There’s something magical about photographing Hawaii. The light, the culture, the layered contrast between nature and city life—it begs to be captured with intent. On this recent outing, I ran a two-camera setup: the Leica M10 and the Leica SL2-S, paired with two of my favorite focal lengths—35mm and 21mm.

Waikiki, 2025, Shot with Leica SL2-S, 21mm Voigtlander

The 21mm: Immersive and Bold

The 21mm is my visual exhale. On the SL2-S, it let me breathe in the entire scene—sand, sky, palms, and people—all in one shot. I used it heavily along Kuhio Beach and the edge of Queen’s Surf, where skateboarders, uncles with ukuleles, and sunburnt tourists all share the same square footage.

This lens makes me move closer, physically engaging with the space around me. I’d crouch low to get beachgoers framed against Diamond Head, or shoot upward to catch the contrast between modern hotels and vintage signage. And thanks to the SL2-S’s EVF and stabilization, I didn’t have to worry about precision—I could shoot fast, low light, and still walk away with sharp, dramatic frames.

It’s the focal length I use when I want to tell everything—environment, subject, and the space between.

The 35mm: Classic, Connected

On the M10, I mounted my 35mm Summicron and let it stay there all day. This lens is my anchor—tight enough to isolate, wide enough to tell a full story. It’s the focal length that keeps me honest. Walking through Waikiki, it gave me just enough reach to capture subtle gestures without feeling removed. It’s perfect for street portraits, layered storytelling, and moments that need to breathe but not drift.

There’s a rhythm to 35mm on the M—it rewards patience and anticipation. I found myself waiting for gestures, looking for clean lines in busy frames. It pushed me to move with purpose.

Why the Combo Works

Waikiki is more than palm trees and postcard sunsets. It’s tension and energy—tourists colliding with local culture, waves crashing alongside fast food and designer shops. To photograph that honestly, I need two perspectives:

21mm to capture the canvas.
35mm to capture the characters.

Pairing the SL2-S and M10 gave me the flexibility to chase both scale and subtlety without switching lenses or breaking flow.

Waikiki, 2025, Shot with Leica M10, 35mm Summicron

Final Thoughts

I walked Waikiki with two cameras, but one goal: to tell the story of a place that’s always in motion. From the wide-open drama of the beach to the quiet poetry of a passing glance, the 21mm and 35mm helped me document both the chaos and the calm.

This is how I see Waikiki—not just as a location, but as a layered, living story. And these tools? They help me tell it.

Two Perspectives in Paradise: Using the Leica M & SL2-S with 35mm and 21mm in Hawaii

A Lot Has Changed And There’s More To Come.