18 or 21 or 24mm lens for M8?

[Snakepottery]

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Oh no, it's another what lens thread!

 

I am selling my Zeiss 28mm f2.8 lens to part fund a wider angle model. A great lens but not quite wide enough on an M8. I have (which I mostly use) a 35mm Asph and a 50mm Elmarit, both of which are gorgeous. I want to do more wide angle stuff but it will be limited. So happy to go for either Voigtlander, Zeiss or no Asph Leica lens. The question is which? VC make 15mm and larger (too wide??) and so do Zeiss. Given I am unlikely to use it loads and I don't have the funds really, I think a Leica lens is out of budget. There may not be enough of a difference between the 28 I have and the 24mm so maybe the 21mm or wider? I suppose anything wider than 24mm will need an external finder?

 

What do others think? And as yet I am not sure quite how I will be using it!!

 

Any guidance from those more knowledgeable will be gratefully received.

Thanks all

Andy

[Don Morley]

Hi Andy,

 

I had the 15mm Voigtlandar lens and thought it very good until I bought a 18mm Super-Elmar, which I have to say is just in a different class, best lens I have ever used, so much so that even though it only equates to a 24mm on my M8's, I still leave it permanently on one body and sold my 24mm f2.8 Asp, which certainly was not wide enough for what I needed. Regards,

 

Don;)

[luigi bertolotti]

21 was the first focal I bought for my M8 and I enjoy it a lot : it's an Elmarit asph, which is a superb performer: however, would the Elmar 18 had been available at that times, I think that I could have chosen it... I have the CV 15, but is really a superwide, to be used with care; should I had to remake my lens set now, probably I would like to have 18+24 as wides (indeed, I bought the 24... but dislike the idea to sell the 21 to get the Elmar 18... ... I hate to sell Leica glass... but 18+21+24 would be excessive for a photog like me)

[wstotler]

I am selling my Zeiss 28mm f2.8 lens to part fund a wider angle model. . . . I want to do more wide angle stuff but it will be limited. So happy to go for either Voigtlander, Zeiss or no Asph Leica lens. The question is which?. . . Given I am unlikely to use it loads and I don't have the funds really, I think a Leica lens is out of budget. There may not be enough of a difference between the 28 I have and the 24mm so maybe the 21mm or wider? I suppose anything wider than 24mm will need an external finder?

 

Andy--I have the CV15 and the CV21. Bought the 15 (had a 35 and 50). Used it quite a bit. But, the 15 was too wide. So I bought a 21. Used it for a while. The 21 was too narrow. I also didn't "take" to the look of the lens. Not sure why.

 

15:

21:

 

The Super-Elmar-M 18mm was perfect for me on the M8 as a wide (and still is). The CV15 and CV21 are gathering dust. (Sadly.)

 

18:

 

Comparison shots between CV15 and SE18:

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The 15, 18, and 21 all require external finders for framing--if you care about framing.

 

If you don't have a lot of cash, and because 28 was too narrow, go for a CV21, which with finder will set you back less than $600:

 

Lens (scroll down to 21): Voigtlander Bessa RF Accessories

Finder (scroll down to 28mm metal): Voigtlander Bessa RF Accessories

 

Good luck!

 

Cheers!

Will

[ezc203]

Andy - I really enjoy the 24mm focal length on the M8. It's the widest you can go without an external viewfinder. The 24mm Lux is essentially glued to my camera.

 

Personally, I have no reason to go wider than the 24mm, but if necessary I think the 18mm would be a very good compliment.

 

Just my opinion.

[Sailronin]

I also use the 24mm as my primary lens on the M8 with the CV15mm as my wide angle..if you use the entire viewfinder (beyond the frame lines) you have a very close approximation of the CV 15 field of view without needing an external finder.

 

Dave

[Snakepottery]

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Thanks all, it looks like either the CV 21 or the Leica 18mm. Hmmm, I think I will see how finances go and push for the Leica glass. Is there only 1 version of 18mm Elmarit?

I'm in no great rush so will see what is around on Ebay and forum sales.

 

Andy

[luigi bertolotti]

Yes, till now there is only one version of the Leica 18mm (which is branded as Super-Elmar... Elmarits are the "2,8" lenses), apart, of course, the 18 "inside" the superexpensive WATE.

There is also the Zeiss alternative, generally appreciated, and codable too, about half the price of the Leica 18.

[danyves]

The Elmarit 2.8/24 mm is now my only lens on the M8.

 

Fully polyvalent.

[Snakepottery]

I think I will look and see if there are any Zeiss 18mm around too. They do a an f4.0 which I suspect will be good and at around £900 new not too bad. I suppose I will not need the 18mm viewfinder but the 24mm? Or does the whole viewfinder roughlu equate to 24mm (cropped)?

 

Thanks for all your help!

 

Andy

[gvaliquette]

I think I will look and see if there are any Zeiss 18mm around too. They do a an f4.0 which I suspect will be good and at around £900 new not too bad.

Andy

 

I had the 18mm f4.0 Distagon on my Contarex, and LOVED that lens! I don't have the M-mount 18mm Distagon, but it looks like it's a very similar design. It is the lens that I will probably add to my M lenses, between the 24mm f3.8 Elmar and the 12mm f5.6 Voigtlander. But all this is about full-frame, not M8 cropped format.

