Wide M lenses and Crop Sensors..

[rchrd]

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Generally wide angles have more distortion. Generally wide angles are less flattering for portraits.

 

If I use a 23mm M lens on a T, would it still have the distortion of a 23mm or would it somehow give a true 35mm look on the T? In other words, are crop sensors condemned to a 35mm equivalent with the distortion of a wide angle?

Edited February 19, 2018 by rchrd

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[UliWer]

Not all wide angle lenses show more distortion than longer focal lengthes. If you trust the specs by Leica the Elmar-M 1:3.8/24 asph shows -1% distortion, for the Summarit-M 1:2.4/35 asph it is approx. -1.7% - though of course there is a big difference  in maximal opening.

 

I am not sure whether this is true for the CL - but for the TL it was reported that it applies strong correction of distortion by software. This will only work for dedicated L-lenses, not for M-lenses.

[Guest]

Generally wide angles have more distortion. Generally wide angles are less flattering for portraits.

If I use a 23mm M lens on a T, would it still have the distortion of a 23mm or would it somehow give a true 35mm look on the T? In other words, are crop sensors condemned to a 35mm equivalent with the distortion of a wide angle?

no

[rchrd]

Not all wide angle lenses show more distortion than longer focal lengthes. If you trust the specs by Leica the Elmar-M 1:3.8/24 asph shows -1% distortion, for the Summarit-M 1:2.4/35 asph it is approx. -1.7% - though of course there is a big difference  in maximal opening.

 

I am not sure whether this is true for the CL - but for the TL it was reported that it applies strong correction of distortion by software. This will only work for dedicated L-lenses, not for M-lenses.

 

 

 

So the distortion remains constant between full and crop sensors?

 

 

Does aperture affect distortion? If you stop down, that would decrease the distortion? Or, is it because to get a faster lens, more compromises have to be made in the design?

[jaapv]

Generally wide angles have more distortion. Generally wide angles are less flattering for portraits.

 

If I use a 23mm M lens on a T, would it still have the distortion of a 23mm or would it somehow give a true 35mm look on the T? In other words, are crop sensors condemned to a 35mm equivalent with the distortion of a wide angle?

Distortion and distortion. There is the lens distortion - which is a a deviation from rectilinear rendering, determined by the lens design. That will remain the same, at least for the part of the image that the crop shows.

Then there is perspective distortion - think egg-heads to the corners of the frame. That type of distortion will be cut off by the smaller field of view and in that sense the lens will behave like its longer equivalent.

[rchrd]

Distortion and distortion. There is the lens distortion - which is a a deviation from rectilinear rendering, determined by the lens design. That will remain the same, at least for the part of the image that the crop shows.

Then there is perspective distortion - think egg-heads to the corners of the frame. That type of distortion will be cut off by the smaller field of view and in that sense the lens will behave like its longer equivalent.

 

 Thanks, that is the answer I was looking for.