LEICA SUPER ANGULON M 21mm F3.4
A review and Photo example of theLEICA SUPER ANGULON M 21mm F3.4 with the LEICA M9.
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Table of contents
Gallery
The example photo was taken using a LEICA M9
Review
1．Overview
The SUPER ANGULON M 21mm f/3.4 is a wide-angle lens for the Leica M mount, first produced in 1963.
The main specifications are as follows, with detailed specifications listed in the table.
- Aperture: f/3.4
- Lens Construction: 8 elements in 4 groups
- Aperture Blades: 4
- Minimum Focus: 0.4m
- Rangefinder Coupling: 0.7m
- Hood “12501”: Same as the ELAMRIT M 28mm f/2.8 (first and second generation with stopper)
Super-Angulon lenses, both for M and R mounts, are manufactured by Schneider of Germany.
2．Usability
As you can see from the sample images, the SUPER ANGULON M 21mm f/3.4 often exhibits a peripheral color cast when shooting color images with the Kodak CCD sensor of the LEICA M9.
Aside from the color cast, the image quality is excellent, with particularly good resolution and little distortion in the center. Therefore, if you consider it a dedicated monochrome lens, the color cast is no longer an issue and you can use it comfortably.
Furthermore, the color cast is no longer an issue when used with a film camera.
When this lens is attached to a camera, the rear element of the lens is embedded inside the camera, preventing proper metering. Therefore, photos will appear slightly overexposed if the camera’s AE (Auto Exposure) setting is used.
When used in manual mode, the photographer must adjust the shutter speed and aperture. Since ± exposure adjustments often cannot handle fluctuations, it is best to set the shutter speed directly.
This is a problem shared by both digital and film cameras with AE functions. While manual settings were the norm in the past, this can suddenly feel inconvenient if you’re accustomed to the convenience of AE cameras.
Furthermore, because the rear lens element is large, cameras equipped with APS-C size sensors or smaller sensors may not be able to be mounted due to the rear lens element interfering with the wall surrounding the sensor.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the SUPER ANGULON M 21mm f/3.4 lens has the following three issues when used with digital cameras, but it is a good companion for film camera users and photographers who can tolerate these issues.
- Depending on the sensor, a color cast may appear around the edges of the image.
- AE may not work with some cameras.
- It cannot be attached to some cameras.
Specifications, considerations, etc.
The F3.4 version is available in silver and black exteriors; the silver version has an infinity stop, while the black version does not. Both appear to have been produced at the same time, and I’ve tried to find out why only the silver version has a stop, but it remains a mystery.
Color cast may not appear depending on the type of sensor installed in the camera. Also, metering may not be an issue with some cameras depending on the sensor’s location and metering method.
For this reason, I recommend checking the compatibility of the lens with your camera before purchasing.
Specification
| Items | F4 | F3.4 |
| Focal length(mm) | 21 | ← |
| Max aperture | 4 | 3.4 |
| Min aperture | 16 | ← |
| Leaf blade | 4 | ← |
| Lens Construction | 9elements 4groups | 8elements 4groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.4 | ← |
| Lesn Lens length(mm) Distance from M mount surface | 51 | 51 |
| Max diameter(mm) | 52.5 | 52.5 |
| Filter Size(mm) | E39 | E48 Series 7 |
| Lens hood | IWKOO | 12501 |
| Weight(g) | 250 | 301 |
| Release date | 1958〜1981 | 1963〜1978 |
| Production numbers | 27,000 | 5,970 |
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- SUPER ANGULON 21mm・Ads by ebay
Reference links
Update history
- 2025.8.5
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