Opinion of LTM Avenon 21 mm lens?

[wrs1145]

What is your opinion on the quality of the vintage Avenon lens as opposed to the Voitlander 21?

Thanks,
Bill

 

[38Deardorff]

I think the quality is similar, but I prefer the Voigtlander 21 because it's smaller.

 

[Beemermark]

It's a great lens both on film and digital. I have a number of 21mm lenses (including 2 Leica lens) and it's far and away better. Plus it meters reasonably well with my M7, M9, or MP. The VF is huge but I use my Leitz VF.

 

[trix4ever]

I have the Avenon 28/3.5 and it's my favourite 28mm if I don't want the harsh modern look of my 28/1.5 Voigtlander. I've often wondered about the Avenon 21mm but it always looked a bit big. I recently bought this 21/3.5 Voigtlander after struggling with my Zeiss 21/4.5 on digital (it's fabulous on film) and it's everything the reviews have said.
It's tiny, sharp into the corners, no Italian flag problems. I hate the square hood for it and have ordered a shallow vented round hood which should at least help keep my fingers off the glass. Highly recommended.
I should add that I had the 21/1.8 Ultron which was a great lens but too big for me and it's just been sold. Good if you need the speed though.
If your using film the 21/4 Voigtlander is great, and cheaper, just poor on digital from memory.

 

[chuckroast]

What is your opinion on the quality of the vintage Avenon lens as opposed to the Voitlander 21?

Thanks,
Bill

I have the 21mm f/4 Color-Skopar in LTM and use it both on a IIIf and M film bodies. Razor sharp and contrasty, could not be happier with it. I was on my way to buy a Leica 21mm and found this more than meets my needs.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

What is your opinion on the quality of the vintage Avenon lens as opposed to the Voitlander 21?

Thanks,
Bill

For film or digital (which digital)? For film CV CS 21/4 is easy choice. Same lens on digital M is fine for BW, but suffers from corners decentring in color. Even CornerFix can't fix it.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

It's a great lens both on film and digital. I have a number of 21mm lenses (including 2 Leica lens) and it's far and away better. Plus it meters reasonably well with my M7, M9, or MP. The VF is huge but I use my Leitz VF.

Any pictures samples with it on M9?

 

[raid]

I would say that the Avenon 21mm lens is an excellent lens based on what I have seen posted online by others.

Avenon and Kobalux are identical lenses with different names. I have the 28mm 3.5 Kobalux. I like it very much, and if the 21mm lens is as good as the 28mmm lens, then the Avenon 21mm is a good choice too. I styaed away from buying a 21mm RF lens for many years as I used lenses such as the Canon 19mm 3.5 ltm (without RF focus) and the Rokkor 21mm 4 (ltm with an adapter). These lenses have a retrofocus design with the rear glass element protruding deeply into the camera. It worked well with the Leica film cameras but not with the Leica digital cameras. Using such retrofocus lenses would damage the sensors. So I have been using a Canon FD 17mm 4 SLR lens on my digital Leica cameras. For my own case only, I don't see the need for a 21mm lens. Actually I once bought (and never used) a CV 21mm 4 (for Nikon?) that cannot be used with digital Leica cameras.

 

[raid]

Dante Stella had a write-up on the Kobalux 21mm lens.

Kobalux Lenses for Leica

21mm on a Leica M8

Dante Stella

 

[justins7]

I always wondered why someone has not come out with a new 21/2.8 with a similar design to the Kobalux but would work well on both film and digital.

 

[raid]

I always wondered why someone has not come out with a new 21/2.8 with a similar design to the Kobalux but would work well on both film and digital.

The CV 21mm lens may be the main reason.

 

[justins7]

it's not 2.8 though. One is f/3.5, the other is f/4.

 

[wlewisiii]

I don't know the Avenon but have the Voigtlander in 21 on both LTM and Nikon S mount. Love that lens and personally don't mind it on my M 240 but I'm not as fussy as some 🙂

For what it's worth, like Raid, I have the Kobalux 28 and also love it - if their 21 is as good and I didn't have the Voigtlander, I'd go hunting for the Kobolux first.

 

[raid]

I don't know the Avenon but have the Voigtlander in 21 on both LTM and Nikon S mount. Love that lens and personally don't mind it on my M 240 but I'm not as fussy as some 🙂

For what it's worth, like Raid, I have the Kobalux 28 and also love it - if their 21 is as good and I didn't have the Voigtlander, I'd go hunting for the Kobolux first.

Can you use your CV 21mm (Nikon S) on a Leica with an adapter?

 

[wlewisiii]

Can you use your CV 21mm (Nikon S) on a Leica with an adapter?

I don't know. Since I have it on both, I haven't tried and I have heard some of the CV lenses don't work. I'll try to remember to test it and get back to here on that.

 

[shawn]

The CV 21mm f4 smears on digital much worse than the Avenon/Kobalux.
F5.6 on M240

F5.6 on A7RII

F11 on A7RII

Major downside on my Kobalux is it developed haze between cemented elements and is now most unusable. It was the millennium edition too.

 

[trix4ever]

The CV 21mm f4 smears on digital much worse than the Avenon/Kobalux.
F5.6 on M240

F5.6 on A7RII

F11 on A7RII

Major downside on my Kobalux is it developed haze between cemented elements and is now most unusable. It was the millennium edition too.

Are those corners?

 

[shawn]

Yes

 

[trix4ever]

Yes

Well that's quite impressive, but the Voigtlander 21/3.5 that I just bought is sharp right into the extreme corners at 5.6, as sharp on my M240 as this Avenon is at f11. In fact it seems crisp even wide open. Fred Miranda tested the 21/3.5 as pretty much as good on the A7rii as the M. It cost the same used off Ebay as the Avenon.
I want to try this new 21mm of mine on my SL2-S next.
I so love my 21/4.5 c-biogon but the only way it seems to work on digital is on a monochrom, so I have to resist GAS for now...must resist...

 

[shawn]

Yes, the f3.5 Voigtlander is dramatically better on digital. I used to have one on a GFX 50R.

It didn't cover the whole sensor but was awesome in 1:1 or 65:24. 1:1 was the same FOV as the SWC, 65:24 was basically the same FOV as the Xpan. Changing AR was like changing cameras on that rig. These were taken about half an hour apart.

I thought this was about the f4 version since it mentioned LTM in the title and I don't think the f3.5 came in LTM mount?