21mm For Film Leica M
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phojsu
Member
I readily concur as to the 21mm f/3.4 S A being legendary, but only for film. Mine now lives on one of my M6 bodies , still loaded with TriX.
For the M9, as well as EOS R (mirrorless w/ Leica M to Canon R adapter) there is the ZM 21mm f/2.8 Biogon and on occasion and usually wide open, the Voigt 21mm f/1.8, yes it's big and seriously shifts the balance on a M9, but when only f/1.8 works for making an image, I use what I have.
For the M9, as well as EOS R (mirrorless w/ Leica M to Canon R adapter) there is the ZM 21mm f/2.8 Biogon and on occasion and usually wide open, the Voigt 21mm f/1.8, yes it's big and seriously shifts the balance on a M9, but when only f/1.8 works for making an image, I use what I have.
russelljtdyer
Writer
My favorite focal length for any kind of camera is 21mm. Maybe it's because I'm a big picture kind of guy: I take mostly photos when I travel and I like to photograph landscapes, buildings, streets, rivers, and other wide things. I also like taking pictures inside and getting the whole room: if Leonardo had lived two-thousand years ago and had been a photographer, he would have used a 21mm lens for his Last Supper. But he might have used a 50mm lens for his Mona Lisa and many other portraits. So a while ago, when I was buying a new lens, I bought a Leica Summarit-M f/2.4 35mm lens as a compromise: it's close to half-way between 21mm and 50mm.
Despite my implied advice on 35mm, I often miss the 21mm. I think of buying a second lens, but I'm trying to stick with the "one camera, one lens" method. Instead, I'm thinking of selling my 35mm lens and buying something with a shorter focal length. The 21mm lens is much more and would require an external viewfinder. Maybe a 28mm would be closer to what I want; it's usable for street and landscape. I did like that focal length when I had a Leica Q. My camera's viewfinder does have bright-line frames for 28mm.
The Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH is expensive, but it won't cost me so much after using what I'd get for the 35mm lens and since I won't need an external viewfinder. It's just that I only recently bought the Leica M11-P. I'm draining all my cash reserves. For now, I'm hoping that I'll adapt to 35mm with this camera and can suppress my urge to buy a new lens.
Despite my implied advice on 35mm, I often miss the 21mm. I think of buying a second lens, but I'm trying to stick with the "one camera, one lens" method. Instead, I'm thinking of selling my 35mm lens and buying something with a shorter focal length. The 21mm lens is much more and would require an external viewfinder. Maybe a 28mm would be closer to what I want; it's usable for street and landscape. I did like that focal length when I had a Leica Q. My camera's viewfinder does have bright-line frames for 28mm.
The Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH is expensive, but it won't cost me so much after using what I'd get for the 35mm lens and since I won't need an external viewfinder. It's just that I only recently bought the Leica M11-P. I'm draining all my cash reserves. For now, I'm hoping that I'll adapt to 35mm with this camera and can suppress my urge to buy a new lens.
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Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
Personally I think Leonardo would have been more a large format type of guy. 🙂
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
Agreed... the perfect occasion for the 8x20 banquet camera!
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
If using a 35mm camera, the 21mm (& 35mm) continue to be my most used lenses (Here 21mmf4)
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Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
I don't know if I responded on the lens question, but here are some quick notes, since I have a ton of 21mm lenses:
Avenon/Kobalux 21mm - extremely sharp, very little vignetting, very low corner blur on digital (b/c slightly retrofocus). Compact front to back.
CV Skopar 21/4 LTM - least favorite 21mm
Konica 21/35 Dual Hexanon - I've now been on two trips with this, and there is no better travel lens. Also good on digital.
Leica 21mm Super Elmar - this is the best one for digital, bar none. Heavy.
TTArtisan 21mm f/1.5 - for $400, you're not going to get a better or faster lens. No way the Leica version is 20x better for 20x the price.
Zeiss ZM Biogon 4.5 - bar none, the best film-oriented 21mm ever made. Tiny, ultra-sharp, undistorted. Not easy on color digital but doable.
In "21mm" lenses, I would also look hard at the 18mm ZM Distagon. It is an insanely good lens, and though it is not light, it has superb across the frame performance.
Avenon/Kobalux 21mm - extremely sharp, very little vignetting, very low corner blur on digital (b/c slightly retrofocus). Compact front to back.
CV Skopar 21/4 LTM - least favorite 21mm
Konica 21/35 Dual Hexanon - I've now been on two trips with this, and there is no better travel lens. Also good on digital.
Leica 21mm Super Elmar - this is the best one for digital, bar none. Heavy.
TTArtisan 21mm f/1.5 - for $400, you're not going to get a better or faster lens. No way the Leica version is 20x better for 20x the price.
Zeiss ZM Biogon 4.5 - bar none, the best film-oriented 21mm ever made. Tiny, ultra-sharp, undistorted. Not easy on color digital but doable.
