21 v8 summilux or 21 super elmar

[Dsauro]

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Hi All

I’m thinking of adding a 21mm to my lens inventory.   

I’m wondering who has had experience with both and which did you end up settling on.

I know both are sharp at 3.4 on up,  but how does the vignetting and edge sharpness compare between the two. 
Is one sharper than the other ?

I am leaning toward the ‘Lux because of the potential for foreground/background flexibility.  But since I shoot mostly landscape, is the increased price worth the flexibility of the all around potential of the lens.

Your thoughts and experience much appreciated 

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[Ecar]

6 hours ago, Dsauro said:

I’m wondering who has had experience with both and which did you end up settling on.

I know both are sharp at 3.4 on up,  but how does the vignetting and edge sharpness compare between the two. 
Is one sharper than the other ?

I have both, assuming that by "21 v8 Summilux" you mean the current 21/1.4. Different horses. I don't do detailed comparisons, but I'd say the SEM is perhaps a tad sharper/'clearer' than the Summilux at the same f-stop, with marginally lower distortion. This includes the edges and corners of the frame. I'd suggest you go to a dealer and try both.

6 hours ago, Dsauro said:

But since I shoot mostly landscape, is the increased price worth the flexibility of the all around potential of the lens.

That's up to you to decide. What's the share of landscape vs. other environments? What's your "landscape style"? Does weight/bulk matter to you? What other lenses do you have? Etc.

FWIW, for "classic landscape" (if there's such a thing) I'd pick the SEM.

Edited September 4, 2024 by Ecar

[fil-m]

I can share my experience as it might help even though I don't exactly match your configuration. I'd use my Lux 24 (quite similar to the 21 in terms of image rendering characteristics) mostly for street shots as the wider aperture allows me to slightly separate the subject of interest from the background, giving some extra depth and "emotion" to the image. I use the SEM 21 for landscape or even street shots (plus the occasional family shot!) as a compact "point and shoot" practical lens because at 3.4 everything would be mostly in focus starting from a certain distance. It makes the SEM an extremely practical lens at the expense of a weak potential at subject separation. The sharpness of the SEM 21, plus its minimal distortion and across the frame consistency are amazing, clearly above my Lux 24.

I don't see the Lux 24 or 21 as the most optimal landscape lens even though it would work, but in my opinion the SEM will give sharper images across the frame with less distortion, CA etc. 

MY recommendation: the Lux 21 in case you need the occasional shot with subtle subject separation, but that would come at the cost of less sharpness across the frame even at slower aperture, more distortion and obviously way more bulk. Also the Lux 21, in case you need non-perfect images in which aberrations play a certain role, out of your control   unlike the SEM 21 that always strives to create a close-to-perfect reproduction of what you see, in a very compact package. 

[LeicaR10]

Dsauro,   I have owned both lenses over time.  The previous posters have offered some sage advice.  I could offer mine, but it gets down to how you wish to render your landscapes.  The 21 Summilux is softer wide open, the 21 SEM is certainly more highly resolving.  Perhas if you take a look at the two links below, it will give you a good idea how both render.   Others may chime in about the filter sizes if you use filters.  Then it will be your choice and of course how much damage you wish to do to your bank account.

 r/ Mark

Try:  https://onfotolife.com

21 Lux  Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lens_sample_photos?lens_id=335&page=1&focal_min=0&focal_max=800&aperture_min=0&aperture_max=32

21 SEM Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lens_sample_photos?lens_id=336&page=1&focal_min=0&focal_max=800&aperture_min=0&aperture_max=32

[RexGig0]

17 hours ago, Dsauro said:

Hi All

I’m thinking of adding a 21mm to my lens inventory.   

I’m wondering who has had experience with both and which did you end up settling on.

I know both are sharp at 3.4 on up,  but how does the vignetting and edge sharpness compare between the two. 
Is one sharper than the other ?

I am leaning toward the ‘Lux because of the potential for foreground/background flexibility.  But since I shoot mostly landscape, is the increased price worth the flexibility of the all around potential of the lens.

Your thoughts and experience much appreciated 

I own neither Leica 21mm lens, but having seriously researched the acquisition of the Summilux 21mm, in the past, I should mention, after seeing your  “mostly landscapes,” that using your favored filters with a Summilux-M 21mm lens is no simple task. There is noticeable complex distortion, which must be dealt with, during post-processing, unless that is the character that one desires. There is also considerable field curvature, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but, one has to learn to work with this characteristic.

Personally, I chose to buy a Zeiss 21mm f/4,5 ZM for black & white photography, and, later, a Cosina Voitglander Nokton 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical. Both of these lenses accept threaded filters, of readily-available sizes.

Disclaimer: I live in the southern tier of the USA’s “fly-over country,” with a minuscule population of Leica M shooters, and where the scarce few Leica dealers do not keep any of the rarer lenses in stock, so, I have never seen, much less handled or tested a Summilux-M 21mm lens.

Edited September 4, 2024 by RexGig0

[Eoin]

I use the Summilux 21 mainly wide open and up close. I have not used my Elmarit 21 Asph since. Though I kept it as a smaller 21.

I enjoy the effects it can create, I also like the way it exposes on both colour and monochrome sensors.
True, the series filters behind the lens hood are different, I use a set for monochrome and manage without difficulty.

Large size doesn't really bother me, neither the weight, but it is large and heavy and at the same time slips nicely into the bag when no longer needed.

If edge sharpness is important to you, then aperture for aperture the Elmarit or SEM are ahead, but neither of those can do what the Summilux 21 does at f/1.4.

Personally speaking, I prefer the Summilux 24 of all the wide Summilux, just by virtue of the perspective. It tends to live on my camera. The 21 is only called on for a more dramatic viewpoint or I specifically need its width.

Your general aperture use case should inform your buying decision, fwiw. 

 

[ALScott]

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I wish there was a side by side of the 21 lux and 21 elmarit somewhere.  I found one that gives a little info but not great.  I have narrowed it to these two.  I don't think I want or need the crunchy (best word I can think of as how I see it)  resolution of the Elmar.  I looked at the onfotolife links above and I guess, to my eye, the Elmar looks sharper, a bit, but not by a mile.  I am more interested in the separation of subject and background that is possible with the Lux over the Elmarit and even more over the Elmar.  I am still torn on which though as a used Elmarit is about half the cost of a used Lux.  Then, for either I have to get a Visoflex too = more cost.

[ChrisS]

With the 'Lux you'll need a Visoflex to nail the focus, with the Elmarit an external optical finder which would lower the cost even more should suffice.

[ALScott]

Visoflex 2, 21 Lux and 75 Summarit all on the way.  Can't wait to try the 21 Lux.  I have a lot of high hopes for that lens.

[ALScott]

Quite happy with the 21 Lux tests.  No front or rear focusing and dead on minimum distance.  I don't thing the vignetting is as bad as some things I saw online.  Bottom left is a bit was a bit dark anyway.  This is at f1.4 1/125 ISO640.  Took a few of the wife also and they look even better, sharper, and just in ambient light in the house.  It was tough focusing on the batteries with Visoflex, RF or Live View.  I don't quite have the hang of LV or EVF yet.  It doesn't always magnify.  I think it's something I am doing or not doing.

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[Ecar]

12 hours ago, ALScott said:

I don't quite have the hang of LV or EVF yet.  It doesn't always magnify.  I think it's something I am doing or not doing.

Depends on your camera body (M240, M10 or M11) and, more importantly, on your settings. The behaviour of LV (I never use it) or EVF (I use it occasionally) is fairly customisable in the menus.

Edited December 23, 2024 by Ecar