To wate or to wait what should a 24mm owner do?

[stalker]

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Hi,

I already own 24mm Elmarit which I have started to use more frequently with the introduction of M240.

I really don't like using an external viewfinder. I enjoy using the 24mm with live view and I am happy with that practice as I use it mainly for architecture. In some instances I feel that 24mm isn't wide enough.

 

So my question goes to 16-18-21 mm tri-elmar owners, how often do you use the lens? Do you think it is worth the investment for a 24mm owner and how practical is it to use with live view?

 

Any other blind spots, considerations and recommendations are welcome.

 

[jdlaing]

Go for it. WATE is a beautiful thing.

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[enboe]

I picked up the WATE back under the M8 lens discount.  It is a competent. Leica tool when you need to go wide or even wider.  In the mean time, the Super-Elmars have come out, and I have found them even sharper.  The 21/3.4 is especially compact and light, and with live-view, no external finder is required.  If I had to pick one amongst 18/3.8, 21/3.4, and WATE to complement a 24/2.8, I probably would go for the 18/3.8.

 

Or if you want speed and don't mind the weight, take a look at the 21/1.4.

 

A rental may aid in your selection.

 

Eric

[gpwhite]

24 Elmarit ASPH is my favorite lens, which I shoot via RF without any auxillary finder. Perhaps for your compositions, you need to be precise about the corners. This particular point underlies my reply to your query here...

 

The 24 Elmarit draws in a flowing look, rendering incredible 3D, IMHO. But, its corners are merely good. I believe this is why the Karbe team developed the Elmar 24 with its perfect corner-to-corner sharpness.

 

If you seek a wider view, the WATE is a good choice. Corners are quite good, but if you need top definition there, you might want to shoot a bit wider (the WATE zooms) and crop down 1mm in FOV in the image. From an engineering perspective, the WATE is a sight to behold and very close focus is excellent too.

 

But my suggestion is that you test out a 21mm Elmarit ASPH. This lovely lens draws similarly to the 24 Elmarit, but the 21mm has excellent corners and a flat field by f/4.8. Barrel distortion is not perceptible beyond close focus. In particular, I find the images from the 21mm Elmarit ASPH are a bit brighter than the WATE, @ f/4 to 5.6, and this is different than just the degree of vignetting.

Edited January 17, 2016 by gpwhite

[stalker]

...  If I had to pick one amongst 18/3.8, 21/3.4, and WATE to complement a 24/2.8, I probably would go for the 18/3.8.

 

Or if you want speed and don't mind the weight, take a look at the 21/1.4.

 

A rental may aid in your selection.

 

Eric

 

 

I really may consider 18/3.8 al an alternative as it costs less and may perform better than WATE. Would I be missing 16mm POV?

[enboe]

Unfortunately I would need to know more about your subjects and shooting style to know if 16mm is important for you. A rental may give you the required insights

Eric

[Schrödinger's cat]

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Go for it. WATE is a beautiful thing.

 

Much more useful than a bathroom remodel

[jdlaing]

Much more useful than a bathroom remodel

 

 

Unless it it keeps peace with.............the boss.

Edited January 18, 2016 by jdlaing

[stevesurf]

I am fortunate to have found one as I started using my M9; it is actually on there most of the time and believe it or not I simply use the tiny Zeiss 15mm optical viewfinder to estimate the WATE's widest view.

[BBHewee]

Have you thought about just carrying the EVF? I don't use the Frankenfinder with my WATE on my 240. 

[RoySmith]

I don't have the WATE, but really like the 18mm SEM

 

Here is one of the first photos I took with this lens.

Its the inside of a yurt on the island of Hawaii.

 

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Great for interior shots.

 

I also used this lens for some photos of my daughter's condo which she was selling.

View the gallery here

 

 

Roy

 

 

[michali]

After having a WATE for about 8 years, I recently sold it. The whole package became too cumbersome with the Frankenfinder.

