Luckily the sun was shining again because I wanted to see what the results of using the CV Color Scopar 21/4 would be like on the If. So I did the usual and hoofed it around Deptford and Greenwich photographing my usual reference points.
That is what we like to see… throw down the brollies
First off, a mini user review
The CV Color Scopar 21/4 is a wide but slow lens. probably the least expensive way to go wide with this setup. The Leitz equivalent costs many more �����s and I’m not sure anything is available for screw mount anyway (ie the ‘crons for the M series).
It appears to be well constructed with that hard to define feeling of ‘quality’. CV describes it as ‘silver’ (a brushed anodized finish). It definitely isn’t chrome, so doesn’t make a brilliant match. Good enough though and I dislike the CV painted black copies anyway. The only niggle about the way it looks is that the bundled finder is black plastic. Horrors, WTF couldn’t CV bundle a silver finder with a silver lens… definitely looks out of place. However, the silver Leica SBKOO equivalent brightline finder costs ITRO �300 and the newer Leica black 21mm finders are even more expensive. Go figure… The Leica 21mm finders look bigger than the CV 21mm finder. So I’ll live with it
The lens is pleasingly small and fits well with the the diminutive If. I’m planning on using the combo for street photography. The widest I can go (autofocus) with the Nikon D300 is by using the 12-24 f/4, hardly a small and unobtrusive combo. The AFD Nikkor 21 prime has a fairly crap reputation too, so I don’t want that option. The FM2/n with a 28mm Nikkor AIS is the nearest to the If in my collection but my FM2/n camera has one of the loudest shutters I’ve ever heard (ie not discrete) and still feels huge compared to the Leica (the FM2/n is one of the smallest Nikon SLRs).
The aperture ring has well defined clicks, including half stops and the focus ring is very smooth and well damped. I am a fan of the focusing lever on Leica lenses & the CV has one too, which is nice… Zone focusing is a doddle since the focus index registers at the top of the camera so it is simple to glance down rather than having to hunt round the sides with the Summaron 35/3.5. Distances are in feet and meters for the metrically challenged (North Americans?).
One other niggle. It does not seem possible to use a lens cap if using the lens hood (LH-1). Possibly a consideration with aging shutter curtains. It is possible to burn pin-holes in the shutter curtain if the lens is left pointing at the sun. It is recommended that the lens hood is kept on anyway to avoid progressive light leaks through tiny holes. That assumes some sun of course…
On the subject of the lens hood, I hope this nugget may help somebody else. I thought the built in hood was jammed on the lens when I first came to remove it. This may be a case of RTFM but you don’t actually need the strength of a silver-back gorilla to remove it. Rather than try and unscrew it directly, slide the lens cap over it and use that for leverage. Doddle… the other way is hard. You have to remove the integral lens hood to attach filters and/or the larger and more effective LH-1 hood, so it is worth finding this out first rather than in the field
I shot two roll of films: Ilford Delta 100, developed in Ilfosol 3 1+9 for 5 mins and Fomapan 100, ditto development. The Ilfosol 3 has a disturbingly short (5 min at standard dilution) developing time and I think is classed as an all purpose developer for low speed rated film. I’m not dissatisfied with the results. I do seem to have a dust problem though. This is hardly a surprise TBH. There is so much building work around here that dust gets everywhere. And yeah, I really like housework too… as I sit and watch the tumbleweed dust/hair balls rolling across the room I like to think I’m in some iconic movie location. Not.
Images
All of these shots were taken with the LH-1 lens hood in place. There was bright low sun and I’m pretty sure that it has controlled flare very effectively. One disadvantage of the hood is that I can’t hide the camera under my coat so effectively while it is hanging from my neck – stealth consideration. I can, of course, but it looks like I have a serious deformity
Delta 100:
Fomapan 100:
I’m loving the ‘painterly’ rendition of the reflections in these windows. I’ve noticed this before and will return for a more dedicated exploration of the phenomenon. It must be something to do with the kind of glass (or perhaps its age) used in the Old Royal Naval College windows
The lens has a reputation for sharpness across the image and for being contrasty. I’d agree. In fact it is a pleasure to use! I can’t wait to use it in a more appropriate street setting.
Like all wides with this angle of view it becomes a ‘pointless and shoot’ (tm hehe) if you are expecting something that doesn’t require thought around the composition.� The huge depth of field and wide angle of view requires and understanding of foreground/background relationships, ie a foreground subject can be right in your face and it can remain contextualised and emphasised because the background is falling away behind it to a great depth and distance. Something renaissance painters knew about. I suspect many of them would have been using wide lenses if cameras had been around in 1500. This ‘distortion’ of reality can be used to great effect on the street.
And finally a bench to round it all off
by skinnyvoice
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