Leica 21/3.4 or 24/3.8 or Zeiss 21/2.8 or 25/2.8 or Voigt 21/1.8

[neonart]

Here's a couple more shots with the CV21/1.8. Both were taken in confined spaces were the 21mm made the shot possible.

Both about f2.8, red door with ND filter. Some PP to both to my taste, but no heavy cropping, & no distortion correction.

 

[DwF]

Leica 21mm Elmarit M

Leica 21mm Elmarit M

Thank you for such great input. I'm thinking the Zeiss 21mm f2.8 is going to be the most logical approach. I'm attracted to the idea of the VM21/1.8 for the speed, but I've returned lenses for their size and weight more than once. VM 50/1.1, Lux50A [Silver], to name a couple. It just seems to really negate one of the great advantages of a compact rangefinder kit.

The ZM21 is 2.8, which is good, has great image quality from all reviews and info I can dip up, and if its a newer one it can be paint coded to avoid corner color problems. Not crazy about the 1/3 stops, but thats minor. I had 3 ZM lenses before and it did not bother me.

BTW, any experience here with the Leica 21/2.8?

This is a pic/file I made at False Creek, Vancouver a few years ago with my M9 and Leica 21mm Elmarit M. I used my 21mm Elmarit M going back to my M8 and enjoyed using it with that camera as my 28. The lens handles nicely on a Leica body and as I have read from others who have and use this lens, I think it is underrated. This was handheld at a 12th second and f3.4 I love the look of many images I have made with it and for my use, never thought I needed to upgrade.

 

[Rob-F]

I have all focal lengths for Leica M except for the 18mm and 135mm. If I were going out with a 50 and just one wide angle lens, it would not be a 21mm! It is just too big a step. So if I were to carry a 50 and only one wide-angle, it would be a 35 or a 28. Shooting with a 21 is a completely different mind set from 50mm! As the saying goes, "Watch that first step--it's a big one!

 

[Richard G]

For price and size and for one of the straightest and sharpest and flare resistant 21s I got the 21 f4.5 ZM. I don't care about the occasional purple fringing. This was always in the bag until I got the 28 you have. Thought I would never use 28 but it goes with the 50 and the 21 is no longer in the bag. The ZM 25 2.8 is also special, but it's a lot bigger.

 

[neonart]

This is a pic/file I made at False Creek, Vancouver a few years ago with my M9 and Leica 21mm Elmarit M. I used my 21mm Elmarit M going back to my M8 and enjoyed using it with that camera as my 28. The lens handles nicely on a Leica body and as I have read from others who have and use this lens, I think it is underrated. This was handheld at a 12th second and f3.4 I love the look of many images I have made with it and for my use, never thought I needed to upgrade.

Beautiful shot!

I have all focal lengths for Leica M except for the 18mm and 135mm. If I were going out with a 50 and just one wide angle lens, it would not be a 21mm! It is just too big a step. So if I were to carry a 50 and only one wide-angle, it would be a 35 or a 28. Shooting with a 21 is a completely different mind set from 50mm! As the saying goes, "Watch that first step--it's a big one!

I agree it's a big step. However, I love using just the Lux all the time. A one lens kit. 🙂 I use wide angle as a necessity. I got the 28 Elmarit a while back for that purpose , but found it simply was not wide enough at times, and f2.8 can be limiting in dark venues. It therefore got little use. (I clearly remember one event where I ended up using my iPhone to shoot a crowd panorama because the 28 was just not wide enough.) The 21/1.8 solves both being wider, and faster.

I think I've used the 21 more in two weeks than the 28 in a year and a half. 😀 YMMV.

For price and size and for one of the straightest and sharpest and flare resistant 21s I got the 21 f4.5 ZM. I don't care about the occasional purple fringing. This was always in the bag until I got the 28 you have. Thought I would never use 28 but it goes with the 50 and the 21 is no longer in the bag. The ZM 25 2.8 is also special, but it's a lot bigger.

I found on my M240 had very strong color cast in the corners with several lenses I tried, so I did not want to risk it. However, it seems people love the ZM21/4.5. Such a wonderful size too!

 

[DwF]

Thank you , Neonart.

What makes life interesting is that people have different predilections for lens combinations or focal lengths. Moving between them involves seeing differently -especially with the 21. The 21 is lens I love to have when I travel, but not a lens I use that often. I have been enjoying my 28 Elmarit lately and find it more like my 35, a lens I will take with me without feeling a need to pack another lens.

 

[Ibramr]

Greetings. I guess that a good sample of a used Zeiss 21mm ZM should make you very happy for many years to come. This lens works very well with both M9 and M240, and because it is smaller, it handles better than the Leica Elmarit 21mm (pre Asph) that I used to own. The Zeiss' performance is very adequate to my needs and although I sometimes think of acquiring the SEM 21mm, I find such additional cost to be on the irrational side given that the lens is used in only 5% of the shots.

It is also important to share in this context that the joy of using 21mm is greatly enhanced with adding an appropriate viewfinder. And if you are likely to have similar using habits, maybe this additional cost must be factored in too. Enjoy in good health.

 

[Doug]

Neonart, good to hear you're liking your 1.8/21 Ultron... it's been tempting here too. I had a used 2.8/21mm Elmarit ASPH that came with a Leica 21mm finder, excellent! And a 4.5/21mm ZM as well. Both of these worked great on the M8, but not so satisfactory on the M9. The f/4.5 in particular is just "impossible" to deal with but even the Elmarit had the corner/edge effects that make for a chore in post.

So I sold both and got the 3.4/21 SEM, a real sweetheart lens, happy with this one.

Oh, also have the 2.8/25mm ZM, a very fine lens but which also has some edge coloring to deal with...