Why everyone needs the 15mm Super Wide Heliar

I really like this lens, as I've said. Street scenes are fun:



It's fun to shoot this lens and get crazy lines and perspectives. At the same time, if shot right, you can get quite normal looking shots:



Here's one more that I like:



I've shot it a lot with Kodachrome and some color film, but not much in B&W yet. Slide can be a little tricky with this lens since super wides usually take in so much of a scene and the dynamic range can vary so much over such a wide view. Oh well, it's still fun!
 
Also nice for overviews...(swimming pool Hearst Castle)

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Keith said:
One of the things I enjoy with my Heliar is taking it out of it's comfort zone and using it for the odd portrait ... I've always really liked Al Kaplan's use of this lens.

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So Keith,

Where are the self-portraits at arms length like Al's ???? 😀
 
I find the lens eminently useable for street and documentary photography. Here are a few:

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These first two are of Benny, he is a local homeless man and a genuinely nice guy. Korean war vet, out of work despite that he used to work on nuclear reactors. Now he feeds the pigeons and the squirrels on Main Street, I've seen him around a few times, we always chat. Last time I saw him he was on his way to a church to get a bowl of soup with some stale bread in his hand for the squirrels.

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The last one is Marvis, keeps to himself and was drinking sweet tea as I talked to him. Needed 50 cents for the bus which I actually happened to have in my back pocket. I had photographed another man walking past Marvis and the man got in my face over taking his photo. He said that he wanted to sue me for violating his privacy (on a public sidewalk). Marvis overheard it and I ended up sitting down with him discussing how some people have a 'celebrity complex.'
 
15mm VS 21mm

15mm VS 21mm

I was only like 2 feet from that pumpkin, and it looked large in the finder, but it came out looking a bit puny. I was initially disappointed, but after thinking about it, I'm glad to have those withered vines in the foreground.
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I always considered the super wides a close up lens. You usually need some strong element in the foreground since everything in the frame can appear small and distant.

The light fall off on the 15mm seems severe on many of the posted images. Some really nice shots though!

Does anyone have experience shooting both the 15mm and 21mm VC's who can point out the major differences between the two in terms of performance, composition, perspective, utility, etc.?

I have a 20mm in my SLR kit and I am considering getting either the VC 15mm or 21mm to compliment my 35mm & 50mm on the R2a.
 
Overthe years I've owned a 19mm Canon, my favorite lens until it was stolen, a Vivitar 20, Zeiss Jena Flektagon 20, and for the last couple of years a 21/3.4 Super Angulon. Now that I'm "retired" I've spent about three years carrying that Bessa L/15 Heliar combo everyplace. I've grown to see the world in 15mm framing and perspective. The 21 seems just so confining now!

The 21 is probably an easier focal length to learn to use if you just need the coverage. You don't have to be so careful about keeping it level or about round objects towards the ends of the frame distorting into egg shapes. The 15 comes into its own when you want the distortion, the forced perspective, an abstract feel to the scene.

There is really a lot of difference between a 15 and a 21 if you ignore the fact that "Well, it's ONLY 6mm" and realize that it's the same difference as between a 75mm and a 105mm lens.
 
I recently acquired one for xmas and I am amazed by it already. Great, compact lens for street and travel photography. Loving IT
 
mabelsound, that's a stunning image. Good for you for stopping take the picture. I have too many images floating in my head where I just kept on driving. Did you have to adjust that horizon line in PS or LR? I would expect a lens that wide to need adjustment unless you place the horizon dead center.

Thanks for the info. I am currently considering the CV21 or CV15 as next purchases and their ability to handle that king of landscape work will matter in my decision.

Cheers,

mabelsound said:
Taken yesterday in King Ferry, NY. M2, Neopan 400 in D-76. A normal lens wouldn't have given a sense of how FREAKING HUGE this pumpkin patch is. I nearly ran off the road when I saw it.

Color film would have been nice, but you can't have everything.
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though there are some amazing pictures on this thread, I am not a big fan of the 15mm (which turns to 20mm on the M8) anymore for street shots. I find it a too challenging FOV and most of all, 90% of pictures taken with it could be equal or better with a shorter focal IMO. I always get the impression that I am trying to "find shots" for the 15mm instead of "seeing scenes" that really needs it. I took it out again this weekend after seeing several threads on the subject but all I get is mostly crappy shots and feel 24mm can do most of what the 15mm can with less distortion, better focus, less empty space and the feeling to be more in the subject.
I understand it can be good for landscape and photography, but for street, I will now leave it home and concentrate on 24mm.
 
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