Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
I guess the first comment is not a comment, but a question - why were people wishy-washy about this lens?!
By way of introduction, this was Konica's last M-mount lens, and it's pretty clear, even from bad auto translations of the white paper on this lens, that it was designed to be a technological tour-de-force. Notably, it is very resistant to small-aperture diffraction at snapshot ranges: even at f/11, its MTH is shown to be (at 1.5m) in the high 90s for both the 10lp/mm and 30lp/mm targets.
In terms of its physical layout, the lens is not small, being about 57mm (2-1/4") long and having a 62mm front filter thread (the M8 camera will sit flat on its baseplate with this lens mounted). That said, it isn't really that much longer than a 21mm Elmarit ASPH and is shorter than the published size of the ZM 21/2.8 Biogon. The rear ring has a focusing tab; the center ring has a fairly wide grip, and the aperture ring in front is smaller and has different knurling. There are two aperture index marks: one for 21mm (orange) and one for 35mm (green). Likewise, there are dual depth of field markings (one set orange, one green). If you use a Leica Frankenfinder (the 16-28mm WATE finder), you can see the focal length and selected aperture through the finder.
The mechanics outdo even the other M-Hexanon lenses: smooth focusing with one finger and a very smooth click between 21mm and 35mm. The aperture clicking is not as pronounced as other M-Hexanons. Very nice. A bit nicer than a first generation Tri-Elmar. The only annoyance is the pin-registered hood (like the original 75mm Summilux and 50mm Noctilux).
In terms of optics, it's very, very sharp. In my tests of the 21mm setting (on a Leica M8), it resolved distant (2km) details right down to the point of causing moire (which in practical terms means that it is still outresolving the sensor). It did not exhibit any perceptible (or on an M8 measurable) focusing errors.
[Even had there been focusing errors, the cost of recollimating an M lens is only 5% of the typical selling price of this lens.]
There seems to be some buzz ("so-so performance") about the 35mm setting on this lens. I'm not sure what the source of this is (maybe the Erwin Puts review). The 35mm setting, tested at 1m and f/4, is equivalent to the performance of the 35/1.4 Summilux-ASPH (also at the same distance and f/4). If anyone other than Erwin is complaining about that, I'm not sure what lens out there is better (maybe the 35/2 Summicron ASPH?). And in further brief testing it seems to be at least as good as the 35mm setting on the Tri-Elmar.
Stopping down the lens does not make any big changes to vignetting or contrast. Vignetting is very mild on an M8 (if it's really even present at all). Contrast is high, but is not as high as the 28mm M-Hexanon (which some people believe renders too harshly).
Distortion is very mild, particularly for a retrofocus lens. There's a very tiny amount of barrel distortion at frame edge close-up (say, at 2m), but it's all but invisible at distances where you would be shooting architecture.
The finder is has dual framelines - 21mm (with parallax correction mark) and 35mm (without). The finder looks somewhat like a CV 21mm finder but bigger. The lens triggers 35mm framelines in the camera. The finder picture is a touch clearer than with Cosina finders. Very nice.
All in all, this is a very satisfying (and even at a $2K average price relatively economical) alternative to the Tri-Elmar 28-35-50 (tested concurrently), a lens that seems to be hitting new price highs since its discontinuance (and the rise of the M8).
Regards,
Dante
By way of introduction, this was Konica's last M-mount lens, and it's pretty clear, even from bad auto translations of the white paper on this lens, that it was designed to be a technological tour-de-force. Notably, it is very resistant to small-aperture diffraction at snapshot ranges: even at f/11, its MTH is shown to be (at 1.5m) in the high 90s for both the 10lp/mm and 30lp/mm targets.
In terms of its physical layout, the lens is not small, being about 57mm (2-1/4") long and having a 62mm front filter thread (the M8 camera will sit flat on its baseplate with this lens mounted). That said, it isn't really that much longer than a 21mm Elmarit ASPH and is shorter than the published size of the ZM 21/2.8 Biogon. The rear ring has a focusing tab; the center ring has a fairly wide grip, and the aperture ring in front is smaller and has different knurling. There are two aperture index marks: one for 21mm (orange) and one for 35mm (green). Likewise, there are dual depth of field markings (one set orange, one green). If you use a Leica Frankenfinder (the 16-28mm WATE finder), you can see the focal length and selected aperture through the finder.
The mechanics outdo even the other M-Hexanon lenses: smooth focusing with one finger and a very smooth click between 21mm and 35mm. The aperture clicking is not as pronounced as other M-Hexanons. Very nice. A bit nicer than a first generation Tri-Elmar. The only annoyance is the pin-registered hood (like the original 75mm Summilux and 50mm Noctilux).
In terms of optics, it's very, very sharp. In my tests of the 21mm setting (on a Leica M8), it resolved distant (2km) details right down to the point of causing moire (which in practical terms means that it is still outresolving the sensor). It did not exhibit any perceptible (or on an M8 measurable) focusing errors.
[Even had there been focusing errors, the cost of recollimating an M lens is only 5% of the typical selling price of this lens.]
There seems to be some buzz ("so-so performance") about the 35mm setting on this lens. I'm not sure what the source of this is (maybe the Erwin Puts review). The 35mm setting, tested at 1m and f/4, is equivalent to the performance of the 35/1.4 Summilux-ASPH (also at the same distance and f/4). If anyone other than Erwin is complaining about that, I'm not sure what lens out there is better (maybe the 35/2 Summicron ASPH?). And in further brief testing it seems to be at least as good as the 35mm setting on the Tri-Elmar.
Stopping down the lens does not make any big changes to vignetting or contrast. Vignetting is very mild on an M8 (if it's really even present at all). Contrast is high, but is not as high as the 28mm M-Hexanon (which some people believe renders too harshly).
Distortion is very mild, particularly for a retrofocus lens. There's a very tiny amount of barrel distortion at frame edge close-up (say, at 2m), but it's all but invisible at distances where you would be shooting architecture.
The finder is has dual framelines - 21mm (with parallax correction mark) and 35mm (without). The finder looks somewhat like a CV 21mm finder but bigger. The lens triggers 35mm framelines in the camera. The finder picture is a touch clearer than with Cosina finders. Very nice.
All in all, this is a very satisfying (and even at a $2K average price relatively economical) alternative to the Tri-Elmar 28-35-50 (tested concurrently), a lens that seems to be hitting new price highs since its discontinuance (and the rise of the M8).
Regards,
Dante
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