Advice on a Nice and Light Wide Angle for M3

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plwj

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Hi all,

I am looking for a nice and light wide angle for my M3. It is for occasional landscape shooting since 35mm does not seem to be enough. I am currently considering a 25mm or 28mm. There does not seem to be a lot of information from the search. The hottest candidates seem to be Voigtlander 28/3.5, 25/4 (in LTM mount). I want one that has the feel closest to my old M lenses, not to be too modern. Canon 28/3.5 seems to be good also. Can anyone give me some advices? Also, will 12, 15mm not that good for a M3? Thanks.
 
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I had a chance to use the W-Nikkor 28 f/3.5. It's a great little lens, and it made some pretty awesome photographs. It will fit right onto your M3 with an LTM->M adapter and you'll be off and shooting in no time. I think the minimum focus distance is around .9 meters, but I could be wrong. I remember wanting to get closer to things when I had it.

If money is no object, check out the ZM 21 f/4.5. Tiny, compact and extremely sharp. Might want to consider the Kobalux 28 / 21 lenses as well, supposed to be great performers for pretty decent prices. They're just hard to find.

Remember that with any lens wider than 50mm, you'll need an accessory viewfinder with your M3. Keep that in mind when making your "lens budget."
 
Note that the CV 25/4 in LTM is not rangefinder coupled (the M-mount version is, and is a much better-built lens too). Either mount will deliver a modern, high-contrast image.

You might also consider a Canon 25/3.5 LTM. It's tiny and very good, with a great vintage rendering. (For sheer performance, the CV blows it away, but I sold my CV and kept the Canon.)

The CV 28/3.5 is also a wonderful, tiny lens with superb performance. And it's built solidly of heavy brass like a vintage lens.

The Canon 28/3.5 is very good -- beaten by the CV for resolution and contrast, but still quite respectable, with a nice, vintage, lower-contrast rendering.

I also really like the Canon 28/2.8 -- softer than the 28/3.5 wide open, but great by f/5.6 in bright sunlight.

::Ari
 
I recommend the latest VC 28mm 2.0 It really is a great performer though you will also have to buy an external VF for it.
 
The focal length answer should come from how you (want) to shoot. Are you running backward to fill the frame, dashing in, zooming, etc.? (One thing I did was check the EXIF from my SLR to see what focal lengths I shot most to help decide.)

The CV15 is the most fun lens I own. It makes you work harder and carefully (you're constantly leveling and jamming it in farther - making it slow to use). If you keep it level, the image can look as though it's from a 40mm. Tilt it, and you get the funky ultra wide perspective bends to lines. The viewfinder is excellent.

The 15mm very much worth owning, but the 21mm is more practical; easier and faster to use.

But, you need to decide how close you want to get to the subject(s) to decide your focal length.

If you're dabbling, you can't go wrong with CV and you can always trade it later for a Biogon or Super Angulon.

- Charlie
.
 
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Thanks for all your great advices! I have a problem to post any replies with IE9 and the administrator advised me to use Firefox. Now we are in connection again.

It sounds like I should go for 21-28, but there seems to be diverse comments. I cannot make up my mind yet. More inputs are welcome!
 
If you are using a 35 now - the 28 is just a "marginal" step wider. The M-mount VC 25f4 or the 21f4 are your best bet. Small, very compact, well built, 39 mm filter thread. Yes, you will need an external viewfinder - no big deal though.
For "landscape" I find the 15f4.5 a bit too wide - it is better for urban shots.
Performance of the 21/25 VC is very good - best bang for the buck in medium wide-angles. The C Biogon 21f4.5 is most likely the best of them all - but you are looking at serious money for that one.
 
I've skipped over 28mm in my RF kit after much struggle to get along with many of them. Now go with a canon 3.5/25mm for bw "classic" look . For more modern I use a cv25 or 15. Tge Canon 25mm is my favorite wide. It just has that "look" I'm looking for in a wide. Kind of a glow that goes well with my nikkor 1.4/50 and canon 1.5/85. Very vintage looking although not all together very sharp if that is important.
 
plwj said:
I am looking for a nice and light wide angle for my M3. It is for occasional landscape shooting since 35mm does not seem to be enough. I am currently considering a 25mm or 28mm. There does not seem to be a lot of information from the search. The hottest candidates seem to be Voigtlander 28/3.5, 25/4 (in LTM mount). I want one that has the feel closest to my old M lenses, not to be too modern. Canon 28/3.5 seems to be good also. Can anyone give me some advices? Also, will 12, 15mm not that good for a M3? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Is this better?

Old school? Small? Light? Canon 35/2.8. The early, all chrome, tiny, 34mm filter size lens. It comes with a very nice finder.
Any lens you can mount on the M3 will render photographs.
Good luck.
 
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Getting a Voigtlander 21mm f4 for inside cabin shots, the combination of my Bessa R4A and the above lens helped me to make my best shot in 2009:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/3841510135/in/set-72157621975498333

It isn't expensive, easy to focus and turns a RF into a pocket cam.
Coming from Nikon's huge lenses my first impression was 'ughh, could there be enough light on the film?:rolleyes:

So this above combo was my Best Buy in 2009.......:D

A 'landscape' frame - look at the lower right corner: what a terrific subject.....:(

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/4025952198/in/set-72157622617514618
 
Tom A said:
If you are using a 35 now - the 28 is just a "marginal" step wider. The M-mount VC 25f4 or the 21f4 are your best bet. Small, very compact, well built, 39 mm filter thread. Yes, you will need an external viewfinder - no big deal though.
For "landscape" I find the 15f4.5 a bit too wide - it is better for urban shots.
Performance of the 21/25 VC is very good - best bang for the buck in medium wide-angles. The C Biogon 21f4.5 is most likely the best of them all - but you are looking at serious money for that one.
Click to expand...

Yes, I am using Cron 35mm now. Actually, I am more inclined to buy a 21m than 25mm. Biogon 21f4.5 is highly recommended by most people, but as you said, it is not cheap even for a used one.
 
I've use the CV 21/4, ZM 21/4.5 and SA 21/3.4. By far the ZM is the best performer in this group and possibly the best corrected lens I've ever used. It is flawless and worth giving up a little speed. Can be used wide open with little loss in quality.
 
CV do some of their lenses in a single coat for lower contrast. The 28/3.5 (no longer made; try eBay) was very sharp but not "vintage" in character.

If you can get away with 35mm then a good choice would be a screwmount Summron 35/3.5. They're not expensive for Leica.
 
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