Going 25mm for wide over 28mm

[lsucadien]

Hey guys

I just received my first film camera/rangefinder/CLE. I dumped my Pentax K-5 and limited primes to get back to the basics. What I'm wondering is being that finding a proper VC 28mm is so hard these days, if any of you shoot with the 25mm instead and just use the full window for framing?

Does the 25mm bring up any other frame lines or are just the 28mm lines showing when you attached the lens?

 

[sparrow6224]

You need specifically the 28-90 LTM to M adapter (if you're using the LTM versions of the Skopar lenses; you might not be of course). That should bring up the 28 frame lines. I have a CL and use 35mm on it and just estimate from the 40 frame lines.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Bear in mind that the LTM version is scale-focus only. If you want RF coupling then you'll need the M-mount version.

 

[haempe]

I tried it a few times with the ltm 25mm, but it was the scale focus lens and the unused RF-patch drives me crazy.
On the other side, I used the whole viewfinder for 25mm without problems.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Do not dismiss the LTM CV 25mm lens because it is not RF coupled. RF coupling is not necessary at all as zone focusing works well and is actually easier to use. Cosina knew what they were doing when they designed it. Later when the market responded that it wanted RF coupling even though it was unneeded, Cosina built it in. Very similar scenario to the market wanting M mount lenses rather than LTM with an adapter.

I am a very happy owner and zone focuser of a LTM CV 25mm lens with adapter on a M mount body. However I am one of those few who actually prefers to buy a low price good lens over a high priced good one. All I do is take photos with it.

 

[haempe]

Oh, no, nothing against the Snapshot Skopar!
It found a home at my ZI SW.
My personally problem with the lens on the CLE was simply that I can´t deal with the fact, the RF patch is out of use...

 

[Palaeoboy]

You need specifically the 28-90 LTM to M adapter (if you're using the LTM versions of the Skopar lenses; you might not be of course). That should bring up the 28 frame lines. I have a CL and use 35mm on it and just estimate from the 40 frame lines

Sorry but this advice is incorrect The CLE framelines are not coupled like an M. The 28mm framelines are visible all the time and if you dont want any other framelines to appear as well you should use a 35/135 adapter with a LTM lens

In answer to your question, yes the full view of the CLE's viewfinder does cover approx 25mm and many users report success with this however using the whole viewfinder you loose the parallax corrected framelines that you get when you use the 28mm lines. I found that at closer distances framing was slightly out.

 

[lsucadien]

Sorry but this advice is incorrect The CLE framelines are not coupled like an M. The 28mm framelines are visible all the time and if you dont want any other framelines to appear as well you should use a 35/135 adapter with a LTM lens

In answer to your question, yes the full view of the CLE's viewfinder does cover approx 25mm and many users report success with this however using the whole viewfinder you loose the parallax corrected framelines that you get when you use the 28mm lines. I found that at closer distances framing was slightly out.

Thank you for this answer, very helpful. So if i"m understanding this correctly

If a use a 25mm LTM lens with a 35/135 adapter my CLE will not bring up any other frames lines besides the 28mm which is always there.

Also, using the whole frame of the VF is close enough to 25mm that it works, however because of parallax at close focusing distances my focus may be a bit off. How close are we talking?

And this 25mm LTM won't be coupled to the rangefinder so I need to read up on zone focussing?

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[haempe]

And this 25mm LTM won't be coupled to the rangefinder so I need to read up on zone focussing?

The 25/4 ltm has click stops at 1; 1,5; 3 meters. So it is usable while looking through the finder.

 

[Palaeoboy]

If a use a 25mm LTM lens with a 35/135 adapter my CLE will not bring up any other frames lines besides the 28mm which is always there.

Thats Correct.

Also, using the whole frame of the VF is close enough to 25mm that it works,

Correct Also

however because of parallax at close focusing distances my focus may be a bit off.

No your "framing" of the subject will be slightly off under 3 meters and more so at minimum focusing distance. The accuracy of your focus on a non coupled lens like the Voigtlander 25mm LTM will always be determined by your own ability to guess the focus. The framing and parallax errors wont have any bearing on focus.

 

[MCTuomey]

.... I am one of those few who actually prefers to buy a low price good lens over a high priced good one. All I do is take photos with it.

Refreshing point of view - leaves $ for more important things. Hasn't hurt the quality of your photos, apparently.

 

[meillana]

i have the vc 25/4 color skopar m-mount and use the full extents of the viewfinder window to frame my shots.

the first 8 shots in this set were all taken using the cle+25/4 combination
http://www.flickr.com/photos/manny_illana/sets/72157625034684334/

 

[Graham Line]

Oh, no, nothing against the Snapshot Skopar!
It found a home at my ZI SW.
My personally problem with the lens on the CLE was simply that I can´t deal with the fact, the RF patch is out of use...

A piece of black tape over the little window would solve that problem.

The 25 and 28 are equally nice, but the 25 seems much wider than a 3mm difference would suggest.

 

[Turtle]

How can you possibly say so without inspecting them with a microscope? 😉

I find 25 very nice to work with and noticeably wider than 28. I either use the whole finder of a 0.58 M or use a Zeiss finder (amazing). The whole finder of a 0.72 (as you look straight thru) is not nearly so wide. I am not familiar with the CL/CLE so canot comment on that.

Refreshing point of view - leaves $ for more important things. Hasn't hurt the quality of your photos, apparently.

 

[haempe]

A piece of black tape over the little window would solve that problem.

Sometimes it's the simplest things, that do not come to my mind. :bang:

 

[Ronald M]

Nobody ever made 25 mm VC lenses. Cosina Voitlander made a 25 mm.

Just saying so you don`t continue to seem foolish.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

IMHO guesstimation is nice for 12mm and 15mm and probably 18 or 20mm lenses, but not for 25mm and beyond were depth of field becomes much wider especially when objects are between 1m and 25m. If you want good results take the coupled and superior CZ 25mm.

 

[haempe]

Voigtländer

Just saying so you don`t continue to seem foolish.

😉