j. borger Posted May 24, 2007 Share #21 Posted May 24, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) OK, you're right, no doubt that when I will try to get a fine lanscape PICTURE (not a test) with my 21, I surely won't use 2,8... but after all we are Leica fans in the hearth... we like to test and discuss of "extreme" situations... If you own a Ferrari, you mainly drive around the right way... but sometimes you shall afford the risk to try something exciting... Luigi ......i was just wondering what we are doing in this "test"...... it is no critisism... Guy suggested using a wall to evaluate corner to corner sharpness ... and i agree for al the reasons he mentions. But let's assume your test is valid ... you can't tell if this is poor performance because you have no reference. (other 21mm lenses or other copies of the 21mm asph) Above that we might be looking at a lenscharacteristic instead of poor performance .. to tell you the truth: i personally do not even like lenses which are sharp into the corners wide open ..... The 21mm asph is one of the few ASPH lenses with an "older" fingerprint .... it is not extremely contrasty like some newer Asph lenses and shows some light and sharpness fall off into the corners ...... (where the 35 cron asph for example is sharp into the corners). Because of this ......the 21mm Asph is probably the only Asph lens with a fingerprint i really like (unfortunately it is too wide for me so i very seldom use it ) ......... Think about it ........ assuming you will not shoot a landscape or building at f2,8 .... some softnes in the corners is a blessing imho .... because it puts more attention to the main subject, which is more in the middle of the frame! Just my 2 cents and mileage may differ ..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 24, 2007 Posted May 24, 2007 Hi j. borger, Take a look here 21mm Elmarit-M ASPH Poor wide open. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
chris_tribble Posted May 25, 2007 Share #22 Posted May 25, 2007 Thought this might add to the discussion - the attached were taken this morning with my PRE-Asph 21... A lens I really like. B+W IR/UV filter (still waiting for the Leica), Lens / IR detect on, ISO 160 / f`16 (very bright light over a field of young oats at the back of where we live in Cheshire. Full frame, left corner crop, centre left just to show resolution on the house in the woods... For me, colour is astoundingly true - the greens really are like that, no cyan drift that I can identify + no vignetting. I'm happy. 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/24647-21mm-elmarit-m-asph-poor-wide-open/?do=findComment&comment=264275'>More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted May 25, 2007 Share #23 Posted May 25, 2007 Just realised I should have done something wide open. Those below are at ISO 360 - hand held at 15th / F2.8 OK for me... and this lens must be 15 years old... 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/24647-21mm-elmarit-m-asph-poor-wide-open/?do=findComment&comment=264286'>More sharing options...
rbaron Posted July 4, 2007 Share #24 Posted July 4, 2007 I'm doing some reading up on the 21mm and came across this thread. I was shooting at a dog show with my M8 and various lenses last weekend. One set of shots taken under arena lighting on Saturday with my 21mm ASPH E55 showed (to me) a distressing amount of flare when I was reviewing them Saturday night. On Sunday I tried to reproduce the effect and was successful. I should add I took some other shots with it from high in the arena seats, pointing down toward the performers, and those did not exhibit what I see here as flare. I did some shooting outdoors with it yesterday and today and found it is not a good performer at all (for me) when shooting against the light. I would appreciate any comments and suggestions.....I'm pretty unhappy with this. Thanks, --Bob 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/24647-21mm-elmarit-m-asph-poor-wide-open/?do=findComment&comment=298299'>More sharing options...
glenerrolrd Posted July 4, 2007 Share #25 Posted July 4, 2007 I wonder if anyone would like to comment on my recent experience? I have just bought a secondhand 21mm Elmarit-M ASPH, which appears in mint condition, boxed, etc. It appears scarcely to have been used. It must be a few years old - the box is white. Wide open it produces a very poor quality image - it is very soft at the edges, rather like an old-fashioned soft-focus lens. One stop down it is perfect, indeed brilliant and remains so all the way to f/11 if not f/16. Is this the characteristic of this lens, or have I got a dud? I doubt that it is really usable at f/2.8 and I didn't buy an f/4 lens. I will try to post some examples later, if possible, but at the moment time is short. Thanks for any comments. Tim Tim Just to be sure ...I can not see it in the small JPEG....are you happy with the center sharpness at 2.8 ? verse 4.0? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted July 4, 2007 Share #26 Posted July 4, 2007 I'm doing some reading up on the 21mm and came across this thread. I was shooting at a dog show with my M8 and various lenses last weekend. One set of shots taken under arena lighting on Saturday with my 21mm ASPH E55 showed (to me) a distressing amount of flare when I was reviewing them Saturday night. On Sunday I tried to reproduce the effect and was successful. I should add I took some other shots with it from high in the arena seats, pointing down toward the performers, and those did not exhibit what I see here as flare. I did some shooting outdoors with it yesterday and today and found it is not a good performer at all (for me) when shooting against the light. I would appreciate any comments and suggestions.....I'm pretty unhappy with this. Thanks, --Bob Pointing a 21 against lights is always risky... and the attached images are taken is what is anyway a difficult situation (in theatres, stadiums and so you have lot of lamps and lot of reflective materials) ; I am waiting for my 21 ASPH, and surely I'll make confrontations with my old Super Angulon 21 3,4, but hope it will be the winner: the SA was also critical against direct lights... but I have came in the mood that this is an unescapable problem with strong WA : my only other extreme WA is the old excellent Distagon 18 for Contarex... better for it, too, not to have lights in front... