Looking for a compact wide angle to use with LPC

[miguelcoelho]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi everyone,

I have both the 28mm PC Super-Angulon and the Zeiss 35mm PC-Distagon (C/Y), which I really enjoy using for architectural and urban landscape work. However, I’m preparing for a month-long trip and hoping to avoid carrying shift lenses this time around.

I’ve recently “discovered” Leica’s Perspective Control in-camera and have been very happy with the results. While it’s not a full replacement for movements, is more than good enough for most of the situations. This got me thinking: I’d like to bring a smaller, wide-angle lens for the SL2, ideally something I can use alongside a few M lenses for a lighter, more compact kit (I’m bringing the 35 and 50 crons).

I’ve been considering the Zeiss Biogon 25mm ZM, but I’m also open to other suggestions, M-mount or not. I tried the Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary, but didn’t find it quite as sharp as many seem to report.

Any recommendations for small, high-performing wide-angle lenses (24–28mm range) that pair well with the SL2, particularly with LPC? I’m prioritizing portability, low distortion and sharpness, and I’m open to any mount as long as it works well adapted.

Thanks in advance!

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Carlos cruz]

Considering how LPC operates, giving you much smaller part of the whole frame I’d rather use something wider than 24. I’ve heard only good things about sl summicron 21. I don’t have sl, but if you consider m lenses there’s plenty to choose from, tiny color skopar 21/3.5, Nokton 21/1.4, zeiss zm 21/2.8 or 4.5, Super elmar 21/3.4. Read first how these wide angles work with your sl body, Italian flag syndrome, heavy vignette etc

edit: I know how irritating it must be to ask specifically for lenses within 24-28 (sorry) but amount of mm you’re losing with LPC is horrendous . I’d double check how wide do you need to start to end up within your specified range. There are some nice 15 and 18 mm lenses waiting to be discovered

Edited June 15 by Carlos cruz

[Doc_P]

Miguel, unfortunately: you get what you schlepp.... Since you use an SL2: la raison d'être for the SL-bodies are the ApoSummicrons... Why spent so much money if not using the AF benchmark lenses (maybe Zeiss Otus is competitive).

My recommendation: the ApoSummicron 2/21 - top notch image quality - second to none, effectively nearly a 19mm (if you use Capture One or Dxo Photolab to push the image size). If you need wider: Stitch.

Dxo Viewpoint might help, too...

[agfa100]

The Sigma 24mm f 3.5 is small and really sharp.....

[miguelcoelho]

21 hours ago, Carlos cruz said:

Considering how LPC operates, giving you much smaller part of the whole frame I’d rather use something wider than 24. I’ve heard only good things about sl summicron 21. I don’t have sl, but if you consider m lenses there’s plenty to choose from, tiny color skopar 21/3.5, Nokton 21/1.4, zeiss zm 21/2.8 or 4.5, Super elmar 21/3.4. Read first how these wide angles work with your sl body, Italian flag syndrome, heavy vignette etc

edit: I know how irritating it must be to ask specifically for lenses within 24-28 (sorry) but amount of mm you’re losing with LPC is horrendous . I’d double check how wide do you need to start to end up within your specified range. There are some nice 15 and 18 mm lenses waiting to be discovered

Thanks so much! this actually makes perfect sense. You’re absolutely right about how much field of view is lost with LPC cropping. I was fixated on the 24–28mm range, but realistically I should be looking at 18–21mm if I want to land in that zone after applying perspective correction.

I’ll try to get my hands on a Biogon 21 and do some testing. Seems like a good balance of size, performance, and cost. As much as I’d love the Super-Elmar, I can’t quite justify the price right now, especially for a travel kit.

Appreciate the thoughtful reply!

[miguelcoelho]

21 hours ago, Doc_P said:

Miguel, unfortunately: you get what you schlepp.... Since you use an SL2: la raison d'être for the SL-bodies are the ApoSummicrons... Why spent so much money if not using the AF benchmark lenses (maybe Zeiss Otus is competitive).

My recommendation: the ApoSummicron 2/21 - top notch image quality - second to none, effectively nearly a 19mm (if you use Capture One or Dxo Photolab to push the image size). If you need wider: Stitch.

Dxo Viewpoint might help, too...

Totally agree with you! The 21 sounds absolutely sublime and I have no doubt it’s second to none. That said, for this particular trip I’m consciously compromising a bit on ultimate performance in favor of portability. I’ve been surprisingly happy with my M-lenses on the SL2 (as well as some old Zeiss C/Y lenses).
Not sure I’m ready to open the Pandora’s box of SL lenses just yet… but I know it’s only a matter of time before one finds its way in.

[Carlos cruz]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Double check how biogon behaves on sl sensor. I use m10 so no experience with sl line. My 21 of choice is superangulon it’s small but heavy on character not so much on image definition, it’s up to 1970 standards. 

Edited June 16 by Carlos cruz

[miguelcoelho]

21 hours ago, agfa100 said:

The Sigma 24mm f 3.5 is small and really sharp.....

It really did seem perfect on paper: compact, sharp at f/5.6, minimal distortion. It was actually my first thought for this trip. But I must have ended up with a bad copy… or at least one that didn’t play well with my SL2. Interestingly, I tested it on the Sigma fp L and the performance was noticeably better (sharper, cleaner edges, and overall more satisfying results).

I couldn’t quite figure out why the difference was so pronounced. Might be sensor stack thickness, or maybe just sample variation?

[miguelcoelho]

9 minutes ago, Carlos cruz said:

Double check how biogon behaves on sl sensor. I use m10 so no experience with sl line. My 21 of choice is superangulon it’s small but heavy on character not so much on image definition, it’s up to 1970 standards. 

Thanks! interesting take: 

 

[Carlos cruz]

Looks like symmetrical design is a no-no for sl, you either fix it in the post or go for bigger retro focus lenses.

edit- some more reading material 

 

Edited June 16 by Carlos cruz

[miguelcoelho]

56 minutes ago, Carlos cruz said:

Looks like symmetrical design is a no-no for sl, you either fix it in the post or go for bigger retro focus lenses.

edit- some more reading material 

 

At this point, I’m pretty sure my Sigma 24mm was the black sheep of the production line...

[agfa100]

Ok, I use my Sigma 24mm f 3.5 on a Sigma fp, plus M lenses 35mm and up seem to work fine.

[miguelcoelho]

25 minutes ago, agfa100 said:

Ok, I use my Sigma 24mm f 3.5 on a Sigma fp, plus M lenses 35mm and up seem to work fine.

Maybe I should give another try! Probably I had a bad copy (bought second hand...)