Guest bwcolor Posted April 1, 2009 Share #1 Posted April 1, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I would appreciate comments and recommendations for 18mm lenses of good quality and modern design for Leica M8 series cameras. I know of the new Leica lens in that focal length, but wonder about older lenses and other manufactures. Thanks. And if there is some other thread I should be consulting, or publications too, advice would be appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 Hi Guest bwcolor, Take a look here 18mm lenses for Leica M . I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
adan Posted April 1, 2009 Share #2 Posted April 1, 2009 I'll assume you can accept a mm or so variation from 18mm - especially wider. > Zeiss makes an 18mm f/4 and a 15mm f/2.8 (huge!) in M-mount today > Canon made a 19mm f/3.5 in Leica screw-mount in the 1960's that can be adapted to M-mount like any Leica screw-mount lens http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/RF-Nikkor/Canon_RF/canonRF19mm25mm.htm. This lens sticks way back into the camera, though - it might be dangerous to the M8 shutter or foul on the inside of the camera chamber. > Most SLR lenses of the 18mm focal length can be adapted to the M-mount - no rangefinder connection, but they can be focused by guessing the distance and setting it on the lens focus ring. Nikon F mount is well-supported with F-to-M adapters, which means the 18mm f/2.8 AF-Nikkor, 18mm f/3.5 AIS Nikkor, and even the old 1970s 18mm f/4 Nikkor can be used this way, as well as Tokina and Tamron 17mm f/3.5 Nikon-mount lenses - and the currently-made Zeiss ZF 18mm f/4. SLR lenses in this focal length will generally be quite big, due to the retrofocus designs needed to leave room for an SLR's swinging mirror. Tokina 17mm f/3.5: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/images1/17-tokina-KEN_0076-big.jpg > Someone recently posted an image of a Zeiss Contarex 18mm f/4 from the 1960s adapted to M mount - the more recent Kyocera/Contax 18mm f/4 is probably also adaptable. > Canon's 19mm f/3.5 rangefinder lens was also made in Canon FL/FD SLR mount (as a mirror lockup lens) and there was also a retrofocus (no mirror lockup required) 19mm f/3.5 - http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00R/00RX7n-89775684.jpg. > Canon also offered 17mm f/4 SLR lenses. http://www.filmstarrentals.com/media/ccp0/prodlg/n-17mm-1.4.jpg There are some FD-M lens adapters out there - there are new ones currently available (Novoflex ). Canon also just introduced a Tilt-shift 17mm in EOS mount but it does not have an aperture ring. The main issue with any non-Leica lenses on the M8 is a) finding IR-cut filters in non-Leica sizes, and getting the correct coding and mount/frameline combination, because the M8 will ignore coding if the lens mount setting of the framelines does not match. At 18mm, you WILL get green corners using IR filters unless the M8 recognizes the lens and corrects for the corner color drift. Of the lenses I listed, the recent/current Nikkors and Zeisses should have pretty good performance. The 1960's lenses may be a bit fuzzier and low in contrast. I used the Tokina 17mm years ago on Nikon film cameras - just adequate. Have never tried the Tamron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted April 1, 2009 Share #3 Posted April 1, 2009 As may be gleaned from the above, the only modern alternative to the Leica offering is the Carl Zeiss Distagon 1:4/18mm T*. This lens can be had with a bayonet that keys in the proper 28/90mm framelines, and can be machined for coding by John Milich (and presumably some other people, but I have no personal experience of dealing with them). And it is very good indeed---see Sean Reid's review of it. There will also be made available a Cosina-Voigtländer 15mm Heliar which will accept a 52mm filter and will bde rangefinder coupled. The optics will be identical to the current Heliar, which means that it will be good. The only alternative to a new lens is if you happen to have available a good super wide-angle lens from a SLR system. Novoflex can supply useable adapters. You will have to scale-focus, but that is not too inconvenient. I have a Olympus OM 16mm semi-fisheye that can work that way, but it cannot take an external filter. You will also have to find an accessory finder of approximately the right focal length, and that is a different story. The Distagon is not ruinously expensive, and I recommend it from my own experience. The old man from the Age of 10.5cm Lenses (on roll-film folders, natch) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted April 1, 2009 Share #4 Posted April 1, 2009 Lars: Actually, the LEICA 18mm keys 50/75 framelines, I believe. So an adapted Zeiss ZM needs that mount as well (but a 28/90 can be machined down to work). