21mm SEM vs WATE

[2351HD]

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Hi all,

 

I would like some advice from those who have used these lenses.

 

I currently have a 21mm f/3.4 SEM and while it is good, it has a softness issue in the lower right corner which really bugs me.

 

So I am at the point of this, do I send it in for repair, or sell it on eBay and get the 16-18-21mm WATE.

 

The main reason for thinking about the WATE is that I have been using a Sony NEX6 while waiting for the new M and I feel that there are some colour shift issues with the 21SEM on the NEX. Many users including MR from LuLa have stated that due to the design of the WATE, the colour issues are not a problem on the NEX.

 

I will always keep a NEX body as addition to the M as they are awesome with M lenses, very sharp and I can do long exposures which I can not do with the new M.

 

My main concerns are that there are so few reviews of the WATE online with full res samples and I do not know how it will go compared the the quality of the 21SEM which is wonderful.

 

Can anybody chime in on this?

 

Cheers, Scott

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[MarkP]

Hi Scott,

 

welcome to the forum.

 

My 21 SEM (and I Imagine 21 SEMs belonging to other form members) has no such problem.

 

If you're not seeing this with other lenses (ie not a sensor issue) then I would suggest returning the lens for service.

It's a bit strange to be seeing this problem in only one corner.

[jaapv]

Hi all,

 

I would like some advice from those who have used these lenses.

 

I currently have a 21mm f/3.4 SEM and while it is good, it has a softness issue in the lower right corner which really bugs me.

 

So I am at the point of this, do I send it in for repair, or sell it on eBay and get the 16-18-21mm WATE.

 

The main reason for thinking about the WATE is that I have been using a Sony NEX6 while waiting for the new M and I feel that there are some colour shift issues with the 21SEM on the NEX. Many users including MR from LuLa have stated that due to the design of the WATE, the colour issues are not a problem on the NEX.

 

I will always keep a NEX body as addition to the M as they are awesome with M lenses, very sharp and I can do long exposures which I can not do with the new M.

 

My main concerns are that there are so few reviews of the WATE online with full res samples and I do not know how it will go compared the the quality of the 21SEM which is wonderful.

 

Can anybody chime in on this?

 

Cheers, Scott

You cannot sell a defective lens without disclosure - and get a low price. Better to send it in.

But - the NEX is known to underperform in the corners on wide angles - try the lens on an M9 first.

[2351HD]

Thanks guys,

 

Yes the plan was to get it fixed regardless of selling or not.

 

I have used the 21 Sem on my old M9 and that's where I noticed the problem. Regardless of stopping down or where I focus in relation to the corner the results are still soft compared to the rest of the frame and other corners.

 

My main concern really now is the performance of the WATE on the M, especially at 21mm.

 

Scott

[algrove]

I feel you cannot judge the 21 on your NEX versus M. I have this lens and used it just this last weekend on my M and I have no such corner issues. Sure have it checked out just in case like at Leica NJ. I would do this long before buying a WATE (save the money for other GASSY items) which I also own, but the 21 SEM is better than the WATE for me.

 

As others have commented, the NEX probably does not do as good a job as a Leica with those lenses.

[FrankJ]

Recently I tried two copies of the 21 SEM on my M9 and with both of them I was not fully convinced about the corner performance. At 100% a declining resolution from center to corners was visible. It was not terribly bad, but noticeable on 16x24 test prints. Also both copies showed some decentering (one of the corners worse than the others).

 

What irritates me is that other users claim this lens is tack sharp into the corners. Different standards or smaller print sizes?

 

For comparison, my 24 EM Asph. shows non of the described effects. I am also wondering how to go wider.

[Tonki-M]

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my 21 SEM has no such problem, it is sharp across the board. the only reason you would want the WATE is for flexibility of the zoom; other than that, the 21 SEM is superior to the WATE at 21mm.

[k-hawinkler]

Hi all,

 

I would like some advice from those who have used these lenses.

 

I currently have a 21mm f/3.4 SEM and while it is good, it has a softness issue in the lower right corner which really bugs me.

 

So I am at the point of this, do I send it in for repair, or sell it on eBay and get the 16-18-21mm WATE.

 

The main reason for thinking about the WATE is that I have been using a Sony NEX6 while waiting for the new M and I feel that there are some colour shift issues with the 21SEM on the NEX. Many users including MR from LuLa have stated that due to the design of the WATE, the colour issues are not a problem on the NEX.

 

I will always keep a NEX body as addition to the M as they are awesome with M lenses, very sharp and I can do long exposures which I can not do with the new M.

 

My main concerns are that there are so few reviews of the WATE online with full res samples and I do not know how it will go compared the the quality of the 21SEM which is wonderful.

 

Can anybody chime in on this?

 

Cheers, Scott

 

 

Hi Scott,

 

I have no experience with the 21mm f/3.4 SEM.

However, I have the M9, NEX-5N, NEX-7, WATE 16-18-21.

 

The NEX-6 and NEX-7 share producing red casts for some WA lenses.

The NEX-5N is much better in this regards, almost entirely problem free.

