steve_l Posted May 22, 2007 Share #21 Posted May 22, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Well, Sean's review turned me upside down...I had resolved to use filters everywhere, even though I am only shooting B&W, to avoid the glowing foliage and veined skin effects, etc. Then I got my WATE today (good timing, Sean!) and saw that it will actually be a lot better if I leave the filter off, get the better vignetting correction from the lens detection without IR correction setting, And there aren't Leica filters available yet, so the already-poor IR correction would be doubly off. And that way I don't have to set the focal length in the menu each time I change it - just change it on the lens and finder - I know I'd forget to set it in the menu at least half the time.... Simple is good. Now out to shoot the WATE! still have to decide which finder to use, have both Leica 21/24/28 finders and like/dislike each of them for different reasons... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 22, 2007 Posted May 22, 2007 Hi steve_l, Take a look here Super Wide review on ReidReviews. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
teehas53 Posted May 22, 2007 Share #22 Posted May 22, 2007 As always, Sean, an excellent and amazingly comprehensive review. It's obvious how much folks on the forum appreciate your efforts! Your results confirm my own experience with the CV 15 and the WATE. The lack of rangefinder focusing can occasionally be a pain, but the performance and compactness of the Heliar is incredible at any price really. I can't say the WATE is any better (or worse) optically, just different. But of course it does have some other advantages. And I'll second (or third or whatever) the recommendation of John Milich's WATE filter adaptor. I really nice piece! Now if I could just locate a 49mm Leica IR/UV... I just spent a month in Mexico with the M8 as my primary camera, and shot quite a bit with the CV 15. Those images hold their own and then some. BTW, the M8 survived some fairly rigorous conditions and performed flawlessly. I had a backup camera along, but never used it... Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyspedden Posted May 22, 2007 Share #23 Posted May 22, 2007 Sean Congratulations on a really fine review. As always, very well done with much food for thought as to how to proceed with the super wide angles. I am anxious to see how a second Zeiss 15 fares as the CV lens does so good at a very cheap price and the WATE shows just how good it can be for a multi range lens. I am posting a picture (done hastily and not very well.......sorry) of my M8 with the old manual rangefinder to help with estimating distance to subject. I am using the Cameraquest multi-shoe adapter so that the rangefinder and the Leica viewfinder can be used simultaneously. These little rangefinders can still be had on EBay and those of us who have them find them very useful. For instance I am using my R 15 3.5 Super Elmar with the R to M adapter from Novoflex and I am able to get very sharp images using the old external rangefinder to estimate the distance. It of course is very usable with both the CV 15 and the Zeiss 15 2.8 with the only issue being the ability to set the distance on those lenses as you have admirably pointed out. Hope some of you will find this useful. YMMV of course Woody Spedden Fort Collins, CO 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/24820-super-wide-review-on-reidreviews/?do=findComment&comment=262304'>More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted May 23, 2007 Share #24 Posted May 23, 2007 Sean, have you ever considered compiling your reviews and publishing them? I subscribe to your site and find the reviews so rich in information that they bear rereading many times. I would buy printed copies for reference if they were available. Keep up the good work, and I look forward to your review of the 90's when you can catch your breath. Regards, Doug Hi Doug, Someday maybe. Thanks very much for the comments and the suggestion. To all, I just got back from a shoot today and have just read through the thread. Thank you very much for the wonderful comments. I take pride in my work and I'm always happy when I hear that people find it useful. Much obliged. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted May 23, 2007 Share #25 Posted May 23, 2007 Exelent. Is it possible to include resolution at closest focusing distance or even CA at this distance? boke would also show. thank you, Geronimo Thanks. I need to put that article to bed now and finish up the others that are still in process. I'll keep the ideas in mind for future reviews though. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted May 23, 2007 Share #26 Posted May 23, 2007 Sean I am posting a picture (done hastily and not very well.......sorry) of my M8 with the old manual rangefinder to help with estimating distance to subject. I am using the Cameraquest multi-shoe adapter so that the rangefinder and the Leica viewfinder can be used simultaneously....It of course is very usable with both the CV 15 and the Zeiss 15 2.8 with the only issue being the ability to set the distance on those lenses as you have admirably pointed out. Hope some of you will find this useful. YMMV of course Woody Spedden Fort Collins, CO Hi Woody, Thanks. The external rangefinder suggestion is good. I'd like to see the next versions of the Zeiss and CV lenses have more specific markings for focus on the lens barrels so that one can put that distance information to good use. