Raid Amin Posted January 12, 2018 Share #1 Posted January 12, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Could you please share with us your experiences in using the Hologon 16/8 (in color, if possible) on the Leica M9 (FF) versus Leica M8 (crop). I am waiting to receive in the mail my 16/8, and I want to use it with both cameras. Thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 12, 2018 Posted January 12, 2018 Hi Raid Amin, Take a look here Using Zeiss Hologon 16/8 on M8 and on M9. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Raid Amin Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted January 14, 2018 (edited) This is the lens that is now in the mail to me from Canada. [img[https://photos.smugmug.com/Zeiss-Hologon/i-rH79JQb/0/11fba347/M/Hologon%201-M.jpg[/img] [img[https://photos.smugmug.com/Zeiss-Hologon/i-RVR3pBc/0/d5cffa2d/XL/Hologon%205-XL.jpg[/img] I want to use this lens extensively once it arrives to me modified for Leica M by Don Goldberg (DAG). Edited January 14, 2018 by Raid Amin Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted January 18, 2018 Is anyone here using a Hologon 16/8 at all? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etruscello Posted January 18, 2018 Share #4 Posted January 18, 2018 If you are talking about the Contax lens, I did have it adapted for use on the M8 (by DAG). The adaptation was excellent, the results were not: extreme red corner discolorations, very difficult to fix PP. The lens did work wonderfully, however, on my M6 (film). I hope this helps. It’s the limit of my experience. I sold the lens and now fully enjoy the super wide CVs (including the 10mm) on my M 240, with no corner discolorations. Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share #5 Posted January 19, 2018 Yes, I meant the Contax G lens. Thank you for your experience based feedback. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberti Posted January 19, 2018 Share #6 Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) I have lens that faintly rembles the Hologon: the Russar 20mm. The same - in its symetric build, four glued elements in two goups in my case against one group with three lenses in the original Hologon. The point of reference is the deep back resess of the lens - the whole being even further back. On the Monochrome the Russar is extreme sharp but with quite some vigneting, and on colour the sides are pink or so. I coded it for WATE 18 mm but I noted that the 21mm would be better, but I was not willing to buy a second LTM adapter. The lenses both have the best corner handling of all wide angles (it has to do with the physics of the lens concept, at least that is what an Italian optics professor wrote about them. I have the M8 no longer but my huntch is that the H will only very little color badly if you stick to the WATE selection (note: the WATE uses the frameselector too for the coding, the 35 mm and 50 mm flange are only usefull here in my experience; I doubt if your flange has that, the 28 seems what a boutique converting shop would have provided you with) Even when you do not like the extra colours it is a very good buy for converting into B&W. You will not regret. Do experiment with the manual lens selection! Edited January 19, 2018 by Alberti Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Thank you Alberti. Don Goldberg (DAG) will do the conversion, and he told me that there will be hardly any effects when coded for WATE by him. As you said, I can always convert color images for which I cannot remove and color problems into B&W images, if needed. I still have my M3 and M6, so I can also use the Hologon with film if digital photography is the problem with the edges getting affected negatively. I am planning to experiment with the Hologon once I get it coded. Maybe it works better with the M8 since there is a crop of the edges? Edited January 19, 2018 by Raid Amin Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etruscello Posted January 19, 2018 Share #8 Posted January 19, 2018 On the issue of coding, I add to my previous note that the best results for me with all non-Leica wide angle lenses has been the code for the Leica 21mm f2.8 pre-asph on the M9. (Yes, your Hologon may perform better on a full frame M9 than the M8.) Please go ahead and code for WATE, if Mr. Goldberg so recommends; however, do experiment. You can over-ride any code by setting your M9 to manual lens selection. Try first the code in M9 for the 21mm f2.8 pre-Asph. As they say, try it you may like it! Tom 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted January 19, 2018 Thank you, Tom. I will make sure to try out different settings and to write down which settings were used so that I can compare results. It would be quite interesting if the M9 does better with the Hologon than the M8. