Voigtländer LBA - post your pics, notes and thoughts.

kaipa · 02-15-2012, 07:49 AM

VL 20/3.5 in Alps:

Quote:

Just followed an auction where an A20/2.8 went for over $500. They're getting pricey! I'd love to see a photo comparison between it and a VL20.

I will post some in March in April, when I have my A 20/2.8.

les3547 · 02-15-2012, 08:25 AM

Originally posted by kaipa

VL 20/3.5 in Alps:.

Lovely.

vinceloc · 02-17-2012, 09:01 PM

Originally posted by les3547

Few wide angles can compete with longer focal lengths. You own one of them, the Zeiss 21 . . . that shot above shows its stuff. I do think the shot with the DA 15mm looks slightly over exposed, and possibly suffering from a little movement. Was it on a tripod? Still, the VL continues to impress me, better color and resolution than the DAs, relatively sharp (for the 20mm range) on the corners. I think it is a great little lens.

I second this opinion les. My VL20/3.5 definitely gives me better color rendition than the DA21/3.2 ltd. It is also sharper edge to edge (in 1.5x cropped sensor, that is) than my DA21ltd. I have come to a conclusion that DA lenses have as more "plasticky" color rendition which is less to my liking. From now on, if I were to invest in limited lenses, it would have to be the FA ltds.

The only drawback of the VL20/3.5 is when I need critical focusing for shots below infinity and with an f stop of a shallower dof (f3.5-4.5). Since I rely on the focus assist lamp, I noticed that at these aperture stops, the fa lamp covers a wider range and is not as accurate. That is the only drawback I have experienced with the VL20, and where I miss the AF of the DA21ltd.

vinceloc · 02-26-2012, 01:55 AM

Taken today from a cultural and arts festival...

CV 58/1.4 SLII

CV 20/3.5 SLII...

samper · 03-02-2012, 06:00 PM

Great photos Vincent!

samper · 03-07-2012, 05:15 PM

Look what came in by FedEx today ...

les3547 · 03-07-2012, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by samper

Look what came in by FedEx today ...

A box? Just kidding . . . welcome to the obsession, er, club.

lensego · 03-10-2012, 06:49 AM

once again ...
well done Vincent,brilliant colours

vinceloc · 03-10-2012, 06:58 PM

Thanks guys

Saman, enjoy your new lens!

BTW, if anyone is thinking of selling his/her CV 90/3.5 (sli or ii), please PM me. I may be interested (if budget permits, that is).

samper · 03-11-2012, 08:49 AM

One of first shots using the 58mm SLII at F1.4.

zosxavius · 03-11-2012, 04:16 PM

So if I am reading this right the vl primes are better than the pentax limiteds? Now you have my intrigued....let's say I want something between 15-18mm.....what are the sharpest primes in that range? I'm thinking about a tamron 17mm sp adaptall lens, but I want to know what might be better....corner sharpness and low distortion are paramount for this will be a primary landscape lens.....

caledonian · 03-11-2012, 06:20 PM

Mine came on UPS...

Emacs · 03-12-2012, 01:43 AM

Originally posted by zosxavius

something between 15-18mm.....what are the sharpest primes in that range? I'm thinking about a tamron 17mm sp adaptall lens, but I want to know what might be better....corner sharpness and low distortion are paramount for this will be a primary landscape lens

cz distagon 18 zk I guess, but I would buy ricoh gxr + cz distagon 18 zm instead, the zm is better performer, the result would be about the same:
http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-htsoVV1G5Tk/T1pY7IhfASI/AAAAAAAAObE/sYvO38...0/DSC04113.jpg (hendheld, nex-5n, leica super elmar 18, focal distance is about 1.5m, aperture=f8, and the cz is about as good, if not better)
You can also consider the same ricoh gxr + vl heliar 15, which is definitely sharper lens than 15Ltd

Frogfish · 03-12-2012, 02:35 AM

Originally posted by zosxavius

So if I am reading this right the vl primes are better than the pentax limiteds? Now you have my intrigued....let's say I want something between 15-18mm.....what are the sharpest primes in that range? I'm thinking about a tamron 17mm sp adaptall lens, but I want to know what might be better....corner sharpness and low distortion are paramount for this will be a primary landscape lens.....

