What use for extreme wideangles?

[rxmd]

I just got the CV 4/21 Skopar from AlexC and it's my widest lens so far (the next is a 2,8/24 for Canon FD, the next RF lens is a couple of 35s). Looking through the viewfinder I get the impression that this is already as wide as it ever needs to be. I mean I can stand four feet away from a person and have him on the frame head to toe! I can stand ten meters away from a building and have it on the frame with straight lines! Do I really have to get a wider lens so I can shoot people at three feet and have my feet on the frame?

What do people use the even wider 12 and 15mm lenses for? In practice? If a 12mm lens relates to my 21 like 28 does to a 50, then what practical applications are there for such a lens? Or is this just the rangefinder equivalent of a fisheye, a lens everybody would like to have but hardly anybody ever uses?

Philipp

 

[sf]

it isn't about practicality as much as it is about what the lens offers to the perspective. The super wides. . . 8mm hologon for example . . . are crazy wide, and it's that very impracticality that makes them so fun to use.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Why a 15mm? A wider perspective, a different field of view, great for landscapes, really great for cityscapes, interesting effect for portraits:

15mm Heliar

 

[back alley]

nicely done todd.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

...but the 15mm is tailor made for Hot Rods:

 

[Todd.Hanz]

thanks Joe 🙂

 

[Todd.Hanz]

great stuff Roland, I really like the second one.

 

[RML]

And a 15mm begets a 22mm FoV on my R-D1.

 

[lubitel]

...but the 15mm is tailor made for Hot Rods:

The first shot is awesome!

 

[nemjo]

By that FL you can take yourself even in the perspective of history...

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/data/5128/bvc00072.jpg

nemjo

 

[Pherdinand]

I don't want a fisheye. Never wanted.

I do like to use, however, my 17mm lens (it's an slr). One can play around with the perspective.And sometimes those darn "buildings" are just too big to fit into a 21mm's frame from 10 meters. Sometimes even the 17mm's field of view needs to be used diagonally.😀

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Todd,

That swimming pool shot is an excellent photo, great use of the superwide.

 

[taffer]

Philip I was wondering exactly the same as you !

And that's exactly why I got myself a 15 when after another lens sale I found one offered here (thanks Young-Ki!)

The rest can be found here:

http://singlecoated.blogspot.com/2006/05/till-wave-will-separate-us.html
http://singlecoated.blogspot.com/2006/05/into-oceanario.html
http://singlecoated.blogspot.com/2006/05/more-porto-lisbon-and-cv-15.html
http://singlecoated.blogspot.com/2006/05/they-only-come-out-at-night.html

And I hope many more will come 🙂

Oscar

 

[Pherdinand]

those have some very unique look, taffer! and i don't mean the wide angle but the tones.
What have you done to them??

 

[taffer]

Ahá, that's the Kris Special Tritoning method (R) 😉

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Oscar,

I love those shots ... totally different way of viewing things. You've shot well, as I don't feel 'manipulated' by the characteristics of the lens itself. Well done !

 

[kbg32]

it isn't about practicality as much as it is about what the lens offers to the perspective. The super wides. . . 8mm hologon for example . . . are crazy wide, and it's that very impracticality that makes them so fun to use.

George,

To my knowledge, there is no 8mm Hologon. It is 16mm.

Nice imagery gentlemen.

Cheers.

 

[zuikologist]

Oscar - the second photo is very well executed. I had to work out what it was. Nice use of angles.

 

[taffer]

Guys, you're too kind 🙂 To be honest, and maybe with the exception of that aquarium shot, in some shots I used this lens more or less as if it was my 35 (widest lens before the 15).

Place some object (or face!) near the edges and you're sold though 😉

What I really like on the 15 is how it renders skies, even the all blue boring ones, I was happily surprised.

And bts I see that the other owners are already mastering their 15's !

Oscar

 

[Pherdinand]

When I first time used the 17mm, very excited, I shot a full roll of...terribly empty and boring images😀
You really have to watch what you include in a superwide frame and how far are the subjects.