Leica Mount (LSM and M) Lenses - SuperWide (< 30mm)

By Karen Nakamura on March 7, 2012 10:03 PM | No Comments
Leica Mount Cameras:
Leica-mount Lenses:
Other Classic Camera Lens Mounts
Contax / Nikon RF Bayonet Mount
Pentax Screw Mount (M42)

Leica Screw Mount Lenses (M39)    SuperWide - Wide-Standard-Tele

Leica Mount
SuperWide Angle Lenses
(<30 mm)
by Karen Nakamura

 

SuperWide Angle Lenses (<28mm)

Super-wide-angle lenses are specialized lenses that have limited use in day-to-day photography. They excel in some types of environmental portraiture, but can easily be over-used.

I have a second-version Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 in my lens collection, made 1973 given the serial number. It's an 8-element retrofocus design, which means it works with the Leica M7, M5, and CL unlike the first version. It's a nice lens and I got it inexpensively because it was a real beater. A quick CLA by DAG has restored it to it good working condition. I'm annoyed however that there isn't a widely available hood (at a reasonable price) for this lens because it does seem to flare easily. In general, I prefer the 35/2 Summicron to this unless I need the slightly wider perspective.

 

Voigtlander Super-Wides
Cosina surprised the camera world in 2000 when it released the Voigtlander Bessa L camera with two ultra-wide lenses in Leica M39 screwmount: the 15mm f/4.5 Super-Wide-Heliar Aspherical and the 25mm f/4 Snapshot-Skopar. Resolution and contrast on both were excellent -- and the 15mm was rectilinear, not fisheye. The Bessa L had no built-in rangefindrangefinder or viewfinder, so these lenses both came with tiny albada type accessory viewfinders.

I recently obtained a Cosina-Voigtlander 15mm f/4.5 Super-Wide-Heliar and am excited to give it a spin. It's definitely a special purpose lens, but I think it will be excellent for photographing crowds and protests. Next to it, my widest lens is the 17mm f/4 Fish-Eye Takumar from Pentax (in M42 mount), which of course is a fisheye with more limited utility.

From one of my Leica list pals, I bought a Cosina-Voigtlander 25mm f/4 Snapshot-Skopar. It's a much more practical lens than the 15mm Super-Wide-Heliar. The viewfinder is the older type, without the brightlines. Still, it's accurate enough for most purposes.

 

Technical Details - Super-Wide Angle Lenses (italics = I wish I had or I sold [and regret])

Manufacturer
Cosina Voigtländer
Lens
 12mm f/5.6 Ultra-Wide Heliar Aspherical 15mm f/4.5 Super-Wide Heliar Aspherical 21mm f/4 Color-Skopar
Serial #
      
Place of Manufacture
Japan
Date of Manufacture
 2000.7~
Lens Construction
 10 elements in 8 groups
1 aspherical element		 8 elements in 6 groups
1 aspherical element		 8 elements in 6 groups
Lens Mount

Leica screw mount
(no RF coupling)

 Leica screw mount
RF coupled to 0.7m
Focusing range

0.3 meter - infinity
Right focusing (infinity at right)
121° Angle of View (AoV)

0.3 meter - infinity
Right focusing (infinity at right)
110° Angle of View (AoV)

0.5 meter - infinity
Right focusing (infinity at right)
91° Angle of View (AoV)

Apertures

f/5.6~22 (x stop steps)
9 aperture blades

f/4.5~22 (x stop steps)
10 aperture blades

f/4 ~ 22 (x stop steps)
10 aperture blades
Filter Mount

Filter: xxmm threaded
Lens cap: xxmm push on

Filter: xxmm threaded
Lens cap: xxmm push on

Filter: 39mm threaded
Lens cap: xxmm push on
Body Construction
      
Dimensions and weight
 50.5mm D x 38.2mm L
162g
 49.6mm D x 30.7mm L (with hood)
105g
 49.6mm D x 29.1mm L
109g
Retail price

¥

¥65,000 (MSRP)

Viewfinder

Reverse-Galileo
Magnification: 0.36x
4 elements in 4 groups
Diopter: -1.0D
Weight: 68g

Reverse-Galileo
Magnification: 0.38x (93%)
4 elements in 4 groups
Diopter: -1.0D
Weight: 33g

Reverse-Galileo
Magnification: 0.42x
4 elements in 4 groups
Diopter: -1.0D
Weight: 31g

 

 

 

Manufacturer
Cosina Voigtländer
Lens
 25mm f/4 Snapshot-Skopar    
Serial #
 994070x    
Place of Manufacture
Japan
Date of Manufacture
      
Lens Construction
 7 elements in 5 groups
    
Lens Mount

Leica screw mount
(no RF coupling)

  
Focusing range

0.7 meter - infinity
Right focusing (infinity at right)
82° Angle of View (AoV)

   
Apertures

f/4~22 (0.5 stop steps)
10 aperture blades

    
Filter Mount

Filter: 39mm threaded
Lens cap: xxmm push on

    
Body Construction
 Chromed brass and alloy    
Dimensions and weight
 49.5mm D x 29.5mm L
90g
    
Retail price

¥45,000

    
Viewfinder

Reverse-Galileo
Magnification: 0.49x (92%)
4 elements in 4 groups
Diopter: -1.0D
Weight: 30g

    

 

Manufacturer
Leitz
Leica
Lens
 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit (I) 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit (II) 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit (III)

28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M (IV)
Serial#
   33968xx    
Place of Manufacture
Germany / Canada
 Canada
Germany
Date of Manufacture
 1965-72 1972-79
My one: 1973 (given serial#)		 1979~93

1993~
Lens Construction
 9 elements in 6 groups 8 elements in 6 groups 8 elements in 6 groups 8 elements in 7 groups
Lens Mount

Leica M bayonet mount
w/ coupled rangefinder
Focusing range

0.7 meter - infinity
Right focusing (infinity at right)
76° Angle of View (AoV)

Apertures

f/2.8 - f/22

f/2.8 - f/22

f/2.8 ~ f/22

f/2.8-f/22
8 aperture blades
Filter Mount

Filter: E48
Hood: 12501

 Filter: E48
Hood: 12501
Finder: 12007

Filter: E49
Hood: 12536

Filter: A
Lens cap: xxmm push on
Body Construction
Black painted brass

Black painted alloy
Dimensions and weight
 225g

235g

250g

53mm x 41.4
260g
Retail price

   

 

 

 

 

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