has anyone any experience with the voigtlander 12mm lens? where can i find pictures taken with that lens?

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), May 27, 2002

Answers

I have one. There's little or nothing to compare it with. It's very well made - it feels better made than the other CV lenses I have. The viewfinder is excellent and equally well made.

The initial temptation on getting one is to use it too much, just to enjoy the new perspectives it offers.

To my undemanding eye, image quality is very satisfactory. There's a lot of vignetting wide open, but it improves radically by stopping down one.

My main problem initially was keeping the camera absolutely horizontal. I thought this would be simple, but the angle is so wide that deviations that would be imperceptible with a 35mm or even 24mm are blindingly obvious with the 12.

I therefore bought the Voigtander spirit level, and what an amazing little device it is. It is possible to look through the viewfinder and the level without moving the camera or your head, and it is very clear. You need the special bracket to hold the finder and the level.

I'm very glad I got this lens, and while some others may go and come, I think this one will be staying around. If Leica ever make one, it will be so expensive that I won't be able to afford it anyway. It's amazing value for money.

There's a review with some pics at

http://luminous-landscape.com/12mm.htm

-- Paul Hart (paulhart@blueyonder.co.uk), May 27, 2002.

i got one recently along w/a 15. it's at its best at f8. it's better than the 15, sharper. it is fun to play with. true, one must hold it level to mostly avoid special effects. when held level it's like periferal vision. i will keep mine and perhaps sell the 15...offers anyone?

-- steve (leitz_not_leica@hotmail.com), May 28, 2002.