I recently took this lens on a trip to Italy. I've written a report and included some sample shots. If you are interested in this lens, you can read the report here:

www.jimtardio.com/voigtlander-21.html

I hope it's helpful.

-- Jim Tardio (jimtardio@earthlink.net), October 25, 2001

Answers

You did some good work here Jim. I have just been waiting for some corroboration of the already positive reviews on this lens, and your photos really help in this regard. It is nice to see real subjects shot under many different lighting conditions rather than just test charts... I never take pictures of test charts in my day to day shooting. ;-)

I also want to thank you for the link on the new shade. It looks a lot more substantial, and it should alleviate some of the flare.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), October 25, 2001.

Jim:

Thanks for the real-world review. Nice shots too!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), October 25, 2001.

Jim:

Yes . . . this is the way all lens tests should be: simple, attractive, objective and to the point.

Thanks ! I just began feeling something that I already know where it ends up in time . . .

Regards

-Iván

-- Iván Barrientos M (ingenieria@simltda.tie.cl), October 25, 2001.

Your photos look great, I particularly like the shot of the boats. Hmm, and I *like* 21mm lenses.... sigh.

Godfrey

-- Godfrey (ramarren@bayarea.net), October 25, 2001.

Jim

This is undoutedly a very tempting lens- the 21mm ASPH is an outrageous price and I don't use 21's much. I would buy one to replace my Super-Angulon-R, except I (like many) never want to sell a Leica lens. The VC's small size is a major attraction. I suspect it performs better than the Super-Angluon in many ways - although the SA has excellent flare control and focuses very close.

Your shots are interesting too, normally I hate converging verticals, but your shots seem to work well. Italy is always wonderfully photogenic isn't it?

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), October 26, 2001.

Jim:

Nice photos! The VC 21/f4 is certainly a nice lens. I recently bought a Leica 21/f2.8 ASPH lens and have fallen in love with the lens and the focal length! It is a great lens for travel photography......

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), October 26, 2001.

I hope the report has been helpful for those of you who have read it. I, too, don't find reviews with charts and test patterns particularly useful, although I can see the logic behind them. To me, the lens either works for your application or it doesn't. Overall, it's a great little lens.

In some emails, someone pointed out that the Hoya filter I used may have contributed to the lens flare, as it is not a multi-coated filter. Perhaps a B+W, Heliopan, or Leica would help this. I should have tried it without the filter...I will, and will add the results to my report if they are significant.

Thanks again for the replies.

-- Jim Tardio (jimtardio@earthlink.net), October 27, 2001.

Jim: belated thanks for your article and those great photos! I'm in love with my V. 21mm. Tom Abrahamsson showed me the galleys of an article he and a friend had written comparing four 21mm lenses for Leica. These were the Voigtlander, the new Leica aspherical, the Ricco 3.5 and an old Leica Super A. Looking briefly through the galleys, what I gleened was that the new Leica aspherical, predictably, came in first in terms of resolution and contrast, but the Voigtlander came in second (Ricco was third and the Super A. came last). The new aspherical apparently showed more linear distortion than the Voightlander. I think the article was to be submitted to The Rangerfinder. Has anyone read this article? About the V. 21's flare: It isn't bad. Certainly not as bad as my trusty old Summilux 35/1.4.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4u.or.jp), October 29, 2001.