26 September 2025

Lazy or expedient?

Lazy or expedient? “There are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and laziness”. Franz Kafka

I love lenses, I am at heart a collector. Ironically, despite assembling quite a collection, I rarely carry any other than the one rigged on my camera that day.

Why? I like to travel light, and I hate changing lenses. Astonishingly idle. But my slothful ways have been ameliorated by the excellence of the M11 and its 60MP sensor. It is seldom that you need more than one lens. Given how good Leica glass is, combined with the massive resolution on the M11, even a small section of a file can be cropped and remain viable.

And for most needs, it is more than good enough.

If you are running a one lens strategy, which one would I suggest?

In terms of true versatility, the 35mm and 28mm summilux (or summicrons) are hard to beat. For heavily cropped images, the wider aperture of the ‘lux retains the focus separation even with a crop. So ‘lux wins the ‘lazy-boy’ award for me.

And of these gems, which do I reach for most frequently when I am just going to take one with me? It is the 28mm ‘lux. An absolute joy to use. The 35mm ‘lux is probably my favourite ever lens, but the 28mm ‘lux is easier to nail focus and the wider angle adds options. It really is the ultimate skiver’s friend.

To illustrate the point, I attach a handful of images taken at a family party recently. I had the 28mm ‘lux and M11 with me only. The party was my cousin Max’s 60th. He has 10 siblings, and they all have kids too. Around 30 cousins altogether and their partners. I know them all well, so it’s hard to avoid chatting too much and picture taking takes a back seat.

The 28mm ‘lux is a gem for this sort of caper. Super easy to focus and super easy to make something of the images in post with crop. I almost always share mono images only. But after a bit of gentle persuasion from a very delightful cousin, I relented. And actually, I think she might have a point….what do you think?

Virtual exhibition

With regard to choices, as I hope you will read in the printed magazine, TLS is running a virtual exhibition later this year. Open to all current TLS members using a Leica camera and or lens:

Each member is allowed two colour and two mono entries. Digital files only, either digitally originated via camera, or scans from prints or transparencies.

The deadline for entries is November 14th, 2025, with winner announced, via email and the website on January 14th, 2026. Trophies for the best pair of colour and best pair of mono. The best image, selected by our judges, will receive the Podmore Award as always.

Whilst we fully understand that a virtual exhibition is not the same as a face-to-face. (We hope to reinstate that next year). The prestige of winning the Podmore Award and other trophies is as significant as always.

I would encourage all members to enter. We will post as many entries as possible on TLS’ website. We also plan to have a presentation to our three winners as a live event, details to follow.

To enter could not be simpler: Please email me and I will provide all details as to how you can share your images.

Contact Giles, use the contact us page and select chairman’s corner from the drop-down