Need Advice on Using 25mm Skopar P on the M9

[photolandscape]

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I checked various threads and didn't find anything that pertains completely to my questions, so here goes.

 

I just got a 25mm CV Skopar P--would have preferred a Zeiss or Leica 24mm Elmarit, but a little too pricey at the moment.

 

What do I need to do to set up the 25mm CV on my M9?

 

I assume I need to code it, but as what? 24 Elmarit, or?

 

When I code it, can I use my excellent Bo Lorentzen template and an extra-fine Sharpie? I've had good luck with Bo's template and a good Sharpie with other lenses, so that is what I would prefer to do.

 

Framelines--will the 35mm frameline come up? If so, I need a 25mm external viewfinder, right?

 

And last but not least, should I expect any issues with red fringing, or will proper coding take care of that?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

SP

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[adan]

SP - I've asked a couple of times how the 25 Skopar does on the M9 - no luck with responses, yet.

 

You may get to be the guinea pig - er - expert on the subject. I look forward to what you discover, especially as regards red-edge problems.

 

Framelines - correct. You will see the 35/135 frameline pair. I think a finder will be necessary - but some people say they get away with using "the whole finder" for 24/25 lenses.

 

Coding:

 

1) My advice would be to first try out various lens settings using the manual lens settings in the M9's menu - to see what effect each has on vignetting and/or edge color.

 

Only those for lenses that share the 24 mount (18,24,35,135) will be useful if you are going to code the lens eventually, because the camera won't recognize, e.g. a lens coded as a 28 that brings up 35mm framelines.

 

The 24 Elmarit corrections likely will be the most convenient - otherwise your EXIF data will show some other focal length. But if, for example, your tests show that the 18mm or 35mm corrections are actually better for vignetting or red drift, you'll have to decide between good corrections and "accurate" EXIF, and code accordingly.

 

2) I believe the new 25P has a recess milled into the back of the mount, so that if you hand-paint coding marks into that recess, they will not get worn off by use. In that case, the Bo-Sharpie technique should work fine.

 

Red fringing - I hope you will tell me - eventually. I love my 21 Elmarit - but there are times I'd like a pocketable wideangle that can almost be used without a finder, when f/2.8 is not required.

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I think you may need to paint the coding marks for use on the M9, I haven't found any permananent pen that works, but a dab of auto gloss black paint in the CV groove works very well.

 

Steve

[photolandscape]

SP - I've asked a couple of times how the 25 Skopar does on the M9 - no luck with responses, yet.

 

You may get to be the guinea pig - er - expert on the subject. I look forward to what you discover, especially as regards red-edge problems.

 

Framelines - correct. You will see the 35/135 frameline pair. I think a finder will be necessary - but some people say they get away with using "the whole finder" for 24/25 lenses.

 

Coding:

 

1) My advice would be to first try out various lens settings using the manual lens settings in the M9's menu - to see what effect each has on vignetting and/or edge color.

 

Only those for lenses that share the 24 mount (18,24,35,135) will be useful if you are going to code the lens eventually, because the camera won't recognize, e.g. a lens coded as a 28 that brings up 35mm framelines.

 

The 24 Elmarit corrections likely will be the most convenient - otherwise your EXIF data will show some other focal length. But if, for example, your tests show that the 18mm or 35mm corrections are actually better for vignetting or red drift, you'll have to decide between good corrections and "accurate" EXIF, and code accordingly.

 

2) I believe the new 25P has a recess milled into the back of the mount, so that if you hand-paint coding marks into that recess, they will not get worn off by use. In that case, the Bo-Sharpie technique should work fine.

 

Red fringing - I hope you will tell me - eventually. I love my 21 Elmarit - but there are times I'd like a pocketable wideangle that can almost be used without a finder, when f/2.8 is not required.

 

Thanks Andy for all the good information. I always enjoy your thoughtful and informative postings. I will be happy to get into it with the Skopar and will be sure to let you know what I find--maybe as soon as this weekend.

[viooh]

Regarding he red edges problem - I have the optically identical LTM Snapshot Skopar 25 and did a few quick test shots on my M9, but I didn't have time for serious testing. The 24mm manual setting neither corrects vignetting nor red edges well enough, so either it's a different setting - which I didn't try - or none of the manual settings will do, so at the moment to me it looks like it's required to use cornerfix with this lens. That said, sharpness is fine over most of the frame even wide open, but for good quality at the edges some stopping down is beneficial.

 

Peter

[photolandscape]

Did a bit of initial experimentation tonight with the 25mm Skopar P. I'll do more tomorrow, but in some initial shots I found a considerable amount of red fringing when I manually selected various lenses/focal lengths--tried them all from 16mm all the way up to the 35mm Summicron, and the results were nearly identical. In addition, I was surprised by the degree of vignetting--it is considerable. I am somewhat disappointed. I will take more shots tomorrow and will report back.

 

I guess my quest for a lens in the 18-25mm range for the M9 is going to be problematical to say the least. I really want to come up with something that has little or no fringing, and much less vignetting.

[photolandscape]

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Did a bit of initial experimentation tonight with the 25mm Skopar P. I'll do more tomorrow, but in some initial shots I found a considerable amount of red fringing when I manually selected various lenses/focal lengths--tried them all from 16mm all the way up to the 35mm Summicron, and the results were nearly identical. In addition, I was surprised by the degree of vignetting--it is considerable. I am somewhat disappointed. I will take more shots tomorrow and will report back.

 

I guess my quest for a lens in the 18-25mm range for the M9 is going to be problematical to say the least. I really want to come up with something that has little or no fringing, and much less vignetting.

 

Wanted to add one other thing--unless you press your cornea right up to the viewfinder, you'll probably want to get the 25mm CV viewfinder.