Voigtlander 21mm f4 - so impressed

[honcho]

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My technique is simply to use the large hood and try to be prudent when there is full sun, either straight on or incident to the lens

 

Ernst

 

As I said in post #55, the image you uploaded illustrates perfectly how this lens is prone to flare and why the LH-1 lens hood is ineffective. 

 

It flares more readily than the CV 12mm f5.6 and the CV 28mm f3.5 which I bought around the same time when these ltm lenses first appeared.

 

You really should have uploaded a different image to illustrate your 'technique'. 

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[Ernstk]

As I said in post #55, the image you uploaded illustrates perfectly how this lens is prone to flare and why the LH-1 lens hood is ineffective. 

 

It flares more readily than the CV 12mm f5.6 and the CV 28mm f3.5 which I bought around the same time when these ltm lenses first appeared.

 

You really should have uploaded a different image to illustrate your 'technique'. 

You're the one who can't get the lens to work. Many others are very happy with it. Worth some reflection, perhaps.

 

ECohen makes some very good points in post #59

[honcho]

You're the one who can't get the lens to work. Many others are very happy with it. Worth some reflection, perhaps.

 

ECohen makes some very good points in post #59

 

You seem to be having trouble understanding that I found the CV 21mm has a propensity to flare and the LH-1 is useless. 

 

Rather odd, as your image shows considerable flare!

 

I'm pleased for you that you're happy with your lens, though.

Edited July 28, 2016 by honcho

[Ernstk]

You seem to be having trouble understanding that I found the CV 21mm has a propensity to flare and the LH-1 is useless. 

 

Rather odd, as your image shows considerable flare!

 

I'm pleased for you that you're happy with your lens, though.

I have no doubt that that's what you found.

 

This thread was for sharing the good qualities of the CV 21/4 and the excellent results that people can produce with it.

 

You should consider perhaps that this thread isn't for you.

[ECohen]

Lets change the subject....How about this ....for a $400 lens it doesn't have  unpleasant distortion.
Notice I say "unpleasant distortion" as appose to no distortion?

Any body remember Roseanne Roseannadanna ?
                                ".... it's always something — if it ain't one thing, it's another."

 

And the CV 21mm F/4 is no different.......its a great lens and a great value at $400.......even with a little flair, a little distortion and a little color fringing.

 

Work around it .......or go for the Leica 21mm 3.4  with all its quarks

                                                                                                         .... it's always something......for a lot less money.

Edited July 28, 2016 by ECohen

[honcho]

You should consider perhaps that this thread isn't for you.

 

Disappointing as it is for you to have proven my point about flare so conclusively, anyone thinking of buying this lens might want consider both sides of the coin. 

 

If you're never going to use it in a situation where it will certainly flare, then it can produce images that are ok if a little flat, but don't try to pass off misinformation as fact when your 'technique' and images clearly show otherwise. 

 

I rather think this thread is not for you. 

 

Now, off you go to the septic tank. 

[ECohen]

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Hey Honcho
Obviously from your website... there is not a thing wrong with your technique. Great work really magnificent images!
 

Although the CV21 works for me and my occasional travel use I can see how its not for everyone.
 

What lens will you try next for your MP?  I'm sure you still want something to fill the void between 12mm and 28MM

Keep adding to your website I'll be a regular reader and look forward to learning from your experiences.

....This is a great group even though we don't always all get a long.....I for one, am so much better with pictures than words

[honcho]

 

Hey Honcho

Obviously from your website... there is not a thing wrong with your technique. Great work really magnificent images!

 

Although the CV21 works for me and my occasional travel use I can see how its not for everyone.

 

What lens will you try next for your MP?  I'm sure you still want something to fill the void between 12mm and 28MM

 

Keep adding to your website I'll be a regular reader and look forward to learning from your experiences.

....This is a great group even though we don't always all get a long.....I for one, am so much better with pictures than words

 

 

Thank you for your comments.

 

I have no plans to go any wider than 28mm with my MP except for the times when I only want to use the 12mm.  It's not a lens I routinely carry, I use it  when I  have planned to use it and that's when I get the best from it. 

 

The 12mm aside, my Leica lens choices have been selected by my own experience and preference.  They are 28, 35, 50 & 90mm which are ideal focal lengths for my purposes,  split as follows:

 

Small and lightweight lenses for backpacking, 39mm filters:

28mm CV f3.5

35mm summicron f2 asph

50mm f2.8 elmar-m

 

Fast lenses for travel, 46mm filters:

28mm f2 summicron asph

50mm f1.4 summilux asph

90mm f2.8 elmarit-m

 

ETA: I originally bought the CV21mm shortly after it was released.  I took it with me on a three week backpacking trip on the Pennine Way, along with the CV28mm and 50mm elmar-m.  Images on Fuji Velvia really showed the shortcomings of the CV21mm, with many images spoilt by flare and not particularly sharp.  Comparing images between the CV21mm and CV28mm was surprising, the CV28 was in a different league, in construction, materials and image rendering.