 

Guy

[luigi bertolotti]

I had the 18mm f4.0 Distagon on my Contarex, and LOVED that lens! I don't have the M-mount 18mm Distagon, but it looks like it's a very similar design. It is the lens that I will probably add to my M lenses, between the 24mm f3.8 Elmar and the 12mm f5.6 Voigtlander. But all this is about full-frame, not M8 cropper format.

 

Guy

 

Me too, Guy... (Contarex lenses were ALL great!).. and found an adapter to mount it onto my M8 ! . Works fine ! a bit bulky...

[!Nomad64]

Dear Andy,

 

it depends all from how wide you need/want to go. If you often move in tight closed spaces or go very close to your subjects, you might need the 18, which is the equivalent of a 24 in FF, or even the 15 which is the equivalent of a 20. A 21 on the M8 becomes a 28, which might be still too tight and not far enough from a 24.

Me, I'm not exactly the wide angle guy. My standard lens on the M8 is and remains the 50 and not the 35. I'm happy with the 24 as it's equivalent to a 32 and back in film times I never felt the need to go wider than 35. Furthermore it doesn't need an external viewfinder (to be honest several readers reported that the metal framing of the viewfinder might act as frame line to the 21, but I can't tell for sure). It doesn't differ that much from a 28, but it does indeed. You check the frame lines in your viewfinder and you'll see that! And since you already own a 35, this latter fills well the gap between 24 and 50, making the 28 redundant.

If you're on a tight budget you might be happy to remember that either the Zeiss 21 and the 25 are very fine lenses, deemed almost as peers to their Leica counterparts by Erwin Puts, whom we all know to be leaned towards Leica rather then the competition.

 

Hope this might help

Bruno

[Bert N]

I'm in agreement with those who find that the 24mm is a good wide angle lens for the M8 and I see no need to go wider.

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[Guest BigSplash]

I have the 21mm Super Angulon f3.4 (1963 to 1980) and it is a wonderful lens on a M8 or M film cameras.

 

Actually people at Solms recently positively commented with pride that this is a superb lens even today although it is over 30 years old. Apparently they do not have the parts anymore so if you find one be careful that the focus and aperture move smoothly and nothing internally rattles as getting it serviced maybe difficult.

 

I would believe that this is a lens that you could pickup secondhand at a very reasonable price compared to anything current or almost current.

 

The only drawback maybe that you cannot take TTL light readings. You either guess and bracket or use another lens to measure the light and then fit the 21mm.

[!Nomad64]

 

Nice pic in fall mood btw. Reminds me of a corner of Paris.

 

Bruno

[Bert N]

Nice pic in fall mood btw. Reminds me of a corner of Paris.

 

Bruno

 

You're absolutely correct, the shot is of the Pont d'Arcole in Paris. Except for the frequent rain, and disruptions from all the demonstrations, I find Paris very pleasant this time of year.

[glenerrolrd]

I'm in agreement with those who find that the 24mm is a good wide angle lens for the M8 and I see no need to go wider.

 

Bert

 

Nice photograph. I was on the same bridge almost everyday the first two weeks in October .Thats quite a spot everyday I wished for clouds to balance the photographs . Indeed from that location a 24..equal 32mm FOV is an excellent balance between sky and the buildings .

 

Generally I have found a FOV of 28mm to be the versatile all around wide angle. The 21/2.8 asph was my favorite lens on the M8 and the 28mm /2 summicron is the fav on the M9. The 28FOV is about as wide as you can go without worrying much about wide angle distortion . If you work with one body you will have a better chance of having the right lens on the body than if you go wider.

 

The zeiss 21/2.8 is IMHO the value buy in this area as its an almost perfect lens and less than 50% of any Leica alternative. It is the very best performer in the Zeiss line ...reference EPuts or SeanReid .

 

The Zeiss 18/4 is an excellent lens but I find it too slow to use for typical travel and steet work. It causes me to push up the ISO and on an M8 you can see the difference between say 320 and 640. No question you can make this lens work its just sometimes limiting.

 

The 21 also gives you a nice spread from the 35 you have.

[daleeman]

I would like to own a 24mm Leica lens for the M8 just because of the frame lines. I have a Zeiss 21mm 2.8 and really love the lens. The modified mount brings up the 28mm guides on the camea as it should but the lens is actually in my case almost as wide as the 24 frame lines. If I had the funds and the time I would have the mount changed. I do not think it is that way on all Zeiss 21mm lens but it is on mine.

 

I also have a VC 12mm M mount. When I strap that bad boy on I know its everything in front of my feet is in the picture almost. I use my 21mm CV finder and ignore the 21mm frame lines and shoot full frame on the CV finder. Very close, only issiu is usually what is under the lens that blocks part of the view. I really like the lens for the right reasons, its wide and reasonable in delivering flat lines.

 

There is a nice option if you are in the United States, I have not used them yet but you can rent M lenses from LensRentals.com - Rent Leica > Leica M see if you really like it before buying one.

 

If I get to travel to Scotland next year I hope to lens up before I go with some rentals.

 

Lee

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[Wiggi]

I think the 24mm (EQUIV to FF = 32mm) is to near to the 28/2 Zeiss (EQUIV to FF = 37mm).

 

An ideal wide angel lens for the M8 is the WATE 16-18-21mm i suppose. With the WATE you have equiv focal lengths from 21, 24 to 28 mm. And the Viewfinder (Frankenfinder) will be delivered with it.

 

But this is only my personal point of view.