Decent Wide Angles with Low Distortion?

[kzphoto]

I've been looking for a decent wide angle with low distortion for my M6 TTL, and it seems that zeiss has a reputation for great optics with low distortion. I own a 35mm f/2 biogon and it's been my daily shooter. I'm looking for something wider, in the 18-28 mm range. Probably in the 300-799 pricde range. Any recommendations on an M mount wide angle would be greatly appreciated!

 

[axiom]

21 C Biogon is the best you can get

 

[Avotius]

My zeiss 21 2.8 is amazing with how low the distortion is, and yet people say the 4.5 version is even better. I shoot a lot of close up street photography and it still manages to surprise me sometimes.

 

[Al Kaplan]

What do you mean by "distortion"? Some lenses, especially retrofocus optics for SLR's, have a bit of rectalinear distortion with lines close to the extreme edges being slightly curved.

Do you mean the way extreme wide angle lenses distort spherical objects into an egg shape?

The latter is not distortion. It's the way the laws of physics say that these objects, when their image is transferred to a plane surface away from the axis of the lens, actually do look. It's a correct depiction of reality, regardless of what our brains tell us about HOW it should look.

 

[maddoc]

Almost free from distortion is the 21/3.4 Super-Angulon-M. TTL meter won't work but a great performing lens.

 

[raid]

How about the Rokkor 21mm 4.0? Has anyone compared it with the lenses mentioned above?

 

[kzphoto]

I suppose what mean by distortion is when straight lines appear curved -- a phenomenon I'm used to with some of my Nikkor wides. I was under the impression this was caused by the curvature of certain lens elements. I don't know too much behind the science of optics, but certain wide angles seem to keep lines straight while some don't. I tend shoot lots of architecture and would like to retain some sense of the line(s) present in the photo. Sounds like the biogon would achieve what I'm looking for.

 

[Al Kaplan]

The Schneider Super Angulon is pretty decent too. You need a reasonably symetrical design for that. See if you can borrow one. There must be somebody here on the Forum that owns a S.A. and lives in the bay Area.

 

[35mmdelux]

21mm voigtlander. $350. One of the best according to Leica guru Erwin Puts.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I suppose what mean by distortion is when straight lines appear curved -- a phenomenon I'm used to with some of my Nikkor wides. I was under the impression this was caused by the curvature of certain lens elements.

SLR wide angle lenses have to be retro focus designs so the rear element can clear the mirror. Designers generally do a good job given the design limitation, but the average SLR wide angle lens generally has, to some extent, mustache distortion and curvature etc.

Rangefinder wides aren't affected by that design limitation, so the rear element can sit much closer to the shutter. The result is that most wide angle lenses perform better than SLR wide angle lenses in this regard, with the best probably being the Zeiss Biogon 21/4.5.

 

[payasam]

For architectural work, with any lens, you need to be careful to keep the camera level on the two relevant axes. Spirit level advisable. I've used a Canon 28/2.8 successfully but nothing wider.

 

[Avotius]

Here are some examples of my Zeiss 21 f2.8 doing its thing. Take note to the corners and the lack of distortion...

 

[brainwood]

Avotius. The Ziess 21 is very impressive. (Very nice shots as well. I particulary like the 2nd.) These are some shots with my CV21/4 Skopar for comparison which is also very free from curvilinear distortion

I find the CV21/4 a good sharp and resonably priced wide

You would need a suitable ltm to M mount adapter for use on an M6 as the lens is Leica Screw Mount.
Chris

 

[Roger Hicks]

While Avotius and Brainwood have posted very nice pictures, they are not actually of very much use for comparing distortion. For that, you really need (1) straight lines that are (2) close to and (3) parallel with the edge of the frame. Very few half-decent lenses have such poor distortion that they will reveal distortion under other circumstances.

The lowest-distortion lenses currently available are the 21/4.5 Biogons but few other 21s are likely to exhibit distorion that would be evident in the pictures above.

Cheers,

R.

 

[rxmd]

Rangefinder wides aren't affected by that design limitation, so the rear element can sit much closer to the shutter. The result is that most wide angle lenses perform better than SLR wide angle lenses in this regard

In all fairness one should remark, however, that since the 1970s SLR wideangles have been getting quite a bit better. You get lenses like the Nikon 14-24/f2.8, which has some distortion at the short end, but not at the long end, is rather fast for a wideangle, has little vignetting and covers a long and highly useful zoom range.

The major advantage of rangefinder lenses is size. Some lenses have outstanding distortion correction, but in those very few critical applications where the distortion is actually a problem (such as architecture), a rangefinder camera may not be the best tool for the job. It is difficult to preview the precise framing and the alignment of the edges. A tripod and a spirit level helps, but requires that the structures you are photographing are either perfectly horizontal or vertical.

 

[FifthLeaf]

The major advantage of rangefinder lenses is size. Some lenses have outstanding distortion correction, but in those very few critical applications where the distortion is actually a problem (such as architecture), a rangefinder camera may not be the best tool for the job.

Probably the best cameras for architecture are view cameras. They don't require retrofocus designs AND the lens can be tilted separately from the film plane [to correct perspective distortion]. But this is rangefinder forum and most people here are into rangefinder/viewfinder cameras; and for these people, most any modern wide angle is free from distortion. Especially the Elmarit 28 ASPH, which is virtually distortion free.

 

[Al Kaplan]

It's really a shame that so many people today consider the commercial view camera a relic from a past era. There are so many things you can do with one that the laws of physics won't let you do in P-shop. Changing the plane of focus for one: you can shoot a tight head shot portrait, with the head both turned to the side and tilted down, and still get perfectly sharp focus on the pupils of both eyes and the center of the upper lip while letting everything else drift off into flattering softness. You can shoot the new tile floor in the mall and have the full length of the floor in crisp focus. There's more to a view camera than just keeping buildings from falling over backwards.

Rangefinder cameras have their advantages and their good points, but they're not the Universal Tool. Press cameras are NOT view cameras, although the Linhofs have a fair compliment of adjustments.

 

[Rob-F]

I concur with those suggesting the Super-Angulon, but note it is probably not in the OP's price range. I paid $1250 for mine a while back. I don't know the price of the 21mm Zeiss. Perhaps it is in the OP's range, especially used. I'm thinking that some of the CV lenses may be the best bet, in terms of price-performance. I haven't noticed any problems with my 25/4 or my 28/3.5 when I've used them for architecture. Probably their modest apertures have made it easier for the designers to optimaize other aspects of performance.

 

[raid]

An inexpensive wide angle lens with low distortion is the CV 21mm 4.0. It is a bargain in such a category of lenses.

 

[rxmd]

An inexpensive wide angle lens with low distortion is the CV 21mm 4.0. It is a bargain in such a category of lenses.

Seconded. I got the 21 CV at a point when I was unsure whether the focal length would "work" for me. Not only does the focal length work, I'm also absolutely happy with the lens: small, sharp, contrasty, and fine distortion-wise, all for under 200 EUR.

If I had the spare hobby budget for a Leica 21/f1.4, that's about the only 21 that would offer me anything substantial over the CV, namely three extra stops of speed - but then it's also umpteen times bigger and more expensive.