Leica LTM 15mm f/4.5 CV lens

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
Rob-F

Rob-F

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There have been many favorable comments about this lens. The only 15mm I own is the 15/3.5 Nikkor, which I used mostly on the D300. Now that I have a D700, I don't use it much any more. But now I've acquired an M8.2. If I were to sell the Nikkor and switch to using a 15 on the M8, it would let me have a 20mm effective coverage.

Before taking this step, I have two questions:

1. How is the cv 15mm for distortion? I would use it for architectural shots. The Nikkor is very good.

2. What flare, reflection, and ghosting issues does it have? The Nikkor is bad!

TIA!
 
Most fun lens I use.

1. Not appreciable
2. no problem


CV15mm004.jpg
 
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Agree with bigeye, a very fun lens to use, especially good for those suffering from claustrophobia.

Here are two I took with a CV 15 mm on loan (complete with shade and viewfinder) during our NY RFF meet up. This was used with a Leica IIIf. (For the close up 0.3 meter shot of one of our RFF members you can see it in the thread for the NY regional club's May meet up)

(though it's not, the name of this club in the picture below could refer to a photography club: "Welcome to Gold Finger's Infinity Club")
Rangefinder%2525205%25252022%25252011%252520infinity%252520club.jpg


Rangefinder%2525205%25252022%252520No%252520Smoke.jpg
 
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Sparrow said:
... where is the distortion in that photo? it look's perfect to me
Click to expand...

The CV 15mm distorts to the corners on a diagonal. It does keep horizontals and vertical intact but there is a "stretching" which causes circular/globe shaped articles to take on an oval/egg shape when caught in the corner of the composed frame.

I'm sure you can find some examples on flickr, especially if you look at street photographs and look at the rendition of heads in the corners of the photograph.
 
get the lens,
you can always just tease the viewer and claim the subjects really did have that shape head, in the corners of your shot.
 
jan normandale said:
The CV 15mm distorts to the corners on a diagonal. It does keep horizontals and vertical intact but there is a "stretching" which causes circular/globe shaped articles to take on an oval/egg shape when caught in the corner of the composed frame.

I'm sure you can find some examples on flickr, especially if you look at street photographs and look at the rendition of heads in the corners of the photograph.
Click to expand...

Ah, projection distortion, not any type of lens aberrations, not a design fault
 
Hold it flat and you might guess the images are from a flat 28mm or 35mm (like Jan's savanna above) or cock it for some interesting perspective distortion (like HLing's). It's small, inexpensive and well made.

I wish all the camera gear that I have bought was as delightful in all aspects.

- Charlie

PS - I prefer the basic plastic viewfinder, but the accessory metal one clears the speed dial on the IIIf, so I use that. Not an issue on an M. Either are better than the SWC's <crowd gasps>, which can make you seasick.
 
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Since you'll be using it on a cropped sensor, distortion in the corners will be less of an issue than on 35mm film, me thinks.
 
Pablito said:
Much as we like RF cameras, it is hit-or-miss to use them for architectural work. SLR is much more accurate...
Click to expand...

True, true. Or as Audrey Hepburn said (as Holly Golightly) in Breakfast at Tiffany's: "True but irreverable." (She was drunk at the time.) I do use a D700 when it's practical. But there will be trips when I will only take the M8.2.
 
I've had one since they first came out. It doesn't get used much, or at least as much as it should be. It works well on either film Ms (with an adapter) or the M8. I'll probably never know if it works with an M9. It's a wonderful lens but be prepared to stand very, very close.
 
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