As a result I found I wasn't using it as much as my fixed focal length 21mm on the M9.

[rirakuma]

I used to own the WATE and I can assure you its a strong performer. Its very well controlled and easy to frame with both the frankenfinder or live view. I gave it up for a 21SEM because I wanted something smaller and also to move away from ultra wide although it was very nice on the WATE. This isn't a very good shot but it shows how well controlled the WATE is at 16mm. I was framing with the frankenfinder close to the subjects and they don't have alien heads.

 

[stalker]

Thank you all for your input. I have read mixed comments about EVF so I will try to manage with the live view. I have not used my 24mm with 21-24-28mm finder on M7 or M9 because it wasn't precise. But I am happy with live view on M240. Perhaps 18mm SEM may be a nice choice as I can crop if I should wish a tighter frame. But the problem is that I cannot be sure whether it is GAS or real need. 

 

I would not buy a 21mm as it is close to 24mm. But I cannot be sure whether the wider angles of 18mm or 16mm would be too difficult to compose so the lens would become redundant.

[DirkR440]

Hi,

 

I have the 24mm Super Elmar and the WATE. I love the WATE, it is a great lens. Just for shots at night I still prefer the 24mm.

 

Here's a snapshot that I made with the WATE and my M9-P in Lisbon:

 

Lisbon by Dirk Raffel, auf Flickr

[Rick]

I have owned the WATE from M8 days.  It was great on the M9 and now on the M240 I can use LV.  On the M8 and M9 I actually enjoyed the Universal Finder.  The finder is an amazing piece of optics.  LV is much easier and a lot less fiddly.

 

This is a lens I'd never sell and would miss for the unique shots I get with it at 16mm.  Being able to zoom from 16-21 covers three prime lenses and goes a long ways toward justifying the size.  I will say the size is very manageable and has never given me a problem.

 

It is slower than the primes, but it is a lens that I normally shoot in daylight and I most often stop down to f8-f16 anyway.

 

Color is fantastic and it is very sharp and is designed for a digital sensor.  

 

I'd get the WATE.

 

Rick

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Hi,

I already own 24mm Elmarit which I have started to use more frequently with the introduction of M240.

I really don't like using an external viewfinder. I enjoy using the 24mm with live view and I am happy with that practice as I use it mainly for architecture. In some instances I feel that 24mm isn't wide enough.

 

So my question goes to 16-18-21 mm tri-elmar owners, how often do you use the lens? Do you think it is worth the investment for a 24mm owner and how practical is it to use with live view?

 

Any other blind spots, considerations and recommendations are welcome.

 

 

The WATE is the main lens I use for interiors. It's good at all apertures but at f8 it's really great. It has a little bit of barrel distortion that 1 click in lightroom fixes.

 

I use my 24mm Elmarit for other things but alway the WATE for interiors. I also like using it with the EVF. I especially like that it tilts which makes using the M on a tripod very simple.

 

Gordon

Edited January 18, 2016 by FlashGordonPhotography

[Rick]

The WATE is the main lens I use for interiors. It's good at all apertures but at f8 it's really great. It has a little bit of barrel distortion that 1 click in lightroom fixes.

 

I use my 24mm Elmarit for other things but alway the WATE for interiors. I also like using it with the EVF. I especially like that it tilts which makes using the M on a tripod very simple.

 

Gordon

 

 

And, don't forget the horizon overlay that beta testers pushed for.    

 

Rick

[gvaliquette]

I have both the 24mm f3.8 Elmar-M and the WATE.  Love them both.  And now, I am dreaming of using them with the new Leica SL!!!  

 

Guy

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I have both the 24mm f3.8 Elmar-M and the WATE.  Love them both.  And now, I am dreaming of using them with the new Leica SL!!!  

 

Guy

 

I prefer the WATE on my M's over my SL. Files have more "bite" on the M. Although it looks to be in part the default LR profiles. C1 is apparently better.

 

Gordon