sleepyhead
Well-known
Mainly because I like the focal length - it's great for crowded, confined spaces, and in my experience those types of places tend to be no so brightly lit.
So for me, having an extra stop or two on a 24mm would help.
Some of the best party pictures I ever took were in natural lighjt conditions with a Fuji Natura point and shoot camera which had a 24mm f/1.9 lens.
I decided to sell that lovely camera only because I found that no having any manual focus control was seriously bugging me.
Unfortunately, the 24mm Summilux is out of the question due to it's high price.
I would pay $500 to 900 tomorrow for a 24mm f/2, assuming it was as good as the 25mm snapshot skopar at f/4 and smaller, and if it was as good as the 24mm f/2 Olympus OM Zuiko at wider apertures. Actually, in my experience, under low light handheld conditions, a lens does not have to be spectacularly good wide open in order to be useful.
f16sunshine
Moderator
Honestly Cosina would have much more bottom one benifit from a fast mid tele. If they could come with a f.1.4/75mm or 2/90 personally I would be stoked. Fast wides are nice but wides are much more forgiving in regards to speed. What's really missing from the cosina line is a fast portrait IMHO. Ok not so humble opinion 
Roger Hicks
Veteran
For me, 35 is the perfect 'wide standard': anything wider (including 28) ceases to be 'standard', with people having funny-shaped heads at the edge of the frame. I've never got on with 28 (though Frances likes it) and 25/25 strikes me as only slightly more useful: I'd rather have a 21 (as I have had for decades). Or an 18 (Frances has one). Then 15 and 14 really are super-wide (I can use my 14 Nikon-fit Sigma via an adapter) and although I tried the 12 I knew I wouldn't use it enough to justify buying one.
It's also the widest half-affordable high-speed lens (I've used a Summilux for 30 years or so).
Cheers,
R.
Tim Gray
Well-known
Agreed. Though I don't find that much of a difference between 24 and 28. I know this argument can be used for almost any adjacent focal lengths, but still. 28 is wide but not too wide. I shoot a lot of 28, and am contemplating the 24/1.4 for my Canon, since it's close enough to 28.
The big advantage I see for 28 on RF is that there are frame lines in the internal finder.
ampguy
Veteran
I would like to see an inexpensive 24, with a 35mm framelines M mount to bring up the 24/35 lines on an M8.
Here are some ways to minimize the cost of the lens: fixed focus (at infinity), and just 5 aperture clicks, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6 and 8.
Use the savings to enhance the build quality and reduce distortion.
Here are some ways to minimize the cost of the lens: fixed focus (at infinity), and just 5 aperture clicks, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6 and 8.
Use the savings to enhance the build quality and reduce distortion.
peter_n
Veteran
What's wrong with the CV 25/4? Just use faster film... It seems like an excellent little lens that's about a third of the size of my 24/2.8. The pictures I've seen from it are outstanding.
ampguy
Veteran
I think brings up 28/90 lines
I think brings up 28/90 lines
which is OK if using a finder, but for M8 users, would be great if it brought up 24/35 lines.
I think brings up 28/90 lines
which is OK if using a finder, but for M8 users, would be great if it brought up 24/35 lines.
peter_n
Veteran
ah but I'm just a humble MP kind of guy, not one of these Leica digital fancy boys...
Indeed, and fortunately, it does! From CameraQuest website: "The 25/4P in Leica M mount lens brings up the 35/135 framelines in Leica M film cameras, or the 35/24 frameline on the Leica M8."
I wouldn't mind having an f/2 24/25mm in M mount. I have an f/2 24mm for my Pentax, and have found it pretty useful.
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papasnap
Well-known
hahahah what a talent for understatement you have
yes, if cash was no issue I'd buy a leica 24/f1.4 tomorrow. as it stands... i doubt I'll ever own one. I'd love a voigt or zeiss 24/f2 in m-mount.. and would buy one asap if it ever came out.
ampguy
Veteran
myM8yogi
Well-known
I can't decide between 21mm and 24mm
I can't decide between 21mm and 24mm
As things stand right now, I'd rather buy a 21mm because neither Zeiss nor Cosina offer 24/25mm lenses with any speed advantage over their 21mm lenses... so I may as well take the extra width and crop if necessary. However, if a 24 or 25 f/2 came out, the extra stop would make it more veratile than the extra width of the wider lens, and I would certainly go for the faster wide angle lens.
I used to own a Canon 24/1.4L before I converted to rangefinder, and it was really nice to have wide angle and shallow depth of field. The closest I can get these days is the CV35/1.2 - a perfect lens in all respects except size/weight.
I can't decide between 21mm and 24mm
As things stand right now, I'd rather buy a 21mm because neither Zeiss nor Cosina offer 24/25mm lenses with any speed advantage over their 21mm lenses... so I may as well take the extra width and crop if necessary. However, if a 24 or 25 f/2 came out, the extra stop would make it more veratile than the extra width of the wider lens, and I would certainly go for the faster wide angle lens.
