Wide angle landscape glass

[srv333]

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I dumped my Nikon system(d800) about 8 months ago for the Leica system. I am loving everything about it except for wide angle. I like optical view finders and can't stand looking through EVF, thats why I stayed away from the Sony A7 system.

I have the 24mm lux and an EVF and an optical finder but it seems like its just not there compared to what I could do with the Nikon system. I don't always shoot this wide for landscapes but when I do, this system just seems like it does not flow well compared to what I am used to.

 

Am I alone on the idea that the Leica system is the best for daily use but for landscape, an SLR might be a better route? Or does anyone else have a better idea on how to run landscape images through this system? Lens options?

 

Thanks for the input

[250swb]

Am I alone on the idea that the Leica system is the best for daily use but for landscape, an SLR might be a better route?

 

Yes I think you are alone, very alone, you should be scared of how alone you are.

 

 

Steve

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[k-hawinkler]

Which optical finder do you have on which Leica camera?

[srv333]

Which optical finder do you have on which Leica camera?

 

I have the 24mm optical finder as well as the EVF for the M240.

[Printmaker]

I dumped my Nikon system(d800) about 8 months ago for the Leica system. I am loving everything about it except for wide angle. I like optical view finders and can't stand looking through EVF, thats why I stayed away from the Sony A7 system.

I have the 24mm lux and an EVF and an optical finder but it seems like its just not there compared to what I could do with the Nikon system. I don't always shoot this wide for landscapes but when I do, this system just seems like it does not flow well compared to what I am used to.

 

Am I alone on the idea that the Leica system is the best for daily use but for landscape, an SLR might be a better route? Or does anyone else have a better idea on how to run landscape images through this system? Lens options?

 

Thanks for the input

 

Optical finders (glass not EVF) are a bit retro but you get use to them quickly enough. It's a fair trade for a lens that does not bend every straight line. I guess you could call the optical finder an acquired taste. I have two: 21 and 28 and use the 21 often.

 

If you had a 24 Elmar you could get by just using the full frame of your viewfinder but I would think that the 24 Lux would block too much of your view. So your options are limited to glass or EVF. Of course you could always just go with a 28 Summicron and drop a 50 Lux or 75 Summicron in your pocket and have a fabulous landscape kit.

[IWC Doppel]

I dumped my Nikon system(d800) about 8 months ago for the Leica system. I am loving everything about it except for wide angle. I like optical view finders and can't stand looking through EVF, thats why I stayed away from the Sony A7 system.

I have the 24mm lux and an EVF and an optical finder but it seems like its just not there compared to what I could do with the Nikon system. I don't always shoot this wide for landscapes but when I do, this system just seems like it does not flow well compared to what I am used to.

 

Am I alone on the idea that the Leica system is the best for daily use but for landscape, an SLR might be a better route? Or does anyone else have a better idea on how to run landscape images through this system? Lens options?

 

Thanks for the input

 

You probably need to say what you mean by "it does not flow well" I for one don't know what you mean

[srv333]

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You probably need to say what you mean by "it does not flow well" I for one don't know what you mean

 

You are right... At one point I shot with a 4x5 system and that seemed to flow better than what I am experiencing with the wides on the Leica.

 

Like I said, I love shooting with the system but I can't get into it with wide angle glass.

[jankap]

On the Leica homepage you can find the technical data and a recommendation for the usage of the different lenses.

In short: the Lux is meant for available light and reporting and the Elmar is better for landscape and travel.

Please look at the MTF curves, for f/5.6 both have one. And at the one for distortion.

Perhaps this solves your problem.

Jan

[srv333]

On the Leica homepage you can find the technical data and a recommendation for the usage of the different lenses.

In short: the Lux is meant for available light and reporting and the Elmar is better for landscape and travel.

Please look at the MTF curves, for f/5.6 both have one. And at the one for distortion.

Perhaps this solves your problem.

Jan

 

Jan

Thanks for the info. It's not so much as a quality/sharpness issue but the dealings with viewfinders, filters, and so on.

[jankap]

I didn´t like the EVF of my camera (no Leica).

Instead I mounted a Hoodman lens on the LCD screen.

Jan

[pop]

If your kind of landscape photography involves very accurate framing and alignment, then I think that at 24mm there's no way around viewing and composing through the lens, be it SLR, EVF, LCD screen or even ground glass. Using an external optical view finder seems much too fiddly to me as it gives you no certainty as to what will be included within the frame. It might, of course, be just me.

