Best Prime lens for APS-C

[Mr.Q]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

That's good to hear Jono. 

I decided to pull the trigger on the CL. I'll probably get the 11-23mm eventually but for the time being I'm limited to my four M lenses --- 21 SEM, 35 FLE, 50 LUX and 90 ELMARIT.  I'm hoping all of them work well on the CL.

Edited December 2, 2017 by Mr.Q

[lct]

Hi There

Most of the wides on the CL are fine - you shouldn't extrapolate from one lens (I don't have that lens) - I've tried the CL with:

WATE

28 Summaron

28 Summicron (new version)

28 Summilux

35 Summilux (FLE)

50 APO Summicron

50 Summilux

75 Summicron

They are all fine!

 

Good to know thanks but you don't have experience with wides like 18/3.8 asph, 21/3.4 asph, 24/3.8 asph, 28/2.8 asph and 35/2 asph do you. I asked about the SE 21/3.4 asph above because it is one of my few difficult wides re corner softness/smearing on my Kolari modded Sony A7s. Same to a lesser extent for the 35/2 asph v1 but i have no problem with the 28/2.8 asph v1 tested by Sean on the CL. You or Sean will have the opportunity to test some more wides on the CL hopefully.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jonoslack]

Good to know thanks but you don't have experience with wides like 18/3.8 asph, 21/3.4 asph, 24/3.8 asph, 28/2.8 asph and 35/2 asph do you. I asked about the SE 21/3.4 asph above because it is one of my few difficult wides re corner softness/smearing on my Kolari modded Sony A7s. Same to a lesser extent for the 35/2 asph v1 but i have no problem with the 28/2.8 asph v1 tested by Sean on the CL. You or Sean will have the opportunity to test some more wides on the CL hopefully.

 

Hi There

the 18 /3.8, 21/3.4 and 35 /2 should all be fine if the 28 f2 summicron is ( on of the trickiest of lenses ). Leica would say if lenses weren't okay

 

I've just read Sean's article with respect to the difficult f2.8 28, and I won't quote from him (because it's not fair), but he says it works well - the corner crops are really not much worse than you'd see from an M10 - there's no smeariness, just a little softness, which was present in that lens anyway at f2.8.

 

The difference between the CL and the X-T2 was incredible - Frankly I was simply astonished that anyone would use an M lens on a Fuji  - even the 50 summilux was pretty awful. 

 

I just don't think more testing is required - like the other Leica cameras - they work well with M lenses (the CL won't be different from the TL2 in this respect). I've come to trust the CL with M lenses - testing them all one by one is a huge job, and I'm almost certain a complete waste of time!

 

(incidentally I forgot the 75 Summilux, I tested that too).

[helged]

Good to know thanks but you don't have experience with wides like 18/3.8 asph, 21/3.4 asph, 24/3.8 asph, 28/2.8 asph and 35/2 asph do you. I asked about the SE 21/3.4 asph above because it is one of my few difficult wides re corner softness/smearing on my Kolari modded Sony A7s. Same to a lesser extent for the 35/2 asph v1 but i have no problem with the 28/2.8 asph v1 tested by Sean on the CL. You or Sean will have the opportunity to test some more wides on the CL hopefully.

 

I can confirm that 21/3.4 asph and 28/2.8 asph (newest version) are doing outstanding well on the CL. No problem with corner smearing or mis-colouring, as expected, since these lenses are already very fine on full frame Leica sensors.

[scott kirkpatrick]

OK, folks, I'll check out the 18/3.8 on a CL (or on an SL since I haven't got my CL yet).  But I don't expect any problems, just curious.

[Waterden]

Can't say I've noticed any corner softness with the 21/3.4 on CL but I'm using this combo for street work so it doesn't really matter

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!

Edited December 3, 2017 by Waterden

[chris_tribble]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Anyone tried the Apo-Telyt 135 on CL?  This would be THE reason for me to get the CL.  If I can get good enough IQ for publication and increase the available reach to an effective 200 AND have the benefits of EVF focusing, I may well be in.  As I would also have the option of the AF Leica TL- 55-135 at some later point this might be the solution I've been looking for for travel / trekking...  Hmmm

[ropo54]

Anyone tried the Apo-Telyt 135 on CL?  This would be THE reason for me to get the CL.  If I can get good enough IQ for publication and increase the available reach to an effective 200 AND have the benefits of EVF focusing, I may well be in.  As I would also have the option of the AF Leica TL- 55-135 at some later point this might be the solution I've been looking for for travel / trekking...  Hmmm

 

I have tried a 1961 135 f4 elmar on the Leica T and it works superbly.  It was absolutely fine at 300mm. (These lenses can be had 'for a song').

