best super wide angle for leica sl2

[PDP]

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hi everyone,

as proud new owner of the sl2 i am looking for the best or most suitable super wide angle lens for it. Best for me means IQ for landscape, IQ in terms of sharpness, pop, microcontrast, over the entire frame. I consider the famous WATE, the M18 or any other. I tested the CV 21/3.5, but it is too good in the center an lacks relative IQ to the edges.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

PDP

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[duoenboge]

i´m very happy with the Super-Elmar 3.8/18 and the Elmar 3.8/24. The Zeiss Biogon 2.8/21 is a very good alternative. Whats about the Super-Vario-Elmar SL 16-35?

[LeicaR10]

PDP,   Congratulations on your new SL2.  You will find the camera excels in landscape photography.  You have several options for M and SL lenses that deliver in spades what you are seeking.  If you go the M route, the 18mm Super Elmar is a very good choice for a prime.  If you want the same very high quality IQ with more flexibility, you can go the 16-18-21 Tri Elmar M (WATE) and of course there is the superb SL 16-35 Super Vario Elmar.  Personally, I use the Tri-Elmar and SL 16-35 depending on hiking conditions and distance.  Both are most excellent.  The WATE really shines from edge to edge at f/8 & 11 with f/8 being the sweetspot.  The SL 16-35 IMO, resolves better due to a more recent optical design.  I suggest you take a look at this excellent website that has photographs taken with various Leica lenses and it might be of help to you.  Try: https://onfotolife.com  Go to Leica lenses and take a look.  r/ Mark

Edited December 10, 2021 by LeicaR10

[Virob]

Sorry to hear that the Voigtlander 21/3.5 didn’t work for you. It is a lens I am considering. The Sigma 14-28 is generally considered sharper than the Panasonic or Leica 16-35 if you are considering a zoom but doesn’t take front filters. I have the Panasonic 16-35 a few months now and it is a good lens. My thinking was the Panasonic would keep me busy until Leica comes out with the SL 21/2.0 APO announced years ago. 

[MrFriendly]

 APO-Summicron-SL 24mm and 21mm.

[Photoworks]

I have the SEM 21 3.4. It is quite good on the SL2. It is an interesting lens as it has less distortion the others in this focal length .

I recently got the Panasonic 20-60 and it is surprisingly better micro contrast then the SEM 21.

 

[RoySmith]

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If you want a super wide lens I agree with the recommendation to consider the Super-Elmer 18mm/3.8. 

Another consideration is the Voigtlander Super-Wide Heliar 15mm III. Review on SL.   Review on Hasselblad X1D

 

[PDP]

thanks for all these good advices! I believe I will either go for the 18/3.8 or the 16-35. Funny, because I once owned the 18, but I sold it when leaving M-system towards CL (need EVF, original SL does not attract me). But looking at the crazy high prices for used 18 I may go to 16-35 as flexible solution for landscape.

about the CV 21: it is a great lens, perfect on my CL. The test shots with the SL2 show an incredible IQ in the center, really incredible, but the IQ falls after 2/3 from center to edges, still OK, but visible due to the difference to the IQ in the center. One may not see it on 24MP sensor, but with SL2 it is visible.

[Anakronox]

I have two wides: the Voigtlander Ultron 21mm f/1.8 Aspheric and the Hexanon Dual 21-35.  The Ultron performs excellently, but is a bit big.  I can’t recommend the Hexanon Dual as it’s extremely rare and has some distortion that must be tamed in post.  A truly fun lens though!

[Stuart Richardson]

6 hours ago, Photoworks said:

I have the SEM 21 3.4. It is quite good on the SL2. It is an interesting lens as it has less distortion the others in this focal length .

I recently got the Panasonic 20-60 and it is surprisingly better micro contrast then the SEM 21.

 

I tried out a copy of my friends 21mm SEM on my SL2, and I was surprised to find that my 550 dollar Sigma 24mm 3.5 was sharper and more even across the frame. The SEM was sharper on center, but the Sigma was the more consistent lens. Based on this experience and the words of people here saying that the Sigma 14-24mm is sharper than the Leica 16-35mm, I would not hesitate to give it a try. Based on the MTF's, the 16-35mm looks very good in the center and through much of the field, but it loses it pretty substantially in the edges and corners, and they do not get much better stopping down. The Sigma looks better in MTF, even if they do not correspond 1 to 1. It seems like until Leica releases the 21mm and/or 24mm Summicrons, Sigma might be the best choice for the wide angles. Certainly if cost/benefit is taken into account.

Edited December 11, 2021 by Stuart Richardson

[Simone_DF]

You can also consider one of the many Laowa wides like the 12, 14 or 15mm.

https://www.venuslens.net/

[SiggiGun]

I have the Vario 16-35mm SL. It's a "great" lens but big and heavy. Personally I'm fine withe 21SEM. I guess the best compromise is the WATE. I am considering to replace the big SL lens by the smaller M lens. Furthermore I consider Autofocus less important for this type of wide area lenses.

[Andrew Gough]

Just finished tring the Panasonic 24/1.8 and my Leica 16-35mm blew it away at F8. My Panasonic 16-35mm was better too. The panasonic is almost as good as the Leica 16-35mm, but the Leica has the micro contrast... My understanding is that the WATE is not there below F8, perhaps somebody has shot it on the SL2 could chime in?

Andrew

 

[AZN]

Leica Elmarit-R 19mm f/2.8 V2.  The only issue I have found is that the far corner-tips are vignetted pretty strongly - easy to fix in post.  Otherwise razor sharp across the frame.

[AZN]

17 hours ago, MrFriendly said:

 APO-Summicron-SL 24mm and 21mm.

I agree, they work especially well on the R10 digital…

[tedwill]

I picked up the Sigma 14-24 DG DN Art for my SL2 mainly for astro photography.  But I have been very impressed with the image quality.  I also have the 24-90 and the 90-280, so it fits in nicely to cover everything from 14 to 280mm.  

I agree with using the Super Elmar on your SL2 as well.  But for versatility and relatively low cost, the Sigma is pretty darn good.

Thanks,

-Ted

[SrMi]

On 12/11/2021 at 12:21 PM, AZN said:

I agree, they work especially well on the R10 digital…

R10? SL lenses on R10?

[SonomaBear]

When I used Canon gear, the little 20mm f/2.8, not even "L", was my go-to superwide

It is the lens never to be sold -- works very well with the Sigma Canon->SL adapter.

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Hallo,

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[Chuck Albertson]

I don't shoot much landscape, but the 21 SEM is great for street photography on the SL. Below is from a "Bollocks to Brexit" march a couple of years ago, and I was less than a meter from most of the people in the frame. The guy in the red hat - I don't know what his story is.

 

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[AZN]

6 hours ago, SrMi said:

R10? SL lenses on R10?

The R10 was a collector's edition Leica R mount digital camera.  24-bit, 500 MP and had a Leitz Universal Lensmout which meant it could mount any lens from any manufacturer, past or future. 

It came in an artisinal hand-carved Black Anthracite box and also included a handy Unicorn's Horn to use as a paint-tin opener…