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Ultrawide lens choices - Zeiss 18 vs. 21


Dirk Mandeville

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I finally got a chance to use the CV 15mm Super Wide Heliar on the M9. Nice lens. I am experiencing some magenta casting on the left side of most images, even using the 21mm profile on the M9. I am hoping this won't be an issue with the new M.

 

Here is a shot I took of a nice Mustang that shows off some of the perspective distortion you get with this lens. Please excuse the quick and dirty photoshop work. I was just playing around trying to have some fun with the image. :)

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I have the Distagon 18/4, I don't often use it but when I do I really enjoy the look.

 

I used it in this canyon outside Banff last year.

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These pics are "essentially" untouched, just raw converted in Aperture.

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I am experiencing some magenta casting on the left side of most images, even using the 21mm profile on the M9. I am hoping this won't be an issue with the new M.

Very easily cured by Cornerfix, LCC profile in C1 or Flat Field correction in LR or CS6.

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Two pictures with the CV21 on M9 converted to JPEG with no post-processing in lightroom or corner fix.

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The Biogon 21 is not the best Zeiss WA and certainly not on the same level as the legendary Distagon 21. I believe the trophy goes to the Biogon 25. Also the Distagon 18 is amazingly sharp, if you can live with f/4.

 

One can't have a Distagon 21 in M mount (sad to say), so between the ZM Biogon 21 f/2.8 and the ZM Distagon 18 f/4, which to choose assuming the Biogon 25 isn't wide enough? In my use, the ZM 18/4 is very sharp w/ great microcontrast on center but not so much in the corners (flat field - it seems to exhibit field curvature) even stopped down, is somewhat bulky (long-ish w/58mm filter) and heavy. The ZM 21/2.8 is less sharp in the center area than the 18/4 but still quite sharp, soft in the corners until f/5.6 or so when it gets quite sharp across the frame, about the size of the Biogon 25, takes 46mm filters, and is lighter than the 18/4.

 

I kinda prefer the 18/4 but use the 21/2.8 because of its smaller size and filter thread. I do miss the additional 3mm width sometimes. For that reason, I may go back to the 18/4.

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  • 3 weeks later...
You may want to look at an Elmarit 21mm f/2.8

A used one can usually be had for less that 1800 dollars.

 

Had mine since 1980 something, $650 new. It works well on M8 & 9 I put the JinFinance Ebay mount on it and coded it with GM auto colors ( have one black and one white car already).

 

His mounts tend to be .001 " too thick, so I ground it down and measured it against the old one.

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Hello,

On R and M (with adaptor), I am using the Elmarit R 19 f2,8 vs. 2. Great lens, built-in filters, close focus, (still?) cheaper than most true alternatives. OK, it's a biggy on an M, but on the type 240 (codename: cyborg), this will become fashionable, I'm sure.;) When I really need RF-coupling or want it compact I take the CV 21/4 in L39. Cost/performance is hard to beat. The CV21 finder works well for both lenses (for 19 use the full view outside framelines).

Cheers,

Alexander

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