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Very wide angle M work


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Scott, I've not used either of those lenses, but I do have the VC 15mm. A much more difficult lens to use succesfully - at least in my experience. Much more so than a 21mm for example.

 

It's very easy to underexpose photographs because the lens can take in so much of the sky. Verticals and horizontals are also difficult to get right - and faces towards the edge of the frame can look very odd indeed due to the angle of view.

 

After saying that, it's so wide that looking through the viewfinder gives you a totally different perspective of the world and I wouldn't get rid of mine.

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I have the VC 15mm too. It's a "dramatic" lens, and it's extreme perspective can be used to good advantage.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

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Here's another VC Heliar 15mm.

Sorry, I'm too in a hurry to crop it straight for you.

 

Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Barcelona Spain.

M7 / Ektachrome 100G

 

-Ron

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Scott,

 

The trick with W/A is to look closely @ the foreground. That is the part that dominates. If it has no interest for the pic, keep it out. If your image has a centre of visual interest, try to manipulate it into the foreground.

 

I have attached my version of Ron's subject, the Familia Sabgada. I chose to exclude the foreground because it did not contribute to the subject. Mine was shot with the CV 15 Heliar, but using the Epson RD-1, so there is the crop factor to consider. But the rule (if there is one) is still thesame. The wider the lens, the more you need to control your foreground.

 

Cheers,

Erl

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Thanks for all the help. Seeing your images help me visualize the perspective and distortion.

 

Bill, the pool shot is really cool, one of the questions was in its use as a lens for people work, your image works well.

 

I was thinking of getting one of the two lenses I highlighted to make drama in background skies or foreground subjects to scenes. The other use would be for images of people in confined spaces. The 21mm was usually enough for this though.

 

I will definitely look at the VC 15mm as an option now.

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Scott,

 

Here is one with people interest taken with CV 15 Heliar. My son (on my wife's lap in the picture) is now 4 years old.

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The VC15 and the Zeiss 15mm are not coupled with the finder, so you always focus "blind". That´s not a big deal when using a film based camera (Crop 1). With the M8 you may get in trouble in the near distances. I used the prototype of the new Tri-Elmar in summer and was really impressed by it´s versatility. If you are seriously thinking of spending so much money, Zeiss demands for their Distagon, you should think about the Tri-Elmar as the maybe better choice. It has the 6-bit-coding, you can focus it with the rangefinder and are more flexible with the angles. And it´s smaller and much lighter compared to the Zeiss-tank. I have the VC15 and am very pleased with the results. It´s sharp, light and small.

 

Ron

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And it´s smaller and much lighter compared to the Zeiss-tank

 

Unless you use the supplied viewfinder of course :-)

 

Scott, the DOF is enormous on a 15mm lens, I don't have my CV to hand so I can't give you an example, but I think you'll be find it easy to zone focus it.

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Chris, thanks for sharing the image. Is that a true 15 or on the M8 (perspective)?

 

Ron, thanks for the info, I hadn't realized the "blind" focusing for those lenses. Do you at least get DOF markings or is it truly blind??

 

Hi Scott,

 

The image of my wife and son is a true 15mm perspective taken with Leica M4 (I think film was Fuji Reala 100). Sorry for the late reply. Nowadays I don't have the luxury of time to check-in regularly.

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Problem with these superwides, I find, is that they are 15mm vertically and horizontally, I would much prefer 35mm vertically and 15mm horizontally ..... It's great for taking pictures from some sort of elevation, tilting the camera to disregard the foreground results into strong distortion of the image, falling lines or whatever they are called. Another issue is that you have to keep the camera straight at al times otherwise images will look messy.... apart from that they are great lenses with a lot of potential. I actually have just ordered the 12 and 15, I will use them for a special project I am starting.

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Chris, how much contrast is lost when the lens is wide open (any chance you have an image handy at wide open or 5.6+)? I envisioned using the lens in low light to get perspective and DOF in confined spaces. If wide open isn't useful, then the price of that aperture would be wasted.

 

Maybe I should take my MP into a dealer and make a few images in the store wide open IF I can find a local one that does not need to be ordered.

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I used the prototype of the new Tri-Elmar in summer and was really impressed by it´s versatility. If you are seriously thinking of spending so much money, Zeiss demands for their Distagon, you should think about the Tri-Elmar as the maybe better choice. It has the 6-bit-coding, you can focus it with the rangefinder and are more flexible with the angles.

 

Hi, Ronald ... could you show us a sample taken with the new T-E? if not, can you at least comment on its distortion control please? this seems to the last and only Leica glass I'll buy. :)

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Scott,

 

If my memory serves me well, the picture of my wife and son was taken at f5.6 (as it was early in the morning and not yet too bright). You can see the result yourself. The print looks even better than the screen.

 

With the CV 15mm lens, I only shoot with either f5.6 or f8.0. All other f stops are not that great.

 

Hope this helps.

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