Zeiss Hologon 16mm/8 with Leica M9

[raid]

I used this lens a lot in 2018, and then I "parked it" aside. I somehow miss using this lens. It works very well with any M film camera, but it faces challenges on any M digital camera. There is strong vignetting and a purple smearing too. These effects get reduced with a Leica M8 due to the 33% cop.

I revisited some images from 2018 where I used the M9 with the Hologon, and I removed all colors from each image. Just trying to see what I get then.


1. Dana

2. Marina on Palafox Street. This was before Hurricane Sally in 2020. This marina was destroyed then.

3. Fort Pickens. I was hand holding the lens in dim light inside the fort.

4. Inside Joe Patti's Seafood Store

5. Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier

6. Looking for Treasures

7. Pensacola Beach

8. Gulf of Mexico

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9. Pensacola Beach

 

[raid]

Here are some color images from 2019 taken with the M8:

https://raid.smugmug.com/Europe2019Hologon/

Here are color images taken with the M9 in 2018:

https://raid.smugmug.com/Europe2018Hologon/

https://raid.smugmug.com/New-M9-Hologon/


Here are color images taken with the M3:

https://raid.smugmug.com/HologonM304112019/

Here are B&W images taken with the M240:

https://raid.smugmug.com/M240-Zeiss-Hologon-16mm8/

 

[raid]

Denmark (with M8)

 

[raid]

Bergen, Norway (M8)

 

[raid]

Using a film camera results in images that don't have vignetting or purple smearing.

 

[ellisson]

Were some or all of M9 and M8 digital images done with the special filter for this lens to reduce vignetting? Its particularly pronounced with the M9, somewhat less with the M8. And it can be artistic to some extent.
Thanks for sharing, Raid.

 

[raid]

I used the graduated ND filter for each image. The 33% crop in the M8 removes most of the vignette. Some people use cornerfix software, but I have not tried it out yet.

 

[Out to Lunch]

An interesting perspective on this lens here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uJ4RRI22Js

 

[raid]

He is funny and being overdramatic about it .
I bought this lens to challenge myself as a photographer.
I have always enjoyed trying out lenses and the Hologon is a major challenge to use.
It opens up some new possibilities.
It is very challenging with digital cameras.
It is a very sharp lens.
I can see myself using a 35mm lens as the main lens, and having the Hologon for special images with the second camera.

 

[raid]

With the graduated ND filter you have a fixed f16 lens. If I use it with the M10, I could use ISO 1000-3000 and this will keep images sharp in low lit scenes.
It is a very special lens. It is without any distortion by lens design. Which other lenses could compare to it?

How many Leica camera users use a Hologon? I spent around $1600 and got the lens in LN condition in G mount. Then DAG converted it to M mount with lens coding. This cost $500.
I have no regrets at all for getting this lens.

It is very enjoyable to use it.