Leica LTM LTM wide angle recommendations

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
If your goals is to use such lenses with a digital Leica, I recommend that you get retrofocus lenses such as the Rokkor 21mm/2.8 or Canon FC 17/4. The rear glass will be far enough from the sensor to make such lenses useful.
 
raid said:
I would not now buy a costly SLR lens to be used with a RF camera when the cost is high. I happen to own since many years quite a few SLR lenses, so I use them with my Leica cameras with an adapter. It works best with wide angel lenses. From the Canon FD line I have:

7.5mm/5.6
17mm/4
24mm/2.8
28mm/2

All would work with Adapter B on ltm or M cameras. Since these lenses are retrofocus in design, they can be used well with Leica digital cameras too.
Click to expand...

Good advice.

At those prices, I would probably not chase one just to use on a Barnack.

I do have a Canon FTb, so there is slightly more reason (?) to find a Canon super-wide, but hopefully to luck-into a bargain somewhere.

The best-priced example on e-bay at $189 USD, had scratched/ moldy front element... not exactly a bargain given the issues.
 
Luddite Frank said:
Good advice.

At those prices, I would probably not chase one just to use on a Barnack.

I do have a Canon FTb, so there is slightly more reason (?) to find a Canon super-wide, but hopefully to luck-into a bargain somewhere.

The best-priced example on e-bay at $189 USD, had scratched/ moldy front element... not exactly a bargain given the issues.
Click to expand...

raid said:
I would wait until some Canon FD user unloads a clean 17/4 at a good price.
Click to expand...

What about a Tamron Adaptall SP 17mm?
 
lxmike said:
Hi

I am after chasing down a wide angle lens for my IIIg, IIIc and bessa R, mainly for shooting the cricket grounds l shall visit this year, what would you recommend, l was thinking along the lines of a Voigtlander 25mm snapshot etc, what would you recommend:) Thanks in advance for any help received
Click to expand...

the most basic decisions are do you want LTM lenses of

1) vintage or modern look ?
2) low, medium, or high investment range?

After you decide these factors, the actual lens choices will fall into place much quicker

If you want modern looking images from your screw mount cameras,
the only practical choices are the Voigtlander 10,12,15,21,25,28mm lenses,

as the modern Leica LTM lenses are limited production, hard to find, and very pricey.

Stephen
 
General question about using such a wide lens.

My interest, not far removed from the OP wanting to shoot sporting-grounds, would be landscapes, and architecture.

Is it practical to shoot such a wide (rectilinear) lens hand-held, or is a tripod a practical necessity ? ( Keeping horizontals & verticals true...)
 
Luddite Frank said:
General question about using such a wide lens.

My interest, not far removed from the OP wanting to shoot sporting-grounds, would be landscapes, and architecture.

Is it practical to shoot such a wide (rectilinear) lens hand-held, or is a tripod a practical necessity ? ( Keeping horizontals & verticals true...)
Click to expand...

In that case, instead of a tripod, I often use a *spirit level* -- one can buy plastic ones for the accessory shoe for mere pennies, and they weigh just grams. Of course some accessory shoe doubler, or a simple flash-bracket holder for the additional accessory shoe is useful, but again, less hassle than a tripod.
 
So, you aim the camera looking down on the spirit level, and not by holding the VF up to your eye ? ( I'm planning to do this on a screw-mount Leica, BTW)

I guess the FOV is wide enough that it would be difficult to leave anything out of the shot...
 
Luddite Frank said:
So, you aim the camera looking down on the spirit level, and not by holding the VF up to your eye ? ( I'm planning to do this on a screw-mount Leica, BTW)

I guess the FOV is wide enough that it would be difficult to leave anything out of the shot...
Click to expand...

The spirit levels I use are all-over transparent plastic cubes, so I can use them looking down, or looking through -- so I'm at least horizontally un-slanted ;) --, and I put them in an accessory shoe next to the accessory VF, when I'm using my Bessa L, e.g.
 
Sumarongi said:
What about a Tamron Adaptall SP 17mm?
Click to expand...

Excellent lens. I had one but gave it to a friend as I also had 14mm in Nikon fit (Sigma), and in Leica fit 15mm Voigtlander, 18mm Zeiss, 21mm Kobalux/ Avenon and Voigtlander...

I also had a 20/5.6 Russar and it was awful. Then I tried another and that was awful too. Some people swear by them so I must just have been unlucky twice.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
I also had a 20/5.6 Russar and it was awful. Then I tried another and that was awful too. Some people swear by them so I must just have been unlucky twice.

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...
30 years I was friends with a very large store that dealt mostly in used stuff. They had six of the 20mm Russars. I tried all 6, all 6 were terrible. In those days I didn’t have much money so I could live with bad, but not as bad as these lenses.
 
Beemermark said:
30 years I was friends with a very large store that dealt mostly in used stuff. They had six of the 20mm Russars. I tried all 6, all 6 were terrible. In those days I didn’t have much money so I could live with bad, but not as bad as these lenses.
Click to expand...
Glad it's not just me!

Perhaps, instead of you and me being unlucky, the few who've had good ones were all exceptionally lucky.

I love the wording of "I could live with bad, but not as bad as these lenses".

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Beemermark said:
30 years I was friends with a very large store that dealt mostly in used stuff. They had six of the 20mm Russars. I tried all 6, all 6 were terrible. In those days I didn’t have much money so I could live with bad, but not as bad as these lenses.
Click to expand...

Glad it's not just me!

Perhaps, instead of you and me being unlucky, the few who've had good ones were all exceptionally lucky.

I love the wording of "I could live with bad, but not as bad as these lenses".

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...

I have *no* experience with the lens in question, but I happen to have the PYCCAP accessory finder -- I'm glad that I have it, especially when I combine it with one of the discussed SLR-lens-on-RF-camera-sandwiches, and it's actually quite a good finder, IMHO.
 
Luddite Frank said:
So, you aim the camera looking down on the spirit level, and not by holding the VF up to your eye ? ( I'm planning to do this on a screw-mount Leica, BTW)

I guess the FOV is wide enough that it would be difficult to leave anything out of the shot...
Click to expand...

It's a shame Cosina stopped making their double shoe mounts and prism spirit level. I still need one for my 12mm f/5.6 UWH.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom