Re: [Leica] Lens Questions: thank you! Now, about wide angle....

[Adam Bridge <abridge@idea-processing.com>]

Thanks to everyone for their replies to my questions. I always wondered what the flat "ledge" on the top of the 50mm lens was for! Now I know.

Unfortunately I am unable to comply with the request to surrender the 90mm lens. It seems to work just fine for me! <grin>

Now a question to really reveal my ignorance:

I've never shot with a lens wider than 50mm. (okay, you know the awful truth)

I'd like to buy a lens in the 25-35mm range for shooting in confined spaces. Last summer I was on deck at the US Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis. While I'm please with the photos, the best of them were actually shot at a distance with the 90mm because I was always too close or surrounded by crowds for the 50. I CRAVED something wider.

But these lenses are, ahem, pricey. Because I don't need the latest and greatest I'm wondering if you have thoughts about what to look for in a good used lens. I'm sure a dealer would say "buy a new one" but I could almost buy a Cannon D30 for the cost of one of those puppies. Well almost.

Which is an interesting aside, I note that with many cameras the body is the most expensive purchase. A D30 is $3k but an optically stabilized zoom lens is well under $1k. An M6 is going to run about $2k or so (roughly) but a lens will be at least that if I look for something wide. I find that interesting.

Anyway, I'm learning a LOT from my M6. I still can't estimate focus fast enough without looking. I try but I can't learn how to gage focus so when I bring the camera up it's nearly set the right focal distance. Is there a way to be good at this?

I ramble. My apologies.

Adam Bridge