[Leica] New List Member

[csemetko at gmail.com (Craig Semetko)]

Welcome to the LUG, Wendy--while I don't post a heckuva lot I've  
learned an enormous amount from reading the posts.

As I discovered early on, you will get a 35 and a 50 anyway, but as a  
first lens I would go with the 35. And if you can swing it, I'd get  
the 35 Summilux. It's a fantastic lens and I'll bet that extra stop  
will come in mighty handy in Afghanistan. The 35 Summicron is  
excellent as well, but I sold mine after I tried the Summilux. The  
extra stop not only helps with low light but also separates the  
focused image from the background that much better. Stasys makes a  
good point about the tri-elmar, but for a first lens I'd get the 35  
Summilux. Many times when out shooting I take the 35 Summilux and the  
tri-elmar, putting the tri-elmar back in the bag late in the  
afternoon. But if I had to have one lens, the 35 Summilux would be  
it---with a 50 Summilux close behind.

Again, welcome, and we look forward to seeing your pictures!

Craig

www.craigsemetko.com


> Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 12:43:25 +0430
> From: Wendy Thurman <wendythurman at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Leica] New List Member
>
>
> Hello!
>
> I recently joined the list and would like to thank you all for  
> making the
> resource available- there is a huge amount of information here!
>
> I do not own a Leica but I am looking to purchase one of the new  
> M9's when
> they become available.  I've shot film with M3's and M6's so am not a
> complete stranger to Leica rangefinders; I wouldn't be averse to a  
> film
> camera but I am working in Afghanistan and don't want to deal with
> processing film here.  Digital is the only practical solution for me  
> at this
> time.  My photography revolves largely around people and street  
> scenes and I
> know this is where the Leica cameras really shine.  Long a Nikon  
> shooter, my
> beloved D700 won't be disposed of- it does a lot of things very well,
> particularly low light- but quite frankly the weight of the camera  
> and a few
> lenses is becoming annoying.
>
> While waiting for the M9 to become available (I buy through B&H as  
> they
> deliver here very quickly, I'd like to buy at least one lens.  The 35
> Summicron Aspherical is currently in the shopping cart; the 50/1.4  
> Summilux
> Aspherical is what I was thinking about as a "first lens" but it is
> currently not in stock at B&H.  Any opinions or thoughts you might  
> have on
> the subject of "first lens" would be appreciated.
>
> Afghanistan is, photographically, a very rich environment and I hope  
> to be
> able to contribute something interesting to the list and perhaps the
> gallery.
>
> Thanks again!
>
> Wendy