GMPhotography wrote:
The CV is not better than my Laowa. I have a exceptional copy of the Laowa. It beats everything in its class. Buried the 12-24 and that was a great copy. The CV has better sun stars and is smaller.
No lens is better than your "golden super-upper diamond" copy of the Laowa 15 Guy!
I also managed to get a great copy of the Laowa when it was first introduced and it's definitely an outstanding lens. I remember when Phillip at phillipreeve.net received a copy with soft corners for their rolling review and I was insisting they should try another one because I thought my copy was performing way better.
I would say all three are comparable in terms of resolution/contrast and at very close inspection, I agree that the Laowa 15 and 12-24G @15mm have a slight edge over the CV at around f/4.5. I'm not surprised since the CV is wide open but still excellent even towards the corners. The zoom is also wide open but I consider it a freak. The Laowa and the zoom look very similar at infinity around f/4 and f/5.6.
However, starting at f/6.3 they are all very similar and other aspects and lens characteristics become the differential.
For my specific needs, I prefer the 58mm filter thread of the CV 15 since I can easily swap my seven5 filters with my other primes. I really like Lee's new "IRND" filters since I'm getting zero color cast even when combining 6 + 10 stop NDs. That's really amazing but these filters are very expensive.
In comparison, when using breakthrough NDs with my 12-24/4G, I'm getting nasty color shifts which are not easily fixable even with a 6-stop ND, so I really appreciate my current Lee filters.
Although the Laowa 15/2 has a 72mm filter thread, it unfortunately vignettes with the Seven5 system. If you are using screw-on filters or Lee's 100mm version, I would recommend the 15/2 for someone starting fresh just because it's so hard to find a good copy of the Voigtlander. If you have a great copy of the CV 15, don't sell it or you will regret. Guaranteed. It's also about half the weight of the 15/2 which is important for those counting grams for long hikes. The Laowa 15/2 has many unique features like the insane close MFD and ok coma control for astro starting at around f/2.8.
Regarding color rendering, flare resistance and sunstar definition/shape, I prefer the Voigtlander 15/4.5 III hands down!
It makes a very nice landscape combo with the Loxia 21/2.8 and they can now sharing the same filter system. I feel it's the Loxia 15mm Zeiss never made.
realVivek wrote:
This is actually very easy to do. If you lift the decorating ring (the one that says Voigtlander, etc) with an exacto knife (it is held by a double sided sticky tape), it will reveal three screws that hold the hood.
Unscrew and remove the hood. You can now cut it and paint it before screwing it back on and restoring the decorative ring.
This has made me want to do it manually. We don’t have an equivalent of SK Grimes here and I was nervous about trying it whilst still attached to the lens but didn’t realise I could just remove it and cut it. My copy is perfect and it was my first attempt so I was worried about changing that with vibrations etc from the tools or even worse my hand slipping and the lens being damaged. I may make an attempt on removal and go for it
xpfloyd wrote:
This has made me want to do it manually. We don’t have an equivalent of SK Grimes here and I was nervous about trying it whilst still attached to the lens but didn’t realise I could just remove it and cut it. My copy is perfect and it was my first attempt so I was worried about changing that with vibrations etc from the tools or even worse my hand slipping and the lens being damaged. I may make an attempt on removal and go for it
If you can, post some pictures of the process. It may help some folks on the same boat.
To avoid any mishaps, please,first cover the front element with masking tape (the one used for paint jobs) before lifting the decorative front plate. It (front element) can be cleaned up afterwards.
xpfloyd wrote:
This has made me want to do it manually. We don’t have an equivalent of SK Grimes here and I was nervous about trying it whilst still attached to the lens but didn’t realise I could just remove it and cut it. My copy is perfect and it was my first attempt so I was worried about changing that with vibrations etc from the tools or even worse my hand slipping and the lens being damaged. I may make an attempt on removal and go for it
realVivek wrote:
To avoid any mishaps, please,first cover the front element with masking tape (the one used for paint jobs) before lifting the decorative front plate. It (front element) can be cleaned up afterwards.
