Should I get a 21mm or a 25mm for my RD-1?

[kshapero]

I have a 35 and 50mm lens. Would like to have something wider. I am leaning towards a 21mm lens which factors at about 32mm. Will I be in for too many "surprises" at the edges? Or should I play it a little safer and get a 25mm?

 

[gb hill]

Get the 21mm. Then you'll have a nice wide for the Ikon when you want to shoot a roll of film.

 

[MCTuomey]

if you like the 35mm focal length on your zi and lean toward the wider side, then the 21 would make sense for the r-d1, no?

i like the 28-35 range with film, exp in heavy human traffic, so the 21 sounds very nice to have, lotsa DOF for hyperfocal shooting.

 

[back alley]

didn't you just sell a 25?

 

[thomasw_]

Yes, the ZM 21/4,5 seems like a serious kick-a$$ lens! If you plan to use it mostly outside as a candid street shooting lens, it would be my pick if I were using your camera. So compact, sleek and possessing a sexy signature....ah, and in daytime/outdoors the f4,5 is plenty fast.

 

[kshapero]

didn't you just sell a 25?

I did. I want a wide that is rangefinder coupled. I am thinking of the ZI 21mm f2.8. I think the faster lens would also come in handy for low light.

 

[Dingo]

This is actually an old question, and you just need to ask yourself : Will I shoot with a 32mm or 38mm lens ? If yes, get one, or two.

The only experience I would share is that R-D1 makes my CV wides (15, 21, 28 and a borrowed 12) LESS interesting to play with because of the cropping factor.

 

[kshapero]

This is actually an old question, and you just need to ask yourself : Will I shoot with a 32mm or 38mm lens ? If yes, get one, or two.

The only experience I would share is that R-D1 makes my CV wides (15, 21, 28 and a borrowed 12) LESS interesting to play with because of the cropping factor.

But still it is wider than using a 35mm or 50mm lens.

 

[noimmunity]

I'd say get the 25, especially if you want the speed of the 2.8/21 over the C Biogon's 4.5. That C Biogon is the reason I'd consider a 21, actually.
I used the ZI and RD-1 on a three week trip through France, Italy and the United States and only took two lenses, the 25 and the 50 Sonnar. I thought that was perfect, really.
Another advantage of the 25 on both the ZI and the RD-1 is that you can get away without using an external VF much easier than you could with a 21. But I still have CV 25 and 35 VFs to go with the two lens/two body combo I mentioned.
The 25 on the RD-1 is closer, I feel, to 35 than to 40. Plus, the funny thing about cropping is that although the FOV is 1.5x, the perspective still remains the same as the original wide angle. For that reason too, 25 is better I think than 21, since the former is probably the last wide angle with a slightly normal perspective.
I have an 18 for going ridiculously wide. It looks closer to a 25 FOV on the RD-1 than a 28.

 

[kshapero]

Went with the CV 21mm old style. Real nice.

 

[Burkey]

I went with the 21mm Skopar "P" along with the CV 21mm "D" finder and am discovering it to be a favorite on my RD-1. Good luck.

 

[kshapero]

I went with the 21mm Skopar "P" along with the CV 21mm "D" finder and am discovering it to be a favorite on my RD-1. Good luck.

This synergy must be because we are both 58. Stay young.

 

[Burkey]

"This synergy must be because we are both 58. Stay young." I couldn't agree more.
I really love the 21mm FoV on RD-1 and the "D" finder has working very well with my glasses and aging eyes. I sometimes wish it was a bit faster but still very usable .

 

[JNewell]

21...it translates to almost 35mm in 24x36-speak.