Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/11/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Nathan, I have one. I love it. Very sharp and contrasty. Well made, I haven't succeeded in making it flare at all either. I don't see any vignetting. I recommend it without reservation. For the M8, consider getting the replacement bayonet flange from John Milich with 6 bit coding, or having the original flange coded. I got a BW UV/IR for mine since Leica don't make that size. You can adapt the 55 if you want. Coded as the WATE works perfectly and defaults to 18mm. Any external 24 finder works fine. <http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/image/101813580> <http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/image/101813591> <http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/image/101824431> I can send you a DNG if you want. Cheers Geoff http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/ Pick up your camera and make the best photo you can. -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Nathan Wajsman Sent: Thursday, 20 November 2008 15:55 To: Leica Users Group Subject: [Leica] Any opinions/experience with the Zeiss 4/18mm? Since this is a Leica list, I expect people will be pleased to learn that I have decided that M8 prices have fallen sufficiently to buy one some time during the next few months. So I am thinking of lenses to use with it. Clearly, a 35mm will serve as a standard lens, but what to use for wide angle? The various 21mm offerings are not wide enough for me; they translate into 28mm in film terms, and that is a focal length I never got comfortable with. To me, it is neither fish nor fowl: not wide enough to really capture the big expanse but too wide to use for, say, se?orita photos, without getting so close that you get slapped in the face. Leica's own WATE or whatever is called is too expensive and I have no need for all 3 focal lengths. The 15mm lenses from Voigtlander and Zeiss are not rangefinder coupled. I know that they have great DOF so focusing is not critical, but still I want rangefinder coupling. From what I see out there, the 4/18mm Zeiss M lens seems to fit the bill, both in terms of focal length (corresponds to 24mm, one of my favorite focal lengths when I was shooting film) and in terms of reasonable price (KEH has one at the moment for just under $1000). But is it any good? I have read Erwin's write up on the ZM lenses, and it is quite positive. But when he wrote it, he did not have this particular lens. Anybody out there using the 18mm? Nathan Nathan Wajsman Alicante, Spain http://www.frozenlight.eu http://www.greatpix.eu http://www.nathanfoto.com Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0 PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information