Jump to content

21mm f1.4 or f3.4 for a Leica newbee/addict


Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

How about the Ultron 21 F1.8 for when you need a fast lens and a 21 F3.4foe walking around with. Both together are les than the Leica 21 F1.4. Just a thought. :cool:

 

 

John

 

or just get the fantastic 21mm Elmarit F2.8 and screw the others. VERY happy with mine...

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Replies 128
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Just reading Ken Rockwell's review of the Voigtlander 21 f/1.8. A very positive review and I am especially interested in his comments on 'no visible distortion'.

 

Has anyone else tried this lens and could provide a 'user review'?

 

I haven't but Ron Scheffler, how is also active on this forum, has reviewed it together with some other fast 21mm lenses, http://www.ronscheffler.com/techtalk/?page_id=130

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Do you have a link to where the series 8 filters that drop into the 21's lens hood can be found. I'm interested but haven't been able to find them. thanks tom

 

Neil-

I own both lenses, but even though a monster of a lens I always go for the 21/1.4. Yes, it is a considerable sum of money and one must decide how he will use the lens. I use mine for street mostly. I use the 18mm more for landscapes where I want wide vistas or am in a narrow canyon or situation.

 

Of course the 21/1.4 can work for landscapes and the extra few stops comes in handy more for my street shots than anything else. I also tend to engage in night time photography (street included) where I find the lux (1.4) part of the lens comes in very handy. I shoot wide open unless I need DOF. I know that I am the culprit in most of my inferior images due to camera shake so even in the daytime with this lens (or any 1.4 or better for that matter) I can use very high shutter speeds to try and ameliorate my shake issues.

 

As I've come to realize my short comings I find myself using the fastest glass I can acquire for any focal length. They just serve me better than slower glass unless of course you are in extremely brightly lit situations more than dark environments or shooting with tripod all day long.

 

One thing if you should get the 21/1.4, it requires Series 8 filters which can be expensive and sometimes hard to find. In addition since they do not screw in place changing filters can be tedious.

 

Just yesterday I commented somewhere about this lens versus the 24/1.4 on another thread-but don't remember which thread right off hand.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Do you have a link to where the series 8 filters that drop into the 21's lens hood can be found. I'm interested but haven't been able to find them. thanks tom

 

 

They come up on eBay from time to time....

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have experience with both lenses.

 

The 21 SEM was really a jewel, it performs superbly in color,contrust and sharpness and like many have said, it is light and compact. Great lens for landscape and overall application, especially when travelling.

 

I loved the 21 SEM so much that I sold it to upgrade to the 21Lux after 15 months of use. 21Lux is truly a great lens. It provides shallow DOF which the 21SEM could not give. The fast speed also made it useful for indoors which the 21SEM lack. It's design and feel is distinctive like the Noctilux. With the charater of the lens mentioned, it allowed me to explore shots of wide, shallow DOF and low to create pics I look for. The only drawback (just as the Noctilux) is the long minimum focus distance. The OUFRO helped. But I also found that the same shallow DOF effect on close objects could be cheated with OUFRO on 21SEM!

 

I do love my 21 Lux, as much as my Noctilux. However I still do miss the 21SEM.

 

One 21 Lux buys 2.5 pieces of 21SEM in $,....so that could be a main differention factor for some.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have not used the 1.4 but I have seen it. It is a beast. The 3.4 is tiny compared.

For street and landscape you are probably going to shoot at more depth of field anyways, and also the 3.4 has less distortion and vignetting and has a focusing tab if you like that. I consider teh 1.4 more of a indoor/reportage lens. There is also a dramatic price difference.

 

I would stick with your original choice unless you know for sure you are going to need the wider aptertures on a regular basis.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
I was wondering, has anyone shot either the 21mm lux or SEM on the M240 with the EVF? I was told that with the EVF, the viewfinders will become somewhat redundant?? :D

 

I have the 21Lux on my M240. I use both the RF and EVF.

Link to post
Share on other sites

For me the EVF is a real boon when teamed with my 21 SEM. Whether due to lack of practice, skill or whatever, I find guesstimating the framing of a shot simply through the rangefinder (hand held, I just don't like using live view) really hit and miss. Furthermore, the universal versatility of the EVF makes it a true bargain when compared with the alternative and expensive 21mm OVF.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was wondering, has anyone shot either the 21mm lux or SEM on the M240 with the EVF? I was told that with the EVF, the viewfinders will become somewhat redundant?? :D

 

There are occasions when an optical VF is preferable to an EVF, especially when you are shooting very spontaneously and catching the exact moment is important, or when you think you might want a couple of shots in quick succession.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great! So do you find that focusing is easy enough wide open with the EVF and does it slow down they way you shoot? I know that in low light, the EVF can get a little laggy and grainy. I have the EVF as well but I find it unnecessary for the 28, 35 and 50. But for the 21mm, methinks the EVF would probably be a better bet over a viewfinder? Thanks again for your reply!

Link to post
Share on other sites

For me the EVF is a real boon when teamed with my 21 SEM. Whether due to lack of practice, skill or whatever, I find guesstimating the framing of a shot simply through the rangefinder (hand held, I just don't like using live view) really hit and miss. Furthermore, the universal versatility of the EVF makes it a true bargain when compared with the alternative and expensive 21mm OVF.

 

That was exactly what I was thinking! I have the EVF as well and find it redundant for the 28, 35 and 50's. But was worrying :confused:about the 21mm which I am planning to acquire if it works well with the EVF. Do you find the EVF slowing down your workflow as I know that it can get somewhat laggy and grainy in low light? Thanks for replying!:D

Link to post
Share on other sites

There are occasions when an optical VF is preferable to an EVF, especially when you are shooting very spontaneously and catching the exact moment is important, or when you think you might want a couple of shots in quick succession.

 

Hey Peter, thanks for your comments. I guess I won't be using the 21mm as much for spontaneous type images. I'm getting this mainly for times when I would like to capture the vastness and magnificence of a scene. I normally use the 35mm for spontaneous images. :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have the 21Lux on my M240. I use both the RF and EVF.

 

So how do you find shooting with the EVF? Do you use it with other lenses or just the wides? How does it perform in low light? Do you find the focusing accurate with the EVF wide open? Thanks!! :rolleyes:

Link to post
Share on other sites

It is difficult to beat external optical VF especially in poor light (even with slow SEM 21mm).

 

I use latest Leica Optical VF 21mm and framing is pretty much spot on, also good for framing 28mm as inner set of frame lines is designed to work with cropped sensor of M8.

 

Somewhat expensive gadget but worth looking for one secondhand, mine cost just bit more than new 21/25mm Voightlander Metal VF - which is apparently also very good.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...