cbretteville Posted February 2, 2007 Share #1 Posted February 2, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Posted by Mike at Luminous Landscape in an update to his WATE review. This is really cool: "I received an email recently from my friend Harold M. Merklinger to the effect that he and his associates from the LHSA were told at Photokina that the WA-TE, unlike the earlier Tri-Elmar, was a true zoom and could be used at any focal length, not just at the 16-18-21mm settings. This was easy enough to try out, and indeed this is the case. Very cool, especially when used with the Universal Wide Angle Finder M which also allows in between settings." Leica 16-18-21mm f/4 Tri-Elmar Field Report Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Hi cbretteville, Take a look here WATE is a true zoom lens. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Giulio Zanni Posted February 2, 2007 Share #2 Posted February 2, 2007 Sorry, but I don't get this one. Giulio Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dugby Posted February 2, 2007 Share #3 Posted February 2, 2007 This is so so so sad for me and Leica.....as I went D3/L1 As I deliberately didn't buy an M8 plus WATE because I did not know about the WATE's Vario capability. Now if Leica could get a TE3 with Vario capability....... I might be back at the Leica shops a little sooner. With an order for an M8, WATE and TE3 I could carry and live with changing 2 lenses......but not 5 or 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted February 2, 2007 Sorry, but I don't get this one. The 28-35-50 Tri-Elmar can only be used at the 28, 35 and 50mm settings. In between you can't focus an image. With the new 16-18-21 Tri-elmar you can set the focal length to which ever position you desire between that of 16 and 21mm thus making it a true zoom lens. The old TE switches the frame lines around when you go from one setting to another. Withe the WATE they didn't have to care about this as it's coverage is outside that of an M's VF. It dosen't look like Leica's litterature on the WATE even mentiones this. Now that is sad. - Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted February 2, 2007 Share #5 Posted February 2, 2007 Makes you wonder even more how, if at all, they are going to correct for cyan with this lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. borger Posted February 2, 2007 Share #6 Posted February 2, 2007 A zoom on an M .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giulio Zanni Posted February 2, 2007 Share #7 Posted February 2, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) The 28-35-50 Tri-Elmar can only be used at the 28, 35 and 50mm settings. In between you can't focus an image. With the new 16-18-21 Tri-elmar you can set the focal length to which ever position you desire between that of 16 and 21mm thus making it a true zoom lens. The old TE switches the frame lines around when you go from one setting to another. Withe the WATE they didn't have to care about this as it's coverage is outside that of an M's VF. It dosen't look like Leica's litterature on the WATE even mentiones this. Now that is sad. - Carl So, does this mean that the new external viewfinder has also zoom capabilities? From the pictures that I saw there were specific focal length settings (16-18-21 for film and 21-24-28 for digital) on the dial.... Giulio Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share #8 Posted February 2, 2007 So, does this mean that the new external viewfinder has also zoom capabilities? From the pictures that I saw there were specific focal length settings (16-18-21 for film and 21-24-28 for digital) on the dial.... That is what he writes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macusque Posted February 2, 2007 Share #9 Posted February 2, 2007 Giving the very short range of the WATE (16-21 where most wide zooms are 16-35 or even 17-55) and the fact that you can't have accurate framing with a rangefinder, I wonder if it is really a "cool" thing. I don't think there are times when a 17mm could do the job, but a 16mm or 18mm couldn't. On the other hand, maybe the usual "3 fixed focal lenghts" could have been more accurately corrected against distortion... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted February 2, 2007 Share #10 Posted February 2, 2007 On the other hand, maybe the usual "3 fixed focal lenghts" could have been more accurately corrected against distortion... The amount of distortion that I have seen from this lens in various 'reviews' is what puts me off. I rarely use anything this wide but when I do it is for architecture related photography and I'm not sure I will find it acceptable for this purpose. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macusque Posted February 2, 2007 Share #11 Posted February 2, 2007 Ditto Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlm Posted February 2, 2007 Share #12 Posted February 2, 2007 what distortion are you talking about? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradhusick Posted February 2, 2007 Share #13 Posted February 2, 2007 I don't see distortion. This is at 16mm, no filters. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/15108-wate-is-a-true-zoom-lens/?do=findComment&comment=160053'>More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted February 2, 2007 Share #14 Posted February 2, 2007 Looks pretty well corrected to me... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted February 3, 2007 Share #15 Posted February 3, 2007 I don't see distortion. This is at 16mm, no filters. I presume the lower cabinets in the shot are naturally curved in profile? Don't get me wrong, the new Tri-Elmar looks great as a very wide lens for general 'reportage style' use, but it simply doesn't look good enough for 'architectural' use. The picture in this thread does nothing to change my view about this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlm Posted February 3, 2007 Share #16 Posted February 3, 2007 that doesn't look like barrell distortion to me, if you mean the vertical corners facing each other of the two cabinets receding from the camera. If it were, I would expect the remaining verticals on those same cabinets to also be curved, especially since they are nearer the edges/corners of the frame. the shot was take looking down slightly; that is the only difficulty I see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted February 3, 2007 Share #17 Posted February 3, 2007 Difficult to see how the "Universal" finder can be continuously variable because it's meant to have frames for each of the 5 focal lengths it supports. Maybe it actually has a single frame with variable magnification. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macusque Posted February 3, 2007 Share #18 Posted February 3, 2007 Look at the upper and lower side (ceiling and floor with respective tiles), there's quite a bit of distortion, which I never saw in 15 CV shots. The shape is also difficult to correct, like in the Distagon 21 Zeiss. I believe the WATE is a great lens for landscape where stright lines aren't common, indeed it seems it has higher sharpness and contrast than the 15 CV, particularly at wider apertures. But for architecture I'd prefer to keep the 15 CV. What I'd love would be a "perfect" 16mm prime from Leica, like the 24 Elmarit asph so to speak... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_l Posted February 3, 2007 Share #19 Posted February 3, 2007 Mark- The Universal finder is a .28 finder, constant magnification. The low mag factor is to accomodate the 16mm on film, which wil make the 28mm frame lines, unfortunately, leave a lot of space and be a smaller visual frame than it could be. Like with the lens itself, an annoying compromise to make it usable on both without even minor mods (magnification) that could have made two models, for digital and film, and much more usable. The knob changes only the frame lines. To use as a zoom, you will have to interpolate using one actual set of frame lines, same as you will for setting the focal length. Easy to do by setting both, taking a shot, and matching the actualy frame in your mind when you see where it lies relative to the nearest set of lines.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradhusick Posted February 3, 2007 Share #20 Posted February 3, 2007 Guys, for architectural work, there is no substitute for a tilt-shift lens. The Canon EOS series of 3 T-S focal lengths is excellent. I still like my sunglasses photo for artistic reasons. -Brad Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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