Good To Be Retired Posted March 22, 2020 Share #1  Posted March 22, 2020 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) This lens has caught my eye recently and I'm trying to decide whether it would be a bad idea  I'm also having a bit of difficulty determining the difference between versions II, and III. This would be used on an M240, most likely with Live View, but I'm also curious if version II is rangefinder coupled.  I'm particularly interested in what happens with color shifts in the corners. Edited March 22, 2020 by Good To Be Retired Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 22, 2020 Posted March 22, 2020 Hi Good To Be Retired, Take a look here Voigtlander ULTRA WIDE-HELIAR 12mm F/5.6 Aspherical II VM. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
farnz Posted March 22, 2020 Share #2  Posted March 22, 2020 (edited) If you're going that wide then you might also consider the Voigtlander 10/5.6 Ultra-wide Heliar, which I'm very impressed with.  I've used the 15/4.5 but not the 12/5.6 so I'm not in a position to comment on it. Using the 10mm or the 15mm with LiveView on the rear LCD and the overlaid horizon line is really useful for keeping the verticals straight and avoiding 'keystoning', which is very important in ultra-wide lenses of course. Pete. Edited March 22, 2020 by farnz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good To Be Retired Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share #3 Â Posted March 22, 2020 Thanx Pete. Â LensRentals has these for $57 for a week, it looks like the sun may put in an appearance in this part of the world nexuses week, and I think I'll just rent one of these things and find out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted March 22, 2020 Share #4  Posted March 22, 2020 v.1 original very compact version in Leica screw-mount. Scale focusing only. Can be used on M with a standard 1mm Leica, C/V or 3rd-party screw-M adapter. v.2 identical optics as v.1 but in M-mount, and with larger built-in "tulip" lens shade and filter size. RF-coupled. The optics for 1 and 2, being identical and designed in the film era (1997) do not play well with digital color cameras (e.g. M240). They produce color stains of magenta or blue/green around the edges of pictures. (Has to do with the "slant-range" and angle of incidence from this very wide (but ultra-short) lens on digital sensors). It can be fixed with software for the most part, but is extra processing. They will work more or less OK on Monochrom cameras, or for B&W conversions from an M240 or other color digital (or, of course, on film). v. 3 is a complete optical redesign in M-mount, larger and more like a 14/15mm lens for an SLR (but a bit smaller). Does not have the color-staining problem of the earlier versions. V.1 on a Leica M10 - note purplish stain/vignette down the right side (clouds and snow)..... 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! 3 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/307691-voigtlander-ultra-wide-heliar-12mm-f56-aspherical-ii-vm/?do=findComment&comment=3936275'>More sharing options...
james.liam Posted March 22, 2020 Share #5  Posted March 22, 2020 (edited) Stephen Gandy at CameraQuest in LA is having a sale on the 5.6/12 v.III for US$449, which is a pretty good deal. I believe it's being discontinued. Sean Reid (Reid Reviews) has an excellent series on the 10/12/15mm UWA Voigtländers. Recommended read. Edited March 22, 2020 by james.liam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good To Be Retired Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share #6 Â Posted March 22, 2020 21 minutes ago, adan said: v.1 original very compact version in Leica screw-mount. Scale focusing only. Can be used on M with a standard 1mm Leica, C/V or 3rd-party screw-M adapter. v.2Â identical optics as v.1 but in M-mount, and with larger built-in "tulip" lens shade and filter size. RF-coupled. The optics for 1 and 2, being identical and designed in the film era (1997) do not play well with digital color cameras (e.g. M240). They produce color stains of magenta or blue/green around the edges of pictures. (Has to do with the "slant-range" and angle of incidence from this very wide (but ultra-short) lens on digital sensors). It can be fixed with software for the most part, but is extra processing. They will work more or less OK on Monochrom cameras, or for B&W conversions from an M240 or other color digital (or, of course, on film). v. 3 is a complete optical redesign in M-mount, larger and more like a 14/15mm lens for an SLR (but a bit smaller). Does not have the color-staining problem of the earlier versions. V.1 on a Leica M10 - note purplish stain/vignette down the right side (clouds and snow)..... Excellent information. Â Thanx. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good To Be Retired Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share #7  Posted March 22, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) 10 minutes ago, james.liam said: Stephen Gandy at CameraQuest in LA is having a sale on the 5.6/12 v.III for US$449, which is a pretty good deal. I believe it's being discontinued. Sean Reid (Reid Reviews) has an excellent series on the 10/12/15mm UWA Voigtländers. Recommended read. Yeah, I was looking at that.  I'm sorely tempted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted March 22, 2020 Share #8 Â Posted March 22, 2020 1 minute ago, Good To Be Retired said: Yeah, I was looking at that. Â I'm sorely tempted. Used samples of v.I & II are selling for more. Wait too long and it will be...poof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbealnz Posted March 22, 2020 Share #9 Â Posted March 22, 2020 Agree with all the above, and without wanting to rain on Lens-Rentals parade, the rental fee would be similar to the amount you lost if you bought, didn't like it, and sold. Just buy it, you'll love it I reckon. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good To Be Retired Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share #10 Â Posted March 22, 2020 2 minutes ago, gbealnz said: Agree with all the above, and without wanting to rain on Lens-Rentals parade, the rental fee would be similar to the amount you lost if you bought, didn't like it, and sold. Just buy it, you'll love it I reckon. Just did 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbealnz Posted March 22, 2020 Share #11 Â Posted March 22, 2020 Excellent, be interested to hear your thoughts once you shoot it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaseyS Posted March 22, 2020 Share #12  Posted March 22, 2020 13 hours ago, james.liam said: Stephen Gandy at CameraQuest in LA is having a sale on the 5.6/12 v.III for US$449, which is a pretty good deal. I believe it's being discontinued. Sean Reid (Reid Reviews) has an excellent series on the 10/12/15mm UWA Voigtländers. Recommended read. Recently purchased one from Popflash, the price was too good to pass up.  Tony at Popflash indicated that Cameraquest, the US distributor was discounting several lenses to clear inventory.  He did not indicate that the 12mm III was being discontinued. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaseyS Posted March 22, 2020 Share #13  Posted March 22, 2020 Two photos taken with the 12mm III at the Air and Space Museum in Northern VA. For the price it is a fun lens to have. 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! 4 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/307691-voigtlander-ultra-wide-heliar-12mm-f56-aspherical-ii-vm/?do=findComment&comment=3936684'>More sharing options...
james.liam Posted March 22, 2020 Share #14  Posted March 22, 2020 2 hours ago, CaseyS said: Recently purchased one from Popflash, the price was too good to pass up.  Tony at Popflash indicated that Cameraquest, the US distributor was discounting several lenses to clear inventory.  He did not indicate that the 12mm III was being discontinued. Perhaps. That was my impression when I recently ordered one from CameraQuest (had a large credit with them). It’s RF linked which I suppose really doesn’t much matter since LV or EVF is obligatory. I found a used OVF for a good price so I can use it on my M9M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted March 22, 2020 Share #15  Posted March 22, 2020 (edited) I have had the first version CV12mm (Ltm) since it was announced and I like it a lot when the opportunity to use it arises.  It’s a nicely made lens, I’ve never upgraded it to v2 or v3 because as I shoot film and I use filters with the bespoke 77mm adapter on my v1 lens, the adapter cannot be used with later version lenses. Being an extreme wide angle, which is what you would buy it for, means it vignettes strongly.  I have used a 2x centre nd graduated filter on occasions, but I like the vignette especially with black and white film.  It was once the widest rectilinear lens available for Leica M with an adapter or natively on Ltm until CV announced the 10mm lens.  If I were in the market for a super wide for Leica M now, I would go for the 10mm lens mainly for the reason this is now the widest lens available for Leica M. I have used one and it is very good. Such extreme wide angle lenses have limited application and you would not use them routinely, but they are fun to use when a suitable scene presents itself and you will create images with dramatic perspectives with either the 10mm or 12mm. One tip; try to centre your eye as carefully as you can if using the external viewfinders. They are optically excellent but composition with these viewfinders and lenses is an approximation and you can be quite a way off unless you have the luxury of live view. If you’re going for it, and if I were buying again,  I’d go as wide as is currently possible for a Leica M and buy the 10mm lens just for that reason and the hell of it. Overall though, the 12mm V1 & V2 are good enough with film and since it was reformulated, the V3 is probably better optically and more suited to digital cameras.  Edited March 22, 2020 by Ouroboros Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted March 22, 2020 Share #16 Â Posted March 22, 2020 Using LV and a grid is really the most accurate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeicaS2 Posted June 21, 2022 Share #17  Posted June 21, 2022 Glad I got one before they discontinued. Oddly, I bought the 12mm as my first M lens even before receiving my first M camera in 10 years, an M10M. So it was my only lens for a month.  I was doing a B&W interior photo shoot, and needed to go beyond 15 or 16mm. Subsequently wanted to use in for interior color. Had a choice to get a used SL and adapter, but stayed with the M and went down the Leica M rabbit hole and got a M10 P Reporter. Not much use outside for me, but great inside. Don't go crazy with it, quite often, a 24mm is a better choice for interiors. f 4 1/2 second, ISO 6400. On a tripod but framing and remote release via LeicaFotos. 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! 4 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/307691-voigtlander-ultra-wide-heliar-12mm-f56-aspherical-ii-vm/?do=findComment&comment=4457863'>More sharing options...
LeicaS2 Posted June 21, 2022 Share #18  Posted June 21, 2022 Shot later in color for a different use. 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! 3 1 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/307691-voigtlander-ultra-wide-heliar-12mm-f56-aspherical-ii-vm/?do=findComment&comment=4457864'>More sharing options...
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