 

I'm pleased that others have had a better experiences with this lens.  In CV's favour they are now producing some very good lenses compared to some of the junk they were churning out 10-15 years ago.  Back then their products were inconsistent, varying between excellent (CV28mm f3.5) to dire (CV21mm, in my experience) and plenty in between. 

 

I had a good look at the current CV range with David Kilpatrick (Editor F2 & Camercraft mags) at The Photography Show back in March and he tested the new CV10mm on his Sony A7.  The images were amazingly good and the build quality of the lens was second to none, as are many others in the CV range.

Edited July 29, 2016 by honcho

[Snap Happy]

I just purchased the Color Skopar 21 f4 in M mount. I'm doing some interiors and my Elmarit 28 isn't always wide enough and I'm on a tight budget at the moment. I'm very happy with the performance of the lens in most instances. It displays almost no distortion and has great clarity.

 

As a couple of people have mentioned on this thread its prone to flare. The most surprising instance so far was using an SF 40 flash bounced off the ceiling. I didn't expect this at all as I've become accustomed to almost no flare issues with my Leica 28 Elmarit and 35 Summicron.

Edited August 27, 2018 by Snap Happy

[Ko.Fe.]

Good thread. If I'll ever buy 21 lens for Leica it is going to be CV CS 21 f4 LTM. Optically Elmarit-M 21 2.8 ELC is more pleasing for me, but Scopar is unbeatable in price/size/performance ratio.  

If you haven't seen it yet, check Lynn from Australia work with this lens on Leica LTM. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/91846820@N00/albums/72157685186179285/page1

[david strachan]

Thanks for Lynn's reference. Some really nice Aussie beach pictures, fabulous compositions.

 

...

[ktmrider2]

I owned the 21f4 for years and always found that it worked just fine.  And the ratio of performance to price for exceeded anything else out there either used on film or digital.  My main problem is I just don't use the 21mm focal length very much.  In fact, I just gave the lens to a young photographer from the US Army who only had a 50 for his M3.

 

Now, he has a 21 and a 50 and I feel good supporting our vets.

[g2van]

I have the CV 21/4 LTM version. Previously I had the 21SEM which was just superb. But I don't shoot 21 very often and when I do it's for outdoors - hiking, snowshoeing, travel. So the 21SEM would not get on the plane/backpack, not so much because it is by itself too big/heavy, but when combined with other lenses and usage, it was the odd one out (I won't travel with just a 21 as one lens).

 

I found the CV21 had corner issues on my M240 but it was not a big issue for me - I'm not a landscape enthusiast nor am I printing large or getting paid for my work. I took it on a hiking trip together with my then CV40/1.4 and it was a wonderful combo for hiking in the hills for 20km a day. 

 

On my M10 it works even better, almost no issues with corners (not fully tested in all conditions yet).

 

On the whole, very happy with the CV21 - light, easy to handle, sharp, never complains!

 

It's a slight compromise but then every lens has compromises, like every camera, like everything in life.........

[rramesh]

One of my first M lenses. Tiny and absolutely brilliant. At its price point, its a steal. 

[epand56]

I'm a great fan of CV lenses as well. Even the Ultron 21/1.8, in spite of its bulkiness, is a fantastic lens. 

[Yossy Ketav]

On 7/29/2016 at 12:14 AM, ECohen said:

Lets change the subject....How about this ....for a $400 lens it doesn't have  unpleasant distortion.
Notice I say "unpleasant distortion" as appose to no distortion?

Any body remember Roseanne Roseannadanna ?
                                ".... it's always something — if it ain't one thing, it's another."

 

And the CV 21mm F/4 is no different.......its a great lens and a great value at $400.......even with a little flair, a little distortion and a little color fringing.

 

Work around it .......or go for the Leica 21mm 3.4  with all its quarks

                                                                                                         .... it's always something......for a lot less money.

The secret soul of VC 21/4 resides on it optical design: the first one obviously is a 21/4 VC and the second is the Zeiss 21/4.5 Biogon ZM. The differences there are but they are not so much different: they are close relatives, possibly cousins. This explains the excellent performance of 21/4 VC.

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[lct]

Interesting comparison. The Skopar has less vignetting and sharper corners below f/8 but the Biogon has less flare and less distortion. Both suffer from color shifts on M240 but none on M11. No experience on M10.

[Greenhilltony]

6 minutes ago, lct said:

Interesting comparison. The Skopar has less vignetting and sharper corners below f/8 but the Biogon has less flare and less distortion. Both suffer from color shifts on M240 but none on M11. No experience on M10.

The Skopar is free from color shifts on M10. Though I always have the impression that its barrel distortions are less obvious on film than on M10.

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