CV21 short term

[bill vann]

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Need a wide angle and not ready to spring for a 21 asph. As an early M8 buyer i'll get the 30% but thinking tri elmar 16-18-21.

 

Sean Reid did a pretty good comp on LL showing the CV21 lagging but these are big blowups and no full frame for reference.

 

i've though on the 21elmar non-asph but then don't think i'd keed it with the tri.

 

any user experience with th CV21 on an M8 and how do you feel about it weighed in on my comments above.

 

bill

[cbretteville]

Its a good little lens, great value for money as long as f4 dosen't bother you. I use one on my M6, got it to learn the focal length and decided I didn't want to spend the funds needed for a Zeiss or a Leica lens for that purpouse. I generally preferr the CV25/4, but its good to have it in the aresenal, and even if it dosen't see all that much use I can justify keeping it for the occations where it is required.

 

- C

[nealf]

Here's a shot at a friends farm with the 21mm CV on the M8, great lens for the money.

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[rvaubel]

Here's a shot at a friends farm with the 21mm CV on the M8, great lens for the money.

[ATTACH]19438[/ATTACH]

 

Great shot! And NO vignetting which is amazing for the CV21mm. It looks like Leica has got that issue licked.

 

I don't suppose you were using an IR filter?

 

Rex

[sean_reid]

I'm reviewing the CV 21 right now for an article about 21 mm lenses on the M8. I've hand-coded the lens as an Elmarit 21/2.8 and am using it both with and without a Schneider 486 filter. This lens performs much better on the M8 than it does on the R-D1 which is also true for the CV 25/4 and the CV 28/3.5.

 

The main weakness of the CV 21 on the M8 is that it's a bit soft in the corners compared to the Zeiss and Leica. Excellent lens overall though. It vignettes very little on the M8, even wide open, especially when its coded but even when it isn't.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

Here's a quick picture of my oldest daughter after she fell in the creek while making pictures. CV 21/4.0 at F/4 on the M8, no filter, uncoded.

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[sean_reid]

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Here's a center crop from the unsharpened 100% file of the same F/4 picture. Straight default conversion in C1. Note that the lens resolves enough, even wide open, to trigger moire.

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[sean_reid]

The corners of this picture fall outside the DOF so here's a left edge crop from a 100% file (again same picture as the two examples above). Note how, at F/4, resolution starts to fall off a bit just before the left edge.

 

Not suprisingly, resolution in the outer zones improves as the lens is stopped down.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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[sean_reid]

Different picture, F/4, same workflow, no post, crop from central area of 100% view.

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[rvaubel]

Here's a quick picture of my oldest daughter after she fell in the creek while making pictures. CV 21/4.0 at F/4 on the M8, no filter, uncoded.

 

Sean

 

I am very interested in your results of the VC21, 25, and 28/3.5 with regards cyan vignetting with the IR filters. This will be the acid test of 1)how badly a symmetrical, side angle lens cyan vignettes, and 2)how effective the coding is on a self coded non-leica lens.

 

I must say, I'm beginning to get hyped up by these tiny little lenses. Kind of like carrying a big point n'shoot with almost medium format quality. Who would have thought ?

 

Rex

..arf

[sean_reid]

As I look through the casual samples I've made with this lens on the M8 so far, I can see that there may be some de-centering which is causing problems in the lower left section of the captures. I'm requesting a new test lens.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

Sean

 

I am very interested in your results of the VC21, 25, and 28/3.5 with regards cyan vignetting with the IR filters. This will be the acid test of 1)how badly a symmetrical, side angle lens cyan vignettes, and 2)how effective the coding is on a self coded non-leica lens.

 

I must say, I'm beginning to get hyped up by these tiny little lenses. Kind of like carrying a big point n'shoot with almost medium format quality. Who would have thought ?

 

Rex

..arf

 

Hi Rex,

 

The final draft of the 28s article is up and the 28/3.5 results are there.

 

I share your enthusisam about these tiny lenses. You know that I've described the M8 as the digital Texas Leica. I've had the exact same thought about how tiny (overall) this M8 and lens can be. BTW, I would argue that's there's no "almost" when comparing M8 files to MF film scans.

