Zeiss 18mm and 21mm discontinued?

[kiss-o-matic]

The Color Skopar is the best buy in slow 21mm lenses, yes. The ZM 21/4.5 is probably a better lens, but it's way more expensive and not THAT much better. The little Skopar leaves budget for the external finder too. Neither the C Biogon or the Skopar are great on digital of course. For that you need the Nokton.

Cheers. I'm a 35mm street guy, most of the time. Sometimes I do 28, but I find at some events, even wider would work. I don't really need the finder but I guess it would be nice. 🙂

 

[mfunnell]

Well, this is an expensive thread!

I found a new-old-stock ZM 18mm/f4 and so felt I more-or-less had to buy it (particularly having argued the price down quite substantially). Thing is, I'm not especially good at "seeing wide" in photographs. I'm hoping this lens helps me in that regard. I've certainly been enjoying it in the very limited time I've had (essentially buying it, then walking it home). Here's a shot I like well enough:



And here are some more:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mfunnell/albums/72157676390160826

The thing with the photo I've posted, above, is that the 1st version has substantial red-shift in the corners, while most of the others I took on the day probably had the same thing, but in less obvious ways. I've downloaded Cornerfix, and that seem to work pretty well (even with a fairly casual lens profile) in correcting the photo here. Nonetheless, I suspect I'll both love this lens and also hate it because it will show how limited my composition skills really are, especially with wide lenses. (I'd be truly hopeless if I hadn't had at least a bit of a go with a 24mm some years ago.)

...Mike

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Thing is, I'm not especially good at "seeing wide" in photographs.

Check out Ken Rockwell's article on super wide angle photography. I know he's opinionated and skewed on a lot of things but it's a great article.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/how-to-use-ultra-wide-lenses.htm

As the saying goes, "Get close. Now get closer."

 

[uhoh7]

ZM 21/4.5 Fans please have a look here:

Testshot by Charlie Webster, test by Sam Lee.

Here is the ZM21/4.5 on a digital FF body. No corner fix. How is it doing?

 

[filmtwit]

I've had the 18mm f4 ZM Distagon for a few years now.
Very good lens as a whole. Great on the M7 or CL
A tad bit large, but not too large.
Slight magenta cast as a whole in digital, easily corrected.
Good corners.

I also had a G mount 21mm f2.8 Biogon that had been converted to M mount.
Good on the CL or the M7, not so good on the m240 as the corners always had problems.
Sold it after a year.