MS Optical 24 & 21 mm

[james.liam]

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Anyone with experience to report?

 

The 21mm is recently available and this one interests me more. Can anyone comment on the 24? The triplet design has obvious  constraints but the body cap concept for travel is very appealing.

 

I shoot the older MM so the color-shift issue isn't a concern.

[thighslapper]

I assume the basic performance is going to be similar throughout the range as they are the same design .... my 35 produces nice crisp images but can't really compete ... even with vintage Leica lenses.

 

Tempting as the compact design is ....... I have in fact found these tiny collapsible lenses just too small and fiddly to be comfortable to use ...... so mine were mothballed after the novelty wore off. 

 

I've come to the conclusion that apart from the fast Leica lenses most have a compactness/quality quotient that is hard to better.........

 

If I was travelling ultra-lite I would take my voigt 12/5.6, 28/2.8, 50/2.8 collapsible (or 40/2) and 90/4 ..... you could fit the lot in a few pockets and hardly notice them ... and none project much from the camera body ....

[Athornton]

I am fortunate to own both the 21 and 28 mm MS Optical lenses (unfortunately missed the 24).

 

As a photographer, if it is worth carrying an M, it is worth carrying a slightly larger lens such as the fabulous 21 SEM.  As a collector and admirer of mankind's creativity, these things are amazing and hard to resist.

 

If you are honest about your true reasons for a purchase you won't be disappointed.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

Andrew

[250swb]

I had a 35mm Perar and it's a nice enough lens with some character, but it was very fiddly and frustrating to use if your prime concern is to take a photograph rather than play at photography. For travel lenses the CV 21mm/28mm/35mm/and 50mm Skopar's beat it hands down especially on a Monochrom.

 

Steve

[MarkP]

I had a 35mm Perar and it's a nice enough lens with some character, but it was very fiddly and frustrating to use if your prime concern is to take a photograph rather than play at photography. For travel lenses the CV 21mm/28mm/35mm/and 50mm Skopar's beat it hands down especially on a Monochrom.

 

Steve

 

I have no experience with the 21 or 24mm MS Optical lenses,

but I would echo Steve's comments about the 35mm Perar.

 

I bought a new 35 Perar from the second production run some years ago. It was certainly compact (barely projecting from the camera body) and it was fun to fiddle with, but in the end it was exactly those features which annoyed me - too small, too fiddly, and the IQ not a patch on anything from Voigtlander, let alone Zeiss or Leica. A good 2.0/40 Summicron or MC Rokkor would be a far better option for similar money, and certainly very compact.

 

The company are very good to deal with.

 

Fortunately I sold it for exactly what I paid for it including shipping.

[250swb]

 

The company are very good to deal with.

 

Fortunately I sold it for exactly what I paid for it including shipping.

 

Ditto on both counts.

 

 

Steve

[james.liam]

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I will admit to the appeal of the novelty but was not aware of the "fiddliness". A new Voigtländer is about the same price and a used SEM 21 or 24 sounds more worthy of the differential.

 

Thanks all for the sage advice!