RD-1 arriving tomorrow, time to eval lens kit

[espressogeek]

Tomorrow my RD-1 arrives. I am so psyched . I have the 35/2 ZM, 50/1.4 Canon and 90/4 rokkor. I was curious what additional lens I should add on the wide end? Would the 21mm Zeiss be to wide? If so would the 24/2.8 be the next logical choice? Does anyone have any pics from these lenses on the RD-1?
Cheers

 

[Sailor Ted]

Would the 21mm Zeiss be to wide?

The 21mm Zeiss along with the much wider 12mm CV are my two favorite lenses on this camera.

Here are a few examples of the 21mm Zeiss on the R-D1s. Also with the 1.5 crop factor this lens is only aprox a 32mm lens- not too wide?

 

[espressogeek]

Is the 2nd one with the 21mm ZM?

 

[akptc]

I find the 15mm CV works very very well with the RD1.

 

[Sailor Ted]

All three examples are with the 21mm Zeiss. How do you find the 15mm for vignetting?

Also the second one may be soft for a few different reasons.

1. I may have used noise reduction when processing the RAW file. I don't know as this was one of the first pictures I shot and processed and at the time I was just learning digital processing (I was a film guy and I'm learning every day). When I get a chance I'll re-work the shot and see.
2. It was a longish exposure hand held so that may be the issue or it may be due to the range finder being out from day one.

Anyway the 21mm is a sharp lens as the third photo shows. If you get the Zeiss I predict you'll love it as much as I do. It's a great lens and a nice ergonomic fit for this camera.

 

[espressogeek]

I love the look of that Zeiss. Their lenses leave such a "fingerprint" some times.

 

[akptc]

There is some vignetting but it's fairly easily removed in Photoshop. Most of my shots with it so far have been in dark places, (2) but here are a few samples I found on flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tullyz/tags/15mm/

 

[rvaubel]

All three examples are with the 21mm Zeiss. How do you find the 15mm for vignetting?

Quite frankly, The 15mm VC has a lot of vignetting on the RD1. I still use it because it is a lot of fun but even anti-vignetting software can't always beat it. The good news is the M8 seems to have liked the vignetting problem. This is good news for me because I really like those older design, symmetrical wides that were problematic on the RD1.

Rex
Still waiting..arf

 

[Sailor Ted]

Yea there's this cat on flickr (one of my favorite photogs and a personal inspiration) by the name of Captainvideo and he too seems to get a lot of play out of the CV 15 on his R-D1.

WOOF WOOF! Rex I just got my M8 this evening and despite is ergonomics (I can say now first hand that the R-D1 beats it hands down in this department) I can't wait to get it out and test those wide-angle lenses. Rex you really ought to try the 12mm- it's a killer on the R-D1.

Sailor

 

[nksyoon]

I love the 21mm on an R-D1 - if only I didn't have to use an external VF! As mentioned earlier, it's only a 32mm equivalent, not very wide.

Some samples:

 

[J. Borger]

THe question if 21mm = 32mm is too wide or not can only be answered in relation to the intentional use and how comfortable you feel working very close up.
For streetphotography i personaly consider it too wide, because i feel uncomfortable to get so very close to people (and yes you have to stick that lens almost in their face to make even a modest 32mm wide angle pictures work).... for documentary or other use where people are aware and do not mind their pictures are taken it's a very fine focal length with possibility of dramatic looking pictures as Nick perfectly illustrated with his samples.

Just my take of course ... mileage varies !

 

[Sailor Ted]

J Borger,
You are of course correct it does depend on how comfortable you are with getting up close and personal. You'll love this- 12mm CV (my favorite lens on the R-D1.) Now this is close! I can get away with this on my R-D1 only because it's so quite- they didn't even know they had their pictures taken : ) The second shot is with the 21mm Zeiss (I think).

Nick- really great shots. Very Magnum like.

 

[J. Borger]

J Borger,
You are of course correct it does depend on how comfortable you are with getting up close and personal. You'll love this- 12mm CV (my favorite lens on the R-D1.) Now this is close! I can get away with this on my R-D1 only because it's so quite- they didn't even know they had their pictures taken : ) The second shot is with the 21mm Zeiss (I think).

Nick- really great shots. Very Magnum like.

Nice shots Ted ..............good to see the wides work for for you .... nothing more personal than lens-choice. I am not much of a wide-angle guy myself .....
My lens use on R-D1/ M8 =
35mm 40%
50mm 58%
75mm 1%
21mm 1%

 

[Sailor Ted]

Thanks J,
The truth is my wide angles really help me catch the decisive moment in focus whereas some RF photogs can focus a Noctilux faster then a speeding DSLR. I wish I could say that’s me : )

Night,
Ted

 

[anglophone1]

My two most used lnses are 28mm and 21mm [both CV] which is about 42mm and 32mm on 35mm, where I used to use a 35 and 28................
Next the 15, followed by the 12, lastly the 50.....................
I've kept the 35 and 90 for my back up film body!
Take a look at http://www.clive-evans.co.uk/cgi-bin/new.pl for a whole story shot on this combo...................................
Best
Clive

 

[Terao]

As you're in to your Zeiss glass, have you considered waiting for the upcoming 18mm f/4 Distagon? Or its close relation the 21mm f/4.5? Both announced at Photokina in October so I assume they'll be along fairly soon. The 18 would be particularly good considering the crop factor.

Also consider the Voigtlander 21mm f/4 - very, very compact, fine lens on the R-D1 - I use it a lot.

 

[iml]

Seconded on the CV 21/4.0, a really good lens. I use it with a 28mm finder on the R-D1, which gives pretty accurate framing. Some pictures with this combination:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=6497

Ian

 

[espressogeek]

Looks like I will get a 21mm then. Perhaps I will spring for a 28mm later. Are there any good classic designed 28mm lenses by canon or nikon that dont suck? I thought i would try one of those before i spent the money on another ZM.

 

[Sailor Ted]

Espressogeek,
You'll love that Zeiss lens and you'll need its extra light sensitivity of f2.8. As to a 28mm I'm in the same quandary but I'll pay Sean R.'s site a visit. My concern is that in a lens of this length I don't want one that's too slow or vignettes too much and I don’t know if I really need an EFOV lens of 42mm in the first place.

That said I could easily live with only three lenses for my R-D1s.
1. 12mm CV
2. 21mm ZM
3. 35mm Leica Summicron non-asph (great deals used and such a wonderful lens in such a fast and compact design, sharp as a tack too!)

Sailor Ted