For me this is easy, if we are talking about M lenses. 35mm APO-Cron, 50mm Lux. Both current versions.
Both are super sharp and good stopped down even a little.
When I use the 35mm FL it is often for things like landscape, cityscape, or environmental portraits. So fast is not as important as near perfection. Can't beat the APO-Cron for that need.
Since I only get two I want a more character rich wide open for portraits and moody images, that can also be super sharp and corrected stopped down. The 50 Lux fits that description.
But in reality when I travel or I'm shooting on the streets it's just the 35 Lux FLE or the 24 2.8 Elmarit. I usually never take more than just one lens.
50 cron, V5 and 35 lux fle V1. I've owned three copies of the 50 Lux asph and two copies of the 50 APO. Both are excellent but my preference goes to a less clinical razor sharpness and a somewhat softer transition to the oof area of an image when the lens is shot wide open. The 50 cron V5 ticks all the boxes for me. Just a personal preference. Some photographers seem to worship sharpness. I worship character.
I owned a 35 lux fle V1 for about a year and for some stupid reason I sold it to fund something else. Looking back at the images I shot with it, that was clearly a mistake. That lens oozed with character.
airfrogusmc wrote:
But in reality when I travel or I'm shooting on the streets it's just the 35 Lux FLE or the 24 2.8 Elmarit. I usually never take more than just one lens.
35mm Summilux (I have one from 1986 currently being CLA'd ) or a Steel Rim reissue because of their small size and weight as well as dreamy look wide open while sharp closed down a bit.
50mm Summicron (I have a couple of those too) but I like my 1957 Rigid.
I guess I like lenses with character over perfection.
bnfotografie wrote:
50 cron, V5 and 35 lux fle V1. I've owned three copies of the 50 Lux asph and two copies of the 50 APO. Both are excellent but my preference goes to a less clinical razor sharpness and a somewhat softer transition to the oof area of an image when the lens is shot wide open. The 50 cron V5 ticks all the boxes for me. Just a personal preference. Some photographers seem to worship sharpness. I worship character.
I owned a 35 lux fle V1 for about a year and for some stupid reason I sold it to fund something else. Looking back at the images I shot with it, that was clearly a mistake. That lens oozed with character. ...Show more →
The 35 FLE v1 is one lens I will not sell. It is by far my favorite 35 I have ever shot with. And there have been a few.
35 'Cron V4 + 50 Lux BC (digital)
35 SRR + 50 'Cron V3 (B/W film)
(Actually, I'd take my 35 'Cron V4 over the SRR for film, but that doesn't fit the One 'Cron + One 'Lux requirement)
If I didn't have to stick to a budget then it would be the 35 cron APO and the 75 lux. Two very different lenses but two I like what I see from them very much.
