Small wide choices for SL2?

[pmendelson]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I’m a wide angle junkie and have the Canon 11-24mm, Leica 16-35mm and the Voigtlander 15mm f/5.6 for my SL2.  The zooms are really big and I’m looking for another small wide that’s faster and better than the 15mm, and I’m looking at the 11-23mm TL, although I’m not crazy that it crops to 20mp on the SL2, the WATE 16/18/21, or the Leica 18mm m mount.

i am wondering if anyone has any knowledge about how the WATE performs optically compared to the TL zoom?  Any experience with using the 18mm on the SL2?   Open to other recommendations that are small (rules out the Sigmas) and wider than 21mm. 
 

Thanks!

 

peter

[LeicaR10]

Pmendelson,  I use the 16-18-21 Tri-Elmar on the SL2 and have also used the 18 SEM on the same.  Both are superb with the SL2.  For my work, I like how the Tri-Elmar renders and flexibility of multiple focal lengths.  The SL2 sensor IMO appears handle M lenses better than the previous SL.  I can not comment on the TL lens. As reminder though, SL lenses work best on SL cameras and same goes for M lenses work best on M cameras, etc.  Although, the SL2 sensor has been improved to handle multiple lines of lenses.  It will get down to your genre of photography and how you wish to convey your vision to share with yourself and others.   Hope this helps.  r/ Mark

[pmendelson]

Thanks Mark - very helpful.  What differences do you find between the 18mm and the WATE and when you decide to use one vs the other?  I lean towards the WATE just for the ability to zoom in or out. 

[hillavoider]

voigtlander has just released a 21mm F1.4, looks great 

[LeicaR10]

Pmendelson,  To answer your question in your Post #3, I found the WATE more useful on the SL2 due to the three focal lengths, plus I like how it renders the photograph.  In addition, the WATE resolves in a most excellent way at f/8.  The 18 SEM is a beautiful lens, but for me, not as flexible due to the single focal length.  I no longer own the 18 SEM because the WATE for me, works better.  When I go on remote, long-distance and challenging hikes to get landscape photographs for my clients, I find the WATE a far better option too.  As I found, the older one gets, the ability to remain agile and carry all your camping and camera gear tends to wear you down more.  This is also another reason why I have the most excellent SL 16-35 for the SL2 as well.  I don't carry both M and SL2...it is either one system or the other, driven mostly by difficulty of terrain and distance involved. r/ Mark

Edited January 29, 2020 by LeicaR10

[thighslapper]

11 hours ago, pmendelson said:

I’m a wide angle junkie. I’m looking for another small wide that’s faster and better than the  Voigtlander 15mm/5.6.

Faster and smaller are mutually incompatible. I don't think you will find anything more compact and optically much better than the Voigtlanders. Apart from Astro photography 'faster' just gets you a much bigger lens, usually with a protuberant front element that you can't put filters on.  

Before the 16-35 appeared I used the WATE exclusively for WA on the SL and it performs faultlessly, although you lose AF of course. It's one of the very few M lenses I will never sell. 

I also have the 10mm and 12mm Voigtlanders which are excellent, although like all lenses at these focal lengths they vignette a lot and the world starts to look distinctly weird. 

Edited January 29, 2020 by thighslapper

[pmendelson]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Thanks all.  When I said “faster” I just meant faster than the Voigtlander 15mm f/5.6.  Looks like the WATE May be the way to go.  The new Voigtlander 21mm 1.4 also looks very promising 

[pmendelson]

Thanks all.  When I said “faster” I just meant faster than the Voigtlander 15mm f/5.6.  Looks like the WATE May be the way to go.  The new Voigtlander 21mm 1.4 also looks very promising 

[pmendelson]

There is also the Canon 14mm f/2.8 L II - anyone use one on the SL or SL2?

[pmendelson]

I found a well priced 11-23mm TL so I decided to go with that for now - while the resolution will only be 20mp on the SL2, much of the time that will be enough, and hopefully Leica will update the firmware soon to allow for high res multishot mode.  

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Did you try the Sigma 14-24? Native and 2.8 at half the weight of the Leica.

Gordon

[pmendelson]

Thanks Gordon- I hadn’t thought of the Sigma, although upon further research it looks like the Sigma is twice as heavy as the Leica 11-23mm and larger.  

[helged]

1 hour ago, pmendelson said:

Thanks Gordon- I hadn’t thought of the Sigma, although upon further research it looks like the Sigma is twice as heavy as the Leica 11-23mm and larger.  

Sure, but you get twice as many pixels with the Sigma, which may - or may not - be of importance.

[pmendelson]

True, but for when I need more megapixels I’ll use the SL 16-35mm.   The 11-23mm is to carry around on the SL2 during my commutes and casual shooting. 

[:hinting image]

Peter,

I have a WATE and also voigtlander 10 and 15mm.  I haven't done enough testing, the WATE has some smearing over the frame wide open on my first couple of photos on SL2. I don't know if I should have turned off the IBIS to resolve this, or it is the incompatible combination. It is visible closeup.

I can do some tests next week.

Michael.

Https://www.instagram.com/hintingimage

[Stuart Richardson]

The 18mm Zeiss ZM lens is compact and very good optically, though since it is such a wide design it tends to do best on M cameras. I don't think it will be quite as sharp as the best L lenses because of this, but it is compact, light, reasonably priced and very well built. 

[LocalHero1953]

Sigma's 2020 roadmap shows f1.4 lenses in their L-mount Contemporary range at 16mm, 30mm and 56mm. I believe the Contemporary range is intended to be compact, like the 45mm f2.8 that is already out there. How compact f1.4 will be remains to be seen, but Sigma can be relied upon to be interesting.

[raadoo]

7 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Sigma's 2020 roadmap shows f1.4 lenses in their L-mount Contemporary range at 16mm, 30mm and 56mm. I believe the Contemporary range is intended to be compact, like the 45mm f2.8 that is already out there. How compact f1.4 will be remains to be seen, but Sigma can be relied upon to be interesting.

Worth pointing out the 16-30-56 trio is APS-C only.

[LocalHero1953]

2 minutes ago, raadoo said:

Worth pointing out the 16-30-56 trio is APS-C only.

Oh, ###@@!!, I didn't notice that!

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount