i am thinking about moving over to one of the off brand lens on my 1ds mk3 in hopes of maximizing the resolution the camera offers. At this point i am considering the following ............ oly 21mm f/2.0 CZ 18mm f/4 Leica 21mm f/4
Leica 28mm f/2.8 - 3 cam german made Leica 24 mm f/2.8 3 cam late and lastly oly 18mm f/3,5 i am not all that concerned about corner sharpness as i seem to always crop to the 8 by 10 format. i have a epson 9600 and like to go big so sharpness is an issue
any input from personal experiencs would be most appreciated
The 21mm Distagon seems to be the unbeatable lens in this range.
However, if you plan on using them stopped down, the 21mm Oly F/3.5 is astounding, for a very small price tag for what the lens is. I would recomend going in that direction.
Or, there is always the Nikon 12-24mm, which is getting fantastic reviews, and while I have held one and made a few test images, I cant speak to how it actually handles yet.
However, the Zeiss 21mm, Oly 21mm, Oly 18mm, and Leica 28mm are personal favorites. Ziess actually falling to the bottom of the list, mainly because of how the other images render the scene, but also the incredible price tag associated with the lens, when these other options are much cheaper, and while not as clinically sharp, have a way of drawing the exposure that I personally love.
i should have mentioned i shoot skydiving photography and mount the camera on my helmet. the cz 15 and 21 are a bit on the large size not to mention a bit to pricey for me.although if it weren't for the size i would look at the 21. any thoughts/experience with the cz 18 f/4 or the leica 21mm f/4.0?
i really appreciate all the feed back. keep it coming
funair wrote:
i should have mentioned i shoot skydiving photography and mount the camera on my helmet.
Ah. Yes. Well then, I think you do want a smaller lens. And less expensive! Years ago I made a few jumps, and there is a risk the camera may get jostled a bit. I vote for the Oly 21/2.0 or 3.5.
Just a sec, do you really mount a 1Ds3 on your head?
I have the SMC Pentax 18/3.5, which is about the same size as the CZ 18/4 you mention. The Pentax is a fine lens, a tad sharper than the 17-40L at comparable apertures, and less distortion. OTOH, if you want small, then scribble's suggestion to look at the 21/3.5 makes a lot of sense; it's a lot smaller than the other lenses being discussed.
"Just a sec, do you really mount a 1Ds3 on your head?"
The 1dsmk 3 a 580 flash and a battery pack for the flash. i never said anything about being smart
for sure small is better but the difference between the oly 21mm and the others i mentioned in my original post is not enough to stay with the oly if one of the other is a better performer
tamarkin.com has a Leica 21 Super-Angulon-R f4 #239xxxx, Ex+ for $799.00 Is this a reasonable price? if any one has a Oly 18mm , zeiss 18mm or a leica 21 f4 for sale i would be interested in hearing from you.
I'll cast a vote for the C/Y Zeiss 18mm f4. It's as sharp as anything else out there, and it handles color and contrast beautifully as well. Zeiss lenses seem to have a special feel for rendering sky. I think the wider angle of an 18 might be appealing in your work, but you have to remember that as you go wider and your distances from your subject get farther, things get real small, real fast. So if the people in your shots are the focus of your work, something less wide might be appropriate.
Sorry, my Zeiss 18 is NOT for sale. There are a couple listed on KEH in the $800 neighborhood. For the quality of the image and relative to what you'd pay for a Zeiss 21 or a 28f2, it's a steal, IMO.
Haven't tried the Oly 18, from what I see in other Zuiko wides, I can't believe it's not a stellar performer. Might also be interesting for you to rent a fisheye for one of these outings. Canon, Sigma and C/Y Zeiss all make excellent fishes -
If I were you, jumping out of airplanes with an $8,000 camera strapped to my head, I wouldn't be too concerned about the expense of the lens...
are you refering to the cz 18mm MM version or the non MM version. one tend to be sharper then the other? keh has both. i don't mind spending the extra bucks if the MM version tends to be the sharper one
funair wrote:
are you refering to the cz 18mm MM version or the non MM version. one tend to be sharper then the other? keh has both. i don't mind spending the extra bucks if the MM version tends to be the sharper one
Not sure if mine is MM or non-MM; there's no MM marking. I'm just guessing here, but the MM probably indicates a coating, and if the coating would be there to reduce or eliminate flare, I'd go fo it. Mine tends toward some ghosting and flare if I'm not careful with framing.
From what I've read, the AE and MM versions of most of the Zeiss line up are the same optically. The MM is designated because they were designed to work with the newer Contax camera's -- I think it was for metering, etc. The coating is the same T* multicoating. Sometimes though the version does matter, I'm pretty sure the MM version of the 18mm will not work with a 5D, whereas the AE version will.
Paul
well i just couldn't make up my mind so i picked up a leica 21mm f/4 , cz 18mm f/4 , cz 28mm f/2.8 , zeiss jena 20mm f/2.8 and a oly 21 f/2.0 and the f/3.5 now i will put them threw some real world test and decide which ones to keep.
funair wrote:
well i just couldn't make up my mind so i picked up a leica 21mm f/4 , cz 18mm f/4 , cz 28mm f/2.8 , zeiss jena 20mm f/2.8 and a oly 21 f/2.0 and the f/3.5 ...
WOW. Talk about getting them all! Have fun!
I bet you'll end up keeping the OM 21/3.5. Don't be afraid to stop it down all the way to f/16. It performs beautifully at that aperture.
funair wrote:
well i just couldn't make up my mind so i picked up a leica 21mm f/4 , cz 18mm f/4 , cz 28mm f/2.8 , zeiss jena 20mm f/2.8 and a oly 21 f/2.0 and the f/3.5 now i will put them threw some real world test and decide which ones to keep.
thanks for all the input
Some very good glass indeed.
Mind sharing where you found all of them.... was it at a local dealer or online ?
funair wrote:
well i just couldn't make up my mind so i picked up a leica 21mm f/4 , cz 18mm f/4 , cz 28mm f/2.8 , zeiss jena 20mm f/2.8 and a oly 21 f/2.0 and the f/3.5 now i will put them threw some real world test and decide which ones to keep.
thanks for all the input
Most people have to look a lot to find those lenses... Actionman?
