Which 21s pair well with the newer digital Ms?

[M8X2]

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Hi folks,

I want to try out whether a 21 could be right for me. This focal length is certainly not super popular but I have seen very nice shots done on 21s. I am a bit concerned about weight, which is why I have some reservations against the bulky wide-aperture ones like the 21 Lux or the Voigtlander 21 1.4. I intend to pair the lens with an M11 and I want to do street and nature with it. It can have character but it would still be great to be able to get some level of sharpness and correctable levels of distortion.

Do you happen to have any recommendations? I don‘t mind cost as much as depreciation, so I am not against buying a used or new Leica like the SEM.

[Smudgerer]

The Leica 21mm SEM, by a long chalk...........I occasionally deeply regret selling mine even though it's a FL I rarely use.

Having said that the Voigtlander 21mm Color Skopar is a terrific little lens too, not to be underestimated.

[lct]

On M11, all the following lenses work well: Elmarit 21/2.8 asph, Super-Angulon 21/3.4, Super-Elmar 21/3.4 asph, Skopar 21/3.5, Skopar 21/4, Biogon 21/4.5. My recommendation, try a Skopar 21/4 to begin with and see if it's suits you, or keep it if you're on a budget. Happy snaps 😊

Edited April 17 by lct

[SiggiGun]

21SEM

[M11 for me]

I fully agree with the SEM. This is a wonderful lens.

[PCPix]

2 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

Leica 21mm SEM, by a long chalk...........

No further comment…😎

[Steve Ash]

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SEM21 on M11M

 

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[Carlos cruz]

Depends on the sensor lenses working nicely on m11 can still give you italian flag on m10 and m240. I am using super angulon on m10 it gives you only half of italian flag on m10, on the other hand close focus of 40 cm is well worth it for me. One could try to find a rare elmarit with same minimum focus but most of them are staying in glass cabinets. 

[Topsy]

I have the Elmarit-M f2.8 ASPH on my M9 and I am really happy with it, it isn't bulky or particularly heavy. When I go out into the landscape it is by far my most used lens.

[M8X2]

It seems like the opinions on the 21 SEM are mixed. Some like it, some love it. Thanks for your input!

[lct]

31 minutes ago, M8X2 said:

It seems like the opinions on the 21 SEM are mixed. Some like it, some love it. Thanks for your input!

And one have it but don't use it much TBH... I prefer lenses with character, or if they have little of it, with more compactness than the SEM. For more character on the M11, i use preferably the Super-Angulon 21/3.4 or the Biogon 21/4.5. For more compactness, the Skopar 21/4 or again the Biogon 21/4.5.  Matter of tastes i guess, you cannot go wrong with the SEM anyway.

[wda]

Have you considered renting one?

[Carlos cruz]

8 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

Not on M10.

Could be my lens but code or not I still see hints of magenta on the right side of the frame (subtle with code enabled) Maybe I am too picky or just like to complain. 

[Carlos cruz]

Super angulon 3.4 late s/n. Maybe 21s with less symmetrical design fare better. Skopar 21/4 was much worse. 

[Derbyshire Man]

Depends what you want to do. I’ve got both the SEM21 and the CV 21mm f1.4. The former is good for landscape/architecture but the latter much better for environmental portraiture and street due to the ability to have a surprisingly shallow DOF. Prefer carrying the SEM though, even still CV21 gets out more. 

[Riccardo.asselta]

Mi permetto di consigliarti il Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f3,5, lente molto performante, dal peso e dimensioni contenute (180 gr), buona nitidezza su tutto il frame, ben corretto per la distorsione e soprattutto molto economico. Non essendo tra le mie focali preferite e che utilizzerò non assiduamente ho fatto questa scelta.

[chris7273]

The skopar 21mm f/4 is always in my bag or in my pocket as it's light and small. 

The image quality is ok for me (M11 body, no experience with other M's). I use the visoflex 2 or the screen so I can see directly if flare is present (and also my finger...). I wouldn't use it with an optical viewfinder as the lens flares easily and it can ruin a photo. 

 

[pgk]

17 hours ago, M8X2 said:

It seems like the opinions on the 21 SEM are mixed. Some like it, some love it. Thanks for your input!

Its a lens which its difficult to fault. I've owned a lot of 20/21 lenses from many manufacturers (I still own one - a 20/1.8 Sony), but for my money the 21SEM is the finest out there by far. Perhaps not my most used lens but it never fails to satisfy when I do use it.

[jakontil]

I have the skopar 21/4 it was a great lens and my landscape/architectural tool.. but since i got the SEM, the former now paired with the BW films

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Hallo,

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[bocaburger]

My personal experience is with the M240 and 21 Elmarit PRE-Asph and Voigtlander Skopar f/4.  In B&W I like them both.  In colour the Skopar coded as the Elmarit PRE-Asph still has an odd one-sided colour cast which I can't seem to satisfactorily eradicate in post.  So despite loving it's diminutive size and e39 filter size I don't travel with it, and instead put up with the size/weight of the Elmarit which functions flawlessly on the M240 (coded as itself...not un-coded).  I have at times opted to bing instead the 15mm Voitlander V3  which has no issues, and crop to 21mm FOV.   This way I've got 2 significantly different focal lengths in one lens.