[Leica] New Voigtländer 21mm M mount

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> I  have been wishing for something a bit wider on my M8 than a 28mm,
> but the cost of the wider Leica lenses have deterred me.  So, I
> decided to try out a Voigtlander.
> 
> I went looking for the 21mm Color-Skopar f/4, the thread mount one
> that comes with a viewfinder.  B&H was showing a new Voigtlander 21mm
> f/4 M mount lens, so I bought that.  It arrived today.
> 
> This new lens is very thin, "pancake" style, and looks more "Leica"
> like, with the lettering on the front of the lens, and a focus tab
> similar to those on the Leica lenses.  The mount is an M bayonet.  The
> aperture ring has two wings that make it very easy to grasp and set
> the aperture.  The focus is very smooth, and the feel of the lens is
> quite good.  The lens mounts a bit stiff in the bayonet, but that will
> probably improve over time.
> 
> The lens does not come with a viewfinder (as does the screw version),
> but the edges of the M8 viewfinder are close enough for my use.  So, I
> don't think I will bother with an external viewfinder.  If I did, I
> would get the 25mm.  The lens comes with a very small lens hood; I
> will probably get the bigger hood.
> 
> The Leica f/2.8 ASPH 21mm is about 10 times the cost of this little
> puppy.
> 
> Of course, now comes the important part; how do the images look?  So
> far, very good.  I will have some to post after this weekend.  I have
> tried putting an IR filter on the lens, and of course there is the
> corner cyan issue.  Right now I am experimenting with a Sharpie trying
> to get the M8 to think it is a Leica 21mm, to help correct that.
> 
> My main use is going to be travel, so I think that this lens will do
> just fine.
> 
> Here is my question:  what should I do with the $3,200 I saved by
> buying this lens over the Leica?  ;-)
> 
> Regards,
> Bob Rose
> 
> 
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I think the smart thing Cosina did which is the exact thing Leica needs to
get in tune with is its a slower reasonable F4.

So all the money or much of it you're paying for the Leica is to make it not
act terrible and act more than just good wide open at 2.8.
It could be that asking 2.8 from a 21mm lens is asking a lot.
Asking really too much.

f4 is a much more reasonable f stop for a wide or especially ultra wide it
may turn out. I think so.

Leica needs to come out with some compact much lower priced but high
performance with no corners cut or ASPH's cut glass.
That's the traditional Leica way of doing things for there lens line.

Give them a cheaper compact slow options.
And medium
And fast.
Slow medium fast.

Its only those crazy reflex or reflux people who need speed for their darned
groundglasses to light up.
Cosina knows this.
And they know their clientele knows this.

Mark William Rabiner
markrabiner.com