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 23, 2007 Share #27 Posted May 23, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) No way the WATE will ever find its way into my bag. The whole rig is a monstrosity. Above all, it is the very antithesis of practicality and speed – i.e. the antithesis of all that Leica has hitherto stood for. In the old days we mounted the lens and slipped the finder into place. Now, we mount the lens, select the focal length on the lens, put the Frankenfinder in place, select the focal length on the Frankenfinder (a.k.a. B.K.M.O., Boris Karloff Memorial Optic) with all the chances of mistakes it offers – hey, did I mean 16 mm or 21 mm? – and finally we select the focal length in the camera! Who was the idiot who conceived of this mess? Mr. Lee, fire him. He is a danger to the company. Clearly,as Leica Camera are clueless, we must turn to Cosina and Mr. Kobayashi. Give us a counterpart to the 15/4.5 with internal IR blocking and a codeable mount. OK, rangefinder coupling would be nice, but it is not necessary. Now this would be a practical and useable lens. For the present, the nearest approximation is the CV 15mm/4.5 as is. The old man from th Age of the M3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted May 23, 2007 Share #28 Posted May 23, 2007 Well, Sean's review turned me upside down...I had resolved to use filters everywhere, even though I am only shooting B&W, to avoid the glowing foliage and veined skin effects, etc. Then I got my WATE today (good timing, Sean!) and saw that it will actually be a lot better if I leave the filter off, get the better vignetting correction from the lens detection without IR correction setting, And there aren't Leica filters available yet, so the already-poor IR correction would be doubly off. And that way I don't have to set the focal length in the menu each time I change it - just change it on the lens and finder - I know I'd forget to set it in the menu at least half the time.... Simple is good. Now out to shoot the WATE! still have to decide which finder to use, have both Leica 21/24/28 finders and like/dislike each of them for different reasons... HI Steve I quite agree - I'd decided this some time ago - first with the WATE, and then, when I forgot to turn IR off, and got a lot of WATE pictures with red corners, I took the filters off my other lenses as well. Dealing with IR issues for foliage and natural subjects is much less of an effort than dealing with variable casts (IMHO). Nowadays I only use them when there are going to be black clothes around. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeadams Posted May 23, 2007 Share #29 Posted May 23, 2007 Sean, I signed up for your review site yesterday, the best $32.95 I have ever spent on photography! I bought the CV 15 a few months back, so I read your review with interest, and as they used to say, "I couldn't put it down!" (It's only a 15 MacBookPro) After using the CV15 on my M7, I bought the 21 VF which I will use this weekend on the M8. Anyway Sean, you and Scott Kelby are my favorites!! Mike http://www.mikeadams.org Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted May 23, 2007 Share #30 Posted May 23, 2007 My 12mm just showed up , looks like fun but no time to play makes me have a dull day. LOL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 24, 2007 Share #31 Posted May 24, 2007 Sean, your reviews are getting rave reviews, but how the hell am I going to read them? Even though I am using the user name and password that the site confirms for me, it won't accept them when I try logging in! Lars Bergquist – the Old man from the Age of Grump Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlm Posted May 24, 2007 Share #32 Posted May 24, 2007 a point of clarification re Sean's review, regarding my adapters: the WATE adapter ships with a retaining ring for $150, (not $140) the LT-M8 adapters are available in 5, 9 and 13.5 cm versions. jm@milich.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyspedden Posted May 25, 2007 Share #33 Posted May 25, 2007 I took some more (and way better) images of the M8 with both the Leica 21-24-28 finder and the old Leica manual rangefinder. This rig allows precise distance measurements to be set manually on both the CV 12 or 15 and the Zeiss 15. Woody 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/24820-super-wide-review-on-reidreviews/?do=findComment&comment=264479'>More sharing options...
mwalker649 Posted May 25, 2007 Share #34 Posted May 25, 2007 My 12mm just showed up , looks like fun but no time to play makes me have a dull day. LOL Guy, I would be intrested in what you think of the 12mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted May 25, 2007 Share #35 Posted May 25, 2007 So far it is really nice. Nice to have a extreme wide angle . let me find a quickie from yesterday thati shot a PR job with Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted May 25, 2007 Share #36 Posted May 25, 2007 Just a couple at ISO 640 with the 12mm. i will try some more today 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/24820-super-wide-review-on-reidreviews/?do=findComment&comment=264571'>More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted May 25, 2007 Share #37 Posted May 25, 2007 here is one that was a out take that i did not give the client and i do have some flare from the sun but it does show it is a very sharp little 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/24820-super-wide-review-on-reidreviews/?do=findComment&comment=264575'>More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted May 25, 2007 Share #38 Posted May 25, 2007 Couple I shot yesterday when i first got it. Nothing great here folks just testing a 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/24820-super-wide-review-on-reidreviews/?do=findComment&comment=264595'>More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted May 25, 2007 Share #39 Posted May 25, 2007 Sean, I signed up for your review site yesterday, the best $32.95 I have ever spent on photography! I bought the CV 15 a few months back, so I read your review with interest, and as they used to say, "I couldn't put it down!" (It's only a 15 MacBookPro) After using the CV15 on my M7, I bought the 21 VF which I will use this weekend on the M8. Anyway Sean, you and Scott Kelby are my favorites!! Mike Mike Adams at San Jose State University Thanks Mike. Glad to hear it. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted May 25, 2007 Share #40 Posted May 25, 2007 Sean, your reviews are getting rave reviews, but how the hell am I going to read them? Even though I am using the user name and password that the site confirms for me, it won't accept them when I try logging in! Lars Bergquist – the Old man from the Age of Grump Hi Lars, E-mail me and I'll get you sorted out. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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