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippe D. Posted April 1, 2009 Share #5 Posted April 1, 2009 Hi old man, the Carl Zeiss Distagon 1:4/18mm T*. This lens can be had with a bayonet that keys in the proper 28/90mm framelines, and can be machined for coding by John Milich... Don't need this any more, as the Super-Elmar shows the 50/75 framelines like the Distagon. Only three black strokes and you have the right EXIF. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mauribix Posted April 1, 2009 Share #6 Posted April 1, 2009 Philippe is right. I had the 18mm Zeiss ZM before, and I actually have the 18mm super Elmar Leica. To get the ZM recognized I had to split the m-mount bayonet by Zeiss and I coded it as a WATE. Actually I would have tried to code it as the new Leica 18mm. BTW, and this is actually just an impression, vignetting with the Super Elmar is far less pronounced than the Zeiss, so I guess somehow that coding the Zeiss as the Super Elmar could be not that efficent, IMHO. Few words to describe the Super-Elmar by Leica: light, super-sharp corner to corner, low vignetting if non at all and distortion almost invisible to norma eyes. Cheers, Maurizio Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted April 1, 2009 Share #7 Posted April 1, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I believe Sean has promised a review of the Super-Elmar and a comparision to the coded Zeiss Distagon in the near future... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sclamb Posted April 1, 2009 Share #8 Posted April 1, 2009 I couldn't wait so I got the Super-Elmar 18mm f/3.8. So far it is mightily impressive. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted April 2, 2009 Share #9 Posted April 2, 2009 To add a little complication. The ZM 18 can be had with the original 50/75 frame line operation, or modified by Zeiss to bring up the 28/90 frames. Alternatively the Milich replacement mount does the same thing. With the Zeiss modified mount it can only be coded as the WATE (which defaults to 18) with the original mount it could only be coded as the Super Elmar. So now you actually need to choose which Leica lens you wish to emulate. I'm not seeing any vignetting at all when coded as the WATE (UV/IR fitted) Dock skyline photo - Geoff Hopkinson photos at pbase.com Now that there will be a Leica option I look forward to upgrading when I can. Hi old man,Don't need this any more, as the Super-Elmar shows the 50/75 framelines like the Distagon. Only three black strokes and you have the right EXIF. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted April 2, 2009 Share #10 Posted April 2, 2009 To add a little complication.The ZM 18 can be had with the original 50/75 frame line operation, or modified by Zeiss to bring up the 28/90 frames. Alternatively the Milich replacement mount does the same thing. With the Zeiss modified mount it can only be coded as the WATE (which defaults to 18) with the original mount it could only be coded as the Super Elmar. So now you actually need to choose which Leica lens you wish to emulate. I'm not seeing any vignetting at all when coded as the WATE (UV/IR fitted) Dock skyline photo - Geoff Hopkinson photos at pbase.com Now that there will be a Leica option I look forward to upgrading when I can. I have the modified Zeiss that brings up the 28/90 frameline and is coded as a WATE... But I have talked to DAG and he can easily sand down the bayonet to bring up the 50/75 :-)... changing the codes is a simple matter of changing 2 whites to black... I am just waiting for Sean's review to decide if I want to go down that road or just bite the eventual GAS urge and get the Super Elmar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted April 2, 2009 Share #11 Posted April 2, 2009 Lars: Actually, the LEICA 18mm keys 50/75 framelines, I believe. So an adapted Zeiss ZM needs that mount as well (but a 28/90 can be machined down to work). I got mine before the 18mm Leica lens existed, so I coded it as a WATE. The Zeiss lens as normally issued does also bring up the 50/75mm framelines. The old man from the Age of 120 Film Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olsen Posted April 2, 2009 Share #12 Posted April 2, 2009 Few words to describe the Super-Elmar by Leica: light, super-sharp corner to corner, low vignetting if non at all and distortion almost invisible to norma eyes. Which describes in few words what possibly is the best 18 mm to be had on any digital 135 system. Possibly the best wide angle lens to be had on any digital camera. The new Leica Super-Elmar M 18 mm 3,8 should be in every M8 users toolbox. