I love my M8 Posted January 11, 2010 Share #1 Posted January 11, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I own an M8 and a 35mm Summarit lens. I am interested in landscape photography and am finding that the 35mm lens (50mm equivalent of course) isn't wide enough. I am looking to buy something wider to develop my interest in landscape photography and am thinking about the 18mm Super-Elmar f/3.8 or the 16/18/21mm Tri-Elmar f/4. Can anyone assist who may have experience of one or both of these lenses? Does the multiple focal length lens sacrifice quality for more options? This is my first post to this site and any advice, or indeed alternative suggestions to what I am considering, would be greatly appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Hi I love my M8, Take a look here Lens for Landscape Photography. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
luigi bertolotti Posted January 11, 2010 Share #2 Posted January 11, 2010 My idea is that landscapes seldom need very wide lenses... though, of course, the concept of "landscape" is so wide in itself () that one can imagine any lens from 12 to 800 mm can fit sometime... personally, having you a 35, I wouldn't jump to 18 : I have 21 and 24 (Elmarits asph) and found the last very useful in landscape, also for you have a "full viewfinder" view that is useful for composition and horizon's straightness; I think the 16-18-21 does not sacrifice anything about the quality you need (its limitation could be the max aperture... not often important in landscapes) but is a terrible cost... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted January 11, 2010 Share #3 Posted January 11, 2010 A good value option may be the Leica Elmar 24mm. This is a beautifully sharp lens, is quite compact, and is inexpensive by Leica standards. A 24mm also gives you the advantage, on the M8, of having a set of framelines in the viewfinder, and so you don't need to get an external finder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreyg Posted January 11, 2010 Share #4 Posted January 11, 2010 I've had good luck with the Elmarit 28/2.8. The 15 CV is also a great wide, and rather sharp. The CV 21 seemed in the store to be close to the running, but its a bit softer than the Zeiss or the Leica. I think I'd probably go get the Leica 21, altho consider the Zeiss too. Really like the 21 on the M8 - a great combination of quick point shoot if needed (good focus depth) and easy to compose more formally. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted January 11, 2010 Share #5 Posted January 11, 2010 Depends on the "landscape" really. More often than not though, I'll reach for the 2,8/25 Biogon ZM. Set the ISO to 160, the lens to f/5.6 - I doubt you'll find anything sharper out there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machaon Posted January 11, 2010 Share #6 Posted January 11, 2010 The Tri Elmar WATE is a wonderful lens you can rely on with 3 FOV (16/18/21 becoming 21/24/28 with the M8) : sharp, homogeneous, nearly no field deformation for landscape application (tripod not mandatory) and a wonderful viewer, very precise but bulky. Second hand market is busy and much more reasonable : watch for it !!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
I love my M8 Posted January 12, 2010 Author Share #7 Posted January 12, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thank you all for your advice. Different perspectives, which I guess is to be expected. I now have a slightly more difficult decision as I am now looking at choosing from 3 lenses rather than 2, having added the Elmarit 21 f2.8 to my original candidates of the 18mm Super-Elmar f/3.8 or the 16/18/21mm Tri-Elmar f/4 ! Any other comments / observations would be very welcome, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckone77 Posted January 12, 2010 Share #8 Posted January 12, 2010 Hi there, personally I have as an ultra wide option the CV15, but use the 21/2.8 asph as my wide angle lens. if budget is a concern I also would take a look at the 28/2.8 elmarit, where I love the compact measure and the sharp pictures (when I borrowed one from a friend for 4 months) I personally like the colors of the 21 better than the CV 15, as I need PP on these due to cold colors; when hiking, the 21 is my choice on the M8 (and the M7). Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted January 12, 2010 Share #9 Posted January 12, 2010 I am not a landscape specialist, but I do know that with wide and very wide angle lenses it is vital to have something interesting in the foreground. That gets quite difficult, sometimes. For that reason I find the 28mm on the M8 about right and rarely use my 21mm in that role. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timgo Posted January 12, 2010 Share #10 Posted January 12, 2010 I have the same Summarit lens as you have and find it an excellent performer. More than half the photos I shoot are landscapes. I have both the Zeiss 25mm and the CV 15mm. For landscapes the ratio of lens use for me is: CV 15 60%, Zeiss 25mm 25%, and Summarit 35mm 15%. But for people pictures the ratio is CV 15, 0%, Zeiss 25mm 35%, and Summarit 35mm 55%, and 75mm is 10%. I have not felt the need for other lenses for landscapes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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