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My first auto focus M8 lens.....
- Thread starter Terry
- Start date
Steen
Senior Subscriber Member
Congrats Terry ! I'm also considering that one, so I have a couple of questions.
Which version did you choose, the "M-mount" version or the "M39 Leica Thread Mount" version - and why so ?
And what do you intend to do about six bit coding, or are you just going to shoot it in black and white ?
Last question: why the 12mm over the the 15mm, is it supposed to be optically better, despite a bit slower ?
rgds - Steen
Which version did you choose, the "M-mount" version or the "M39 Leica Thread Mount" version - and why so ?
And what do you intend to do about six bit coding, or are you just going to shoot it in black and white ?
Last question: why the 12mm over the the 15mm, is it supposed to be optically better, despite a bit slower ?
rgds - Steen
Terry
New member
Screw mount. I don't think there is an m mount version.
Not planning on coding it but plan on doing color as well as B&W. Don't think I will run into too much magenta as I wouldn't be using it for too many people shots. We will see what happens with landscapes but landscape has been much less of a problem.
I was thinking through what I had and had just bought the 21 elmarit which I will use a lot. So, then I really wanted to keep things spaced out. I saw some sample pics with the 12 and when I think of wide for some reason I like really wide (I've always been a sucker for fisheye shots as well).
Was there a real need to do this. No. I had the 15 with the milich adapter, hood, filter and 21 finder. I liked using it. Since I was not planning on getting any adapter or lens hood etc. I could make the swap of selling the 15 and the other related stuff and fund the 12 purchase. The 12 focuses slightly differently with two different focus spots that feel like it clicks into place like moving the aperture ring which was the point of my post. Unless you have something really close in the frame, I don't think you can mess up. All this being said, I haven't used it yet and will do so this weekend.
johnastovall
Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
It's impossible to mess it up. I have one and love it. Since you have the 15 the finder that came with it is fine for the 12 on the M8.
Take a look at my Gallery here and you'll see a lot of it being used at the missions in San Antonio.
I've not find a filter or coding needed either.
mwalker
Subscriber Member
The 12 and the 15 are the ultimate p&s lenses. I have read somewhere, I believe on the Leica forum, that there is a sweet spot between 5.6 and 8 and the focus ring a hair under the infinity mark which keeps everything sharp and in focus from a meter to infinity. Guy may remember this... I think it was Andy's post??
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Terry
New member
On the 12 there are two marked spots (click spots).
on the 1m click:
f5.6 you get .5m to infinity
f8 you get .4m to infinity
on the .5m click
f5.6 .35m to 1m
f11 .27m to infinity
I think mine will just be on the 1m click
John,
Yes, I sold the 15 with a 21 finder and the buyer was fine with me keeping the 15 finder.
O
odyocu
Guest
I have that lens. Very usefull when you need a WA like that.
There is a LOT of light falloff and coloring at the corners.
Rather than coding, I made a template with white sheet using the same lens, by reversing the colors, and use this in PS as a layer to correct all the problems very neatly.
This has always been my best alternative procedure for all extreme WA lenses in all systems, and works perfectly. Problem is that, it takes time. But you need to do it only for the finally selected few photos in the series.
Seyhun
There is a LOT of light falloff and coloring at the corners.
Rather than coding, I made a template with white sheet using the same lens, by reversing the colors, and use this in PS as a layer to correct all the problems very neatly.
This has always been my best alternative procedure for all extreme WA lenses in all systems, and works perfectly. Problem is that, it takes time. But you need to do it only for the finally selected few photos in the series.
Seyhun
mwalker
Subscriber Member
Thanks.....I think thats what I was trying to remember......Looking forward to seeing some pics!
Also you don't need a view finder, your FOV is everything in front of you and to your side
)
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Actually, this is truer than one might think! I call the 12 my "Zen lens." I kind of "Zen" the image in my mind, point the camera in that direction and snap the pic. At least with the M8, we get near instant feedback on the overall composition :thumbup:Also you don't need a view finder, your FOV is everything in front of you and to your side
PS: FWIW, the 12 is REALLY wide on a film M --- too wide IMO and so wide if you're not careful, the tips of your fingers and toes of your shoes will be in the frame. Seriously! Also, the corners fall off so rapidly after the M8 crop, IMO the 15 is the better ultra-wide choice for film/full-frame.
No problems with the 12, except I keep catching the top of my belt buckle
:ROTFL:
-bob
scott kirkpatrick
Well-known member
Take a look at Sandy McGuffog's Cornerfix (for the M8) as a fast way to handle the corner corrections with extreme wide angles. It takes DNG in and puts out corrected DNG, using profiles shot just as you have been doing. As a little bonus he included an option to read the MakerNotes in the original file so that you can find out what conclusions the M8 reached about aperture and use them to jog your memory at a later date.
scott
Woody Campbell
Workshop Member
hdrmd - nice images. What do you code it as?
Steen
Senior Subscriber Member
Seems like there actually is an M mount version of the Heliar 12mm as well, or is it simply just pre-equipped with an adapter when you buy it ?
http://www.foto-mundus.de/shop/voig...ssa-objektive-c-55_88_130.html?page=2&sort=2a
I still have a hard time deciding which one to buy, the 15mm or the 12mm
The 15mm is half a stop faster, though less expensive.
The 12mm costs around 85 % more than the 15mm, it's wider yes, but is the image quality better as well ?
http://www.foto-mundus.de/shop/voig...ssa-objektive-c-55_88_130.html?page=2&sort=2a
I still have a hard time deciding which one to buy, the 15mm or the 12mm
The 15mm is half a stop faster, though less expensive.
The 12mm costs around 85 % more than the 15mm, it's wider yes, but is the image quality better as well ?
No true M mount version I'm aware of, you need the LTM to M adapter. As re cost/performance benefits, IMO both the 12 and 15 are excellent lenses on the M8, especially for the money. The main "advantage" to the 12 aside from it being wider, is the focus ring has click-stops so it is easy to zone focus without looking a the lens. The click one back from infinity is the hyperfocal, so everything from like 1 foot to infinity is in focus at f8. To accomplish the similar thing with the 15, you have to "guess" how much to back focus off from infinity since there is no stop. One other thing is the 12's finder is of better build quality being all metal, but of course that is of little significance on the M8 since you need to use a 15 or 16 finder anyway...
P
pfogle
Guest
I had this lens with the Epson R-D1. I found you could get an accurate viewfinder by masking the front element of the supplied finder with the thin brown tape used for packaging. It doesn't mark the element, and you can adjust it using the review LCD while the camera is on a tripod. I found it a great help.