Leica 23mm T lens

[jdlaing]

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Some days the bear eats you and some days you eat the bear.

I snagged one for a quite beautiful price. Flawless with all the parts and even the cover box. Looks like it was never used.

 

Now we wait for sunshine and to see if it has the CA everybody seems to experience.     

 

[gbealnz]

Awesome, be keen to see what you think, I must admit to being on the fence with the 23mm. But equally I have been cogitating on it recently. I have the 18-56, but want smaller and lighter, similar to the 35 Summicron M.

Gary

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[TheHobbit]

Some days the bear eats you and some days you eat the bear.

I snagged one for a quite beautiful price. Flawless with all the parts and even the cover box. Looks like it was never used.

 

Now we wait for sunshine and to see if it has the CA everybody seems to experience.     

 

Congrats on the lens. You will enjoy it.

[jdlaing]

Awesome, be keen to see what you think, I must admit to being on the fence with the 23mm. But equally I have been cogitating on it recently. I have the 18-56, but want smaller and lighter, similar to the 35 Summicron M.

Gary

It's not quite that small but it is very compact...........except for the hood. 

[Belle123]

I am on the fence too.  Since getting good results with my M lenses on the T, having a hard time justifying buying the 23.  Only reason would be when I just don't want to carry the EVF and rely on autofocus.  I have been resistant.  Might give in next year.

[Yuhau]

I already have  the 11-23 . Is it worth my while to get the 23  ? 

[Guest]

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I already have the 11-23 . Is it worth my while to get the 23 ?

I think so. It's a compact f/2 prime lens that is great for low light shooting and has great bokeh. The 11-23 is a beautiful lens but it is large for some purposes and is more than 2 stops slower at 23mm (f/4.5).

[FeralCoton]

I really like the 23. But if you have an 11-23 the major advantage is size. I think m lenses in the T have better IQ, but the 23 generates great images and you get autofocus and a light weight. On the T it is a 35mm equivalent of course.

[Guest]

I am on the fence too.  Since getting good results with my M lenses on the T, having a hard time justifying buying the 23.  Only reason would be when I just don't want to carry the EVF and rely on autofocus.  I have been resistant.  Might give in next year.

Give in to the charms of the 23mm, you won't regret it!

 

Of course it depends on what you photograph mainly. I am concerned with weight a lot when I go out, so I never have all my gear. I do frequently have just the 23mm. I also often go out with just the two zooms 18-56 and 55-135 - it just depends on the anticipated subject matter.

[jdlaing]

I already have  the 11-23 . Is it worth my while to get the 23  ? 

I looked hard at both. I shot M cameras for a lot of years si I'm used to prime lenses. I opted for the speed of 2.0 over the zoom...................for now.

[BBHewee]

I'm on the fence. Have a 23, and the 18-56 and 55-135. But I also have a few M lenses, including a 24 Elmarit, and a 35 Summilux which do a beautiful job on the T. Thinking I could sell the 23 to fund other ventures and not miss it so much. But on the other hand, I like the T and 23 combo because it's small and accurate, especially after the last firmware update, and does yield great results. 

Edited December 22, 2015 by BBHewee

[Yuhau]

Thanks for all the above comments . Yeah , indeed the 23mm  on the 11-23 does have the aperture of 4.5. looks like have to start saving         

[Hunebed]

23mm, F4 1/1000 - Prince is in my head: Purple Haze

 

It is a part of the picture that is out of focus, i know. In most of my shots are and will be trees or part of trees in out of focus areas of the shot. Removing it does other things to the shot i do not always like, so i keep up with it. I still like the lens for its sharpness and clarity. Since the firmware update i also started using the T as a point and shoot, without the EVF, which i like as well.

 

I would love to see more examples of CA (or whatever it should be called) and how you deal with it. Regards!

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[Guest]

Yes - with the 1.43 firmware it is now quick and easy to use AF lenses in "touch focus and shoot" mode using only the LCD, without needing the EVF.

 

The T easily fits in my coat pocket with the 23mm lens, without the hood or EVF. It's a compact unit rigged like that with big performance.

 

People are blown away with the great results I get in low light shooting. This combo captures shadow detail and the nuances of natural low lighting very nicely.

[julian m]

23mm, F4 1/1000 - Prince is in my head: Purple Haze

 

It is a part of the picture that is out of focus, i know. In most of my shots are and will be trees or part of trees in out of focus areas of the shot. Removing it does other things to the shot i do not always like, so i keep up with it. I still like the lens for its sharpness and clarity. Since the firmware update i also started using the T as a point and shoot, without the EVF, which i like as well.

 

I would love to see more examples of CA (or whatever it should be called) and how you deal with it. Regards!

 

I think you've already seen the thread where I've documented some of my attempts to mitigate it. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/246772-23mm-chromatic-aberration/

 

Even at f/16 I get a noticeable amount when I'm in the Sierra Nevadas. Remove Chromatic Aberration in Lightroom will get rid of some of the purple tinge in the middle of a photo, but I've had less luck with the corners. The Defringe tool always wants to destroy the color in my skies.

 

Honestly even with the 55-135mm T lens that I rented, I was able to spot some CA in a few shots.

 

It just comes down to whether or not I'm shooting on a bright day. Perhaps Germany and Japan don't get quite as sunny as California often is. 

[JPP1]

It just comes down to whether or not I'm shooting on a bright day. Perhaps Germany and Japan don't get quite as sunny as California often is. 

Well, CA stands for California, isn't it ?  So, no surprise here. 

[Hunebed]

Please try a shot of the eifeltower when it is really windy