In "21mm" lenses, I would also look hard at the 18mm ZM Distagon. It is an insanely good lens, and though it is not light, it has superb across the frame performance.
wlewisiii
Veteran
Interesting. I have only tried/own the CV so perhaps that's why I am so underwhelmed by the focal length but I really like 28 so there is also that. I tend to a 28/50/90 troika in Leica focal lengths.
That said, my current and favorite 28 is the Kobalux so perhaps finding one of their 21's might not be a bad idea ... Hmm...
Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
No, uh, affiliation with the seller (I scored a black one, so I didn't need two). I am also teeing up to sell my ZM 4.5 and TT1.5.
Avenon (Kobalux) 21mm f/2.8 w Finder + M Adapter
Nice set consisting of an Avenon 21mm lens, chrome with original 21mm chrome Avenon bright line finder, front cap, hood, Avenon M adapter (actually ma
pgk
Well-known
Having owned a lot of 20/21mm lenses this is my 'reference' lens by which others are judged. None have come close (within its operating envelope).
Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
wlewisiii
Veteran
No, uh, affiliation with the seller (I scored a black one, so I didn't need two). I am also teeing up to sell my ZM 4.5 and TT1.5.
Avenon (Kobalux) 21mm f/2.8 w Finder + M Adapter
Nice set consisting of an Avenon 21mm lens, chrome with original 21mm chrome Avenon bright line finder, front cap, hood, Avenon M adapter (actually mawww.rangefinderforum.com
You tempt me badly sir 🙂 Too bad I have too many irons in the fire right now 🙁 Knowing my 28 I do think I'd be more inclined to like this 21 but unfortunately I'd have to ask you to wait a month and I won't do that for something like this. Now, if you haven't sold this beauty come 9/13, let me know 😎 because the toy fund will replenish by then and I'll be able to indulge in temptation.
Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
None of this is fast moving; no worries. I keep telling myself I have to slim down the ranks of the 21s, but any other task seems more interesting by comparison. 🙂
wlewisiii
Veteran
chuckroast
Well-known
Could you say a bit more about your objections to the Voightlander Color Skopar 21mm f/4? I have one of these in LTM with an adapter ring and use it both with a IIIf body and Ms and I have been very impressed with its correction, sharpness, and contrast. However, I only shoot monochrome film so its shortcoming when pixel peeping will be nonobvious to me.
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
I also use one just on film.... the Color Skopar 21mm f4 has gotten lots of good reviews over the years.
Likewise not a pixel peeper so not affected by digital shortcomings....
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
I little late in the discussion and the OP may have already made his decision, but there are a number of choices out there for an M-mount 21mm lens. Whatever you do, I'd keep the 35mm lens until you've used the 21 for awhile. You might miss it under certain shooting circumstances.
My current 21 is a CV Ultron f/1.8, which isn't bad. On film (a bit contrasty on digital) the 21mm Asph Elmarit-M is unbeatable and not too expensive for a Leica branded lens. If cost is an issue, any of the Zeiss or Voigtlander (Cosina) options will suffice. You really can't go wrong.
My current 21 is a CV Ultron f/1.8, which isn't bad. On film (a bit contrasty on digital) the 21mm Asph Elmarit-M is unbeatable and not too expensive for a Leica branded lens. If cost is an issue, any of the Zeiss or Voigtlander (Cosina) options will suffice. You really can't go wrong.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
Oops! Now I see it!
Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
I tested it when the world was "film only" after a claim by a rather prominent CV pusher that it was great. The CV was light, small, and cheaper (by about 15% than the Avenon/Kobalux that was the only other non-Super Angulon in town) - but past that, the performance (esp corners at wide apertures) was not exactly mind-blowing, the ergonomics were very so-so (joystick?!), and the manufacturing looked crude early on (the copy I bought new had an RF cam that clearly had been hand-filed and painted to make "infinity"). Since it came out, a lot of better 21s have emerged. None cheaper or cuter, but still...
helen.HH
To Light & Love ...
oh Brain Fever
don't get me started....
Dante roo suffers from many an INFERNO. and Suggests many a GOOD 21mm
It's my Favourite~ The 21 FOV rocks or in today's slang 'kills it' ... any 21 is Magic
Miss 21 SA with all her flaws is special even when she falls into vignetting, halo-glow
and who wants Perfection, certainly God/ The Gods are n ot Perfect, they created US
I prefer The Gods being brought up as wee child on Greek Mythology, little did they know they were making a pagan out of me ...seeing God in all things
here we go
NY, just like I pictured it
by Helen H., on Flickr
don't get me started....
Dante roo suffers from many an INFERNO. and Suggests many a GOOD 21mm
It's my Favourite~ The 21 FOV rocks or in today's slang 'kills it' ... any 21 is Magic
Miss 21 SA with all her flaws is special even when she falls into vignetting, halo-glow
and who wants Perfection, certainly God/ The Gods are n ot Perfect, they created US
I prefer The Gods being brought up as wee child on Greek Mythology, little did they know they were making a pagan out of me ...seeing God in all things
here we go
NY, just like I pictured it
by Helen H., on Flickr
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