madkins Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 hey there. . . . i'm planning on buying an m7 and was thinking about getting a 15mm cosina lens. . . . has anyone used this lens with an m7? when using the adapter ring, does the lens function with the m7's ae? also, does voigtlander supply a good accessory viewfinder for that lens? thanks for your help with this. . . . hehe, oh. . . and any photos you have taken with it would be awesome to see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_unsworth1 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Michael<p>I've used it on an M6 and it's a good lens for the money. 15mm is _very_ wide but it goves a unique view on the world.<p>The supplied viewfinder has a lot of barrel distortion - which the lens does not - but is perfectly ok. Framing a lens this wide on a rangefinder is always going to be a bit hit and miss.<p>I took this in Paris outside the Hotel de Ville, the swirling effect was caused by panning the lens.<p><img src = "http://www.steveunsworth.co.uk/PAW/Images/week05.jpg"><p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Taylor Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 My GF uses her M7 with my 15mm all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shambrick007 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 "when using the adapter ring, does the lens function with the m7's ae?"<p>Since there are no electrical (or other type of) contacts, sure, why not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Blackwell Images Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 The AE is not affected in the least. However, the lens does not couple to the rangefinder, so you'll need to scale focus. As others have already said it's a very good lens for the money, but IMO it in no way measures up to Leica glass. It comes with its own finder. This is the best value of the whole package IMO. This finder very well made and is as functional as any Leica bright-line finder made by Leica. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it ...” – Yogi Berra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 I love mine! I keep it on a Bessa L most of the time but use it on my M bodies and CL on occasion. The finder is one of the best I've seen but I rarely use it, even when I'm not holding the camera at arm's length pointed back at myself...LOL ~I mostly just point and shoot, and I've gotten quite good at knowing what'll be in the frame. Here's some shots with the 15: http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=489236 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anhtu Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Al, you must have spent a lot of time practicing as you quite consistently frame just your shoulders in those self mug shots. Any trick you want to pass on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capocheny Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Steve, Nice image.... :) Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_furer Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Be sure not to use the 15mm lens with the motor drive. I've gotten some very nice images of my fat fingers! In focus too! Otherwise a nice combo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Anhtu, the "trick" is mostly practice, but I cheat too. My arm is bent so the camera is only about 1/2 meter (just under 2 feet) away from me, and if you look at the viewfinder you can see the eyepiece through the front of the finder. If you can't see the eyepiece then you're out of the frame. I try to place the eyepiece close to the edge, but not always right up against it. Once in awhile I do get some arm in the photo. I usually shoot 4 or 5 frames, both to assure framing and because I'm often shooting at fairly slow shutter speeds. I try to find something to brace my hand against, the wall, a chair back, or such because many of these were shot at 1/15, 1/8, even a few at 1/4 second. Still, I'm amazed that I usually manage to get about three "keepers" on average per roll. I'll be posting another batch in a day or so, and I still have a bunch picked out to print up, plus more in the camera ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
open Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Al, can you please explain how to make frames like those you have around your prints when printing under the enlarger. I'm kinda new to darkroom and would like to give my 8x10 borders like that. Thanks, Aleks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 It's done by filing your negative carrier so the opening is bigger than the image area. This lets you print a bit of clear film all the way around. These days the wedding and portrait folks are big on "sloppy borders" so I don't much worry about the fact that the carrier isn't filed out too neatly. I used to always use a Saunders four-way masking easel so I could not only center the image on the paper but also make nice neat thin black lines all around. Back in the 60's it became fashionable to file out the carrier to prove that you were printing full negative, not cheating by cropping! And just think, we didn't even have the option of zoom lenses back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
open Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 and i also think that back in the 60' people took much better photographs than they do today:-) Thank you very much for the info. It seems very easy to do, i just didn't think of it on my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 There's about 10 new 15mm photos on my home page here on photo.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 It works fine. The rear group of elements don't portrude far enough to affect the meter. I used it in manual because too much sky will throw the AE off unless I keep my finger pressed on the release, which is a PITA. I aim it at a patch of grass of light asphalt, meter, open one stop, then leave it until the light changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anhtu Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Thanks for the pointers Al. 1/4 is amazing. I've never handheld below 1/30. I think my grip needs checking. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 At 1/4 second sometimes none of them will be sharp, even bracing your hand or the camera against something. Often it's the subject that moves. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Blackwell Images Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 15mm Heliar shots: http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation.tcl?presentation_id=289792 “When you come to a fork in the road, take it ...” – Yogi Berra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivek iyer Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Very nice example, Steve! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpg Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 I have the 15mm and enjoy it. Like all say, it is very good and great value. I also have an M7. But after a fellow member suggested it, I bought a Bessa L for $69 from Gandy and leave the 15mm firmly attached to it. Very convenient way to add a superwide when shooting "normal" with my M7. The Bessa L is simple and easy to use with the 15mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_elwing Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Just a sober note re the 15mm. It can't take filters without vignetting. On the positive side, you can fit it to any post 1931 Leica, any old piece of Russian **** (& I love them) , any old Canon. Because there is no filter factor, you don't need an M7, just a hand held light meter, and any old piece of rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Maybe we need to start a 15mm forum. Only photos from 15mm Voigtlander Heliars and Zeiss Hologons (M mount) allowed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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