Which prime lens is best for street photography with Leica?

Question

Seriously what prime lens should I actually get for street stuff because I am just so done with my 50mm Summicron right now. I thought it would be the perfect all-rounder but every time I am out in the crowds in London I feel like I am constantly backing into walls or tripping over people just to get everything in the frame. Its driving me crazy and I feel like I am missing all the organic moments because I am too busy wrestling with the focal length.

I need something wider but I am terrified of that distorted look you get with some lenses and I just dont know if 35mm is enough of a jump or if I should go straight to 28mm. I have about 2500 dollars to spend which I know isnt a ton in Leica world so maybe something used or even a Zeiss or Voigtlander if the glass is actually good enough because honestly I am just frustrated with the results I am getting lately. I have this big trip to Tokyo coming up in three weeks and I dont want to spend the whole time annoyed at my gear instead of actually enjoying the photography. Is the 35mm Summicron really the holy grail everyone says it is or am I just gonna run into the same cramped feeling I have now...

Olllen · Accepted Answer

TL;DR: Switch to a 35mm focal length. It gives you the breathing room you need without the perspective distortion that makes 28mm tricky for beginners. Grab a used Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH (Used) or a new Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/2 ASPH Vintage Line to save some cash for your Tokyo trip. I totally get the frustration with the 50mm. It is a fantastic lens but in dense cities like London or Tokyo, you really do end up backing into traffic just to frame a shot. A 35mm is basically the industry standard for a reason. It is wide enough to capture the scene but tight enough that you dont get that weird 'stretched' look on people at the edges of the frame. Since you have $2500, you are in a weird spot for Leica glass. You could hunt for a used 35mm Summicron, but honestly, the Zeiss Biogon T* 35mm f/2 ZM is a beast and costs half as much. It is incredibly sharp and very low distortion. If you want to go even cheaper and keep your kit small for travel, the Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/2 ASPH Vintage Line is tiny and the image quality is legit. I wouldnt go straight to 28mm unless you are ready to get right in peoples faces. It requires a different style of shooting. Stick with 35mm for the trip. You will feel way less cramped and wont have to worry about the learning curve of a super wide lens while you are trying to enjoy Japan.

Pandora Rose Stewart · Answer

To add to the point above: unfortunately, 35mm isnt enough of a jump. Perspective remains too narrow for dense crowds. Use these:Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPHVoigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0 ASPH

QuartzQuiver · Answer

> Regarding what #2 said about "To add to the point above: unfortunately, 35mm isnt enough of a jump." I have to politely disagree with that. In my experience over the years, jumping from 50mm straight to 28mm is a massive shift. A huge one. If you are already worried about distortion, 28mm can be a real nightmare to manage in tight crowds. You often end up with "empty frame syndrome" where your subject looks tiny and the edges are just filled with distracting junk you didnt want. I've seen many people make this mistake right before a big trip. They go too wide and then struggle to fill the frame without getting uncomfortably close to people. It takes a lot of practice to handle the perspective of a 28mm lens properly. 35mm gives you that necessary breathing room without the steep learning curve. Be cautious about going too wide too fast. Tokyo is dense. You might find the perspective distortion at 28mm way more annoying than the tight crop of your 50mm.