tested M8 with Voigtländer 35 2.5

[steenkamp]

Hi,

just wanted to share this:

I've tested the M8 yesterday at our local Leica-Store here in Berlin for about 10 Minutes. I was allowed to use the Voigtländer 35 2.5 i had on my M6 with the M8. I didn't notice any kind of vignetting, at least with this lens no 6-bit-encoding is needed.

Guido

 

[Didier]

I believe vignetting is more an issue with wide angles, less with 50mm's, at least this is what I can say for the R-D1 (never had a M8 in my hands). Anyway I have the feeling, that the 6-bit-code is more a kind of FUD (fear, uncertainity, doubts) weapon which Leica applies to keep the concurrence off, than a really esseential feature.
Didier

 

[Ash]

I tested every lens there is, with suitable adapters, but I decided the M8 wasnt up to scratch.

course, I don't have proof so you'll have to buy one and find out for yourself 😀

 

[AndyPiper]

Apparently the offset microlenses in the Kodak/Leica sensor are performing well above Leica's expectations, or so I hear from various sources. The software corrections based on the lens coding are turning out to be far smaller than Leica thought they would have to be.

I've shot with a 15 c/v lens, and 21/28 Leica lenses, on the M8 (all uncoded) - and they all showed LESS vignetting than they do on film (of course they are also cropped, which helps).

Sean Reid is supposedly going to test some of the C/V lenses that were "iffy" as regard vignetting on the Epson R-D1 (21,25,28) on his production-firmware review M8. It will be interesting to see if those lenses suddenly look really good with the 10500 sensor.

 

[Mark Norton]

Does make you wonder whether Leica are regretting the cost and extra complexity of the lens coding thing, not to mention certain users who have had their lenses coded. LOL.

 

[AndyPiper]

Does make you wonder whether Leica are regretting the cost and extra complexity of the lens coding thing, not to mention certain users who have had their lenses coded. LOL.

Well, the 16-18-21 may have been designed with software corrections in mind - no one has tested that one yet.

And the coding will still zoom a flash and store EXIF info.

And who knows what functionality they may provide in the future - the single "LCD-type" framelines Jorge dreamed about, or even physical bright framelines driven by a micro-solenoid.

Or how about a bluetooth transmitter that automatically zooms the multi-finder when the Tri-Elmar Superwide is attached...

At least you're prepared....

 

[JohnL]

...
And the coding will still zoom a flash and store EXIF info.
...

For me, those are the main attractions, especially the EXIF, as I don't often use flash on my M, and don't really expect to.
How will I be able to get my CV 28/3.5 (for example) coded as if it was a 28/2.8 Elmarit (seems to be the nearest spec)?

 

[JohnL]

Apparently the offset microlenses in the Kodak/Leica sensor are performing well above Leica's expectations ...
I've shot with a 15 c/v lens ...

Two very good items of news - many thanks. If it can handle the 15mm it should be able to handle just about anything!

 

[MarcoS]

Well, the 16-18-21 may have been designed with software corrections in mind - no one has tested that one yet.

At Photokina they kindly let me mount the Tri-Elmar on my R-D1.
I could only take a couple of shots at not more than 1 meter from the Leica rep... but anyway I found the lens very well corrected and at f/4 the corners seemed quite sharp, I'd say even a more uniform rendition than both the Elmarit 21 asph and 24 asph at the same aperture.
Vignetting was almost non-existent.
Btw, giving the very narrow range of the Tri-Elmar (1.3x) I would have preferred a fixed 18mm, f/4 but smaller or f/2.8 for the same dimensions.

They also let me test my 15 CV on the M8 and judging by the LCD it did vignette less than on my R-D1, despite the wider sensor.
The Leica rep smiled while looking at the difference himself and said me: "so we did a good job indeed!".
Definitely yess 🙂

 

[MarcoS]

I attached the shots I made with the Tri-Elmar at 16mm, 18mm and 21mm on the R-D1 at the crowdy Photokina, with a couple of 100% crops at 16mm setting.

This is all but a rigorous test for testing lenses: artificial light, 400 ISO, handheld at about 1/45 sec...

 

[sreidvt]

Apparently the offset microlenses in the Kodak/Leica sensor are performing well above Leica's expectations, or so I hear from various sources. The software corrections based on the lens coding are turning out to be far smaller than Leica thought they would have to be.

I've shot with a 15 c/v lens, and 21/28 Leica lenses, on the M8 (all uncoded) - and they all showed LESS vignetting than they do on film (of course they are also cropped, which helps).

Sean Reid is supposedly going to test some of the C/V lenses that were "iffy" as regard vignetting on the Epson R-D1 (21,25,28) on his production-firmware review M8. It will be interesting to see if those lenses suddenly look really good with the 10500 sensor.

Hi Andy,

Actually the 12, 15, 21 and 28 as well as the longer lenses.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Mark Norton]

The 12 test is going to be especially interesting...

 

[devils-advocate]

Hi Andy,

Actually the 12, 15, 21 and 28 as well as the longer lenses.

Cheers,

Sean

Sean, any idea when you will be able to post Part II of the M8 review?

As my gf noted last night, my breath is a bit baited 😛

- N.

 

[MarcoS]

I guess he said this week.