Zeiss 21 f2,8 zm or Leica 21 f3,4?

[junichi94]

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Having a trouble choose between Zeiss 21 f2,8 zm or Leica 21 f3,4, since the price of Leica 21 3,4 is nearly three or four times higher than the Zeiss, is this lens worth it or Zeiss 21 2,8 is good enough?

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[spydrxx]

I use the CV 21/4. At that focal length I don't think exorbitant prices vs performance are worth it. Only you can determine which best fits your photographic demands, style, and budget. Suggest, if you can, you find a dealer and try out your choices so you aren't disappointed with your choice. 

[Olaf_ZG]

I guess it depends how important 21mm is to you. Due to coincidence, I got a 25mm biogon at the same time as a 24mm elmar. I decided to keep the latter as its size and handling was much better to me.

Now, having a 24mm from Leica, and 21mm being rather close, I wouldn’t again invest 3/4 times more, so I would take the Zeiss, especially as I loved the 21mm on the Contax G.

[ibramr]

Greetings.  My experience with the Zeiss 21mm f2.8 was excellent and enjoyable.  However, it lost to the Leica f3.4 because of haptics, marginally better performance, and coding, then to the Summilux because of the aperture (less haptics here, mind you).  So, it was a slow and pleasant journey.  It is noteworthy that the Zeiss 21mm is reported to be slightly narrower to the Leica equivalent but I didn’t find this observation an issue and I am indebted to Zeiss for the re-introduction, at that time, to this wonderful focal length efficiently and cost effectively.  Regards.  

[BillCB]

I went the Zeiss route. I find it to be very sharp and a bargain at the price. Highly recommended!

Took this yesterday. M11, 21 Biogon T at f8. Very sharp right into the corners but required a little light falloff correction in Capture One.

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[KFo]

Depends on what you are really after.  Cost aside, I will get the SEM 21/f3.4 when I find that the 21 prospective is important to a project.

It is a lower contrast lens, which for my way is important.  I have a Voitglander 21f/4.  It suits for the occasional use.

21 is not super important to my work but I do find it refreshing on occasion. 

It all depends on your vision for the 21.  I found it difficult to find my way into that prospective, but now have a handle on it.  The actual drawing of the lens is more important to me than the view, I don't know where you are in this scale.  Price; I image the voigtlander  is a bargain if you wish to play with that view.  

Edited November 12, 2023 by KFo

[paulleica]

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The Zeiss is the better choice. I would also have a look at the Voigtländer 21mm 3.5. It is very compact and on a par with the Leica 3.4 21mm.

[RexGig0]

Of the two listed choices, I would opt for the Leica Super Elmar-M 21mm option. My real-life choice, however, for color images, became the Cosina Voigtlander Nokton 21mm f/1,4 VM. Actually, when deciding whether to buy a Super Elmar-M 21mm ASPH, or an Elmar-M 24mm ASPH, I opted for the Elmar-M 24, then added the Voigtlander Nokton 21mm VM. There are other 21mm Cosina Voigtlander lenses that are more-compact than the Nokton, but, the size of the Nokton does not bother me, and evening/night shooting is increasingly important. (Viewfinder blockage is irrelevant with 21mm lenses, on M cameras, because the viewfinder, itself, has an angle-of-view equivalent to about 28mm, anyway.)

COLR SHIFT WARNING: There is a nicely-compact, sharp Zeiss 21mm ZM lens that is better-corrected for geometric distortion than the Biogon 21mm f/2.8 ZM, but, the images will show color shift on pre-M11 digital M cameras. (The color shift effect does not seem to affect M11 images.) It is the Zeiss C-Biogon 21mm f/4,5 ZM, with no noticeable geometric distortion, and probably optically-better-corrected, overall, except for color, than Zeiss’ wider-maximum-aperture Biogon 21mm f/2.8 ZM. I bought this one, when I only wanted a 21mm M-mount lens for use on the 246 Monochrom. (Monochrom cameras are not bothered by this color shift.) Three or four years later, in 2022, I decided to add an ultra-wide-angle M-mount suitable for color images, which resulted in my adding the Elmar-M 24 and then Nokton 21.

Edited November 12, 2023 by RexGig0

[BillCB]

I find Sean Reid's tests (reidreviews.com) very useful in determining which lenses to buy for the M system. His opinion led me to the Zeiss Biogon T 21/f2.8.

