Exodies Posted June 27, 2015 Share #61  Posted June 27, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Foreground in the sky Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244561-super-elmar-21/?do=findComment&comment=2843297'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 27, 2015 Posted June 27, 2015 Hi Exodies, Take a look here Super Elmar 21. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
hydet Posted June 27, 2015 Share #62 Â Posted June 27, 2015 I use it often and use it on the M240 without an external finder or EFV. Â Some shots need cropping and occasionally shots are bad, but I find it easy to focus and one gets used to framing it. Â I've known some journalists and travel photogs who love it for people shots because you can shoot close in without pointing the camera in somebody's face, getting much better candids of people working or interacting. Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
newnew Posted June 27, 2015 Share #63  Posted June 27, 2015  Don't laugh - first day out with my new 21mm lens and I discover how difficult it is to use.  Focusing is hard (I'm using an M 240 and EVF2). Focus peaking is either everywhere or nowhere depending on the scene. Live view zoom didn't help because I have no idea how what I am seeing compares to the whole frame. Switching to the OVF has the same problem. I have best results from guessing the distance.  Metering is hard. For one scene classic centre weighted was vastly overexposed, multi point less so. Best result was spot, pointed at the brightest feature but this needed one stop under to eliminate all blown highlights.  Framing is hard. Getting one object to fill the frame - you can't just walk up to it and shoot, it will be tiny. You have to walk up to it with your eye on the EVF and be careful you don't bump your nose on it. Taking a medium distance scene - keeping the camera vertical and horizontal is a struggle with your heart beat and breathing. People at the sides of the picture should have been on a diet before walking into your frame. For distant panoramic views - luckily I had some interesting clouds to fill up the top of the picture with the horizon low down. If it had been a grey day I would have put the horizon higher and been left with a very dull foreground.  So, a very productive photowalk, I discovered what I need to learn, I am delighted. Samples to follow...  Congratulations for starting a wonderful journey ! This one is a Lens of "character" and needs some taming. It is true that you need to understand the metering requirements depending on the scenery. All scenery is not good and the lighting has to be right. I always use the center weighted metering, knowing that there is more light from the sky, and compensate accordingly depending on the scene contrast and not to burn the highlights for PP. As to the use of LV, I had acquired my SEM while I had the M9, so I have an external optical viewfinder. I was lucky to find a second hand Contax 21 mm viewfinder which is very bright, and clear, and has a little cross in the middle so composition and leveling are easy. You can also see clearly the people effects there. I find LV a bit awkward and difficult to distinguish the details with a 21 mm. For the focusing you may use the OVF but best is to quickly set the hyperfocal and not worry anymore about the focus. Best luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Albertson Posted June 28, 2015 Share #64 Â Posted June 28, 2015 Â Don't laugh - first day out with my new 21mm lens and I discover how difficult it is to use. Â Focusing is hard (I'm using an M 240 and EVF2). Focus peaking is either everywhere or nowhere depending on the scene. Live view zoom didn't help because I have no idea how what I am seeing compares to the whole frame. Switching to the OVF has the same problem. I have best results from guessing the distance. Â Use the rangefinder. With the depth of field of an ultrawide lens, it will do the job and it's much faster than fussing around with all the live view business. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted June 28, 2015 Share #65 Â Posted June 28, 2015 +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkgmatt Posted June 28, 2015 Share #66 Â Posted June 28, 2015 +1 On ultra-wide lenses, EVF/Live View and focus peaking are not very useful for focusing; with the rangefinder it's much faster and more accurate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted June 28, 2015 Share #67 Â Posted June 28, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) I tend to use the OVF for to focus and the EVF2 for framing. Agreed though, getting the exposure right can be tricky especially in situations of high contrast. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucerne Posted June 28, 2015 Share #68  Posted June 28, 2015 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Having just returned from Uzbekistan I am delighted with the images from my M9 and 21SEM.  In fact I used that lens everywhere and it certainly did justice to the magnificent interiors of dark buildings.  It's by far my favourite lens for architecture. The lens never flares despite often difficult and bright conditions in places like  India, Hong Kong, and Uzbekistan where my photography would not have been so rewarding had it not been for the extreme views and clear and very sharp images I was able to bring back.  image is one corner of Taj Mahal complex.  Note:  Lightroom and its Transform features are essential skills to familiarise yourself with.  Otherwise you will probably trash perfectly usable images. Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Having just returned from Uzbekistan I am delighted with the images from my M9 and 21SEM.  In fact I used that lens everywhere and it certainly did justice to the magnificent interiors of dark buildings.  It's by far my favourite lens for architecture. The lens never flares despite often difficult and bright conditions in places like  India, Hong Kong, and Uzbekistan where my photography would not have been so rewarding had it not been for the extreme views and clear and very sharp images I was able to bring back.  image is one corner of Taj Mahal complex.  Note:  Lightroom and its Transform features are essential skills to familiarise yourself with.  Otherwise you will probably trash perfectly usable images. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244561-super-elmar-21/?do=findComment&comment=2843661'>More sharing options...
lucerne Posted June 28, 2015 Share #69  Posted June 28, 2015 Uzbekistan 2015. M9, Leica 21mm SEM. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244561-super-elmar-21/?do=findComment&comment=2843687'>More sharing options...