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted January 19, 2018 Share #10 Posted January 19, 2018 I have lens that faintly rembles the Hologon: the Russar 20 mm. I coded it for WATE 18 mm but I noted that the 21 mm would be better ... Coding for WATE 18 mm or WATE 21 mm, that won't make any difference. Both codes are the same anyway, and both are a particularly bad choice as a code for the Russar 20 mm or the Hologon 16 mm. Better code those for Elmarit-M 21 mm (non-asph). Regarding the original question: The Hologon 16 mm doesn't work well on Leica M8 or M9. The M8 cuts away the frame's edges, leaving you with an absurdly slow and unwieldy 24 mm equivalent; you'd be much better off with a real 24 mm lens on the M9. And on the M9, the Hologon produces strong vignetting and distorted colours near the edges. It might work slightly better (still not very good probably) on the Leica M10 or M Monochrom. Years ago, somebody posted a series of pictures taken with the Hologon on a, IIRC, Leica M9 ... or was it the original M Monochrom? Can't remember anymore, and cannot retrieve them using the search function. 'twas interesting ... but ultimately made me feel happy to have my Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21 mm Asph which works hassle-free on any M camera and delivers excellent results. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 19, 2018 Share #11 Posted January 19, 2018 [...] It would be quite interesting if the M9 does better with the Hologon than the M8. It would be surprising for me but i have no experience with this lens. My little CV 15/4.5 v2 does much better on crop (M8.2, CL) than FF (M240) cameras, but again i have no experience with the Hologon so perhaps it behaves differently which i doubt but i may be wrong. You will show us some pics when you receive the lens hopefully. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share #12 Posted January 19, 2018 Maybe it is the M9 with its system of detecting lenses that makes it better suited for a Hologon? I will check it out and I will post here about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted January 19, 2018 Coding for WATE 18 mm or WATE 21 mm, that won't make any difference. Both codes are the same anyway, and both are a particularly bad choice as a code for the Russar 20 mm or the Hologon 16 mm. Better code those for Elmarit-M 21 mm (non-asph). Regarding the original question: The Hologon 16 mm doesn't work well on Leica M8 or M9. The M8 cuts away the frame's edges, leaving you with an absurdly slow and unwieldy 24 mm equivalent; you'd be much better off with a real 24 mm lens on the M9. And on the M9, the Hologon produces strong vignetting and distorted colours near the edges. It might work slightly better (still not very good probably) on the Leica M10 or M Monochrom. Years ago, somebody posted a series of pictures taken with the Hologon on a, IIRC, Leica M9 ... or was it the original M Monochrom? Can't remember anymore, and cannot retrieve them using the search function. 'twas interesting ... but ultimately made me feel happy to have my Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21 mm Asph which works hassle-free on any M camera and delivers excellent results. The M8 has crop factor of 1.333, so 16x1.33=21mm and not 24mm, but I get your message. I could use 21mm lens for better results (maybe). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberti Posted January 20, 2018 Share #14 Posted January 20, 2018 Raid Amin, I saw in the Monochrome manual (and it goes for the M9 too): Important: • Cannot be used: ––Hologon 15mm f/8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted January 20, 2018 Share #15 Posted January 20, 2018 Raid's is the Contax 16 for the G cameras, not the rarer M-mount 15. Seems like a great deal of effort to go through for an optic not fully compatible with M's. Going for a CV 15 or even ZM 2,8/15 seems more sensible. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 20, 2018 Share #16 Posted January 20, 2018 Tiny lens compared to the big ZM 15/2.8 and the lack of RF coupling is not a problem at f/8. 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! Quote 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/280798-using-zeiss-hologon-168-on-m8-and-on-m9/?do=findComment&comment=3444579'>More sharing options...
pico Posted January 20, 2018 Share #17 Posted January 20, 2018 (edited) I haven't used a Hologon since 1973, but I know since using much later CV super-wides that it is what we call a 'pioneering' design and pioneers got arrows in the back. Its only virtue is its tiny size. Enjoy. I have leaped without looking. No shame. In fact as I type this I'm working on another wide-angle 4x5 camera sans bellows or a wind-prone skin. Machinists love me. Edited January 20, 2018 by pico 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share #18 Posted January 20, 2018 Raid Amin, I saw in the Monochrome manual (and it goes for the M9 too): Yes, this is true. I have the 16mm/8 Hologon which can be used with Leica M cameras. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share #19 Posted January 20, 2018 Raid's is the Contax 16 for the G cameras, not the rarer M-mount 15. Seems like a great deal of effort to go through for an optic not fully compatible with M's. Going for a CV 15 or even ZM 2,8/15 seems more sensible. It is not about being the most sensible! I like to experiment and to explore, so trying out a "legend" such as the Hologon is very tempting. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raid Amin Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share #20 Posted January 20, 2018 Tiny lens compared to the big ZM 15/2.8 and the lack of RF coupling is not a problem at f/8. Zeiss_1680.jpg This is one of the important factors with the Hologon. It is very small. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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