CV 25/4 M9 ==> underexposed

[raid]

I read that there will be vignetting when using the CV 25/4 with the M9. I love using this lens with film cameras, so I was curious about it. Today, I used this combo for the first time. It is more than vignetting that I am seeing. I get highly underexposed images. Could it have been the M9 not being able to expose well on Auto for the scenes that I picked?

Still. I am diasappointed with the CV 25/4+M9. This lens has been my trusted travel wide angle lens that I just throw into any small camera bag.

Some examples: (ISO 160 f 8-11)

 

[raid]

Some examples here too:

 

[crispy12]

They look well exposed to me. Dont forget that its better to underexpose than over, as blown highlights are much more difficult to recover than shadows. Jpeg or raw?

The last shot will typically be underexposed in virtually every camera due to the white wall, you need to compensate by adding one stop. You can also half press over your subject to lock exposure then recompose in AE mode. I tend to shoot all manual for more consistent results.

 

[back alley]

do you do any post processing raid?

 

[raid]

I will gave to learn how to use the digital cameras better for manual exposure adjustments. The are jpg.

 

[raid]

do you do any post processing raid?

I do very basic things in PS Joe. I use Curve and Contrast. That's it. I am used to careful exposure with slow transparency film without bracketing or PS, so I am not a fan of PS.

 

[raid]

Have other users of CV 25/4 with M8/M9 also seen some exposure challenges?

 

[kbg32]

I have this lens as well Raid. While I love the size, I don't like how it performs on the M9 due to the magenta edge cast on the left side. I use the slightly larger Zeiss 25/2.8, which is so much better then the CV is terms of IQ. Better yet, no magenta edge cast!

 

[raid]

Thanks for the information, Keith. I will try the Kobalux 28/3.5 with the M9 and the Rokkor 28/2.8. Maybe they work well with the M9.

 

[kbg32]

As a matter of fact, I had to pick and choose what lenses to use on my M9. I find all the CV wides, 28 -, do not perform well at all. I absolutely love the CV Nokton 50/1.5 though. I love the Zeiss ZM 18mm on my M8, but it gives me the magenta edge cast on the M9, as does the Zeiss ZM Biogon 21/4.5.

 

[kbg32]

Thanks for the information, Keith. I will try the Kobalux 28/3.5 with the M9 and the Rokkor 28/2.8. Maybe they work well with the M9.

I am curious to know how they perform as well Raid. Please keep us up to date.

 

[Richard G]

I have used it Raid and love it's compactness. I have the 25 2.8 Zeiss but it is more than slightly bigger. I think this wider lens is taking in more brightness from the sky, and those shots, as said above, are a challenge for the automatic meter. The only problem i have had with the Color Skopar is flare. I even wonder if my copy is slightly imperfect. But it is very sharp and so convenient.

Have you turned off exposure composition in the menu so that it is not activated by the command wheel on the back of the camera? I was always inadvertently dialing in a negative exposure compensation when I had that functioning.

With all these digital files you have to organize them. Do yourself a favour and get the free Lightroom that comes with the camera and use that. As said above, a slight exposure adjustment in Lightroom, which is dead easy, and will even work on jpegs as good as these, will be the first of many adjustments you'd quickly learn in that program. Just switch on the Develop module and work your way in order down the right side of the page. Everyone will tell you to shoot raw too, so I don't need to.

 

[raid]

I am curious to know how they perform as well Raid. Please keep us up to date.

Will do. I need to know which lenses work well with the M8/M9. The 50mm lenses work very well. Wide angle lenses seem to create challenges with the senors.

 

[gshybrid]

I like the cv 21 on my M9... the wide lens spreads out you exposure field but it's pretty easy to compensate. I coded the lens as a 21 elmarit.

 

[raid]

Have you compared results with your lens on film?

 

[f16sunshine]

I think you may want to shoot this lens in RAW format so you may have some control after the fact. It's a nice little lens but, the edge fall seems quite strong on a digital sensor. You will have more control of correction with a RAW vs a jpeg.

 

[gshybrid]

for me not with color film, all Tri X. A better test for the lens on an M9/8 might be to see how a handheld meter reading compares with the camera's exposure.

Have you compared results with your lens on film?

 

[Michalm]

Only issue i can see here is very high contrast , if was shooting on digi cam i would use raw mode only and expose for highlights like here , then recover shadows which you cant do with jpg , camera jpg is far from being perfect imo.

 

[Richard G]

25mm COLOR SKOPAR

These two are the Color Skopar coded as the 24mm Elmarit:


Skopar 25 by Richard GM2, on Flickr


Skopar 25 by Richard GM2, on Flickr

There is some purple fringing, top left in the first one, but not much. It is there in the second one but less noticeable.

This is what I mainly use the Skopar for. This was manual exposure as I remember:


Collins St, Paris end. by Richard GM2, on Flickr

ZEISS WIDES

Here is the ZM 25 2.8 Biogon, coded the same:


ZM 25 by Richard GM2, on Flickr

No colour fringing.

Here is the ZM 21 f4.5 coded as a 21 2.8 pre-asph:


Design Hub RMIT, Swanston St by Richard GM2, on Flickr

Slight colour fringing top left.

Even the ZM 18 f4 will work well on the M9, also coded as the pre-asph 21 2.8:


ZM 18 by Richard GM2, on Flickr

No colour fringing

 

[raid]

Hi Richard,
Your point is well taken, but I have never used RAW data before.