Peter Branch Posted June 28, 2015 Share #70  Posted June 28, 2015 I agree with the other contributors regarding focusing with Ultra Wide Angle lenses, be they 21mm or 18mm. Experience suggests that the rangefinder is by far the best option. It is simply not true that these lenses have "infinite" depth of field. When viewing *.tiff files formatted to A3 size at 120 ppcm focusing is quite critical and out of focus parts of the image are easily detectable.  With these lenses it is almost inevitable that there will be bright highlights and deep shadows somewhere in the frame. I've found that LV multipoint metering is actually very good in these situations. However the Photoshop "Highlights and Shadows" function is a big help subsequently.  With an M240 and an EVF2 the use of the artificial horizon feature is almost essential. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodies Posted June 28, 2015 Share #71  Posted June 28, 2015 I said "can I take your picture?" she said "yes", I moved close, she said "not a close up, a full body" and moved away. Something else to learn.  Second day out and I am focusing with the OVF. I'm not sure I will ever get used to framing with the OVF. The difference between what is visible and what is photographed is too much. Framed with the EVF and vertical level line. I ignored exposure today.  Statues don't make conditions on how you pose them: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244561-super-elmar-21/?do=findComment&comment=2843780'>More sharing options...
rirakuma Posted June 28, 2015 Share #72  Posted June 28, 2015  I said "can I take your picture?" she said "yes", I moved close, she said "not a close up, a full body" and moved away. Something else to learn.  Second day out and I am focusing with the OVF. I'm not sure I will ever get used to framing with the OVF. The difference between what is visible and what is photographed is too much. Framed with the EVF and vertical level line. I ignored exposure today.  Statues don't make conditions on how you pose them: Closer1.jpg   I always use OVF when using the 21SEM and at first it takes a little getting used to. I would echo what others have said about using the RF, it's by far the best way to shoot WA and you may eventually get comfortable zone focusing. As for framing I find the OVF very accurate for 3m+ anything below you will have to compensate hence the dotted lines on top just below the hard edge. If you're framing things very close to the camera as in layering the frame so that there's elements too close to focus (like those ropes in the picture) then you need to slightly adjust your camera after framing by slightly moving your lens towards the same position as your viewfinder. You'll be surprised at how easy this lens will be to use once you get the hang of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodies Posted June 29, 2015 Share #73 Â Posted June 29, 2015 Oops, I've been typing OVF when I mean RF. Communication works better when you use the right words! I don't have a 21mm OVF because I was hoping to learn to love the EVF. I need the EVF for focusing 90mm in low light but it is a PITA to use. I'll give it a few more days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted June 29, 2015 Share #74 Â Posted June 29, 2015 1. Use the RF - Superwide-angle lenses can be tricky to focus otherwise as there can be insufficient distinction between the absolute plane of focus and a little way off it, especially with 'slower' lenses like f/3.4. RF is ideal for this lens IMO (this has always been an issue with reflex cameras and is a strong point of RF). 2. Exposure. In high contrast conditions expose using the histogram so that those highlights that you wish to retain detail in are not clipped. Then adjust the RAW file to brighten the shadows as required - yes some noise will increase but you are starting off with good files and (IMO) its no big deal and I'd rather have an image with good tonality and a little noise than a tonally poor image with no noise. Â Just my opinions. Its a fabulous lens and simply needs taming with a bit of applied thought . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithlaban.co.uk Posted June 29, 2015 Share #75 Â Posted June 29, 2015 I find the EVF hopeless and brilliant. Â Hopeless on the super-wides and brilliant on anything 50mm or longer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Printmaker Posted July 1, 2015 Share #76  Posted July 1, 2015 First night of the full moon. M9 with 21 SEM Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244561-super-elmar-21/?do=findComment&comment=2845369'>More sharing options...
Printmaker Posted July 1, 2015 Share #77  Posted July 1, 2015 Last week's rainbow. The blue roof is a carpet dealer's warehouse and not exactly a pot of gold. M9 with 21 SEM.  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244561-super-elmar-21/?do=findComment&comment=2845376'>More sharing options...
LeicaFFM Posted July 1, 2015 Share #78 Â Posted July 1, 2015 The SEM 21mm is my newest and also my favorite lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest camera man Posted July 1, 2015 Share #79  Posted July 1, 2015 My SEM 21 Lens Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244561-super-elmar-21/?do=findComment&comment=2845742'>More sharing options...
Guest camera man Posted July 1, 2015 Share #80  Posted July 1, 2015 The location was photographed with my MP film camera and Ilford FP4 B/W stock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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