens that is less sharp in the plane of focus wide open than the Ultron, but is also somewhat busy with background rendering. The previously mentioned Canon 35/2 LTM is quite similar to the LLL but a lot less expensive. I have the LLL and the Canon. I got the LLL to scratch the Cron 8 Element itch without having to spend thousands of dollars. In terms of optical character, I'd be just as happy with the Canon. But the build
...Show more

Yeah, I guess I’m wanting something clinical-ish and something not clinical-ish. Maybe I should grab a used VM 35 1.5. It would be half the price of the LLL.




Jun 22, 2026 at 09:49 PM







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