Leica LTM & M Mount - Voigtlander 21mm f/4 Color-Skopar: First Experience

[chuckroast]

I recently asked about recommendations for a 21mm lens for Leica M. I already have Leica lenses for 35mm, 50mm, and 90mm, but I wanted a super wide for those cases where it makes sense.

After due consideration, I settled on a Voightlander 21mm f/4 Color-Skopar for a number of reasons:

• I didn't want to pay 4-6x as much for a Leica lens that I wasn't sure I would use all that much.
• The reviews were uniformly excellent for this lens
• I got a great deal on a like-new one (but I paid a third again the price for the matching VH-1 hood 😉
• The lens is LTM so I can use it on my Barnack body as well as my Ms with an adapter ring
• I paired it with a TT Artisan finder because - again - I didn't want to spend a fortune on Leica branded finders

I just printed a few test images and the lens is as good as claimed. It's tack sharp, contrasty, and has no gross distortion. It works great on my IIIf, M2, and M5 bodies. M5 metering required no compensation for this lens. Frankly, it's better than my 20mm f/2.8 Nikkor AI-S. To the extent that I've shot with it (about 50 exposures, so far), it seems to produce comparable quality images to my Summicron 35mm f/2 ASPH, though at the cost of lens speed, of course.

 

[kshapero]

I just bought the CV 21mm f4 M mount lens. Goes perfect with Cv 35mm f1.5 and 90mm f2.8 on my M10.

 

[neal3k]

I keep mine on Leica LTMs and am quite happy. Chukroast's overview would be the same as mine.

Here is a favorite:
Rock Foundation by Neal Wellons, on Flickr

Leica If, Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f/4 lens with Cinestill SS (Kodak XX) film.
Shields Ethridge Heritage Farm, Georgia

 

[kshapero]

 

[kshapero]

 

[chuckroast]

I keep mine on Leica LTMs and am quite happy. Chukroast's overview would be the same as mine.

Here is a favorite:
Rock Foundation by Neal Wellons, on Flickr

Leica If, Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f/4 lens with Cinestill SS (Kodak XX) film.
Shields Ethridge Heritage Farm, Georgia

That's really lovely and hits me in my photographic happy place. Would mind sharing your EI, developer, time and any other pertinent development details. (I really love Double X. I wish it were available in 4x5.)

 

[neal3k]

That's really lovely and hits me in my photographic happy place. Would mind sharing your EI, developer, time and any other pertinent development details. (I really love Double X. I wish it were available in 4x5.)

I use Sunny 16 for exposures based on ISO 200 with XX and probably opened two stops for the lighting. I developed in FPP 110 (HC-110), dilution B for 5 minutes. I usually spend about 30 seconds on a photo with Lightroom, including crop and leveling if needed and adjusting sliders.

 

[jbielikowski]

biggest advantage over the Super-Angulon 21/4 is weight or rather lack thereof of the Skopar, paired with plastic CV finder and IIIa it's truly a pocketable combo.

Adox HR 50 in FX39

 

[aw614]

I've been really happy with my Color Skopar 21mm LTM, it was priced well on ebay without a CV finder, bought a cheapo plastic finder for now. I can't complain about the price I paid for it either.