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hart Posted July 4, 2007 Share #27 Posted July 4, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Tim: I doubt there's anything wrong with your lens. Your experience mirrors mine. I picked up a used 21ASPH from my dealer to use on my M8, and after a short time I traded it in for a new 24ASPH. I think the edge performance of the 24 wide open is outstanding. I see you also have the 28/2,8ASPH - which on price/performance must rate as just about the best there is in the Leica stable at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
telewatt Posted July 5, 2007 Share #28 Posted July 5, 2007 Pointing a 21 against lights is always risky... and the attached images are taken is what is anyway a difficult situation (in theatres, stadiums and so you have lot of lamps and lot of reflective materials) ; I am waiting for my 21 ASPH, and surely I'll make confrontations with my old Super Angulon 21 3,4, but hope it will be the winner: the SA was also critical against direct lights... but I have came in the mood that this is an unescapable problem with strong WA : my only other extreme WA is the old excellent Distagon 18 for Contarex... better for it, too, not to have lights in front... ..the 21 ASPH is better but the difference is not so much.. ..the center is fine in both lenses but at the corner the "new" one is much better.. I love them two.. ..for the road the little Super-Angulon and for jobs the ASPH.. regards, Jan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
christer Posted July 5, 2007 Share #29 Posted July 5, 2007 I have at hand the very recent test results of all current Leica M lenses from Réponses Photo (the best photo mag I know of). The tests were published in the April and May 2007 issues with regard to how these lenses perform with the M8. On a scale ending on 40, the 21mm Elmarit-M ASPH achieved a rating of 38 with regard to optical performance. As a comparison, both the 24mm and the 28mm Elmarit-M ASPH got 39 and the the 35mm Summicron-M ASPH got 40. With regard to the corner sharpness of the 21mm, the test ist quite clear. It says: "La définition sur les bords est moyenne à pleine ouverture mais progresse rapidement." Loosely translated this means that corner (edge) sharpness is average when the aperture is fully open, but that it improves rapidly when closed down. I had this lens but sold it; i found it to heavy with regard both to weight and investment and these days I mostly use... (Interesting thead this one, with all these interiors and exteriors. ;-) 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/24647-21mm-elmarit-m-asph-poor-wide-open/?do=findComment&comment=298596'>More sharing options...
christer Posted July 5, 2007 Share #30 Posted July 5, 2007 BTW, here is an interior taken using the above camera with the 15mm Heliar closed down to f/8. That lens is small, light, inexpensive.... and very good. 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/24647-21mm-elmarit-m-asph-poor-wide-open/?do=findComment&comment=298651'>More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share #31 Posted July 5, 2007 Tim Just to be sure ...I can not see it in the small JPEG....are you happy with the center sharpness at 2.8 ? verse 4.0? Roger, Yes, I am happy with the centre sharpness at f/2.8. Thanks, all for your comments. Just came back to this old thread as it seems to have revived! I have kept the lens, had it coded at Leica UK, just got the IR filter and am happy using it now. I rarely use it in critical situations at full aperture. Otherwise it is fine and my initial reservations, whilst still valid I think, haven't prevented it becoming one of my most used lenses. Invaluable for groups and indoor work. It will be with me on a wedding shoot next week, especially now I have the filter. It performed well on a "stag night" last week - used for most of my indoor pictures. Paul, yes the 28mm Elmarit-M ASPH is a fabulous lens and my other most used on the M8. Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted July 9, 2007 Share #32 Posted July 9, 2007 I wonder if anyone would like to comment on my recent experience? I have just bought a secondhand 21mm Elmarit-M ASPH, which appears in mint condition, boxed, etc. It appears scarcely to have been used. It must be a few years old - the box is white. Wide open it produces a very poor quality image - it is very soft at the edges, rather like an old-fashioned soft-focus lens. One stop down it is perfect, indeed brilliant and remains so all the way to f/11 if not f/16. Is this the characteristic of this lens, or have I got a dud? I doubt that it is really usable at f/2.8 and I didn't buy an f/4 lens. I will try to post some examples later, if possible, but at the moment time is short. Thanks for any comments. Tim I wonder whether foliage is a good test of corner sharpness? Even with the sharpest lenses, green leaves always seem a little woolly. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseelig Posted July 16, 2007 Share #33 Posted July 16, 2007 If corner sharpness is important get the zeiss 21 2.8 I have been very happy with it on my m8 . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.