On closer inspection of the front of the lens there are two little indents on the ring closest to the front element, one at either side. It looks like a special tool would go on and screw that section. Does the ring with the text definitely just pop off or does this ring need rotated?
Fred, if I go for it I will take some photos and post them. Just need to pluck up the courage first. I’m going to attempt to remove it first though to check that process is straight forward
I did not see a way to remove the hood. So I cut it off. . Little trick here since I’ve done this twice. First protect the glass use 2 58mm filter rings or even glass in them. That way if you slip you hit the rings not the glass. Second make a line where you want to cut with gaffers tape, not duct tape good gaffers tape . Than take hose clamp. The kind you tighten with a screw driver right on the cut line over the gaffers tape. Now you have a perfect guide to follow with your Dremel. Use a cut blade type attachment , go slow and follow the clamp. If you go to deep it’s okay your just hitting the protective filter rings. Than you can hand file it down or use a sandpaper grit attachment on the Dremel and file it down a little. Than I put a step up ring from 58 mm to 62 or 67. I think if I remember correctly you can use two filters at 67mm without vignetting or use a Lee system. It’s not hard just takes some patience
xpfloyd wrote:
On closer inspection of the front of the lens there are two little indents on the ring closest to the front element, one at either side. It looks like a special tool would go on and screw that section. Does the ring with the text definitely just pop off or does this ring need rotated?
Fred, if I go for it I will take some photos and post them. Just need to pluck up the courage first. I’m going to attempt to remove it first though to check that process is straight forward
The front cosmetic ring is held on by glue/tape Once the front ring is removed, the metal hood is held by screws. I'm planning to remove the hood from mine and cut off the pedal, then bring it to a local machine shop to touch up the rough cut.
Reading all of this with some sort of smile in my face, it is IMO the main weakness of several CV lenses that they come with a fixed lens hood. That it works also differently can be seen in lenses like the CV 28/2 (comes with detachable lens hood!) and the 35/1.2 II (lens hood needs to be purchased separately, and the one from CV is outrageously overpriced). It was mentioned in an earlier post, but the sun stars obtained with CV lenses are amazing!
I fear all these treatments will be quite detrimential to the reasale value. Has anyone seen or experienced this solution for 100 x 100 filters from Vietnam. http://bombophoto.com/shop/holders/av15-iii
My lens is on the way to SK Grimes. They mentioned that they had trouble taking the lens apart and therefore, hard anodizing may not be possible. If that's the case with my lens, they will paint it instead, as Fred had done.
GartenMoorriem wrote:
I fear all these treatments will be quite detrimential to the reasale value. Has anyone seen or experienced this solution for 100 x 100 filters from Vietnam. http://bombophoto.com/shop/holders/av15-iii
Not at all. I’ve done two of them and got a fair price for them. Actually helping some folks as they don’t want to risk it
Hood removal has been conducted in Australia by Camera Electronics of Perth for many years. There is'nt a deed to use a dremel tool and the results are great.
I have a 15mm V3 in Leica mount that first went back to VC for colimation (tool a month) and then had the hood removed for use of the lee 7 system on my M240 and Sony A7r1,2,3.
It looks like you guys in the US are late to the party. Hood removal is also performed on the 12mm VC v2.
This topic has new life becuase of the 24-105. 15/21/24-105 now looks a very viable combo and very light. Pity the Less & does'nt work on the 24-105 and the Zero D.
Gicleemedia wrote:
Hood removal has been conducted in Australia by Camera Electronics of Perth for many years. There is'nt a deed to use a dremel tool and the results are great.
I have a 15mm V3 in Leica mount that first went back to VC for colimation (tool a month) and then had the hood removed for use of the lee 7 system on my M240 and Sony A7r1,2,3.
It looks like you guys in the US are late to the party. Hood removal is also performed on the 12mm VC v2.
This topic has new life becuase of the 24-105. 15/21/24-105 now looks a very viable combo and very light. Pity the Less & does'nt work on the 24-105 and the Zero D.
I just got my Voigtlander 15/4.5 III back from S.K. Grimes having the hood removed. The lens looks great! Can't wait to get some Lee Seven5 filters attached.
The Laowa and the zoom look very similar at infinity around f/4 and f/5.6.