[hunterits]

I have rented and tested both the 21 SEM and the Zeiss Biogon 2.8/21 ZM on a M11 and compared the images extensively. There is a slightly different look to the Leica 21 SEM, however I can change either in post processing to match the other. The Leica feels better to the touch to me on the camera. Love the handling, but not enough to buy the Leica over the Zeiss. I ended up buying the Zeiss because the performance was outstanding and frankly no one would be able to tell the difference with a final print. If money was no object, I would buy the Leica. However, it is a consideration, and I would rather spend the extra savings on other future equipment.

Whichever lens you end up with, you will be happy with as they are both outstanding lenses.

J.

[Xavier]

I have had both lenses.

I first got the ZM shortly after I bought an M9. It was ok in the center, but I had quite a bit of color shift in the corners (Italian flag...). I tried coding, but without too much success (I was not good at it back then), and setting the lens type to any kind of 21 Elmarit or other did not solve it.

Then, I got the SEM (I found a used sample). The optical quality has always been perfect, both on my M9 and on my SL2s. The ZM has now been sold.

Is the cost of the SEM worth it ? It depends how important the 21mm focal length is for you. Also, if I were looking for a compact 21 now on a budget, I would look at the Voigtlander /3.5 too.

[nameBrandon]

This is a pretty timely discussion for me! I've just been down a 21mm rabbit hole, here was my decision based on the following priorities (ranked in importance to me) for use on my M11 (in combination with the 50 Summicron, and Q3 (for 28/35mm lengths).

1. Size / Weight - I need this to tuck into the corner bottom of a bag and be there without really being noticeable.
2. Distortion (I use 21 quite often for cityscape / architectural work)
3. Across the frame sharpness
4. Price
5. Hood / Shade size and integration

 

These are the lenses I looked at (either from reviews, or actually used).

Have owned previously or rented recently

• Voigtlander 21 1.8 - Too big, non-removable hood. Loved the ability to shoot at night, though.
• Voigtlander 21 1.4 - Same as above, except for the hood. I remember this sitting in my cabinets for months unused before I decide to sell it.
• Voigtlander 21 f/4 - Perhaps I had a bad copy, but had some pronounced distortion and vignetting, and was disappointing in the sharpness category
• Voigtlander 21 3.5 - Really dislike their aperture tab wings, and field curvature was going to be a deal-breaker

Researched

• Zeiss 21 4.5 - Almost went this route, everything I looked at said it was great, but at $800 USD used we're getting into my "if you're going to spend that much, might as well get the best one" range. I was also a bit concerned about the lack of ASPH elements and sharpness, and I happen to dislike the Zeiss focusing nub.
• Zeiss 21 2.8 - Too long (almost 50% longer than the SEM, more than twice as long as the ZM 4.5). A bit of moustache distortion, which can impact critical images. Otherwise, a great option.
• Leica 21 Elmarit ASPH - This was a contender, but given the size/weight/distortion/price relative to the SEM it didn't make a lot of sense to me.
• Leica 21 Elmarit-M Pre-ASPH - Across the frame sharpness was a concern, a lot of reports of corner smearing.
• Leica 21 Super-Angular - Challenge here was really being able to find a clean copy at a decent price. I didn't want to get a lens only to have it sent off to DAG for months.
• Leica 21 3.4 SEM - This was ultimately the winner, based on size, performance and price. I managed to get a good deal (~$1,900 USD) and am a fan of the screw on hood a la 35 Lux.

 

Ultimately the decision for me was between the ZM 21/4.5, the 21 Elmarit ASPH and the SEM. The 21 Elmarit ASPH was only ~$400-$500 USD lower than the SEM, and all the glowing reports on the SEM (and being a more modern design, with 6-bit coding, etc..) led me down that path. The 21 4.5 was a great value option, but I was concerned about getting a good used copy and buying new was going to cost me quite a bit in depreciation if I ever changed my mind a decided to sell it (also very hard to sell the 21 4.5 in any decent amount of time from my research), not to mention f/4.5 felt too slow for anything indoors. The SEM would be much easier to re-sell if I changed my mind, the 3.4 was right at the edge of indoor usability to me, and honestly I just prefer having a Leica lens over a ZM.

 

 

 

[plasticbath]

Used the 21 Elmarit for years and picked up the Zeiss 21 2.8 earlier this year as an upgrade. Absolutely fabulous lens. I would pick the Zeiss over the Leica every day. I use a 21 quite regularly and have tried a lot of them. Nothing to complain about on the Zeiss imo.