Suggestions on Landscape Lenses

[lct]

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16 minutes ago, IntrepidTraveller6 said:

Have you found the 21/3.5 to be prone to flare? 

More than the SEM and less than the CV 21/4.

[Jon Schick]

Another vote for the 21/3.5 VM but I suspect it won't play so nicely on the Fuji... Wider angle M lenses don't tend to convert so well to the APSC mirrorless cameras and you'd probably be better off with the Fuji 18/2.

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[ianman]

1 hour ago, farnz said:

It pays to set exposure manually to avoid light and dark areas caused by autoexposure variations.

And don't change between shots! Sorry for stating the obvious but I have known of people doing this.

[lct]

2 hours ago, Jon Schick said:

Another vote for the 21/3.5 VM but I suspect it won't play so nicely on the Fuji... Wider angle M lenses don't tend to convert so well to the APSC mirrorless cameras

The lens works fine on my digital CL. Couple of pics here. Also i did not use much the CV 21/3.5 on my Fuji X-E2 but i haven't got any problem with it so far. FWIW.

[RoySmith]

The Leica 24mm Elmar M 3.8 and the Voigtlander 15 mm f4.5 Super Wide Heliar are both very good. 
 

[Ouroboros]

12 hours ago, IntrepidTraveller6 said:

I have an M240. The frame line selector lever was not included on this body. I don't own either focal length so I can't see the frame lines in my camera... only online. 

When looking online to see the comparison the 90mm seems very small and I could see needing either goggles or a viewfinder magnifier to more often nail focus. 

Why do you think you need a magnifier?  If your main subject is landscape photography where presumably you're looking for front to back sharpness throughout the scene, why  not try  focusing by setting the hyperfocal distance and work on your aperture settings?

You'll likely be focusing at infinity for most distant scenes with a 90 mm, so I don't really understand your concerns unless you want to focus selectively at closer ranges and wider apertures. 

I think it might help you to experiment a little more with your camera and the lens(es) you already have before spending money on a longer or shorter lens which might not be totally suitable for your needs. 

ETA, although it is often suggested on here a a good option, my personal experience of the CV 21mm f4 lens is that it is not good, mainly due to being the worst lens I have ever used for flare.  I would avoid it and buy something better, ideally the 21mm SEM, which would pair very well with your 35mm.

Edited November 22, 2019 by Ouroboros

[LeicaR10]

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IntrepidTraveler6,  Like Peter Kilmister offered in his post #8 and based on my professional experience doing landscape photography in the Azores and Lisbon, I would most highly recommend the M 24mm Elmar f/3.8.  The M 24 Elmar is most excellent for resolution, contrast, color, minimal distortion and almost no field curvature.  I consider it one of the best wide-angle M lenses.  It works superbly on the M240 and compliments your 35mm lens.  Personally, I would leave the 28mm at home or trade it for the 24 Elmar.  IMO and experience at those two locations, wider than 24mm would be a waste.  Then again, we are all well intentioned photographers offering advice, ultimately it is your choice and decision.  Enjoy your trip, beautiful islands and city.  r/ Mark

Edited November 22, 2019 by LeicaR10

[Fedro]

1 hour ago, LeicaR10 said:

IntrepidTraveler6,  Like Peter Kilmister offered in his post #8 and based on my professional experience doing landscape photography in the Azores and Lisbon, I would most highly recommend the M 24mm Elmar f/3.8.  The M 24 Elmar is most excellent for resolution, contrast, color, minimal distortion and almost no field curvature.  I consider it one of the best wide-angle M lenses.  It works superbly on the M240 and compliments your 35mm lens.  Personally, I would leave the 28mm at home or trade it for the 24 Elmar.  IMO and experience at those two locations, wider than 24mm would be a waste.  Then again, we are all well intentioned photographers offering advice, ultimately it is your choice and decision.  Enjoy your trip, beautiful islands and city.  r/ Mark

+1 for the 24 Elmar - light, takes standard 46mm filters, little to no distortion and beautiful rendering. perfect landscape M lens IMHO

[KASHMIR]

And the Tri-elmar WATE? Expensive, a bit slow but fantastic lens

[lct]

Another vote for the Elmar 24/3.8 if 21mm is too wide.

[Exodies]

As the light in the viewfinder has not been anywhere near the lens I don’t see how having a 90 is different from a 35. You don’t focus a rangefinder, you line up the images from two separated windows. 

[IntrepidTraveller6]

12 hours ago, LeicaR10 said:

IntrepidTraveler6,  Like Peter Kilmister offered in his post #8 and based on my professional experience doing landscape photography in the Azores and Lisbon, I would most highly recommend the M 24mm Elmar f/3.8.  The M 24 Elmar is most excellent for resolution, contrast, color, minimal distortion and almost no field curvature.  I consider it one of the best wide-angle M lenses.  It works superbly on the M240 and compliments your 35mm lens.  Personally, I would leave the 28mm at home or trade it for the 24 Elmar.  IMO and experience at those two locations, wider than 24mm would be a waste.  Then again, we are all well intentioned photographers offering advice, ultimately it is your choice and decision.  Enjoy your trip, beautiful islands and city.  r/ Mark

the 24mm seems interesting and more affordable... the issue i have is the fact that my other kit is fuji and I already have a fantastic 16mm f1.4 (which is a 24 equivalent). It's incredibly sharp, offers sort of marco, and is weather sealed. 

