15mm lens - coupled or not?

[thegman]

I've been looking at some great wide angle landscape shots, and it's made me think about getting a wide angle lens like the 15mm Voigtlander. One quick question I've got, is it worth getting the rangefinder-coupled one for a bit extra money, or is the scale focus one perfectly good?

I expect for most landscape shots, I'd just set it to infinity, but for other shots, like on the street, would rangefinder coupling be a major advantage?

Cheers

Garry

 

[chris00nj]

The coupled lens provides no advantage. Even at f/4.5, set focus at 6 feet, and everything is in focus from 3 feet to infiniti.

I walked around Europe with a coupled 21mm lens (a couple rangefinder) but I'm not sure if I ever had to focus due to the depth of field.

 

[andredossantos]

IMHO, the advantage of the m mount version is the ability to mount filters. That being said I own the LTM version and have no plans of trading up.

 

[Fotohuis]

Indeed an easy filter mount and no adapter when using a M - mount camera. The coupling for this 15mm lens is less important.

 

[hiromu]

I don't see any advantage if you shoot film only and if you don't use filters.
Plus, LTM version comes with the finder, where more expensive M-mount version does not.

I personally use M-mount version as I shoot with M8 as well.
Hiromu

 

[f16sunshine]

Agree with all others. There are solutions for mounting filters onto the LTM version if you really want to do so. Search the site and you will find a couple examples of how to go about making a Custom thread mount for the lens. It's a great performer for wide fans. You'll really enjoy whichever you choose.

 

[thegman]

I do use filters, a warm up for colour film in particular, will have to maybe consider the coupled version I think.

Thanks for all the replies.

Garry

 

[Tom A]

If you already own a 15f4.5 in LTM and dont need to use filters (and have taught yourself to keep knuckles away from the frame) - I would not bother switching. If, however you are contemplating buying a 15 - I would look at the M-mount.
For landscape, the ease of using filters is handy. 52 mm filters are freely available in virtually every type. The "blue-tac" and "gaffer tape" mounting on the LTM is a bit of a hassle.
The focussing ability is not an issue in most cases, but if you are working in close - it helps - particularly on a body like the R4 Bessa which will focus down to 0.5 meters with it. At f4.5 and 0,5 meters - you will see a difference from precise focussing with a rangefinder and a guesstimated focus. It also is handy on M8's and RD1's as the 1.3 -1.5 factor "pushes" the focal length to 21 and 25 respectively and thats when rangefinder coupling is nice.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Garry,

Quite honestly, anyone who can't guess the distance accurately enough for a scale-focus 15mm probably shouldn't be taking pictures.

Cheers,

R.

 

[thegman]

Roger, probably, yes, but I've never used such a wide angle lens, so I don't really know the ins and outs of them just yet. I've seen a few shots with wide angle lenses like the 15mm, some by Al Kaplan and I like the look, so I think I'll start looking around for an M mount one.

 

[ampguy]

The LTM version focuses closer - 0.3m compared to 0.5m for the M-mount version. The LTM version is about 30% smaller overall, if this matters.

 

[thegman]

Close focus is not a big thing for me, or the size, from what I can see, they're both pretty small. I like the effect of a warm up filter, so I think the M mount one is the one for me.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Quite honestly, anyone who can't guess the distance accurately enough for a scale-focus 15mm probably shouldn't be taking pictures.

I agree with Roger 100%. If you cannot scale focus a 15mm lens, you will also be unable to walk down a flight of stairs or step over a curb.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger, probably, yes, but I've never used such a wide angle lens, so I don't really know the ins and outs of them just yet. I've seen a few shots with wide angle lenses like the 15mm, some by Al Kaplan and I like the look, so I think I'll start looking around for an M mount one.

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across as supercilious. But d-o-f really is ENORMOUS.

Cheers,

R.

 

[thegman]

No offence taken, after reading a bit about 15mm lenses and putting the details into an online DOF calculator, I can see that I need not worry at all about focusing these things. Now I need to decide if a filter thread is important to me, and if it's worth the extra pennies.

 

[binky]

not to give you more to agonize over, but the LTM version is cheaper and comes with an external viewer, which is nice. An adapter is not that expensive, and it's nice to be able to use it on an old Leica.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Yeah, it seems to me that, unless you really need the filter ring, it's a no-brainer. LTM + finder.

I'm one of those people who added a ring for use on crop sensor (M8 and GF1):

 

[binky]

Yeah, it seems to me that, unless you really need the filter ring, it's a no-brainer. LTM + finder.

I'm one of those people who added a ring for use on crop sensor (M8 and GF1):

this is a great hack! how would I go about doing this too?

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

There's a guy named Ben who comes on here sometimes who devised this method...you just pop the glass out of an inexpensive 39mm filter, grind off the male side, and sand it down until you can wedge it in there...you can firm it up with a bit of epoxy or silicon glue. He used a brass B&W filter, but mine is a cheap aluminum Tiffen or something...

 

[binky]

There's a guy named Ben who comes on here sometimes who devised this method...you just pop the glass out of an inexpensive 39mm filter, grind off the male side, and sand it down until you can wedge it in there...you can firm it up with a bit of epoxy or silicon glue. He used a brass B&W filter, but mine is a cheap aluminum Tiffen or something...

Thanks...unfortunately, even cheap 39mm filters are not cheap. But it'll be a DIY down the line