Hello everybody,

I was wondering if ever somebody compared the Super-Angulon 21/3.4 vs the new Voigtlander 21/4.0 in real life. I found a discussion on the topic of the Voigtlander 21, but nobody seemed to have compared these two lenses. I consider trading my Super Angulon in vs the VC because the VC would allow me to use the meter in my M6. Any ideas? Thanks to everybody

-- Johannes Fleischhauer (j.fleischhauer@vsao.ch), December 20, 2001

Answers

Here's what Tom Abrahammson had to say about it on the cameraquest site: "The 21/4 Color-Skopar. The all time bargain lens by Voigtlander. At $ 375 with the finder, it is a jewel. It is small, same barrel as the 25/4 Snap-Shot Skopar and lightweight. It does couple to the rangefinder on the LTM or M camera. It has a similar focus lever as the 28/1,9. The brightline finder is as good as the Leica 21 finder (almost the same price as the 21/4+ its finder!). Optical quality is very good. If you have used the 25/4 Skopar, you will recognize the quality. Sharp and contrasty with a remarkable lack of fall- off in the edges. Just from looking at the negs, less fall-off than the 21/3,4 has. It has now found a permanent home in my camera bag. It is small enough that you can stick the lens/finder combo in the pocket and have a really wide lens available, without the burden of a 21/2,8. It is not a 21/2,8 Aspherical, but it probably comes within spitting distance at about 1/6 of the cost. It has an another advantage, it is a lens that you probably will leave in the pocket of your jacket or in your bag. This means that rather than going "Boy, do I wish I had a 21 here now" - you now have one along. The 21/2,8 ASPH is not a lens that you drag around frivolously - the 21/4 and its finder occupies about the same space as 2-3 rolls of film! Oh, remember, you can use the 21/4 on a LTM Leica too!"

With any luck those italics will turn off.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), December 20, 2001.

Excellent, they did. So basically, it looks like you would loose half a stop and the "leica" name. And gain less falloff and the ability to meter with the M6 (plus having a finder that was at least as good if not better). I'd say go for it. I've been very happy with every Voigt lens I've owned.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), December 20, 2001.

Abrahamson did a follow-up comparison for the LHSA 'Viewfinder" magazine comparing 21VC, 21 SA 3.4, preASPH 21 Elmarit and ASPH Elmarit. It'll be on their website in 6 months or so.

The gist - the SA came out ahead on lack of distortion - and that's about it! The VC 21 had equal or better image quality, less light fall- off, and SLIGHTLY more distortion (but comparable to the Leica retrofocus 21 Elmarits). Both lenses had some flare problems in different situations compared to the ASPH.

If you feel pangs about trading in the "Leica" lens, just remember it's actually a "Schneider" design. 8^)

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), December 20, 2001.

Eventually the article will probably appear on the LHSA's website. Watch for it here:

http://www.lhsa.org/

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), December 20, 2001.

Haven't tried the 21 VC, but I had a 21SA at one time. VERY nice results...but I always thought the lens was 1/2 stop slower than the marked stops. This was also mentioned by two other camera store (Leica people) sales persons. If you exposed at a marked stop, you got VERY saturated slides. More pleasing was if you opened up 1/2 stop.

OTOH.....there is the 21 2:8 Biogon for the Contax G!!!!!

-- Todd Phillips (toddvphillips@webtv.net), December 20, 2001.

Can't speak for the Voightlander, but I really enjoyed my 21/3.4 SA. Very compact and very sharp. I ultimately traded it straight across for a pre-asph 21 elmarit because you can't meter through it with the M6.

-- Peter B. Goldstein (peter.goldstein@us.cgeyc.com), December 20, 2001.

Hello, I used to own a S.A. 3.4.but sold it because as noted it was half a stop slow wide open, vignetted a little more than my retrofocus 21mm.R lense and would not meter on the M6.I also got very good money for it.I had used the new Voightlander lense but don't ask me why,but I ended up buying another 3.4 S.A. instead, albeit in lesser condition than my first.Simply stated the S.A. has no visible barrel distortion,gives superb,sharp results from 5.6,has a weight and balance to me which is more in keeping with a 60's Leica M,and never failed mechanically in all the years of use.Even the lack of TTL metering did not upset me on repurchase.I guess one could put this down to quirky sentimentality.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), December 22, 2001.