Originally posted by Emacs

cz distagon 18 zk I guess, but I would buy ricoh gxr + cz distagon 18 zm instead, the zm is better performer, the result would be about the same:
http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-htsoVV1G5Tk/T1pY7IhfASI/AAAAAAAAObE/sYvO38...0/DSC04113.jpg (hendheld, nex-5n, leica super elmar 18, focal distance is about 1.5m, aperture=f8, and the cz is about as good, if not better)
You can also consider the same ricoh gxr + vl heliar 15, which is definitely sharper lens than 15Ltd

Woah ! Hold your horses Zos ! I don't see m(any) saying the VL lenses are better than the (at least FA Ltd) primes !! The DA Ltd's are not quite on that level but are still damn fine (and give you AF). However the better performing VL lenses are stars too.

If you are looking for a true landscape lens then you are looking far too wide. There will always be some distortion and softness with WA lenses, it's the nature of the beast. If you want a true landscape lens then you should be looking around 28mm where the lenses are virtually distortion free and sharp corner to corner, and then stitch as necessary. The Contax Zeiss 28/2 is the Hollywood lens of this FL but I have the CZ 28/2.8 which is considerably cheaper but has been compared to the 31 Ltd in a thread on here (I think that was Lesmore's thread too though may be mistaken - do a search and you'll find it). If you are intent on a WA lens then again EMACS suggestion of the CZ Distagon 18mm is right on the money, the superb VL15mm Heliar is a rangefinder lens that can't be used on DSLRs.

Emacs · 03-12-2012, 04:20 AM

Originally posted by Frogfish

e. There will always be some distortion and softness with WA lenses, it's the nature of the beast. If you want a true landscape lens then you should be looking around 28mm where the lenses are virtually distortion free and sharp corner to corner, and then stitch as necessary. The Contax Zeiss 28/2 is the Hollywood lens of this FL but I have the CZ 28/2.8 which is considerably cheaper but has been compared to the 31 Ltd in a thread on here (I think that was Lesmore's thread too though may be mistaken - do a search and you'll find it

28 on APS-C is normal, and 18mm is just about 27-28 equivalent

03-07-2012, 05:15 PM	#726
samper Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 85	Finally ... Look what came in by FedEx today ...

03-11-2012, 08:49 AM	#730
samper Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 85	Testing One of first shots using the 58mm SLII at F1.4.

03-11-2012, 06:20 PM	#732
caledonian Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Calgary Photos: Albums Posts: 27	I have 2! Mine came on UPS...

03-12-2012, 01:43 AM	#733
Emacs Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Moscow Posts: 1,223	Originally posted by zosxavius something between 15-18mm.....what are the sharpest primes in that range? I'm thinking about a tamron 17mm sp adaptall lens, but I want to know what might be better....corner sharpness and low distortion are paramount for this will be a primary landscape lens cz distagon 18 zk I guess, but I would buy ricoh gxr + cz distagon 18 zm instead, the zm is better performer, the result would be about the same: http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-htsoVV1G5Tk/T1pY7IhfASI/AAAAAAAAObE/sYvO38...0/DSC04113.jpg (hendheld, nex-5n, leica super elmar 18, focal distance is about 1.5m, aperture=f8, and the cz is about as good, if not better) You can also consider the same ricoh gxr + vl heliar 15, which is definitely sharper lens than 15Ltd Last edited by Emacs; 03-12-2012 at 01:54 AM.

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02-15-2012, 07:49 AM	#721
kaipa Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Zhukovsky,Russia / SF Bay Area Posts: 249	VL 20/3.5 in Alps: Quote: Just followed an auction where an A20/2.8 went for over $500. They're getting pricey! I'd love to see a photo comparison between it and a VL20. I will post some in March in April, when I have my A 20/2.8.

02-15-2012, 08:25 AM	#722
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020	Originally posted by kaipa VL 20/3.5 in Alps:. Lovely.

02-17-2012, 09:01 PM	#723
vinceloc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 367	Originally posted by les3547 Few wide angles can compete with longer focal lengths. You own one of them, the Zeiss 21 . . . that shot above shows its stuff. I do think the shot with the DA 15mm looks slightly over exposed, and possibly suffering from a little movement. Was it on a tripod? Still, the VL continues to impress me, better color and resolution than the DAs, relatively sharp (for the 20mm range) on the corners. I think it is a great little lens. I second this opinion les. My VL20/3.5 definitely gives me better color rendition than the DA21/3.2 ltd. It is also sharper edge to edge (in 1.5x cropped sensor, that is) than my DA21ltd. I have come to a conclusion that DA lenses have as more "plasticky" color rendition which is less to my liking. From now on, if I were to invest in limited lenses, it would have to be the FA ltds. The only drawback of the VL20/3.5 is when I need critical focusing for shots below infinity and with an f stop of a shallower dof (f3.5-4.5). Since I rely on the focus assist lamp, I noticed that at these aperture stops, the fa lamp covers a wider range and is not as accurate. That is the only drawback I have experienced with the VL20, and where I miss the AF of the DA21ltd.