[jonoslack]

Anyone tried the Apo-Telyt 135 on CL?  This would be THE reason for me to get the CL.  If I can get good enough IQ for publication and increase the available reach to an effective 200 AND have the benefits of EVF focusing, I may well be in.  As I would also have the option of the AF Leica TL- 55-135 at some later point this might be the solution I've been looking for for travel / trekking...  Hmmm

 

I don't have the 135 any more Chris, so I haven't tried it, but I'm certain it would be great - obviously there's no IS, so you'd need to keep the shutter speed up but otherwise . . fab!

[AlanJW]

There is no reason not to expect the 135 to be excellent, as it would be covering the smaller sensor.  If you need AF,  the 55-135 is also an excellent way to get to 200mm.   I have used it on a SL for Little League baseball games with very good results (even at 10mp).  Should be even better with 24mp on the CL.  (I could not justify the 90-280 but having rented one for an event, it would be wonderful but of course it is a bazooka even on an SL).

[chris_tribble]

I have tried a 1961 135 f4 elmar on the Leica T and it works superbly.  It was absolutely fine at 300mm. (These lenses can be had 'for a song').

300?  Isn't 135 * 1.5 = 202.5? 

 

re IS or high ISO - I find a monopod makes an enormous difference - and my favourite walking poles have a neat little converter you can screw into the handle (http://pacerpole.com/product/camera-mount) which can come in surprisingly handy as a stabilising device...

 

Oh dear - further temptations.  Jono - interested if you can post some of your T + 135 shots... If T & CL IQ are pretty similar it would be interesting to see.  Oh dear, temptations abound...

[ropo54]

300?  Isn't 135 * 1.5 = 202.5? 

 

re IS or high ISO - I find a monopod makes an enormous difference - and my favourite walking poles have a neat little converter you can screw into the handle (http://pacerpole.com/product/camera-mount) which can come in surprisingly handy as a stabilising device...

 

Oh dear - further temptations.  Jono - interested if you can post some of your T + 135 shots... If T & CL IQ are pretty similar it would be interesting to see.  Oh dear, temptations abound...

 

Ha!  Yes, my typo! 

 

Here's one with the T and 135 f4 elmar

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!

[chris_tribble]

Many thanks.  Have you had any experience of low-light focusing with this lens?  One of the continuing pleasures of the M10 is how bright the VF is and how relatively easy focusing is - even with longer lenses.  I'd be interested to hear about CL user experience in this regard.  Also if you can share any urban / rural landscapes it would be very helpful.  

Thanks

[ropo54]

Many thanks.  Have you had any experience of low-light focusing with this lens?  One of the continuing pleasures of the M10 is how bright the VF is and how relatively easy focusing is - even with longer lenses.  I'd be interested to hear about CL user experience in this regard.  Also if you can share any urban / rural landscapes it would be very helpful.  

Thanks

Chris: 

 

Here is a shot - taken on my SL in full frame and the other in APSC mode. The SL will allow one to shoot both modes simultaneously.  

 

I picked up this lens for $200 in excellent shape from a Forum member in Germany. It is light-weight and the IQ is quite satisfactory for my needs (hobby). Portraits are also quite nice with it. I am quite quite happy with it and it was my intention to keep it in lieu of the TL zoom 55-135.

 

As for use on the SL, the viewfinder is superb so no issues. Use on the visoflex - for me - is more limiting, but I would submit  can be quite ably used. My experience, as you'll note is with the SL and T, and certainly it was easier to use the SL; I hear that the EVF on the CL is improved from that of the visoflex.

 

I'll see if I can locate some others for you.

 

Rob

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!

[ropo54]

Not urban, but another 2 to consider: one full frame and the other APSC from the SL

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!

[jaapv]

Something went very wrong with contrast and colours on that first image...

[chris_tribble]

I've been doing a little experimentation to see how the CL compares with the M10 and which prime M lenses would make most sense for someone building a system, or working out how the CL might coexist with the M.  To begin with it's just a set of comparison images with the same scene.

 

WATE (16mm)

 

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!

 

 

 

[chris_tribble]

21mm SEM

 

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!

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2017 by chris_tribble

[chris_tribble]

Summicron Asph 28 (new)

 

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!

 

 

 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[chris_tribble]

Summicron Asph 35

 

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!