[Peter Kilmister]

My first reaction is that if you are a Fuji user then what are you doing asking questions on a Leica lens forum? The f/1:3.8 24mm Elmar lens is a star. That is on a Leica camera. I have no idea how it would work on any other camera. Have you tried a Fuji forum rather than asking Leica users?

BTW, I still hope you enjoy the Azores. I first went to Lisbon in 1982 when I worked there for a couple of months. I fell in love with it then and, even after all these years, I still love it. The people are so caring.

Sadly most visitors now just want a selfie before they rush off to take more selfies in Seville and Barcelona. Pathetic behaviour in my opinion. Sorry for the rant.

[LeicaR10]

IntrepidTraveller6,   This might be of help in your search.  As Peter Kilmister wrote in his post above #33 the 24mm Elmar is a star.  Hope this helps.

Try: https://leicastoremiami.com/collections/used-m-lenses/products/used-leica-elmar-m-24mm-f-3-8-asph-5?variant=31244139364483  

I suggest you call the store and talk with Josh about your lens issue.  He is most helpful.  r/ Mark

Edited November 23, 2019 by LeicaR10

[ianman]

13 hours ago, Peter Kilmister said:

My first reaction is that if you are a Fuji user then what are you doing asking questions on a Leica lens forum? The f/1:3.8 24mm Elmar lens is a star. That is on a Leica camera. I have no idea how it would work on any other camera. Have you tried a Fuji forum rather than asking Leica users?

My first reaction to this is... well, it's probably best that I don't post it.

My second reaction is that the first line of the first post in this thread mentions "I plan on bringing my M240", which we can all imagine means a Leica M240 and not an M240 machine gun. The OP mentions in passing that he also has an X-Pro2. It's quite obvious to anyone who possesses and uses a minimum of 2 brains cells that the OP is asking for suggestions for an M-mount lens. Shock! Horror! It may be another brand. It also makes sense that the M-mount lens in question could possibly be mounted on the aforementioned X-Pro2. Armed this knowledge can we really assume that asking the question on a Leica forum is such a bad idea? 

Maybe you should open you mind and expand your horizons a bit... who knows it may even help improve your photography.

Full disclosure: I own a Fuji X-Pro2, a Nikon FM2 and a Horizon 202 (I seem to collect 2s), I hope Mr Kilmister will allow me to still participate on the LUF.

[adan]

On 11/21/2019 at 7:30 AM, IntrepidTraveller6 said:

Right now my top choices are the Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 (which i can use on my Xpro2 as well) or Voigtlander 15mm f4.5 which will be cheaper but won't be useful on my crop sensor (I already have that focal length covered).

Given your other considerations, I think your first instinct is correct - especially if you are planning on using both a cropped (Fuji) and uncropped (M240) camera.

Get the 12mm in the most recent version (III), which is designed more like a small DSLR lens (more retrofocus) and should avoid Italian Flag on either camera.

https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-12mm-5-6-aspherical-ultra-wide-heliar/

That review gives the 12mm a good (and in my experience, accurate) workout - avoid small apertures (diffraction blur - f/11 on a 12mm lens is about a 1mm pinhole), and assume a small amount of lateral color fringing that can be easily computed out in post-processing (or cropped away in any case on the Fuji).

A side point: A Leica lens on the M9 and M240 must - by design - be the same distance from the sensor. Otherwise they would not focus correctly. The difference between those cameras (and even more so, the M10) regarding italian flag stains has to do with internal changes in the sensor structure, not the distance between the lens and sensor. Nevertheless, some wide designs (e.g. c/v 21 f/4, original "short" c/v 15mm) will produce some Italian flag on almost any sensor - they were designed in the film era, before the issues of "rangefinder" wides on digital were fully revealed.

As to focusing and framing a 90mm or other tele on the M, some people can, and some people can't. I regularly use a 135mm on my Ms without issues of either kind (and I have crummy 65-year-old eyes). Especially for land/seascapes - just set the lens to "infinity" on the focus scale!

Nevertheless, your 50mm may well be perfectly adequate - for your way of seeing the world.

 

[pedaes]

12 minutes ago, adan said:

Nevertheless, your 50mm may well be perfectly adequate - for your way of seeing the world.

Totally agree. IMHO a 12mm lens on full-frame sensor is very, very challenging angle of view as a general landscape lens, so proceed with  some caution.

Edited November 23, 2019 by pedaes

[lct]

As far as Fuji bodies are concerned, Leica M 28/2 v1 & v2, 28/2.8 asph v1, 24/3.8 and 21/3.4 asph have no disturbing color shifts on my X-E2. Those same lenses exhibit more or less soft corners on the X-E2 depending upon focal length and aperture mainly. Edge to edge sharpness is hard to achieve below f/5.6 with those lenses, due to the X-E2's sensor stack thickness i suspect. For sharper results, better choose cameras designed or adapted for M lenses like Leica Ms, Leica digital CL, Ricoh GXR A 12 M mount, Kolari mod Sony A7s and, presumably, Leica SL, SL2 and T/TL/TL2 i have no experience with. FWIW.

[adan]

26 minutes ago, pedaes said:

Totally agree. IMHO a 12mm lens on full-frame sensor is very, very challenging angle of view as a general landscape lens, so proceed with  some caution.

When it comes to photography - never proceed with caution! Take it in big bites!

Edited November 23, 2019 by adan

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Hallo,

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[pedaes]

39 minutes ago, adan said:

When it comes to photography - never proceed with caution! Take it in big bites!

Was referring to the expenditure - not the photography. You may of course take same view for both!😁