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted April 2, 2009 Share #13 Posted April 2, 2009 I now have the 18mm Zeiss. It originally brought up the 28/90 framelines but Malcolm Taylor has milled the coding slots (very neatly indeed) and adapted the mount so that it brings up the right framelines. I've coded it as if it was the Leica Elmarit 18 and it works beautifully. No vignetting to worry about and no cyan corners. SO nice to have the coupled range finder (compared with the 15 CV) and it matches the framelines using the WATE finder. For £600 I'm very happy - the one annoyance is that it didn't come with a lens hood and these can't be found for love nor money. Anyone any thoughts? I tried a screw-in B+W shade for wide angle and it obscures the range finder - so that's out. Someone I met mentioned actually blanking out a small portion of the filter to give a more rectangular entry for the light... It could work??? A couple of totally uninteresting examples below to give a sense of image quality. Best Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/81120-18mm-lenses-for-leica-m/?do=findComment&comment=860620'>More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted April 2, 2009 Share #14 Posted April 2, 2009 OMG - Someone on this forum has a clean kitchen! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carcam Posted April 2, 2009 Share #15 Posted April 2, 2009 Maurizio- since you have had both, how does the Leica comapre to the Zeiss. I just got the Zeiss and find it soft at times (may be me or something I'm doing thought). I imagine since you had the Zeiss and now have the new Leica, that you like it better. Thanks. Philippe is right.I had the 18mm Zeiss ZM before, and I actually have the 18mm super Elmar Leica. To get the ZM recognized I had to split the m-mount bayonet by Zeiss and I coded it as a WATE. Actually I would have tried to code it as the new Leica 18mm. BTW, and this is actually just an impression, vignetting with the Super Elmar is far less pronounced than the Zeiss, so I guess somehow that coding the Zeiss as the Super Elmar could be not that efficent, IMHO. Few words to describe the Super-Elmar by Leica: light, super-sharp corner to corner, low vignetting if non at all and distortion almost invisible to norma eyes. Cheers, Maurizio Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mauribix Posted April 2, 2009 Share #16 Posted April 2, 2009 OMG - Someone on this forum has a clean kitchen! hihihih:D:D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mauribix Posted April 2, 2009 Share #17 Posted April 2, 2009 Maurizio- since you have had both, how does the Leica comapre to the Zeiss. I just got the Zeiss and find it soft at times (may be me or something I'm doing thought). I imagine since you had the Zeiss and now have the new Leica, that you like it better. Thanks. Yep, anyway I didn't find the Zeiss "soft", for me it was incredibly sharp, with high micro and macro contrast. The Leica is lighter, and smaller. I find the hood of the Leica 18 more effective. To be sincere I don't have the UV/IR filter yet, so that may be why I had much more flare problems with the Zeiss. As soon as I get more comfortable with the Leica, I will give you more infos... ciao! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted April 5, 2009 Share #18 Posted April 5, 2009 Given that Adan quoted my Distagon 18 for Contarex... ... I haven'y yet had the opportunity to go out with it, but the test shots in interiors are surprising me for their quality... of course I wouldn't advise anyone to BUY one for this use... adapter is complicated, no hope of coding, filter is problematic... but I was very happy to find usable a lens that I considered by now almost as only a nice collectible... My bedroom... plus a 100% crop, f 5,6 - 320 ASA on M8. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/81120-18mm-lenses-for-leica-m/?do=findComment&comment=863675'>More sharing options...
pgk Posted April 5, 2009 Share #19 Posted April 5, 2009 The 19mm MkII R lens works very well too - I use one with an R-M adapter and estimate distance with good results. I'll try to find a shot to post idc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile Posted April 6, 2009 Share #20 Posted April 6, 2009 Lars, I have the exact same Zuiko 16mm f/3.5.....and no wide-angle on my M8 yet! How did you adapt it? Can you recommend a cheap source of OM to M adapters? Zone focussing is fine by me - that's how I've always used it. It's a nice light lens for an SLR, but it does flare quite badly and is a low-contrast lens. Even so, I'm happy to give it a whirl if I can find a cheap OM-M adapter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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