 

When these little lenses on the M8:

 

1) the combination is very small and compact

2) the lens itself does not block the frameline area

3) optical quality can be excellent

 

Every time one of these little CV lenses tests well, I end up buying the test lens rather than sending it back.

 

As time goes on I will end up testing almost every current production M or LTM lens on the M8, including almost all of the CV lenses, all the Leicas and all the Zeiss ZMs.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[rvaubel]

Here's a center crop from the unsharpened 100% file of the same F/4 picture. Straight default conversion in C1. Note that the lens resolves enough, even wide open, to trigger moire.

 

Your 100% center crop is crazily sharp for a $350 lens. Just for the fun of it I took it to 200% with just a touch of sharpening. The edge detail on the camera lens is one pixel wide.

 

Rex

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[sean_reid]

Your 100% center crop is crazily sharp for a $350 lens. Just for the fun of it I took it to 200% with just a touch of sharpening. The edge detail on the camera lens is one pixel wide.

 

Rex

 

True indeed, especially for a 21 wide open, hand-held. I'm going to hold off on the formal comparisons until I try another copy that may do better on the left side. That's the one thing with the CV lenses, the quality can be great but once in awhile a problem lens gets sent out.

 

BTW, both pictures at ISO 640 (800 actual).

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[jonoslack]

Hi Bill

Thank you for posting this - you've just saved me a pot of money! I'm also thinking of the tri-elmar in the long run, but this sounds like a great interim lens, and I didn't know it was rangefinder coupled either. Robert White here I come.

 

Sean - many thanks for the comments - any ideas when your review will be ready for us unwashed masses to read?

 

happy new year to all

[sean_reid]

Hi Jono,

 

I suspect that it may be a lens people use as more than a temporary solution. See the discussion of hand-coding for the 28 Skopar in the 28s article. Some might want to do the same with the CV 21. We've had guests here for the past couple days and will be travelling from tomorrow through New Years. I want to get another copy of the CV 21 to test because this one seems off a bit on the lower left. So I'll concentrate on the 24/25s until that replacement copy gets here. Both articles should be done some time in January.

 

BTW, the only CV lenses that are not coupled are the 12, 15 and 25.

 

What makes you part of an unwashed mass?

 

Best,

 

Sean

[jonoslack]

Hi Jono,

 

I suspect that it may be a lens people use as more than a temporary solution. See the discussion of hand-coding for the 28 Skopar in the 28s article. Some might want to do the same with the CV 21. We've had guests here for the past couple days and will be travelling from tomorrow through New Years. I want to get another copy of the CV 21 to test because this one seems off a bit on the lower left. So I'll concentrate on the 24/25s until that replacement copy gets here. Both articles should be done some time in January.

 

BTW, the only CV lenses that are not coupled are the 12, 15 and 25.

 

Best,

 

Sean

 

HI Sean - thank you for the reply - I already have the 15mm - a fine lens, and the 28mm ultron - your reviews are always really helpful.

 

Have a great trip - and I guess I'll get hold of a lens rather than wait for you to get another!

[bill vann]

WIll definitely spring for the CV it looks much better than i expected as does my 50 nokton, 90 lanthar and 15 heilar

 

and not knowing my final optimal lens solution i can afford to play in this range. what adapter for proper coding th 50-90?

 

thanks all

 

bill

[sean_reid]

WIll definitely spring for the CV it looks much better than i expected as does my 50 nokton, 90 lanthar and 15 heilar

 

and not knowing my final optimal lens solution i can afford to play in this range. what adapter for proper coding th 50-90?

 

thanks all

 

bill

 

Hi Bill,

 

Thanks. Do you want to code the 50 and 90? It will give you EXIF data but I doubt there will be much to correct in the way of vignetting or drift. If you do want to code them, I'd look for a Leitz 9 cm and 5 cm (old).

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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[bill vann]

thanks Sean, I meant to code the 21mm which is listed with the lens. just paypal'd stephen at CQ hope to see it soon.

 

kindly

 

 

bill