I used to own a Canon 24/1.4L before I converted to rangefinder, and it was really nice to have wide angle and shallow depth of field. The closest I can get these days is the CV35/1.2 - a perfect lens in all respects except size/weight.
ZeissFan
Veteran
I think that one of the prohibitive things is the physical size of the front element that probably would block the viewfinder. That's not a concern with an SLR, but it very much is a concern with a rangefinder.
sleepyhead
Well-known
A 24/2 like the Zuiko for Olympus OM is actually quite small. Sure a rangefinder version would have to longer due to the thinner body on a Leica M mount camera, but such a lens really need not be bigger that the ZM 25/2.8 Biogon.
In fact, size (and cost) is why I would prefer a 24/2 and not a 24/1.4 - I have no doubt that the Leica 24mm Summilux is an awesome lens, but for me, it's size runs agains the spirit and reason behind having a relatively small RF camera.
sleepyhead
Well-known
If some of the responses to this thread are anything to judge by, then I would judge that there would be a market for a 24/2 RF from Cosina.
Whether the market would be big enough to make financial sense, I have no idea.
Whether the market would be big enough to make financial sense, I have no idea.
In faster lenses it's more difficult to control aberrations, so elements are added, some with fancy expensive glass, and the lens grows larger. I'd like to try the 24mm Summilux; perhaps they've done an adequate job without much compromising.
What brings up this thought is recalling the CA evident in most digital shots using a premium 24/2 Pentax SLR lens; a bit disappointing, though otherwise the lens is glorious. :bang:
What brings up this thought is recalling the CA evident in most digital shots using a premium 24/2 Pentax SLR lens; a bit disappointing, though otherwise the lens is glorious. :bang:
kzphoto
Well-known
Having noted that there is a severe lack of a 24/2 in the Leica M world, has anyone considered having MS-optic rip out one of those 24/1.9 lenses and throwing it into an M-mount? The results could be interesting.
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
Nikon has a pretty good 24/2; and I just read a few posts up that Olympus has one. If they can do it, Cosina can do it.
HarryW
Established
I would like to add a 24 / 25 mm lens preferably 2.0 or 2.8 for use on an M2 and I'm happy to use an external finder. From what I can see I have the following options:
Leica 1.4 too expensive - too big.
Leica 2.8 good size - still too expensive.
Zeiss 2.8 too big.
Cosina 4.0 good size - too slow.
Have I missed any
What's available from the used market and no longer manufactured?
Regards
Harry
Leica 1.4 too expensive - too big.
Leica 2.8 good size - still too expensive.
Zeiss 2.8 too big.
Cosina 4.0 good size - too slow.
Have I missed any
What's available from the used market and no longer manufactured?
Regards
Harry
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
Harry, the law of physics and optics precludes a small, fast lens! ANY f2 lens for a rangefinder will be substantial -and even a 2.8 is by nature large. The M camera has a "throat" that precludes using a large rear element and that forces the design to use a sufficiently large front element to gather enough light (Yes, I know - highly scientific explanation).
Of the four lenses you have listed - the Zeiss 25f2.8 is the best one, and will give you the best bang for the buck. The Summilux 21/24f1.4 is stunning - but prize and size is detrimental to your health ( at least financially!!!). The 24f2.8 ASPH is very good - but I haven't found it better than the Zeiss 25. This is a stunning lens. Sharp, nice contrast without Asph contrast problems.
It is not huge, compared to the Leica 24's - though not exactly svelte. It works very well on a M2 by the way. Sticks out just enough so you can grab it comfortably.
We all would like a 25f2 or 2.8 the size of a 25f4 - but it would most likely only cover a 18x24 size or even smaller. If you want speed with edge performance - the size is bound to be "largish". There are times when you have to bite the bullet and go for it. At least in the case of the Zeiss 25f2.8 - the performance makes it worthwhile. Just get the smaller round hood!!!!
Of the four lenses you have listed - the Zeiss 25f2.8 is the best one, and will give you the best bang for the buck. The Summilux 21/24f1.4 is stunning - but prize and size is detrimental to your health ( at least financially!!!). The 24f2.8 ASPH is very good - but I haven't found it better than the Zeiss 25. This is a stunning lens. Sharp, nice contrast without Asph contrast problems.
It is not huge, compared to the Leica 24's - though not exactly svelte. It works very well on a M2 by the way. Sticks out just enough so you can grab it comfortably.
We all would like a 25f2 or 2.8 the size of a 25f4 - but it would most likely only cover a 18x24 size or even smaller. If you want speed with edge performance - the size is bound to be "largish". There are times when you have to bite the bullet and go for it. At least in the case of the Zeiss 25f2.8 - the performance makes it worthwhile. Just get the smaller round hood!!!!