TheHub
Well-known
I wasn't sure where to put this, exactly. I'm getting tired of 50mm all the time, I feel like the world is closing in on me. I'm looking for something 35mm or wider preferably in LTM but M-mount is okay.
The problem is that the price of a lens is high enough, with a viewfinder thrown in I'm looking at $700+ which is more than I've paid for most of my cameras
(Leica lenses are 2x that ...)
I found the Skopar 21 with VF thrown in that's pretty cheap (new.) I'm wondering how the lens performs? I'd be using it on a IIIf, CL and M3.
Any input appreciated
The problem is that the price of a lens is high enough, with a viewfinder thrown in I'm looking at $700+ which is more than I've paid for most of my cameras
I found the Skopar 21 with VF thrown in that's pretty cheap (new.) I'm wondering how the lens performs? I'd be using it on a IIIf, CL and M3.
Any input appreciated
back alley
IMAGES
i like mine

back alley
IMAGES
TheHub
Well-known
Anupam
Well-known
marknyc
Established
Last edited:
shimo-kitasnap
everything is temporary..
It's a great value for a super wide. I love mine (the m-mount one) but i've shot bothe the ltm and m one and they're exactly the same. Sometimes I wish I could have a faster lens but f2.8 leica or zeiss is too expensive and or too big.
I use the 21 as my main street lens complemented by a 40 cron and 85 j9.
I don't have the finder but find the M6 28 lines work fine and I'm not being exact with it anyway doing most of the shooting from the hip hyperfocal and stopped down to f8. It's so much fun to use.
I use the 21 as my main street lens complemented by a 40 cron and 85 j9.
I don't have the finder but find the M6 28 lines work fine and I'm not being exact with it anyway doing most of the shooting from the hip hyperfocal and stopped down to f8. It's so much fun to use.
pipal
Established
TheHub, you don't have to worry about this lens performance, it is a little gem. I have bought my CV21 from a friend just couple of weeks and have shot just two rolls of film so far. I have never used as wide lens as this and thought that it will take time to get familiarized with it. But this lens got me almost instantly. It's easy to handle and the slowish speed of it seems not to be a big limitation at all (as I was afraid a bit, for I do a quite a few of indoor shots).
Here is my first few shots with it:
Here is my first few shots with it:



nico
Well-known
I have one too and it compliments my nokton 50. About quality I'm not an expert but I can say I'd buy it again!
Kully, a friend fellow member here on RFF, keep it mounted on his leica (don't know if II or III), so you may ask him how this combo works.
Here some links to photos took with the CV21:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=67060
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=67612
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=67226
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=66269
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=76890
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=72039
Hope it may help,
ciao
Kully, a friend fellow member here on RFF, keep it mounted on his leica (don't know if II or III), so you may ask him how this combo works.
Here some links to photos took with the CV21:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=67060
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=67612
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=67226
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=66269
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=76890
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=72039
Hope it may help,
ciao
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mr_phillip
Well-known
Another vote of confidence from me. I use the LTM version and it's a superb little lens; great value too.
Examples here.
Examples here.
hugivza
Well-known
Love it - can't post examples as am in the wilds of Borneo.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
It's great. I use mine a lot. Compact, sharp, with lots of punch:
$700 sounds expensive to me. I paid $280 for the LTM version (good shape, with original box and finder) here on RFF in 2006.
Philipp

$700 sounds expensive to me. I paid $280 for the LTM version (good shape, with original box and finder) here on RFF in 2006.
Philipp
Sparrow
Veteran
One big thing it has going for it is it’s resistance to flare, the wider you go the more likely you are to get the sun or other strong light in the frame and not be able to do anything about it.
I don’t use the 21 as often as I should but in the two years or so I’ve had it I don’t recall ever seeing any flare.
I don’t use the 21 as often as I should but in the two years or so I’ve had it I don’t recall ever seeing any flare.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Well you can force it to flare but show me the lens where you can't. Here's what happens if you shoot straight into the sun:One big thing it has going for it is it’s resistance to flare, the wider you go the more likely you are to get the sun or other strong light in the frame and not be able to do anything about it.
I don’t use the 21 as often as I should but in the two years or so I’ve had it I don’t recall ever seeing any flare.

Still pretty impressive, more so for a sub-$300 ultrawideangle with the hood detached.
Philipp
Sparrow
Veteran
Phillipp
With or without filter? I’m sure I have similar shots without flare

With or without filter? I’m sure I have similar shots without flare
Sparrow
Veteran
kshapero
South Florida Man
This really is little gem. Here is a shot of my younger daughter taken with a Leica IIIa.

rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Hi Stewart,
no filter, just the lens.
The 21/f4 is pretty good; this is the worst example out of a large number of shots against the sun. I notice that in your shot the sun is more at the edge. I guess it depends a lot on where the sun exactly is. A "normal" shot against the sun would look more like this:
The 21 is a pretty flare-resistant lens. The opposite end of the lens flare badness scale would be something like the 35/f2.8 Jupiter-12, look at the following two:
Those were taken with Jupiter-12s. The first one with the sun in the frame is absolutely catastrophic. The second one with the bleeding highlights and the specular reflection is only bad.
The 21/f4 is the best ultrawideangle money can buy IMHO. You can get any lens to display flare. If someone says that their lens never flares, they haven't tried hard enough.
Philipp
no filter, just the lens.
The 21/f4 is pretty good; this is the worst example out of a large number of shots against the sun. I notice that in your shot the sun is more at the edge. I guess it depends a lot on where the sun exactly is. A "normal" shot against the sun would look more like this:
The 21 is a pretty flare-resistant lens. The opposite end of the lens flare badness scale would be something like the 35/f2.8 Jupiter-12, look at the following two:
Those were taken with Jupiter-12s. The first one with the sun in the frame is absolutely catastrophic. The second one with the bleeding highlights and the specular reflection is only bad.
The 21/f4 is the best ultrawideangle money can buy IMHO. You can get any lens to display flare. If someone says that their lens never flares, they haven't tried hard enough.
Philipp
Attachments
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
$700?!!? Get the LTM and an adapter from CQ--it will come with the viewfinder, $400! I should know, mine's due to arrive tomorrow.
These photos are getting me really excited...
These photos are getting me really excited...
Sparrow
Veteran
Philipp, I probably haven’t used it enough, I’ll no doubt catch one sometime, it is however very resistant, the atmospheric mist that day would beat most lenses.
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