Apples and oranges here but does anyone have experience with both of these lenses on M series film cameras? Looking at both options. I know the prices are pretty far apart but wanted to get input. I’m new here. Thanks.
The 21mm Super-Elmar is one of my favorite lenses. It really is spectacular if you like 21mm..and I do.. and have a 21mm optical viewfinder, or Visoflex if using on an ‘M’. Equally Spectacular, but a bit slower is the Zeiss 21mm Biogon-C f/4.5 ZM. Both just wonderful lenses.. the Leica a bit prettier to look at.
Yea I was leaning more towards this Leica. I was considering the 2.8 21mm but heard that the super Elmer has “sharper optics” and just a better lens even with it being slightly slower
bwcolor wrote:
The 21mm Super-Elmar is one of my favorite lenses. It really is spectacular if you like 21mm..and I do.. and have a 21mm optical viewfinder, or Visoflex if using on an ‘M’. Equally Spectacular, but a bit slower is the Zeiss 21mm Biogon-C f/4.5 ZM. Both just wonderful lenses.. the Leica a bit prettier to look at.
can't say enough great things about the 21SEM, tack sharp, lovely field of view, and on sunny days stopped down to f11 it becomes a point and shoot that's sharp without focusing. I can't say anything about the Voigt because I don't shoot with them.
JCKnapp74 wrote:
Apples and oranges here but does anyone have experience with both of these lenses on M series film cameras? Looking at both options. I know the prices are pretty far apart but wanted to get input. I’m new here. Thanks.
I had the Voigtlander. I wasn't really complerely happy with the images or the handling. So, I rarely used it. I thought it was the focal length.
One day I tried the Leica 21mm SEM and it was amazing. So, got rid of the Voigtlander and bought the SEM brand new. It is one of my favorite lenses and I rarely go out shooting without it at least in my bag. It is uniquely superb in all respects.
I'd throw the Solinon 18mm f5.6 into the mix as well. Different focal length of course, but I'm mentioning it because I was intending to get the Voigtländer 21mm and ultimately decided in favor of the Solinon. It's a great lens in terms of price, size & performance.
For me 18mm was interesting as I consider it the widest usable focal length for architecture with its clean 90° horizontal FOV. Wider than that things become too unnatural looking for my taste.
I'd also say it pairs better with a 28mm lens (though I'm using 35mm on the Leica, so that wasn't really an advantage).
Using it on a digital Leica though. Max aperture of f/5.6 could be tough on film in some situations.. but I guess in those you'd want a tripod anyway - f3.5-f3.8 doesn't strike me as particularly usable indoors / in low light at ISO 400 either