02-26-2012, 01:55 AM	#724
vinceloc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 367	Taken today from a cultural and arts festival... CV 58/1.4 SLII CV 20/3.5 SLII...

03-02-2012, 06:00 PM	#725
samper Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 85	Great photos Vincent!

03-07-2012, 05:35 PM	#727
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020	Originally posted by samper Look what came in by FedEx today ... A box? Just kidding . . . welcome to the obsession, er, club.

03-10-2012, 06:49 AM	#728
lensego Forum Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: PERTH Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 50	once again ... well done Vincent,brilliant colours

03-10-2012, 06:58 PM	#729
vinceloc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 367	Thanks guys Saman, enjoy your new lens! BTW, if anyone is thinking of selling his/her CV 90/3.5 (sli or ii), please PM me. I may be interested (if budget permits, that is).

03-11-2012, 04:16 PM	#731
zosxavius Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Somewhere, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 458	So if I am reading this right the vl primes are better than the pentax limiteds? Now you have my intrigued....let's say I want something between 15-18mm.....what are the sharpest primes in that range? I'm thinking about a tamron 17mm sp adaptall lens, but I want to know what might be better....corner sharpness and low distortion are paramount for this will be a primary landscape lens.....

03-12-2012, 02:35 AM	#734
Frogfish Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shanghai Posts: 4,490	Originally posted by zosxavius So if I am reading this right the vl primes are better than the pentax limiteds? Now you have my intrigued....let's say I want something between 15-18mm.....what are the sharpest primes in that range? I'm thinking about a tamron 17mm sp adaptall lens, but I want to know what might be better....corner sharpness and low distortion are paramount for this will be a primary landscape lens..... Originally posted by Emacs cz distagon 18 zk I guess, but I would buy ricoh gxr + cz distagon 18 zm instead, the zm is better performer, the result would be about the same: http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-htsoVV1G5Tk/T1pY7IhfASI/AAAAAAAAObE/sYvO38...0/DSC04113.jpg (hendheld, nex-5n, leica super elmar 18, focal distance is about 1.5m, aperture=f8, and the cz is about as good, if not better) You can also consider the same ricoh gxr + vl heliar 15, which is definitely sharper lens than 15Ltd Woah ! Hold your horses Zos ! I don't see m(any) saying the VL lenses are better than the (at least FA Ltd) primes !! The DA Ltd's are not quite on that level but are still damn fine (and give you AF). However the better performing VL lenses are stars too. If you are looking for a true landscape lens then you are looking far too wide. There will always be some distortion and softness with WA lenses, it's the nature of the beast. If you want a true landscape lens then you should be looking around 28mm where the lenses are virtually distortion free and sharp corner to corner, and then stitch as necessary. The Contax Zeiss 28/2 is the Hollywood lens of this FL but I have the CZ 28/2.8 which is considerably cheaper but has been compared to the 31 Ltd in a thread on here (I think that was Lesmore's thread too though may be mistaken - do a search and you'll find it). If you are intent on a WA lens then again EMACS suggestion of the CZ Distagon 18mm is right on the money, the superb VL15mm Heliar is a rangefinder lens that can't be used on DSLRs.

03-12-2012, 04:20 AM	#735
Emacs Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Moscow Posts: 1,223	Originally posted by Frogfish e. There will always be some distortion and softness with WA lenses, it's the nature of the beast. If you want a true landscape lens then you should be looking around 28mm where the lenses are virtually distortion free and sharp corner to corner, and then stitch as necessary. The Contax Zeiss 28/2 is the Hollywood lens of this FL but I have the CZ 28/2.8 which is considerably cheaper but has been compared to the 31 Ltd in a thread on here (I think that was Lesmore's thread too though may be mistaken - do a search and you'll find it 28 on APS-C is normal, and 18mm is just about 27-28 equivalent