[k-hawinkler]

I have the 24mm optical finder as well as the EVF for the M240.

 

That's a great combination!

 

I have an M9 and use below and including 28 mm the "Frankenfinder", an optical finder.

It also has a bubble that lets you know in landscape orientation whether your camera is horizontally oriented or not.

My favorite WA lens is the WATE Leica Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 Asph. Lens (6-Bit) 11642 B&H, here with the "Frankenfinder".

Of course, one has to focus through the rangefinder.

[darylgo]

I dumped my Nikon system(d800) about 8 months ago for the Leica system. I am loving everything about it except for wide angle. I like optical view finders and can't stand looking through EVF, thats why I stayed away from the Sony A7 system.

I have the 24mm lux and an EVF and an optical finder but it seems like its just not there compared to what I could do with the Nikon system. I don't always shoot this wide for landscapes but when I do, this system just seems like it does not flow well compared to what I am used to.

 

Am I alone on the idea that the Leica system is the best for daily use but for landscape, an SLR might be a better route? Or does anyone else have a better idea on how to run landscape images through this system? Lens options?

 

Thanks for the input

 

I frequently tweak my shots using wides and ovf, If there is a foreground subject and background subject the foreground placement will be slightly different than it's intended position. My workaround is two approaches: 1- take one shot and look at the resulting image, then correct any misplacement on a reshoot, 2- take a series of nine shots in a 3x3 pattern and choose the best placement. The latter approach will sometimes give an unintended composition that is more dynamic than the one intended. These approaches are enjoyable to me despite their time consumption.

 

In many ways I find slr's easier for landscape however the M has advantages that I find very appealing, size and camera controls being foremost.

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

I used my 21mm lux on my M240 for 90% of my recent trip to the west coast of Scotland and for the first part of the trip I used the 21mm Leica OVF but got pissed off with it as it keeps falling off the camera even with the slightest knock so I started useng the LV with the built in histrogram and shooting in manual and never looked back. I have just bought a double thumbs up to use with the Leica MM so that I can have the OVF over the rangefinder and will super glue the OVF to the thumbs up so I wont need to worry about it falling off again, and when I am using thne 21mm on the M240 I will always use LV as it is so so easy to shoot landscape that way...............my too cents

[darylgo]

Neal....whether a viewfinder is loose or not in the hot shoe I have a piece of gaffers tape securing it on the back. So far, all attempts at losing a viewfinder have failed :-)

Edited August 30, 2014 by darylgo

[srv333]

I used my 21mm lux on my M240 for 90% of my recent trip to the west coast of Scotland and for the first part of the trip I used the 21mm Leica OVF but got pissed off with it as it keeps falling off the camera even with the slightest knock so I started useng the LV with the built in histrogram and shooting in manual and never looked back. I have just bought a double thumbs up to use with the Leica MM so that I can have the OVF over the rangefinder and will super glue the OVF to the thumbs up so I wont need to worry about it falling off again, and when I am using thne 21mm on the M240 I will always use LV as it is so so easy to shoot landscape that way...............my too cents

 

I tried the LV option and I actually liked it better than the EVF or the 24mm OVF but if you had a strong light on you, the screen would have some glare. At least thats what I found when I tried it.

Thanks for your two cents! I will spend them wisely on my future with Leica!!!

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

I tried the LV option and I actually liked it better than the EVF or the 24mm OVF but if you had a strong light on you, the screen would have some glare. At least thats what I found when I tried it.

Thanks for your two cents! I will spend them wisely on my future with Leica!!!

For landscape if you are using a tripod then use a cap or umbrella or anything to hide the glare and if shooting hand held, shoot in manual look at the picture on the lcd and if need be take it agai and again until you get it right...............memory is cheap and normally landscape doesnt move

If I give you any more cents you will be buying a Noctilux next:D

[pop]

The black cloth of former times comes to mind.

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

The black cloth of former times comes to mind.

+1 sure does Bill

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[IWC Doppel]

I don't do a lot of landscape but using descent viewfinders (Leica or metal Voigtlander) I have no problems framing, bonding with the camera and scene, I find getting around and finding the shot and framing much simpler by hand holding which a high frame speeds is absolutely fine IMO.

 

I print at A2 and even with a 8X loop I can see more on the paper than I can by eye, good enough for me