[Leica] 12mm review note from LUG

[Henning Wulff <henningw@archiphoto.com>]

Hello Michael,

>On another topics, I also got the Voigtlander 12mm f/5.6 Heliar last 
>week. There have hardly been any online reviews so I've added mine. 
>My prelimiary impressions can be found at 
>http://www.luminous-landscape.com/12mm.htm
>
>Michael Reichmann
>www.luminous-landscape.com

I've just had a look at your 12mm write-up, and I thought I should 
point out some errors in the text you might want to fix. I thought 
I'd send this directly to you.

The 12 has a horizontal angle of view of 112 degrees, not 121. Its 
diagonal angle of view is about 121.

You also mention "than its slightly wider 14mm f/2.8 SLR 
competitors". They are narrower, not wider of course.

Further on you say that there is a small 'level' attached to the 
lens. This would be handy, but you were obviously referring to the 
small lever.

I've been using the lens since October and am very happy to have it 
available to me. I've got the 77mm adapter, and have used a Schneider 
Center filter at times with that. It helps, but it is a bit clumsy 
and weird. I wouldn't consider getting one just for this lens, but 
since I've got a selection of Center Filters from my LF stuff, It can 
be used at times. Most times, the corner light falloff doesn't bother 
me. Things get strange in the corners anyway. I've also put an 89b 
gel behind the Center Filter and shot B&W IR. Not your usual 
pictures. The LUG archives will have a small review I wrote about the 
lens a while ago.

I got the double shoe and level for it as well, and this works fine 
for horizontal shots.

Since I do mostly architectural photography, I'm heavily into 
wideangles. At present I still have a Hologon 15 for the Leica, which 
got honorably retired when the 15 Cosina came out, and 21's etc. for 
my Leicas. Also the 15 Nikkor, Hasselblad SWC, Xpan 30, Noblex, and 
35, 47, 58, 65, 72 etc. for LF. The 12 is quite similar to the 35 on 
6x12.

I enjoy your site a lot. Hopefully it will inspire me to update mine 
sometime soon :-).

All the best,

- -- 
    *            Henning J. Wulff
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