The two images in the following post are taken with the ZEISS Biogon 4,5/21.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2329815-post1241.html

The first one with the NEX-5N shows no significant red edge.

The second one with NEX-6 however does.

 

In my experience the WATE 16-18-21 is pretty much red cast free when used with the NEX-5N.

However, the WATE 16-18-21 can show a very slight red cast when used with the NEX-7, especially after updating to Firmware v1.01.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2224782-post9.html

 

 

The following shots were all taken with the WATE 16-18-21 and dfifferent cameras as indicated:

 

NEX-5N http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/218558-new-mexico-winter-evening-light.html

NEX-5N http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/267079-taos-nm.html

 

NEX-7 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/234109-evening-glow-volcanic-rock.html

 

OM-D E-M5 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2328899-post5.html

 

M9 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/234756-road-bandelier.html

[Ecar]

Don't know about the SEM 21, but I ran a few test shots with the WATE mounted on the M240 a while ago and could see no issues at either 16, 18 or 21.

Ditto for the Summilux 21 or the SE 24 or the 24 ASPH. Only my CV wide lenses (15 and 21) had serious edge and corner problems - but that was to be expected.

[algrove]

So HD what you you going to do? Since you have not given one thanks are you reading your own post?

[2351HD]

Recently I tried two copies of the 21 SEM on my M9 and with both of them I was not fully convinced about the corner performance. At 100% a declining resolution from center to corners was visible. It was not terribly bad, but noticeable on 16x24 test prints. Also both copies showed some decentering (one of the corners worse than the others).

 

What irritates me is that other users claim this lens is tack sharp into the corners. Different standards or smaller print sizes?

 

For comparison, my 24 EM Asph. shows non of the described effects. I am also wondering how to go wider.

 

Hi Frank J,

Yes I am experiencing the same problem with the 21 SEM. I love the FOV of the 21 so I am likely to stick with it, so I might just look into getting it repaired.

 

Scott

[2351HD]

Hi Scott,

 

I have no experience with the 21mm f/3.4 SEM.

However, I have the M9, NEX-5N, NEX-7, WATE 16-18-21.

 

The NEX-6 and NEX-7 share producing red casts for some WA lenses.

The NEX-5N is much better in this regards, almost entirely problem free.

The two images in the following post are taken with the ZEISS Biogon 4,5/21.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2329815-post1241.html

The first one with the NEX-5N shows no significant red edge.

The second one with NEX-6 however does.

 

In my experience the WATE 16-18-21 is pretty much red cast free when used with the NEX-5N.

However, the WATE 16-18-21 can show a very slight red cast when used with the NEX-7, especially after updating to Firmware v1.01.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2224782-post9.html

 

 

The following shots were all taken with the WATE 16-18-21 and dfifferent cameras as indicated:

 

NEX-5N http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/218558-new-mexico-winter-evening-light.html

NEX-5N http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/267079-taos-nm.html

 

NEX-7 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/234109-evening-glow-volcanic-rock.html

 

OM-D E-M5 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2328899-post5.html

 

M9 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/234756-road-bandelier.html

 

Hi K-H,

 

This is a very detailed post. Much appreciated.

 

So I have gone through carefully your images shot with the NEX7 after the firmware update and is it fair to say that with the WATE at 16 and 18 the red edge is not really all that noticeable?

 

Scott

[2351HD]

Algrove, seriously.....

[MarkP]

Algrove, you missed post #4 by Scott which began...

 

"Thanks guys,

....."

[anabasis]

He wants you to use the "thanks button." This is the only forum I'm on that has this feature.

 

I love my WATE, but I only use it on film. I scan my slides and negatives at 5000 dpi with 16 bit color and go to the corners which seems quite sharp to me.

 

I can't comment at all on the color casting.

 

I would certainly look to get your 21mm fixed as one corner being soft is an anomaly. I hope that your lens' trip to NJ is quicker than mine was.

 

JCA

[k-hawinkler]

Hi K-H,

 

This is a very detailed post. Much appreciated.

 

So I have gone through carefully your images shot with the NEX7 after the firmware update and is it fair to say that with the WATE at 16 and 18 the red edge is not really all that noticeable?

 

Scott

 

 

Hi Scott,

 

That is my sense as well.

Too bad I cannot go back to the previous firmware version of the NEX-7.

[FrankJ]

Hi Frank J,

Yes I am experiencing the same problem with the 21 SEM. I love the FOV of the 21 so I am likely to stick with it, so I might just look into getting it repaired.

 

Scott

 

Hi Scott,

 

When you have it back from repair, I would be interested to hear how much it improved.

 

Frank

[Bill W]

I have the 21 SEM and do not recal any issue with it. I will look at several shots this evening I took in Alaska last year and see if I see anytjomg.

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Hallo,

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[MarkP]

I've gone back and reviewed mine shot with the 3.4/21 SEMt on the M9 and MM, and there is no corner softness.

[Bill W]

I've gone back and reviewed mine shot with the 3.4/21 SEMt on the M9 and MM, and there is no corner softness.

Same here but I will shoot some with my MM over the weekend.