Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bud Cook wrote: > > I seldom see any mention of the 21 Super AngulonR. Is it overshadowed > by the 19 Elmarit? Anyone have experience with the 21 f4? From what I've heard, the two older versions of the 19/2.8 Elmarit-R were slightly weaker than the 21/4 Super-Angulon-R, but the latest 19/2.8 Elmarit-R is better than the Super-Angulon-R (and Leica seem to have understood this, as they discontinued the 21/4 just recently, when the newest 19/2.8 came out). I have a Super-Angulon-R, and, while I enjoy it quite a bit, I find that edge sharpness improves noticeably when I stop it down to f/8 or so. Also, you know how wide angle lenses allow you to do these dramatic shots of something close to the camera and an expansive background? If you focus on something that is about a foot or two from the camera with your Super-Angulon-R open to f/4, I daresay you will be a little disappointed by the lack of sharpness when you enlarge the negative or project the slide. Once again, stopping down to f/8 or f/11 helps a lot in this case. So, it's a fine lens, but shows its weaknesses wide open. The 21/3.4 was rumored to be better, but because it was not a retrofocus design it could only be used on a Leicaflex Standard with the mirror locked up. - -Patrick