[Leica] THE SAGA of the 15MM----18MM lens! YOU WONT BELIEVE IT! :-(

[John McMaster]

Actually nearer 20mm, as you say what does it matter if the images work - until you need an actual 15mm (or 12mm) for a certain shot.... I have tended to use my Zeiss 15mm on my M8 for IR, it has the proper IR mark for focussing, but use my 21mm external v/f.

john

-----Original Message-----

Hi Crew,
There I was one day several years ago feeling just wonderful acquiring this most incredible SUPER-WIDE 15MM Lens. Just tickled pink every time I shot with it on my M cameras, film early days. Now M8 these past few years.

Always feeling like "JOE COOL the SHOOTER" each time I used it and looked at the incredible captured W/A images.  "REALLY?" :-(

Yes there was a view finder to attach in the hot shoe to give you a bit of an idea how wide the image might/would be. Well I put one of those thumb winder things into the hot shoe mount on the M8. So I put the view thingee in my bag. NEVER USED IT! Why? Well it was always a pain in the butt finding it in the bag or photo-vest pocket. Not to mention trying to remove the thumb thingee.

Besides why use one on a digital camera when you "CLICK" and there's the image to check how it looks? Image looks "cool?" Carry on or whatever? THEN I WENT TO JOSEMITE NAT. PARK. USA ????? READY?????????? :-)

NO I DIDN'T LOSE IT. READY???????????? My dear friend Bob Adler enlightened me one day "even though it's a 15mm WA lens rightly so. In reality on an M8 it's only an 18MM LENS!!!!!!!!!!"

My eyes watered,;-)  I felt like I was having trouble breathing! ;-) After all these years on the M8 I've lost hundreds, nay thousands of millimetres of view! HOW COULD THAT POSSIBLEY BE????????? Devastated, I blurted out "EXPLAIN HOW THAT CAN BE?" Beginning to feel weak in the knees after all these years I have been robbed of image size! ;-) 

In a lightening flash Bob responded! 

"It only has an "18mm sensor in the M8 camera!" I felt robbed and cheated both at the same time. ;-)

I gripped myself firmly, held the M8 close to my heart fearful I may throw it away, as one might do with a cheating lover! ;-) I took several deep breaths quickly realizing how to correct this devastating cheating camera "SENSOR!"  

Dang, sometimes I amaze myself how quickly I find the answer to what appeared a kind of theft from my photographs! The correction to the devastating moment that a friend so callously enlightened me, so un-expectantly! Bob? Yer bad!! ;-) ;-) ;-)  BUT YER STILL ONE OF THE BEST BUDDIES A GUY CAN HAVE! :-) 

"15mm WIDE ANGLE CORRECTON METHOD!" 
To full 15mm lens capabilities???????  READY? OK so it's my method of keeping it KISS and free? :-)  Take one or two steps back! Look through camera view finder, center the image, it looks cool and wide angle?  CLICK!!
Another winner! ?? Well? So ok maybe? However, always keep it KISS ! 

But in all honesty it did throw me off after the many years I've been using this lens after I sold my LEICA 21mm wide angle lens. Aaahhhhhhh digital stuff! :-) I'll never understand all this! :-) Besides who cares as long as you capture that what excites you and keeps paying clients HAPPY! :-) cheers, Dr. ted :-)