21mm lens for M10

[Seba66]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hello everyone, I would like to get a 21mm lens for my M10. I am undecided between these two options, based on the budget I want to allocate.
1) Leica Elmarit f / 2.8, code 11134, that I’ve found in good condition with its 21mm viewfinder. 

2) CV Color Skopar f / 3.5. New with its 21/24 viewfinder. 
 
I would appreciate to hear the opinion of those who have tried / compared these lenses on digital M

[a.noctilux]

Hello Seba66,

Each lens would do.

I don't have anything to say about the Color Skopar, as I never use it, but happily use some other Voigtlander lenses.

 

If I had to vote 😉...

As first lens, I'd choose Leica, so the Elmarit-M 21mm -11134 (more in Wiki here ) even if the lens and filter size is bigger E60.

[Guest]

To the OP 

If you google 21mm elmarit marco cavina you will get a nice review with lots of detailed pics and information,also there are threads on this forum like "in praise of mandler lenses" which gives good information.

Its a lens i hope to buy one day although i own the voigtlander 21mm f1.4 nokton so its just something im keeping in mind for the future.

In leica land the elmarit-m 21mm is a bargain in my view.

[rsolomon]

Just bought the 21 SEM, seems to be all they say,…l beautiful design, biting sharp, small, lite, fun, and a memory maker!

 

I know it wasn’t one of your choices but…..

[Gobert]

The 21 SEM is the best.

[MarkP]

3 hours ago, Gobert said:

The 21 SEM is the best.

Indeed. But much more expensive than the other two.

The 21 Elmarit is a lovely lens.

Edited October 20, 2021 by MarkP

[Seba66]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Yes, no doubt that 21 SEM would be great, but I cannot justify now, as I plan to use this lens not too often. Maybe I will change my mind in the future if I will become addicted to 21 mm, who knows. In principle I would go with M-Elmarit, just because is Leica 😀, but I am really attracted by the size and portability of the CV Color Skopar 3.5 and have been reported good reviews about it

[spydrxx]

I've been using the older LTM version CV 21/4 for a few weeks on my Sony A7RII and generally been impressed with how well it delivers (I have several older 20mm lenses fitted to the Sony to compare it to). I haven't tried it yet on  any of my M bodies (all film) yet though. From what I've read over the last couple of years, the SEM ranks as king here, although I'm not sure unless you're a pixel peeper or professional photographer that it really matters that much. In a few weeks I'll probably be doing some shots with 20x30" prints, so really have a chance to judge its performance in the real world, not just on a computer screen. 

[Jean-Michel]

Hi,

I had the older VC 21 f/4 — purchased before the digital era, when the lens and finder were less that a leica finder it own— I used it on both an M9 and MP (240). My images had the 'Italian flag' issue, so I used Cornerfix to correct that, one could also use the LR flat field plug-in. Much of my work is in b&w, and the colour issue becomes quite irrelevant for those images. I gather that the newer VC improves on the older model.  I traded that lens for a WATE Tri-Elmar, and happy with that decision.

 

 

[cp995]

When the new Color Skopar 3.5/21 VM came out I sold my SEM 21 3.4 and switched to Voigtlaender.
Image quality is on the same level but the Skopar is lighter, smaller and cheaper.
After 8 years of using the SEM I never felt a need to go back.

Actually there are some new Voigtlaender lenses which are very competitive to Leica lenses or even better.
Maybe they don't have a rede dot, which is important for some Leica Users ...

[rsolomon]

9 hours ago, cp995 said:

When the new Color Skopar 3.5/21 VM came out I sold my SEM 21 3.4 and switched to Voigtlaender.
Image quality is on the same level but the Skopar is lighter, smaller and cheaper.
After 8 years of using the SEM I never felt a need to go back.

Actually there are some new Voigtlaender lenses which are very competitive to Leica lenses or even better.
Maybe they don't have a rede dot, which is important for some Leica Users ...

How is the fringing issue? 
I’ve always considered LEICA to be a lens company, the attraction to me is their lens offering. 

[Seba66]

13 hours ago, cp995 said:

When the new Color Skopar 3.5/21 VM came out I sold my SEM 21 3.4 and switched to Voigtlaender.
Image quality is on the same level but the Skopar is lighter, smaller and cheaper.
After 8 years of using the SEM I never felt a need to go back.

Actually there are some new Voigtlaender lenses which are very competitive to Leica lenses or even better.
Maybe they don't have a rede dot, which is important for some Leica Users ...

Yes, I have a couple of new Vintage Line CV lenses too and they are excellent. But being in the same price range I’m still undecided between the Color Skopar 3.5/21 and the classical Elmarit-M 2.8/21🤔

[Thury]

Apart from the optical differences that may be important or not in your situation, these lenses are quite different from a size point of view :

• The Color-Skopar 21/3.5 takes 39mm filters
• The Elmarit 21/2.8 takes 60mm filters

And 60mm filters though not rare are not that common either.

[Guest]

13 hours ago, rsolomon said:

How is the fringing issue? 
I’ve always considered LEICA to be a lens company, the attraction to me is their lens offering. 

What are voigtlander then?  a washing machine company?

[jdlaing]

4 minutes ago, steve 1959 said:

What are voigtlander then?  a washing machine company?

Probably a good one too.

[rsolomon]

27 minutes ago, steve 1959 said:

What are voigtlander then?  a washing machine company?

Haha

i think leica lenses speak for themselves. No defense required.

Im sharing my position …. I got into leica for leica lenses. Not to have a leica camera and to use 3rd party lenses. Doesn’t mean your wrong or that I’m right and vice versa. 

There’s room for many appliance companies in the market place. 
 

[Gobert]

2 hours ago, steve 1959 said:

What are voigtlander then?  a washing machine company?

Just stay away from Chinese washing machines

[Guest]

3 hours ago, rsolomon said:

Haha

i think leica lenses speak for themselves. No defense required.

Im sharing my position …. I got into leica for leica lenses. Not to have a leica camera and to use 3rd party lenses. Doesn’t mean your wrong or that I’m right and vice versa. 

There’s room for many appliance companies in the market place. 
 

Wrong about what? and what are you right about?

You simply said you considered leica to be a lens company.

[kivis]

I own this CV Color Skopar f / 3.5. New with its 21/24 viewfinder for my M-P 240. I never use the VF. Live View works great. I love it. I have tried the lens on my M-A with the VF but as of yet we have not bonded. I am keeping the External VF in hopes of feeling better about having a thingy on top of my camera body.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[kivis]