Color-Skopar 21mm on M8

[atufte]

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Anyone have any experience with this wideangle on the M8?, i'm wondering about buying either the CV 15mm or the CV 21mm, i really would like the 15mm but the problems with filters and cyan vignetting and the fact that we probably never going to be able to fix it because there is no code for 15mm (maybe the new tri elmar code will work...?) any thoughts about this....? (and yes i would of course want the elmarit 21 but i'm way over budget already so this is out of the question...)

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[mike prevette]

I can recommend the CV15. It's a lovely little lens. Coding it like the trielmar will do you no good though. It's a very different optical design, and even though it shares a similar focal length as the tri-elmar the correction would have to be much different. I tend to not notice the IR issues as much with such a wide angle lens. It's also a sharp little sucker.

 

I have no expieriance with the CV21, but I do have the zeiss 21mm biogon, and have been very happy with it. It's also rangefinder coupled (unlike the CV) and is much faster at 2.8.

 

21mm biogon

 

!5mm CV

 

_mike

[nealf]

I've been shooting quite a bit with both the 15mm and the 21mm CV lenses on my M8 and am very pleased with the results, here is an example of the 21mm;

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and another;

BTW the CV 21mm is coupled to the rangefinder

[marco_rol]

I second Mike's endorsement for the Zeiss 21mm Biogon as a very good alternative. I've been pretty happy with mine and have "coded" it using the "Sharpie Method". It works fine, you just have to hold the frameline lever to the right while shooting in order to get the camera to recognize it as a 21mm though.

[devils-advocate]

I have no expieriance with the CV21, but I do have the zeiss 21mm biogon, and have been very happy with it. It's also rangefinder coupled (unlike the CV) and is much faster at 2.8.

 

I have been playing with both the Zeiss and CV 21mm lately, and the CV couples very accurately on the M8. I agree with Mike that the Zeiss is a lovely optic, but I much prefer the smaller size of the CV lens, to say nothing of the price. The CV lens really is tiny in comparison. I have found optical performance to be pretty comparable.

 

Btw, the copy of the Zeiss have is also silver, which is just awful imho. Whoever was responsible for the aesthetic apocalypse that was the G1 and G2 still holds sway in their design department <insert smart-ass grin>

 

- N.

[sean_reid]

I've been testing all three 21s for a review and the Zeiss, while it draws differently, is certainly as capable as the 21 Elmarit. The CV 21 is a bit soft in the corners wide open but that improves as one stops down and the overall resolution of the lens is excellent. The size, weight and price are also significant advantages.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[marco_rol]

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I have been playing with both the Zeiss and CV 21mm lately, and the CV couples very accurately on the M8. I agree with Mike that the Zeiss is a lovely optic, but I much prefer the smaller size of the CV lens, to say nothing of the price. The CV lens really is tiny in comparison.

 

While I prefer the Zeiss for the f2.8, he's right about the size - the Zeiss is a pretty big, heavy lens for a 21mm at 300g and 64.0mm long.

[Bill Sievers]

Shot with the Heliar:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/captainvideo/347147854/

[thisaccountisdeleted]

BTW the CV 21mm is coupled to the rangefinder

 

yup.. it's the 25mm color-skopar that isn't coupled.

[arthury]

I have not tried any CV lenses before and the closest one I have is the 21mm ZM Biogon. It's ultra sharp and behaves very well with the M8, except for the need to hold down the frame selector to get the sharpie-code read correctly.

 

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M8; 21mm ZM Zeiss Biogon

[scho]

I've been testing all three 21s for a review and the Zeiss, while it draws differently, is certainly as capable as the 21 Elmarit. The CV 21 is a bit soft in the corners wide open but that improves as one stops down and the overall resolution of the lens is excellent. The size, weight and price are also significant advantages.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Sean,

 

Will you also be reviewing the new C Biogon T* 4.5/21 ZM? I've been holding off on purchasing a 21 until this one has been reviewed. I want a small, compact 21 and the CV skopar seems to be the only currently available candidate. If the new Zeiss delivers better optical performance and is reasonably compact I'd wait for it rather than the CV.

 

Carl

[sean_reid]

Sean,

 

Will you also be reviewing the new C Biogon T* 4.5/21 ZM? I've been holding off on purchasing a 21 until this one has been reviewed. I want a small, compact 21 and the CV skopar seems to be the only currently available candidate. If the new Zeiss delivers better optical performance and is reasonably compact I'd wait for it rather than the CV.

 

Carl

 

Hi Carl,

 

I've asked for it but it isn't available yet. I'll probably end up reviewing it on its own when I can get a sample.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[gurtch]

I agree about the ZM 21mm on the M8. It is quickly becoming my favorite lens on the M8. A recent 13"x19" glossy I made is razor sharp, colors rich and saturated. The pic is here:

http://www.modernpictorials.com/D218A%2072dpi%20L1000095.jpg

 

Regards

Dave

[atufte]

Thanks everyone, great feedback... :-)